Italy

Oct. 7, 2003- Here we go again

We’re off to Italy for three weeks and I decided to take the laptop and you along. Some of you on the address list are new to this so I’ll explain the drill. I’ll send you my journal as we travel whenever we come upon an Internet café or hotel that has a computer where I can upload my messages from floppy. As before I’ll be writing my own candid opinion, which will frequently be blunt if not to the point. In reviewing my journal from our around the world trip and in trying to edit it down from 2000 to 500 words for publication in the Focus newspaper in Akron, I’ll attempt to refrain from my usual verbosity. If the last sentence is any indication, it will be an insurmountable task. Feel free to read or delete the emails at will or forward them to anyone you think might be interested.

I managed to leave the Cleveland airport without shedding any tears. Some of you may recall I was inconsolable when we left for our nine month jaunt to Australia and beyond in 2001. Even though our daughter-in-law Vikki and our 13 ½ month old granddaughter Talia saw us off it was a different ball game. For one thing Talia didn’t exist in 2001. Her conception was only the topic of conjecture. This trip is only three weeks long. I know we’ll miss a lot in her development but will be able to catch up. I just hope she doesn’t forget us.

We hit our first glitch in Cleveland. When we checked in we found out that Delta had changed equipment. Since David and I were ticketed separately (mine was free, his was booked through our travel agent) and the new plane had a different seat configuration, the computer and the people doing the new seat assignments didn’t know we were traveling together. Consequently our seat assignments are rows apart and on opposite sides of the plane. It’s a full flight and the only exit seats available are non-reclining. I’m sitting on the floor near an outlet in the gate area so I can type this while David is straightening it all out.

Yeah! He was successful.

Making Progress

We had lunch at Friday’s in the Atlanta airport where they use plastic tableware. It’s in an area past the security checkpont so I guess they’re cautious. It’s a good thing we ordered sandwiches and not steak.

Toby