tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86548874652019941382024-03-13T14:57:15.570-05:00Korinthia's Quiet CornerMy own space apart from the babble of the internetKorinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.comBlogger777125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-16188773689825886642024-02-29T22:09:00.001-06:002024-02-29T22:31:19.721-06:00To Sleep, Perchance to Breathe<p>Bodies are weird. And living in one as it's aging is annoying, but never dull.</p><p>For anyone interested in long overdue updates about my personal health things: The mastitis issue is essentially gone with occasional flare-ups of WHY?! at inconvenient moments. My back is fine after a few years of very not fine, but I think the beginning of the pandemic cured it by making me stop doing things. Plantar fasciitis was fixed with good shoes. There was a glowing spot in my vision that went away, and has been replaced by a couple of dark dots off to my left that I try to ignore. I think I am finally in menopause? Fingers crossed that sticks because periods are the worst. Currently I'm in a game of chicken with my right leg about going to the doctor. For no reason I can pinpoint, it started hurting a couple of weeks ago, but I stuck a brace/sleeve thing on my knee the other day and it's getting better. Good times.</p><p>This post is specifically about how I am adjusting to the use of a CPAP machine. It's been a week, and wow, what a difference it makes to be able to sleep!<br /><br />If you are in a demographic that is blissfully unaware of sleep apnea, it's a condition where you stop breathing in your sleep, and your body snorts you awake to keep you alive. CPAP stands for "continuous positive airway pressure" and it's a machine you essentially strap to your face to keep you breathing through the night.</p><p>I have not slept well in years. Certainly not since before I had children. I have counted myself lucky if I got three hours in a row, and in the past year or two I've been up every hour or ninety minutes. It reached a point where I was exhausted and would just sit up in bed and cry, so I finally asked my doctor for help. He referred me to a sleep specialist, who sent me home for two nights with a sleep monitoring kit.<br /><br />My brother asked me the other day why I didn't do that sooner. An excellent question! The answer, besides the typical mom response of there were too many other things to do for other people first, is that I was still functioning. When I talked to the sleep clinic doctor, he seemed to think I might be able to try a special mouth guard to start, if I even had sleep apnea. He wasn't convinced based on my answers to his questions. I don't fall asleep while driving, or at work, I don't take regular naps, etc. I am not hindered in my daily activities. When things seem to be working, you can put off fixing the few things that aren't.</p><p>Now, instead of the meeting with the doctor to discuss the results, he simply put in an order for a CPAP machine. No consultation. The message in MyChart said "Severe sleep apnea, ordering CPAP immediately." It sounded like he was wondering why I wasn't dead.<br /><br />And then I went to the CPAP orientation. There were four of us there to learn how to operate our machines and to choose which type of mask we wanted, etc. The instructor had us each sit at our assigned places, and told us the number written at the top of the first page in the instruction folder was the average number of times per hour we had stopped breathing during our at home sleep studies. The woman across from me had the number five. The woman next to me had six.</p><p>My paper said 46.7.</p><p>I stopped breathing an average of 46.7 times AN HOUR every night! The other people in the room looked at me as if I were making a joke.<br /></p><p>So now a week or so into CPAP life, I can sleep! I get about four to six hours in a row before I maybe get up to pee and then go back to sleep. I don't yawn all day. I don't wish I could take a nap. I'm awake! I like it.<br /></p><p>There's still a lot to get used to, though. The whole thing is weird, and a decidedly unsexy way to go to bed. The giant tube coming out of my face is surprisingly unnoticeable, but the mask is leaving my skin around my nose and mouth a bit red which I dislike. The machine is much quieter than I was expecting. Honestly, it doesn't sound much different from a person breathing nearby, and I tend to wear earplugs at night and I don't hear the machine at all. Finding a comfortable sleeping position is still strange, but when I'm out I'm actually out, so I don't care. The thrill has not worn off yet that I can shut my eyes and then open them a few hours later and not remember any of the time in between. But it's creepy that the machine is monitoring everything. </p><p>I get the convenience that the doctor can adjust it remotely if something needs to change, and it's interesting to get a report every morning about how I slept. I get an actual score. The first night I got an 86 (out of 100), so a solid B worth of sleep. Once I figured out how to get my mask to seal better and how to lie a different way so I'm less likely to dislodge anything, I started getting all A's. But it records how many times I take my mask off, how well my mask was working, etc. Apparently the number of "incidents" a night is down to an average of about two. I like having all that information, but I don't really like sharing when I'm sleeping with some unknown observer out in the world. It's like worrying about Santa watching me again, only this time the present is insurance coverage. I have to use the machine four hours a night for insurance to help pay for what would otherwise be an expensive service.</p><p>There's also lots of care and feeding for the machine that I'm not looking forward to. Emptying the distilled water every morning, washing the tube, wiping things down, changing the filter, etc. I can't keep houseplants alive because I don't like these kinds of chores, but apparently for me, that's the price of sleep.</p><p>And sleep is great! I've missed it.</p><p>My husband appreciates that I'm not flailing around. Mostly because when I can't sleep all the covers get twisted and he doesn't get to keep his blankets. Now he wakes up with the covers the way they started at the beginning of the night and he's much happier.<br /></p><p>The dog was super confused the first night about why I had things strapped to my head, but snuggled me under the covers all the same. That's been the funniest side effect of the whole CPAP thing, is the <i>dog</i> has more energy. She was already Miss No Off-Switch at her doggy daycare, but when <i>I</i> get a full night's sleep, <i>she</i> gets a full night's sleep. And now she's happily running nonstop with her dog pals and the trainers have noticed.</p><p>In any case, if you can't stay asleep, and you're literally tired of writing it off as part of perimenopause or stress, couldn't hurt to figure out if it's sleep apnea. I would prefer not to need this machine to breathe at night, but I am glad to have it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5BU5aB0P0uMPddJHhAfTcVwaDiwNBmkLtn4rSaCMQMV3VvSpf8z4u0F3AkOOz7LZzZOyERcihXd-k179jhm0ft1_ePpc2TloJiTBthyPxYG6_LctSaaklDmc6JlpFoZ1-ATGbAeyHqALPIT03PyXX8Yf6vIb2WV4BvrRmg9S21ggquPBpM3G7Hy5Uk8/s4096/IMG_20231102_172436796.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5BU5aB0P0uMPddJHhAfTcVwaDiwNBmkLtn4rSaCMQMV3VvSpf8z4u0F3AkOOz7LZzZOyERcihXd-k179jhm0ft1_ePpc2TloJiTBthyPxYG6_LctSaaklDmc6JlpFoZ1-ATGbAeyHqALPIT03PyXX8Yf6vIb2WV4BvrRmg9S21ggquPBpM3G7Hy5Uk8/w300-h400/IMG_20231102_172436796.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-3385580538073932682024-01-31T23:31:00.000-06:002024-01-31T23:31:54.159-06:00How We End<p>Someone I love has been told they only have a matter of months to live. It is unlikely they will see the year 2025. They may not even see summer.</p><p>Many of us have played the hypothetical game in our head of what we would do if we were presented with such news. I have a feeling it's one of those scenarios that is not what we imagine. I remember thinking vaguely long ago that if I ever had a miscarriage that I would probably accept it logically and move on. Two miscarriages taught me otherwise. I also remember being in a gut wrenching situation with one of my kids where I pictured myself at one point being a weepy mess over a particularly hard decision, but when the time came I was simply relieved. When my grandmother died, I was incredibly sad, but I was also surprised to discover that I was set free from holding onto the idea of her as someone crippled by dementia. Since all of her lived in memory I could remember her at her best without betraying reality, and there was joy in that. So I have no idea what it really is to be told you have little time left on this earth.<br /></p><p>My first thought about what I would do if given only months to live, has always been something like "Stop doing dishes." But maybe not. Maybe in reality I would embrace the ability to do that while I could. </p><p>Would I focus on myself or others?</p><p>It seems like the most appropriate time to be selfish because who would judge you negatively for it? And yet the first thing that pops into my head would be to finish projects for my kids while I could. I've made a violin for both of my older girls, but the one for the last daughter is still in pieces on my bench. I think I would feel desperate to get that done. Along with photo projects, and letters, and making sure they knew the stories behind things I want to leave them. But maybe those pursuits are selfish in their own way. <br /></p><p>In the past, I would have said the thought of being faced with a terminal diagnosis would inspire me to travel somewhere. To see something I've put off and always wanted to see. I've never been south of the equator. I've never been to Africa. But would I want to use a small amount of time to do something new or something I already know I love? I think I might resent every minute that I'm stuck in a plane on a runway if I could just be home.</p><p>I suppose that's a good measure of how well you're living your life, if you'd be happy with an average day as your last.</p><p>I love my life. I like the house we live in, even though there are still a million projects to do in it. I'm happy crawling into bed every night between my husband and my dog. I think at this stage in my life, I would be content to spend my last days at home, or maybe at our cottage my grandparents built. I know <a href="https://thisibelieve.org/essay/8515/" target="_blank">my grandfather</a> in his final months spent as much of it at the cottage as he could. <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2010/12/memorials-are-for-living-babble.html" target="_blank">My grandmother died</a> in a nursing home, but the last time I spoke to her, in her mind we were having that conversation on the cottage porch. It's a peaceful place.<br /></p><p>I've often thought that if we won the lottery (somehow without playing) that I would keep my job. I love my job. I think I might stop doing cello work or bow rehairs, though, since those things tend to provide me with more frustration than joy. (Not because I don't enjoy doing them, they just both take up all my bench surface, which I can't stand. If I had a dedicated cello workspace, and a bow bench where I didn't have to put all those supplies away each time I switched back to instrument work, then I wouldn't mind it. So maybe I should be doing that now somehow?) If I were dying, would I keep working? Possibly. Some of my happiest moments have been spent sipping a cup of hot cocoa on a cold morning while sitting alone at my bench, looking out the windows, and deciding which repairs to tackle first. But maybe I wouldn't get that anymore even if I wanted it. I'd have to help figure out how to shut it all down or pass it on.<br /></p><p>Part of me thinks I would like to scramble to put out whatever novel I'm working on. But I also know how much that takes me away from time with other people. That would probably be too big a sacrifice, unless I could convince people I love to hang out near me while I do it. I would hate to leave my books unfinished.</p><p>I know sometimes when you're sick, it can actually be harder on the people worried about you. No one likes to feel helpless. No one enjoys survivor guilt. How much would I get to selfishly be as angry and in pain as I really feel, and how much would I choose to spend my time and energy comforting my family and friends instead?<br /><br />I think about how much it would mean to me to see this person one more time, and accept that the situation is complicated enough that such a visit may be too much of an imposition. They are not obligated to accommodate anyone at this time. I just want them to have whatever brings them comfort.</p><p>I like to think it's better to be given time to say goodbye and wrap up any loose ends that need tending. An unexpected end seems crueler. I remember when I was in violin making school, and I had a long commute every day, seeing a story about another driver dying on the freeway, his car crushed between two trucks. It really shook me. I kept thinking about how he likely had food in his fridge he had planned to eat, and maybe a book on his nightstand he'd never know the end to. What if you die wearing an outfit you can't stand? Sounds stupid, but I'd rather go in my favorite cozy sweater.<br /></p><p>Contemplating death is very different now than it once was for me. There's something alluring about flirting with ideas of death when you're a teenager that doesn't have the same appeal once you have more days behind you than ahead. The list of people I've lost at this point is getting long. There is weight to those losses somehow. There are days I feel that weight, and it's all I can do not to cry at any given moment.</p><p>I dread the losses that are still to come. I feel like they haunt me on the periphery of my daily life. </p><p>Because I think often of the days almost nine years ago when <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2015/08/death-of-my-dad.html#more" target="_blank">my dad was in hospice.</a> There was so much love and laughter and sorrow and grief all tightly woven together, and we all said we would learn from it. I knew better. I wanted it to be true that we would make more time for each other, and not let the days slip by so easily that years could pass without being able to hug the people that matter, but I knew real life wouldn't allow for that. We get distracted. We get busy.<br /></p><p>And in some ways that's all right. That's what life is, the day to day bits and pieces. Being able to make your own breakfast and walk the dog and hang out with someone in front of the TV and wearing a favorite shirt and anticipating the comfort of the pillow you like at the end of the day. </p><p>Hug people while you can. Love them while you can. And remember that the little things are actually the greatest things. If tears are how we know we care, at least I know I care a lot. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-72990157022836792752023-12-31T20:50:00.000-06:002023-12-31T20:50:57.261-06:00Guilt and Gratitude<p>Charity can be complicated.</p><p>I feel as if it shouldn't be, since even a small good deed adds good to the world, and if I have any philosophy about how to live my life, it's to try to make things at least a bit better for someone each day. I try to lead with compassion along with reason and fairness.</p><p>But the world can be cruel. The unfairness and vast disparities run rampant.</p><p>A lot of what I know about charity I learned from my grandmother. She was a social worker in an upscale community in Ohio, and her stories were fascinating. Some people's struggles are exposed for all of us to see, and other's can be hidden behind the facade of a fancy house. She ran a food pantry out of her basement, and she'd fill in the gaps from her own cupboards when donations fell short. </p><p>She told me it was common during the annual drive to provide Christmas presents to families in need, that someone would withdraw their donation when they discovered they didn't get to watch the recipient get the gift. My grandmother was unwavering about keeping people's identities confidential because she believed they should be allowed to maintain their dignity, not put on a show to make people with more means feel special. That made a big enough impression on me that most of the giving I do is never something we could get a tax deduction for. It's all pretty much under the radar, helping people as I come across them in an average day. I don't need anyone to see me doing it. Most of the time, no one does.</p><p>I struggle with where the line is between living my life the way I want, and providing more to people in need. I saw someone online once describe how the problem with improving the situation for the poor was never going to be solved by people who thought it was more important to give their kids braces than to feed the hungry. I'm not sure what to do with that concept, but it stayed with me. Because I have three kids who all needed braces, and I provided them as part of my desire for my kids to have healthy, decent lives. </p><p>I don't think the average person would argue with that decision, but what if we move the line a little? My kids have more than they need. They don't ask for much. And I know for certain if I'd told them instead of presents this year I was giving that money to someone in need, they would be happy about it. But I still liked surprising them with some gifts. Doesn't mean I also didn't provide something to someone less fortunate, but should it have been more? </p><p>My grandma didn't seem to struggle this way. She liked keeping a nice home and doting on her grandchildren. She helped people and also lived a comfortable life. I wish she were still around to have a conversation on the topic, because it wasn't something I'd thought to ask her about when she was alive. I have a sense she would say that if I gave away everything, I'd have less ability to continue to give over the long haul, than I would if I invested as I need to in my health and business and family to keep all of those things functioning well.<br /></p><p>Guilt and gratitude sometimes feel like two sides of the same coin. So much of where I am is luck, but I work hard. I try to remember when I see people in different circumstances that it wasn't just that I made good choices, but I <i>had</i> good choices. I know to appreciate what I have, but wonder how much of it I should be giving away for a greater good.<br /></p><p>There are a couple of homeless people in my area that I have tried to give assistance over the years, but it's never enough. How could it be? Their needs are so huge. I've learned a lot recently about what kinds of resources are in our city for the homeless, and where the system falls short. I think about how grumpy and awful I feel when I don't get a good night's sleep in my nice bed and warm house, and then wonder what kind of wreck I'd be if I had to try and sleep on the ground in the cold. A week of that and I imagine it would be hard to climb out of a very sorry state. Then I look at spare, warm spaces I own and wonder how I could do things differently, but it's hard. I'm not really equipped to handle certain problems, especially if there is the possibility of putting my business or children at risk. I think about instances where men I know have been able to offer rides or a place to shower to people in need, and how foolish many would think it was if I as a woman tried to do the same. I try to find other ways to help where I can still be mindful of certain boundaries.</p><p>There were other things I was hoping to write tonight, while looking back on one year and looking forward to the next. But this is where my mind is lately, wondering what is selfish and what is earned. I am so grateful to be here in our home with my husband and all three kids and our sweet dog tonight. We did a repeat of our Thanksgiving meal and watched Dr Who. When I'm done with this post we're going to play a board game inspired by a drawing my mom made several years ago, with rules that my oldest worked on all week. We'll drink sparkling grape juice at midnight, and hug, and eventually crawl into beds with clean blankets and special pillows. I'm grateful I got to spend Christmas with my mom who is healing well. I'm grateful for incredibly smart, kind, and funny friends. </p><p>I love my life. It just breaks my heart every day that for so many life is more struggle than joy. I want to make it better, but there's so much to be done I get overwhelmed. And ask myself if I simply lack the courage to do more because maintaining this life I'm lucky enough to have, requires so often looking away.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-57370793318134713022023-11-30T23:11:00.006-06:002023-11-30T23:13:30.827-06:00Updates, Fall 2023<p>Does anyone else feel like everything has been in crazy crunch mode this fall? More than usual? Because I am honestly getting a bit overwhelmed and not seeing a lot of relief ahead.</p><p>My Aunt Lila went into hospice and died last month. Both my uncles had surgery this month. I played a funeral for the mother of a friend. All
of those events have left me to ponder a bit about which relationships we tend to and which we don't and why. <br /></p><p>My only Halloween update is that Mona made a costume that she wore while handing out candy at the tattoo shop, and it made one child cry! Apparently several small kids were scared, which made her feel both bad and good at the same time.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1VRmU8Ax1Qm6L-J_fqvdC-yrpe_IVNFyUnpl3Y5zvgMBYDp6yWdTDeoFlJm3N6IBk-JPMqgeJSiUN-LQS5Q86rQGN2N9XPYjSpjVS1HAgpnwl6yw42JGTMCN4inEMhyphenhyphenEciOtyQvvaqQVPvxckoGUFzHWNfSnA5w0w8de3Z17tfXFc4lOICYP2gPzxto/s4096/IMG_20231027_164240230.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1VRmU8Ax1Qm6L-J_fqvdC-yrpe_IVNFyUnpl3Y5zvgMBYDp6yWdTDeoFlJm3N6IBk-JPMqgeJSiUN-LQS5Q86rQGN2N9XPYjSpjVS1HAgpnwl6yw42JGTMCN4inEMhyphenhyphenEciOtyQvvaqQVPvxckoGUFzHWNfSnA5w0w8de3Z17tfXFc4lOICYP2gPzxto/w300-h400/IMG_20231027_164240230.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wnAXqmuQ9z00Ww8byftRlkp05KV6_pqDvIJeSVHnDoB6WtefjqYsaC-faXQxr6qDaRCT_5sSB6Ti7T3AZORo67fTx6cGLBcM90ETtuPkKq6fdva2SfalnunQvMOpz044_OeI47C0Xxhi-h7SrU77ev49vVEJ_DUNWB_Z-ztXt-9ODSfkQYnY4vMFEXA/s4096/IMG_20231027_164246044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wnAXqmuQ9z00Ww8byftRlkp05KV6_pqDvIJeSVHnDoB6WtefjqYsaC-faXQxr6qDaRCT_5sSB6Ti7T3AZORo67fTx6cGLBcM90ETtuPkKq6fdva2SfalnunQvMOpz044_OeI47C0Xxhi-h7SrU77ev49vVEJ_DUNWB_Z-ztXt-9ODSfkQYnY4vMFEXA/w400-h300/IMG_20231027_164246044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>And there is only one cake to share this birthday season. Quinn wanted to be surprised, and I wasn't going to be around in time to make her cake, so I came up with a concept, bought all the supplies, then turned it over to Mona. Quinn turned 17 on the 17th, so since it was her golden birthday, we wanted the most golden cake possible. My original concept was to make two cakes in the shape of a one and a seven, and just go crazy with the decorations. Mona had a different idea, and it was amazing to behold, but not wildly edible.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUr1DTrPsaS8R1nOJO9vQd2rJMb_FMg78BccJngLzqHKlMeBQSqG-AkUhe9gzGzuHjefjzDecK2iY3ZeY53AIGSvOtsrjGq5-A2B4JiHG4SlynbkSMEdFHS8-RXVngZOuMrsRn5zoTitINeZs6co57k9a6zNaH_VnFa3KQAMwVUevT3gqjAChbxcWQxmg/s4096/IMG_20231117_231058659.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUr1DTrPsaS8R1nOJO9vQd2rJMb_FMg78BccJngLzqHKlMeBQSqG-AkUhe9gzGzuHjefjzDecK2iY3ZeY53AIGSvOtsrjGq5-A2B4JiHG4SlynbkSMEdFHS8-RXVngZOuMrsRn5zoTitINeZs6co57k9a6zNaH_VnFa3KQAMwVUevT3gqjAChbxcWQxmg/w300-h400/IMG_20231117_231058659.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz6Up2yvyNz7OzdCc2Da0AtHpOnxUWFWdA_U4cRdpSvXpFI4SqYHs_jVY9A9vfUZbxG_9GDvUfTK1DZeWocFtBNgYiEtsTeABBZUoDiPtfoDn3cgkw0Ho-ubDshkDYr59YPlafKeWoeX3QiAjsudvLjrNujLycQFjoWnNavM_euXQ7e3SC1nzqXNe21Y/s4096/IMG_20231117_231115613.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz6Up2yvyNz7OzdCc2Da0AtHpOnxUWFWdA_U4cRdpSvXpFI4SqYHs_jVY9A9vfUZbxG_9GDvUfTK1DZeWocFtBNgYiEtsTeABBZUoDiPtfoDn3cgkw0Ho-ubDshkDYr59YPlafKeWoeX3QiAjsudvLjrNujLycQFjoWnNavM_euXQ7e3SC1nzqXNe21Y/w400-h300/IMG_20231117_231115613.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The reason I couldn't make Quinn's cake myself this year was that I was in Baltimore to give a joint presentation at the Violin Society of America convention. I teamed up with my friend Robyn Sullivan and we did a talk called "Interpersonal Mistake Management." It essentially boiled down to the fact that luthiers are famously sort of rude in their shops, so I made suggestions about how we can do better when working with customers, and Robyn addressed how luthiers can do better working with one another in a shared space. I didn't think I'd be able to attend in person because I had a scheduling conflict with a rehearsal and a concert, but Robyn was kind enough to do all the airport pick-up and drop-off driving, as well as put me up in her hotel room down the street from the convention.<p></p><p>The whole thing was so much fun! When I think back to my first couple of VSA conventions, and how intimidating I found all of it and how alone I felt, this was a whole different experience. I got to meet--in person!--many people from my Women In Lutherie group whom I've only interacted with online before. There were people excited to meet me! And I was excited to meet them! My book (My Violin Needs Help!) was for sale in the vendor room at the International Violin table, and I got to sign copies. I bought so many good tools (including a small saw that doomed my carry-on bag to checked status when I got back to the airport), and met people from suppliers I buy from. I got fed lunch both days I was there (one was for the annual Women's Luncheon, and one was a lunch for vendors and speakers). I caught up with old friends and made new ones. Not to mention the fun of playing pick up ensembles in the new instrument room. We had enough violists to do the third Brandenburg Concerto with all three viola parts! What a great time. Plus hanging out in a hotel with Robyn was good, because with her it's always the perfect combination of quiet chill time and talk too much time.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6kLx98k916vCirDqINLyD01XCllHTywZ3xrfRpwp-YARY4DX7eI8J1JPlnsq4smt8kTvLL0NwkJFxwHsmU-XvLbLppqVR6uu5OMIGB3M43u1L5XKD4OvFxLSuoiGokYJGhyphenhyphen_nvPTwORcHoISPIwZWeV6SZOfR93h_BlvyTjJwkDKokFkXVJyodzWX5I/s1080/403109655_10229936557536474_831093003006137332_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6kLx98k916vCirDqINLyD01XCllHTywZ3xrfRpwp-YARY4DX7eI8J1JPlnsq4smt8kTvLL0NwkJFxwHsmU-XvLbLppqVR6uu5OMIGB3M43u1L5XKD4OvFxLSuoiGokYJGhyphenhyphen_nvPTwORcHoISPIwZWeV6SZOfR93h_BlvyTjJwkDKokFkXVJyodzWX5I/w400-h400/403109655_10229936557536474_831093003006137332_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for our talk as people start filing in!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>On top of it all, our talk went really well. People really enjoyed the whole presentation, and thought the topic was long overdue. We've been invited by Strad magazine to turn it into a pair of articles, so if you read luthier trade magazines, keep an eye out for that!<p></p><p>I left not only feeling like I belonged, but that I could have an impact. I'm confident that if I applied to do another talk in the future that they would welcome it. That's not a place I expected to reach. How cool is that?</p><p>The Pumpkin Pavilion was fun as usual. Carving day was cold and rainy, so I didn't contribute as much as usual, but I loved going to the park with Mona.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFu1BaJdEhuKS4bi1aZXFSeYqiktEvioHS0jdssRUPaB9lyr6tN-CleGVTNAI-ADCQ78JYo9GHX7KuzGHlYGVoa8Xei4JoJ14523phKOrnbCpQSH4ZnKreSKPyZxLGCsID986sSm_9UewTGBU_i6akTAtBXCVBwQ7b-yMiqyzEdDBLHK2y50N3UaoURA/s4096/IMG_20231019_180519300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFu1BaJdEhuKS4bi1aZXFSeYqiktEvioHS0jdssRUPaB9lyr6tN-CleGVTNAI-ADCQ78JYo9GHX7KuzGHlYGVoa8Xei4JoJ14523phKOrnbCpQSH4ZnKreSKPyZxLGCsID986sSm_9UewTGBU_i6akTAtBXCVBwQ7b-yMiqyzEdDBLHK2y50N3UaoURA/w300-h400/IMG_20231019_180519300.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Work in the store has been insanely busy. So much so that I haven't had any time to work on my own instruments at home. I can't rehair bows until midnight and then hope to carve scrolls, so I need to make time somewhere and get back in my home shop. People are waiting for those instruments! Which is wonderful, but a lot of pressure sometimes when my schedule is packed.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyHqZV_ghwNMmS96qdAgwkkzz3OhiTDp6VTUSe38_jLv1jju8Kw5HWcbKRsqjK8qbX73epg8Jawq6hoT0iZOdlYiTmOp4LGns8-dM7Y0TsuDe9hbuXfgioivfQ8Nsx_wSNVaQxOhzhnRf_oGN1tcaZvaM6FYbCd2pZxwj7II9iCCMLcJZAQ4h894D_hA/s3264/IMG_20231109_113101909.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyHqZV_ghwNMmS96qdAgwkkzz3OhiTDp6VTUSe38_jLv1jju8Kw5HWcbKRsqjK8qbX73epg8Jawq6hoT0iZOdlYiTmOp4LGns8-dM7Y0TsuDe9hbuXfgioivfQ8Nsx_wSNVaQxOhzhnRf_oGN1tcaZvaM6FYbCd2pZxwj7II9iCCMLcJZAQ4h894D_hA/w300-h400/IMG_20231109_113101909.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizW02V2gND-LvKw7ujYwTSCMYc01QG-vjGdX9jPHfl4W_tU0TTo3ZmwWOVtfxzXaf7yXwL1zQ_TVVEPtOu2cuPDNe7EgdETiAv6IqF56L-mIecaOtvSmDNeme88RKVEQu7pAaLEojWm1te-WA6szaCX6pE483K2gWvbzfwvE0ruleXAg8gUrCgiQPolVA/s4096/IMG_20231110_121937077_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizW02V2gND-LvKw7ujYwTSCMYc01QG-vjGdX9jPHfl4W_tU0TTo3ZmwWOVtfxzXaf7yXwL1zQ_TVVEPtOu2cuPDNe7EgdETiAv6IqF56L-mIecaOtvSmDNeme88RKVEQu7pAaLEojWm1te-WA6szaCX6pE483K2gWvbzfwvE0ruleXAg8gUrCgiQPolVA/w400-h300/IMG_20231110_121937077_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>At least one thing is getting accomplished that I don't actually have to do myself. We've been having some landscaping work done. Finally. When we bought our house about 13 years ago, we did make a few weak attempts to occasionally plant flowers here and there, but for the most part, we were lucky to simply keep up with getting the lawn mowed. (And about half the time our next door neighbor went and did chunks of it for us when she was done with hers. Because Julie is the best neighbor ever.) We only have so many resources, and it's made sense to fix things inside the house first, which left the outside sadly neglected. But this was the year to do something!</p><p>After replacing the deteriorating deck last summer, we needed to finish the back yard with paving stones and grass to pull it all together into a usable space. This summer we did that, and then decided to extend the paving stones around the rest of the house. We had lots of yard that was always just mud and weeds, and now we have clear paths that are a big improvement. We have a new extended retaining wall that I love! Far better than the blocks that were starting to fall into the driveway and sidewalk. The last bit (that should be done in the next week or so) is to have stairs installed on a bit of hill that everyone insists on walking up. No one who parks in front of the house wants to walk down to the corner to use the steps there, they want to make a straight line to the door, and that slope is usually a muddy mess. Steps! Very excited to have steps. And the landscaper promises to come back in the spring and plant things that I shouldn't have to do much with. So all of that has been nice, because even as I'm behind on everything, every once in a while I glance out the window and see work happening and can feel happy there is progress somewhere.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErP-GwaKXupBILAv-5yZPxMeUQKJps_gQomI7hWE_QJfVldrMYaFzVoPWIeVwWvGYlmfJGspL3NRWlfL2emWz7YOcRmPvGcuApUWu4uNMrYXquczigWa8mM_k3t87HVqOPEWz74PLu9vqAQHGxgJxT2HkjWoTDRV0Jwi07LOifUAFG75lUGnMg4Be7D4/s4096/IMG_20231130_162338020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErP-GwaKXupBILAv-5yZPxMeUQKJps_gQomI7hWE_QJfVldrMYaFzVoPWIeVwWvGYlmfJGspL3NRWlfL2emWz7YOcRmPvGcuApUWu4uNMrYXquczigWa8mM_k3t87HVqOPEWz74PLu9vqAQHGxgJxT2HkjWoTDRV0Jwi07LOifUAFG75lUGnMg4Be7D4/w400-h300/IMG_20231130_162338020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The music for Festival City Symphony has been challenging lately. The last concert was all Russian composers, and that's a lot of notes. There's also been some tricky things to learn for the mandolin orchestra, but it had to wait until I was done with the Russians, and now I'm buckling down on those parts.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmavdrOyH7nFdfZDneTkUzkzifhn1Yuff0IZJeSCi81kBTazuq1jKnV5zeuJ9jeNeDNmxykft5bjHtJXjOWqAxNOVJPz5jG-YnIcclCE4zlCGGB7xTQB7rvCEjv1CCwg3ez__tJXsiw7_0PqeNryzvUGvu4WlxGGfa-6SNTRAMo2aiNxqdaj2XCcrKCrw/s4096/IMG_20231118_122003864.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmavdrOyH7nFdfZDneTkUzkzifhn1Yuff0IZJeSCi81kBTazuq1jKnV5zeuJ9jeNeDNmxykft5bjHtJXjOWqAxNOVJPz5jG-YnIcclCE4zlCGGB7xTQB7rvCEjv1CCwg3ez__tJXsiw7_0PqeNryzvUGvu4WlxGGfa-6SNTRAMo2aiNxqdaj2XCcrKCrw/w400-h300/IMG_20231118_122003864.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The most jarring thing to happen recently is my mom had a fall. (At what age does it change from someone "fell" to someone "had a fall"? Because I know I am now in the "had a fall" demographic, but did that switch when I turned 50? 40? What a weird milestone.) My mom--on her birthday at the end of October no less--fell down her front steps and broke her heel, busted her glasses, and bruised up her face. Not pretty. But damn my mom is tough. She crawled back into the house and found a phone and called a friend. She had to stay a night in the hospital but is home now. I drove out and spent a few days, and tried to troubleshoot how she could manage on her own without being able to put any weight on the bad foot. Her house is all stairs, but on the second floor she's able to get from a guest room to the bathroom, closet, and her work studio using a walker. I set her up with water and snacks so she wouldn't have to venture to the first floor more than once a day to eat. My brother went out next to stay a week and help. She's doing okay, but it's frustrating for her to not be able to do everything she'd like on her own, and it's frustrating for me to be so far away.<p></p><p>Because of my mom's injury, we decided to take Thanksgiving to her, since she couldn't come to us and we certainly didn't want her to be alone. We bought food, made plans, and then I got Covid. It wasn't terrible. I mostly felt too hot and too cold at the same time one night, and really sniffly and tired. I went on Paxlovid right away and it cleared up my symptoms almost immediately, but I didn't test negative in time to join the group road trip. Aden came down from college and stayed a night in her sister's apartment, and my brother and nephew came over and stayed in the teaching studio, which we figured would keep them all a safe distance from me. Then everyone in my house took a Covid test the day of the drive to Detroit. I was the only one who tested positive, so Ian chose to stay home with me, and everyone else went to visit Mom. What a weird holiday, though, not knowing who was going to be where until the last minute!<br /><br />It was an odd holiday, but nice. On the kids' end, I think it was good for them to do a road trip with their uncle, and spend time with relatives without us there. Aden got to make a whole Thanksgiving meal (with a little help on the side), and by all reports did a great job! My brother got to check in on Mom, but also got see how my kids interact with one another and was impressed with all of them in new ways. I know my mom loved having her son and grandkids around.</p><p>Ian's and my quiet turkey day was a throwback to before we had children, because I think it's the first time we've been alone together in our house for a couple of days in a row in over twenty years. Isn't that crazy? There's been a lot going on for a very long time. But with just Quinn living at home now, we're heading toward empty nester status soon, and it does get you looking at your partner and wondering how that will go. The rhythm of a house with kids is very different from one without. Thankfully, Ian and I had a lovely time. We grocery shopped the day before the holiday (since we'd sent all the food out of state), and that could have been awful, but we had a good time. We only picked out stuff the two of us liked, and did wacky things like buy pie instead of making it. Thanksgiving day was low key and nice and I finally tested negative. Cooking that meal is low stress when you only make it for two. We cooked everything early so we could eat it for lunch, and then again hours later for dinner. We ate off good china in front of the TV and watched a bunch of odd numbered Star Trek movies, which were terrible, and it was a blast. We walked the dog, chatted with the bird, and took a nap in the middle of the day. I loved it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSfBtDo1nYQM3SjzOtazEs1TKmuvPOf7Rvk-hdIYflDbRLEU2Il4o88QZtoPt8eqrR3jlPT3Vo5rE3g9M5ZDejH5F450KYaJzvBlbtgC24dyaD_5SIalVqjGgRJWv2IUgS0vvEo0lJTMOx6xrMgn8Y7BFUYpuo2cq5Pc2ioDpcSe5utlGMP9R1bFm0NY/s4096/IMG_20231123_133157476.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSfBtDo1nYQM3SjzOtazEs1TKmuvPOf7Rvk-hdIYflDbRLEU2Il4o88QZtoPt8eqrR3jlPT3Vo5rE3g9M5ZDejH5F450KYaJzvBlbtgC24dyaD_5SIalVqjGgRJWv2IUgS0vvEo0lJTMOx6xrMgn8Y7BFUYpuo2cq5Pc2ioDpcSe5utlGMP9R1bFm0NY/w300-h400/IMG_20231123_133157476.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>When everyone returned from Detroit, they were able to stay at the house and hang out for a morning of board games and crepes. Aden even decided to ditch her one Monday class and stay an extra night, so we got to curl up on the couch and watch the season finale to Lower Decks twice and just enjoy having her be part of our home again. <p></p><p>Quinn has her first college tour coming up this weekend. That's almost too much for me to comprehend, so I will share what I think about that later once I've figured it out myself. <br /></p><p>Domino is still cute. We've had her a bit over a year now, but it's hard to remember life without her. I love that dog. She's even a good companion on a long car trip. She traveled with me to the cottage in mid-October when I met my friends there for a girls' weekend before I shut the place down for the winter. And she was with me when I had to unexpectedly go help my mom and was good company there, too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOlu00_G-kxJef3Xn6PNeI40gWQlIXbGMRR7V9ZDHUsvX1OaKRhfd7gSuNRHuci0nK_Bm91gdFQ1cAoDCIhPbxMqr2aILefWclK0AHpDgOjKejYtG7lUJ03tM3S5_jm0H0O7mw_prIQt31oyTxVPehBhyernrFb_lWu2_ikpWauyvQHD6SGTAvudEDFI/s4096/IMG_20231102_154253862.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOlu00_G-kxJef3Xn6PNeI40gWQlIXbGMRR7V9ZDHUsvX1OaKRhfd7gSuNRHuci0nK_Bm91gdFQ1cAoDCIhPbxMqr2aILefWclK0AHpDgOjKejYtG7lUJ03tM3S5_jm0H0O7mw_prIQt31oyTxVPehBhyernrFb_lWu2_ikpWauyvQHD6SGTAvudEDFI/w300-h400/IMG_20231102_154253862.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Domino in Detroit<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have four concerts left to play before the year is up, and I need to start thinking about Christmas, but just thinking about thinking about Christmas makes me tired.</p><p>But despite feeling like there has been a bit too much happening this fall, I've recently found myself increasingly appreciative of many mundane things. When I drove Quinn to school the other day, the traffic didn't bother me because I was really enjoying the basic act of operating a car. I love our little Nissan Leaf, and now that we have a car that I'm not scared is going to break down any minute, driving is really enjoyable. Any time after being sick, I'm aware of how amazing it is to breathe easily. I like moving without pain. I never used to bother with scarves, but I have one now that makes all the difference in walking in the cold. I enjoy the way the sunlight slants at this time of year.</p><p>And I never tire of beautiful leaves.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAenYT9Ib8SKLXgVa_Zusj8O7B90zu9Q3OH5-TEvPCg5QluDfZwwDV01qtYFtaMAYqUEX1trdJf5c1pcAMN-DsNC0DFYO8BU5ZwCYu_7LFExAOJet_eM1Kj7nT1ZDG9wrukvLye3yA-yC346r7QFynIM1Rh-NIDK0tfxn-48mLHmtvsv3W05G-L1i9sNM/s4096/IMG_20231020_170023290_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAenYT9Ib8SKLXgVa_Zusj8O7B90zu9Q3OH5-TEvPCg5QluDfZwwDV01qtYFtaMAYqUEX1trdJf5c1pcAMN-DsNC0DFYO8BU5ZwCYu_7LFExAOJet_eM1Kj7nT1ZDG9wrukvLye3yA-yC346r7QFynIM1Rh-NIDK0tfxn-48mLHmtvsv3W05G-L1i9sNM/w300-h400/IMG_20231020_170023290_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAd4L2Y1nvvExf04AlhKwo_B0LVnh54v4EQZadc7PtCNgJ38gE4HxlvJ-2SoBVs9A6AjwjA8PPpB9AxRdHCqZdcwJBbsbJCAqi9zxhb0FGqlPFjSrOoWr-QgPg66d1JG-YNBWTbrdOALv7H8T-AWuvKKfuNe84kWXkm4ugFK0wLC1EFr0H5L07sXpNA4/s4096/IMG_20231022_113601326_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAd4L2Y1nvvExf04AlhKwo_B0LVnh54v4EQZadc7PtCNgJ38gE4HxlvJ-2SoBVs9A6AjwjA8PPpB9AxRdHCqZdcwJBbsbJCAqi9zxhb0FGqlPFjSrOoWr-QgPg66d1JG-YNBWTbrdOALv7H8T-AWuvKKfuNe84kWXkm4ugFK0wLC1EFr0H5L07sXpNA4/w300-h400/IMG_20231022_113601326_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez9tFt6HvZOz12MlrM4tG99oP6WhU5CU8T_FfOVx2W71ks5Lah67GBc7YRjIgSvxsAb5TaLqRCzwwbyiRWk-C3w0a7VwZy0WtO8raDbqXZHboyb4FNNrM5haS9-1Ta9jGemDGnrvpGI6uOVfUjqu1ybh9XR7VyFNzJYQdaDLo-55bzE7CqO9XjDQeGMo/s4096/IMG_20231028_090819795_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez9tFt6HvZOz12MlrM4tG99oP6WhU5CU8T_FfOVx2W71ks5Lah67GBc7YRjIgSvxsAb5TaLqRCzwwbyiRWk-C3w0a7VwZy0WtO8raDbqXZHboyb4FNNrM5haS9-1Ta9jGemDGnrvpGI6uOVfUjqu1ybh9XR7VyFNzJYQdaDLo-55bzE7CqO9XjDQeGMo/w300-h400/IMG_20231028_090819795_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-32160710612154366942023-10-29T23:38:00.002-05:002023-10-31T09:49:44.529-05:00Moving On and Up and Out<p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">There's this funny sense many people have that parenting means getting your kids to 18, and then you're essentially done. Sure, there's usually college to get them through, and being available to help get them on their feet out in the world, but otherwise, you know. . . Done.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Not so much though. Legally, I guess if I thought of any of my kids as a burden or a menace, I could wave goodbye when they technically hit adulthood and not look back. But that's insane. There are still things to teach and hugs to give and traumas that wrench at your heart as if their suffering is your own.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">My oldest is 21, and she delayed starting college because of Covid, but she's now a couple of years in and her new life living in dorms has its ups and downs even though she likes her school. Last year she worked at a summer camp over break and wasn't home much, but this year she came home for nearly the whole summer break.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">My middle kid is 19, and until recently was living at home since graduating high school a semester early, and she wasn't interested in college. She's spent the last year or so applying for jobs and working on sewing plushies for her Etsy page, but she recently began an apprenticeship at a tattoo parlor that is opening up across the street from our violin store and is excited about having real direction.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">My youngest is 16 and in her junior year of high school. Although she's technically the only kid at home we're responsible for, often she's the one that seems to need us the least right now.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">When my oldest left for college a couple of years ago, the room she shared with her sister essentially ceased to be her room. It's not a big room, so the idea of expecting its remaining occupant to be limited to just a small part of it when nobody was on the other side was unrealistic. But that meant when my oldest came home from college in June, the best place for her to stay was in a small guest space on the first floor that we call "the nook."</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">By the mid-summer, however, the middle kid with the room to herself upstairs, moved into our Airbnb above the violin store. She wants to be more independent, and we still want to support her while she's working on her education (even if it's unconventional), so we figured this would work out well. She'll be living across the street from the tattoo place, and in lieu of rent we're putting her in charge of all the building chores (shoveling, mowing, weeding, cleaning the halls and teaching studio, etc.) and she'll get experience paying her own utility bills and budgeting for food. I'm glad she'll be close for a bit.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">With the room at home empty, I offered to paint it and help rearrange it to the needs and tastes of the oldest kid. I know she'll only be there during school breaks, but it made me sad that she has been feeling less a part of our home. We picked out a nice new color for the walls, and I got the whole room finished over a couple of nights. We found a new dresser, rug, and curtains, and moved over a couple of bookcases and a desk from her youngest sister's room. And we hung art! That's always my favorite part of setting up a new room. We even got a print by one of her former teachers framed as an early birthday present. The room looks great, and it feels like her own.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">(Here are the girls helping paint their room when we first moved into the new house. I split the room and let them each pick their own color for their half. The new single color is a very pale blue that helps open up the room a lot.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-ERkoPNCSYF1P_gbAKw6285fIvzMwgHZDcnmtOjaWf9h35MK0jghhyphenhyphenyRh_ft89_HmGyczQJTa4QjzmHgnLZti79dathhgkLHpAHgGJdFz3jaxwfaTlcZ8IJKK91i0GNtanDVYpuMc7CZPXzReqF18TFR9ZL9jcHFDiTU6Oluaa4RVnp-u2Yjdyr_5_0/s3072/102_5836.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKmoO92SRz8Jobg2FpaZZfGxoFedb7gIHbrT2l9_yZ6wSZ0IIiiWLtIXCS0JeabABS2-Y5Y6eCGLMAwg9h7Bar0cgkHFkM-VqN6tPJwwZnt83Hwn1ZNYvXXCnY4TkVOEkNx0zPBQCMTCCPKhNn0P_3CvSJVWwqacr3yVQco2OHEwJ3AeQXNeHxDG3clc/s3072/102_5833.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKmoO92SRz8Jobg2FpaZZfGxoFedb7gIHbrT2l9_yZ6wSZ0IIiiWLtIXCS0JeabABS2-Y5Y6eCGLMAwg9h7Bar0cgkHFkM-VqN6tPJwwZnt83Hwn1ZNYvXXCnY4TkVOEkNx0zPBQCMTCCPKhNn0P_3CvSJVWwqacr3yVQco2OHEwJ3AeQXNeHxDG3clc/s320/102_5833.JPG" width="240" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-ERkoPNCSYF1P_gbAKw6285fIvzMwgHZDcnmtOjaWf9h35MK0jghhyphenhyphenyRh_ft89_HmGyczQJTa4QjzmHgnLZti79dathhgkLHpAHgGJdFz3jaxwfaTlcZ8IJKK91i0GNtanDVYpuMc7CZPXzReqF18TFR9ZL9jcHFDiTU6Oluaa4RVnp-u2Yjdyr_5_0/s320/102_5836.JPG" width="240" /></div></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">The youngest kid turned down my offer to paint her room, too, but did need a new light fixture, and agreed to some new furniture. She requested a night stand, and a better system for storing and displaying her things, so we ended up assembling one of those walls of cubby box shelves that looks nice. Those things, along with a new small bookcase that better matches the other furniture and a new rug, have given her room a nice update.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">We did a whole musical chairs thing with the beds. When the oldest went to college we threw away her mattress and replaced it with one guests would like better. She didn't like the new mattress, so she kept her bed frame and took the middle kid's mattress, while the youngest kid didn't like anything about her bed, so she got the middle kid's bed frame and the newer guest mattress. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">We also sorted all the stuffed animals. That was more involved than you might imagine, because the oldest kid is deeply sentimental, the middle kid is practical, and the youngest is somewhere in between. The piles of what to keep, what belonged to whom, what to give away, etc. got some people rather teary, to the point where I offered to simply scoop up some things to put in storage for another time. The emotional line between being an adult and a child is as fuzzy as a stuffed bunny sometimes, especially when standing in a space where you've experienced being both.<br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">All the shifting about and moving things around has been interesting and odd. Dropping my oldest off at her dorm for the first time a couple of years ago was hard. I was leaving her somewhere far from me for the first time, and I didn't like it, even though I knew it was good for all of us. We found a new way to live that didn't include her being around. But then she was back for months and we developed a whole routine with her being involved in daily life again, and with her at school once more I've had to get used to her being gone all over.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">By comparison, the middle kid completely moving out with little chance she'll ever live under this roof again, has barely been noticeable. During the summer she was over to continue binge watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel with me and her sister each night as usual. She sometimes makes her own meals out of our fridge when she visits. So far she's got the best of both worlds, where she can hang out with her family like a kid when it suits her, and then go home to her apartment and do things her own way when she wants to be an adult. I'm jealous. I've always thought it would be ideal to be able to visit with my relatives without the complication of someone needing to be away from home to do it. I would love to go to dinner with my mom at her house, but still sleep in my own bed that night. I'm glad my own kid gets to do that.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">With the oldest back at college, and the middle kid in her own space, we're down to one child at home. And she's the quietest, least conspicuous of the three. She's had an uptick in after school activities, so there is some chance to talk as we drive her places. She's still in charge of making dinner for the family from a meal kit a few nights a week, and sometimes she'll use the computer in the dining room, but otherwise we don't see her much. I feel as if the transition in a couple of years to me and my husband being empty nesters won't be as much of a shock as I feared. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">In the meantime, there is always another thing to manage with kids whether they are home or not: Trouble with health insurance and prescriptions, banking questions, arranging rides, coordinating errand schedules, figuring out dental appointments, replacing lost retainers, helping start a car that won't run, etc. Not the most warm and fuzzy bits of parenting, but all ways of being connected even after kids technically become adults. We can still be helpful. We can still be a safe place to land.<br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">The lovely thing is to learn that my kids still want that connection even when they have other choices. My oldest was recently back for a few days because she was homesick, and our neighborhood is really fun at Halloween. She was happy to be in her updated room. She drew out both of her sisters and I was able to spend time with all three kids together. I used to worry that when my middle kid moved out that we'd seldom see her, but she regularly invites me along when she makes a run to the fabric store or Home Depot. This gives me hope that even as we don't see the youngest much at the moment, that we will still warrant visits when she moves on in the future.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">I'm kind of excited to imagine the next stage of our lives where Ian and I can make plans primarily around just each other again, without kids as the primary focus. It will be interesting to use our house in a different way, and figure out what we eat when we're only two people, and travel places without kids. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">But not quite yet. (I'm glad it's not quite yet.) </span><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br /><p></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-44785332584708752632023-09-30T23:46:00.254-05:002023-10-02T22:48:53.055-05:00Austria<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrgb4kSaWvbd0wyUM6QC2tDStYuvGvKDvMy7LeOKHrZp4E-CNzun_TWSOFJ-j2Lhqq0we3krJBiVilwKYq2sx_fPiDFfDBRrsL4ekkXji1XVmqglYUHUg5JZ4Rl8GfC2B3NjGkkYIvvnM4x27fwUYt4qgjxvTVW7gNJp9VBSrL1wgBQchT7siWCHEeD0/s4096/IMG_20230524_170350753.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrgb4kSaWvbd0wyUM6QC2tDStYuvGvKDvMy7LeOKHrZp4E-CNzun_TWSOFJ-j2Lhqq0we3krJBiVilwKYq2sx_fPiDFfDBRrsL4ekkXji1XVmqglYUHUg5JZ4Rl8GfC2B3NjGkkYIvvnM4x27fwUYt4qgjxvTVW7gNJp9VBSrL1wgBQchT7siWCHEeD0/w400-h300/IMG_20230524_170350753.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>I am finally getting around to posting about my trip to Austria with the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra back in May! I shouldn't have waited so long, but I am enjoying reliving this trip again. It was great. And apologies now for lots of details that may not interest anyone but me, and this is long, but there are some pretty pictures here and there. </p><p>Oh, and this post mentions a lot of nuns.<br /></p><p></p><p>I went on this trip with my mom, like I did to <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/09/venice.html" target="_blank">Venice</a> when the orchestra traveled last year. No masks this time, though. We had some in case it seemed necessary, but it never did. Which is good, because trying to sleep with a mask on a long plane flight is not fun. <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZjeLIxXWLcnQv-qfwnC2qvlu7LMP8TRR-cdoy58B2BvhSkKmxCXwuIoTzXMufQzKMRKQO9HbLcjKcNISbWfdo-aOTcKVL00ckVOEGUHj4J18ZeR1FpH12OvMEq4O1O7hEyW2FTLM-zoHy_N64slXL_1FZG84LgJMHrZCxpFLiKFDjdoS0hKeQgAEFLc/s3264/IMG_20230520_162026380.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZjeLIxXWLcnQv-qfwnC2qvlu7LMP8TRR-cdoy58B2BvhSkKmxCXwuIoTzXMufQzKMRKQO9HbLcjKcNISbWfdo-aOTcKVL00ckVOEGUHj4J18ZeR1FpH12OvMEq4O1O7hEyW2FTLM-zoHy_N64slXL_1FZG84LgJMHrZCxpFLiKFDjdoS0hKeQgAEFLc/w300-h400/IMG_20230520_162026380.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>We flew from Milwaukee to Chicago, where there was a lot of confusing shuffling around and a bus ride at O'Hare before we were on our plane to Vienna. (There was also a tense bit of time in Milwaukee on the tarmac where we waited for a part to be replaced on the plane, and I started to wonder if it would be quicker to drive to Chicago and not miss our connection, but it all worked out.)<br /><br />Getting on the plane to Austria involved the flight crew telling us our bags had to be checked (so I recently bought a new bag that definitely conforms to European size requirements for future trips, because I really hate checking my bag), but I hold firm on not letting anyone check my instrument. I've repaired too many things that got damaged on flights to ever hand something like my mandola over.<br /><br />The Austrian plane had the weirdest in-flight safety video yet. I wish I could have shown it to my kids, because they would appreciate the glitchy bits. This guy had a terrifying smile and was flying all alone. The only movie I remember watching was Tar, and didn't like it. (Happy to discuss why, just not in this post.)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6Mwf9TleXCDkl9v_VL6aY2roiXSBOoh1UMLg0UEzdB-kL1YyaapqYkpp3ruw9A7k9JIH5YosmA2k4yieQQTkfkyLM6nOcCNnASnkm7mnqIbyfBO3xir3PQT7eU1e3Y2Bs4oDtYT4IOgS-Fpjg_h8PwSWGHtuxOMH1RaeOSq0BjjpCmi02zo-F_KWO_Q/s4096/IMG_20230520_162606092.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6Mwf9TleXCDkl9v_VL6aY2roiXSBOoh1UMLg0UEzdB-kL1YyaapqYkpp3ruw9A7k9JIH5YosmA2k4yieQQTkfkyLM6nOcCNnASnkm7mnqIbyfBO3xir3PQT7eU1e3Y2Bs4oDtYT4IOgS-Fpjg_h8PwSWGHtuxOMH1RaeOSq0BjjpCmi02zo-F_KWO_Q/s320/IMG_20230520_162606092.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p>Upon arriving in Vienna, we had to figure out a train to Graz. We ran into other MMO people making their own decisions about venturing into the city to eat first, etc., but I'm a nervous traveler when I don't speak the language and am unfamiliar with how things work, so I just really wanted to get us checked in to where we were going to sleep before we did much exploring. We found a train to Graz, on which it was hard to decide between dozing a bit, and simply admiring the view out the window.<br /><br />Most of the orchestra (including us) was staying in a church space run by nuns, and it was an easy walk straight from the train station with one left turn. (Unless you were using whatever GPS map thing we were using, then there were many many turns that looped around and added several blocks before winding up within sight of where we started. Super fun on little sleep!)</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHv11pBOPLvFbS1IbRseqjBrFfYnSRepRM2LYi7BjWQOjFFmBpIJQSQ8hL3uW2l8qniq_IO9Sd5NRpLMo97W6RoEuGekBAtc0C5aNTz63CJUQHV3zYpFQn8g4wX4Bkl038w01sZ4AE-NQnwebDEs69dXJi--kjViLPbGRjJGsayoiee7E0jdli6P-p6LE/s4096/IMG_20230521_063409239.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHv11pBOPLvFbS1IbRseqjBrFfYnSRepRM2LYi7BjWQOjFFmBpIJQSQ8hL3uW2l8qniq_IO9Sd5NRpLMo97W6RoEuGekBAtc0C5aNTz63CJUQHV3zYpFQn8g4wX4Bkl038w01sZ4AE-NQnwebDEs69dXJi--kjViLPbGRjJGsayoiee7E0jdli6P-p6LE/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_063409239.jpg" width="300" /></a>I have to say, I loved my little nun room. My mom and I had single rooms next to each other on the third floor, our own showers, lovely view. There was a sheet/bedding situation that I never figured out, but we had wifi and breakfast included, so it was all good. The weird thing about the building in general was it was simultaneously the quietest and the loudest place I've ever stayed. We seldom ran into anyone on our floor, so there was no one else making any sound. But the ceilings were high and the surfaces hard, so everything echoed like you wouldn't believe. Putting my key in the lock seemed like it might wake all the neighbors. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDjim9Z30o7I41ksXIEDgD-Ib9fj83qcRpXVT7yt7ZjCufuSZZLbdKGipJtCPwi7PNGfNIxhb0-SWEkOG0ZGNr1WZwlT7xsF8k6ND-bGdsO8cu5WXwmdUUXPz9r1fz5YMO5S0a_PJDpsTJpZX3aQYZ5s0c61owSBokCmrmb4lxoRcssRXAiNpaXvg098/s4096/IMG_20230521_064143954_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDjim9Z30o7I41ksXIEDgD-Ib9fj83qcRpXVT7yt7ZjCufuSZZLbdKGipJtCPwi7PNGfNIxhb0-SWEkOG0ZGNr1WZwlT7xsF8k6ND-bGdsO8cu5WXwmdUUXPz9r1fz5YMO5S0a_PJDpsTJpZX3aQYZ5s0c61owSBokCmrmb4lxoRcssRXAiNpaXvg098/w400-h300/IMG_20230521_064143954_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI5Q-VPxjunuKqg3SNjwZ9gYyUdIJoPKx7HOTWE_lJ0bzeaPxDud_oXVWcviptpEBYGvio4fZPda7hPzkRnHPm0TmfwatcnMv20pLC2dOk2tW590Jy3b4t7u8xBjvOBRp0ybR4WwJyFEmzP_B8zGiKDQYJHVM2sXqoC7e4dfsfiR7I-gaPh-vJi6FDSQ/s4096/IMG_20230521_104004564_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI5Q-VPxjunuKqg3SNjwZ9gYyUdIJoPKx7HOTWE_lJ0bzeaPxDud_oXVWcviptpEBYGvio4fZPda7hPzkRnHPm0TmfwatcnMv20pLC2dOk2tW590Jy3b4t7u8xBjvOBRp0ybR4WwJyFEmzP_B8zGiKDQYJHVM2sXqoC7e4dfsfiR7I-gaPh-vJi6FDSQ/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_104004564_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>The place was in an interesting spot. There was a kindergarten across the street, and a creek/canal that ran behind the churchyard. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjARazxMgPe7LPeOv2FXg5liXYARaWzQAeSTzMz-crpx-Cv64p50kzgyQVkqM9S25n07ikNdoZBu5YAWMfiH-WSYKZKn1znDFXybf9F_hr6jc3fvFwCgio2EpWtByl3uV4LKMT0FQCq2HO1_zsnE9CvileDVomxVQTJFQVAjCHV7_05p-p69SHWqLb5tY/s4096/IMG_20230521_104525690.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjARazxMgPe7LPeOv2FXg5liXYARaWzQAeSTzMz-crpx-Cv64p50kzgyQVkqM9S25n07ikNdoZBu5YAWMfiH-WSYKZKn1znDFXybf9F_hr6jc3fvFwCgio2EpWtByl3uV4LKMT0FQCq2HO1_zsnE9CvileDVomxVQTJFQVAjCHV7_05p-p69SHWqLb5tY/w400-h300/IMG_20230521_104525690.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But the grounds were all behind a plain wall that ran right up against the sidewalk, so opening the door to all the greenery was like a hidden surprise, with greenspace and flowers.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlJd3-uWg8vUWWoIF0cTMYnYur_GU1gu3LQss_N1RAJJxd4qVq6qdOZGsHSmrP5iBMpkI_KPzfFcIxTdTQsVNpdyI_rlBZlBh_kWSgS1pu2x7n9Yn_zBGIGjU5iLtnz_1Owabl9ImRyRQuw1VTRA0KMxE_YM-bWGDYl4_UCVSDcln9BqWZ1Z-xmv8cmA/s4096/IMG_20230522_162249023_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlJd3-uWg8vUWWoIF0cTMYnYur_GU1gu3LQss_N1RAJJxd4qVq6qdOZGsHSmrP5iBMpkI_KPzfFcIxTdTQsVNpdyI_rlBZlBh_kWSgS1pu2x7n9Yn_zBGIGjU5iLtnz_1Owabl9ImRyRQuw1VTRA0KMxE_YM-bWGDYl4_UCVSDcln9BqWZ1Z-xmv8cmA/s320/IMG_20230522_162249023_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entry door<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6CgSX6qF3E0wDZg8J4U1AEBhfbfqpsqjpASZ2YBcXI3v7antbeA1isE-rJrtrUoB9dQ5CLv2tHoCmeHqti2335zdrb7dqYKyPOJPW2Rur50iHZp3pYI1NF7fka2JCORZi2qsawPKhu-yXcRs5ey1Z71wyZ8gJHG6T61P4EYF3xTs9Dv8hWlHsqysWD4/s4096/IMG_20230522_141615813_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6CgSX6qF3E0wDZg8J4U1AEBhfbfqpsqjpASZ2YBcXI3v7antbeA1isE-rJrtrUoB9dQ5CLv2tHoCmeHqti2335zdrb7dqYKyPOJPW2Rur50iHZp3pYI1NF7fka2JCORZi2qsawPKhu-yXcRs5ey1Z71wyZ8gJHG6T61P4EYF3xTs9Dv8hWlHsqysWD4/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_141615813_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behind the entry door!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGGNfdWt1V5maP6hcZHMI_8fh4IzOFVw6-sVIwik48siZrPbQZ0bMM75lJNCVq5yblvK2XCkjm5pDW3y968etmVNqOVFy0-kgAE15Nr83pXb0I2TjU_esFbm-MORdToiuNEG1X35RsdR6NH-EzylrbtwXiqSS3nYIpx6d3CgnzGoX_3MQzfLRuRu1dEE/s4096/IMG_20230522_141444534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGGNfdWt1V5maP6hcZHMI_8fh4IzOFVw6-sVIwik48siZrPbQZ0bMM75lJNCVq5yblvK2XCkjm5pDW3y968etmVNqOVFy0-kgAE15Nr83pXb0I2TjU_esFbm-MORdToiuNEG1X35RsdR6NH-EzylrbtwXiqSS3nYIpx6d3CgnzGoX_3MQzfLRuRu1dEE/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_141444534.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd_KmZIYTQV42rt6Vte0Z46y6wY26YGZFmHMeYfl4OJ63Z5Qr8i76ankk1QynkhziwUTBWUr63Oe8JAW3IYUMHFA36cuy2ElPHrqeDdX62iJqkoO2sbWIOhyphenhyphenPUGIlMvKBcxP_VAfJKJDamTRt8iNLgdSPqJczb7kUB-GC8h1iNUBndVSEtN5zrFMbp7Y/s4096/IMG_20230525_102901885.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd_KmZIYTQV42rt6Vte0Z46y6wY26YGZFmHMeYfl4OJ63Z5Qr8i76ankk1QynkhziwUTBWUr63Oe8JAW3IYUMHFA36cuy2ElPHrqeDdX62iJqkoO2sbWIOhyphenhyphenPUGIlMvKBcxP_VAfJKJDamTRt8iNLgdSPqJczb7kUB-GC8h1iNUBndVSEtN5zrFMbp7Y/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_102901885.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsQfNHv4byxHUDn1YhCsphpwdXvYPhasDFMdbEOSoXadAie_oyDbWzwO3PAm84FWboiIABk0_SE2daPfpPEkfPpUNDnB8GI5EtwxdJ0ZCymYQaeC58WNDaLw_JVovs-raiVtj5Xu6GkLN3HXPxQgxOmIdyWN7VlNMcLvojO830UF7kkY1x64INj1ak60/s4096/IMG_20230522_205843037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsQfNHv4byxHUDn1YhCsphpwdXvYPhasDFMdbEOSoXadAie_oyDbWzwO3PAm84FWboiIABk0_SE2daPfpPEkfPpUNDnB8GI5EtwxdJ0ZCymYQaeC58WNDaLw_JVovs-raiVtj5Xu6GkLN3HXPxQgxOmIdyWN7VlNMcLvojO830UF7kkY1x64INj1ak60/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_205843037.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening view from inside the walls<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The nuns were all very nice but didn't interact with us much. Our buffet breakfasts consisted of simple pastries, meats, cheeses, fruits, and cereal. There were place markers on the tables based on our room numbers that we routinely ignored so we could all sit together, and I wondered if that annoyed the nuns or if they even noticed.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx3t9Hdb25fCUwcPU_iT_WujePzu0nA1VpiAl3-Mf2IYJzx1i8zuNA_tZ4zB1aNW_sbseVMoHJNwKG0vQ-7BJwnD78bmbsoN8Cjmw6quDZuawOa-dw5ybtBx6B-Dp3EKJ37TxK9IiVF4oJSTrEYZZAraK4y7k0ESILaGq1PC0c8wfRbGHLg0ERbDhHQM/s4096/IMG_20230523_083035620.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx3t9Hdb25fCUwcPU_iT_WujePzu0nA1VpiAl3-Mf2IYJzx1i8zuNA_tZ4zB1aNW_sbseVMoHJNwKG0vQ-7BJwnD78bmbsoN8Cjmw6quDZuawOa-dw5ybtBx6B-Dp3EKJ37TxK9IiVF4oJSTrEYZZAraK4y7k0ESILaGq1PC0c8wfRbGHLg0ERbDhHQM/w400-h300/IMG_20230523_083035620.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p></p><p>One of the confusing things to me in the nun hotel was the art on the hallway walls along the stairs. Most if it was pretty scenes of the Austrian countryside, and charming cottages, and flowers, but then there was this, and I never figured out an explanation,</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiVrBscjEklQq5qaWw1RlgltBbF2HOY9QP7PzzWl-ZzrMeXX46Vk3Ana8iFyz7NjjZWU4eO9Tn02MojjZFH-qtmPD6NTfUk8y-5_3Yypha7ImfKqn72LpWRt3NXQDZQjhxH0J0GBHi1SPDIdmDQPGDUO6h2NJMj2PCpxLRYP3QbZXltJZhAkgR2RvxIM/s4096/IMG_20230525_105112710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiVrBscjEklQq5qaWw1RlgltBbF2HOY9QP7PzzWl-ZzrMeXX46Vk3Ana8iFyz7NjjZWU4eO9Tn02MojjZFH-qtmPD6NTfUk8y-5_3Yypha7ImfKqn72LpWRt3NXQDZQjhxH0J0GBHi1SPDIdmDQPGDUO6h2NJMj2PCpxLRYP3QbZXltJZhAkgR2RvxIM/s320/IMG_20230525_105112710.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></p><p>Our first day we just walked and tried to get a sense of where things were. Graz is not big. But then, Austria is not big. I think the population of the entire country is comparable with New York City. It is impressively clean. I only saw maybe three pieces of litter on the whole trip, and they were all in heavily tourist-filled areas of Vienna. Graz had some graffiti which all seemed political in nature, but otherwise was neat as a pin. <br /><br />Things on our walk: This weird contraption that I think had something to do with water? I was mostly entertained by the fact that it had MKE lettered on the top.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoWCj_NST34UdB1KpjJomz37mscIjJP2J2O1OPTj5QR9_RZgwe5-Mu6rXD4bcf1rOD_tNBUnamNVF6pFK2oGbqcW_wQ7Tpo4E7Q9C3PN4C898bwFFS2CXFyTgKcJqO0PAe82UtyhvsGegzr2DXdUuf3Ijy85H-s5Hd_g0QKZ8dFKbr4hhVhVJauhLEMU/s4096/IMG_20230521_105808449.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoWCj_NST34UdB1KpjJomz37mscIjJP2J2O1OPTj5QR9_RZgwe5-Mu6rXD4bcf1rOD_tNBUnamNVF6pFK2oGbqcW_wQ7Tpo4E7Q9C3PN4C898bwFFS2CXFyTgKcJqO0PAe82UtyhvsGegzr2DXdUuf3Ijy85H-s5Hd_g0QKZ8dFKbr4hhVhVJauhLEMU/s320/IMG_20230521_105808449.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>There is an art museum/space/something that we never got into, but was certainly interesting to have squeezed in among much older buildings.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eVUdJLSNgzYa7BtOEkD4NOHaD_jfE8aUgKUqJZ9Ecg3Bt1GikxxoWTf_mBuXBrlhTI9LGi1JtU5NLEiERiUHV70ewye4WOt3VtFu0_FUMlkWAI8uKOrhRG-bUYUlCr9pTJKh_NPDOoMH8VSyt5XQkpBnJvnvsf0YtGJJJoFC-vfSUx8Gp6Gs0ROh2HM/s4096/IMG_20230521_120429726_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eVUdJLSNgzYa7BtOEkD4NOHaD_jfE8aUgKUqJZ9Ecg3Bt1GikxxoWTf_mBuXBrlhTI9LGi1JtU5NLEiERiUHV70ewye4WOt3VtFu0_FUMlkWAI8uKOrhRG-bUYUlCr9pTJKh_NPDOoMH8VSyt5XQkpBnJvnvsf0YtGJJJoFC-vfSUx8Gp6Gs0ROh2HM/w400-h300/IMG_20230521_120429726_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art building on our first evening in Graz<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_UttKGPWTr3wQqREYoYRwd7SUKnx84gxtLCyFqeYuFoMyHJX0-6TLG-rW1DIl9UGSnXOSSSpDxhkbG9jrPM2_NBGLmGNc6DvUOGeS-pfS6tzmx42rB6bo9PyId-OWaECysUYHPRI_gGlQX0hHdlCIJ17SeeNdR48vA1qpoXU15JMP6IT39EmoqeAIuI/s4096/IMG_20230522_150210374_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_UttKGPWTr3wQqREYoYRwd7SUKnx84gxtLCyFqeYuFoMyHJX0-6TLG-rW1DIl9UGSnXOSSSpDxhkbG9jrPM2_NBGLmGNc6DvUOGeS-pfS6tzmx42rB6bo9PyId-OWaECysUYHPRI_gGlQX0hHdlCIJ17SeeNdR48vA1qpoXU15JMP6IT39EmoqeAIuI/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_150210374_HDR.jpg" width="400" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of the art building on a sunny day<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEojINc6-WMqMA4NjisHAAMGLolJCNyl5sl4Zzw4fUV1gLP0WciTB9JD7V2nrKVXbIU-a86nwdvQ5WAd3leY50xiyNXZ2KW-otrpZg9Ff3nL40AD35jPItWB38VBcoHeRfg0ayCyCy4aX5Npb_7CufnkMEsVVe0DY300jGrxtQbBnkQIJ_6n04B947NA/s4096/IMG_20230522_150216058_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEojINc6-WMqMA4NjisHAAMGLolJCNyl5sl4Zzw4fUV1gLP0WciTB9JD7V2nrKVXbIU-a86nwdvQ5WAd3leY50xiyNXZ2KW-otrpZg9Ff3nL40AD35jPItWB38VBcoHeRfg0ayCyCy4aX5Npb_7CufnkMEsVVe0DY300jGrxtQbBnkQIJ_6n04B947NA/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_150216058_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloSM93Q9TkbS3CzQG96sMYjKxRyPJcyvoBKmxtNYflEP6oP3WJiXAR2JSCW8HrBpq_lLpSUSYmQ8JE3DamugBh-rd_UPTqmPJ5oNpj9Ls_D9KyGByZPIoUueC9RgVCqQLBbcMkTEbnBaa_z9iw224qxscyPBUyx_H_mUuqjvmOb7HfT5W0fIiYBHKJ5Q/s4096/IMG_20230522_145519176.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloSM93Q9TkbS3CzQG96sMYjKxRyPJcyvoBKmxtNYflEP6oP3WJiXAR2JSCW8HrBpq_lLpSUSYmQ8JE3DamugBh-rd_UPTqmPJ5oNpj9Ls_D9KyGByZPIoUueC9RgVCqQLBbcMkTEbnBaa_z9iw224qxscyPBUyx_H_mUuqjvmOb7HfT5W0fIiYBHKJ5Q/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_145519176.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronze sculpture of crazy art building<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>In the river (Mur) was a building that had a cafe and a gathering space and some art installations. There was a walkway that connected it to either side of the river, so that was a fun way to cross.<br /></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_ELmrGspMSFaGEJwgWwLMieRsHu7kX5iMLdVGPoB2fsC7O5dGtLEaDqQl2x-WuEnOX9aVJi9Xb7wwiwYiHTMb4gBbqhpegr1h4txliPycALNtWOSQPnuwSrLOo23DbIHxIMrhsg0IlSnpLjHeCtwrdBze9t_P65M6cUfsQ6J9yYD8BKkcNm2S7Ba3EU/s4096/IMG_20230521_123313238_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_ELmrGspMSFaGEJwgWwLMieRsHu7kX5iMLdVGPoB2fsC7O5dGtLEaDqQl2x-WuEnOX9aVJi9Xb7wwiwYiHTMb4gBbqhpegr1h4txliPycALNtWOSQPnuwSrLOo23DbIHxIMrhsg0IlSnpLjHeCtwrdBze9t_P65M6cUfsQ6J9yYD8BKkcNm2S7Ba3EU/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_123313238_HDR.jpg" width="300" /> </a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uj-9V0g0_fWf578LDk-L5Q9VvNiHHxy-1BUJr9cw4dHdOchw4g0i7SJWZOFQ5citgaZBaeSnaDyieeh3PnV-M6oT-UAALIBKinvh8tvZgU386dXKhu2s0Ur0Bbz7BQJpfzIBdIzT11cnYNSIyvMkWO9nWlHyCM8ZvtkcD66Ol79b_HY1pj62EaR0B8E/s4096/IMG_20230521_123550408.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uj-9V0g0_fWf578LDk-L5Q9VvNiHHxy-1BUJr9cw4dHdOchw4g0i7SJWZOFQ5citgaZBaeSnaDyieeh3PnV-M6oT-UAALIBKinvh8tvZgU386dXKhu2s0Ur0Bbz7BQJpfzIBdIzT11cnYNSIyvMkWO9nWlHyCM8ZvtkcD66Ol79b_HY1pj62EaR0B8E/s320/IMG_20230521_123550408.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeMXXoTeICSnOcHpkCG_xSTuHqfCY4QxyeKThxiYVZl-VAq2S_hYnKmtV1Twy5necBbuhVTaTU8yfWyH1kmupBzxNzR2RDr15oI4sOQYJom36JBAZyBhzSCgId1PghfrQK3NivdNuFEE8r1LdCBjp-OS4icp1VprScI37jV85Aw_zhDl65OoXEs8-vaY/s4096/IMG_20230521_115721828_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeMXXoTeICSnOcHpkCG_xSTuHqfCY4QxyeKThxiYVZl-VAq2S_hYnKmtV1Twy5necBbuhVTaTU8yfWyH1kmupBzxNzR2RDr15oI4sOQYJom36JBAZyBhzSCgId1PghfrQK3NivdNuFEE8r1LdCBjp-OS4icp1VprScI37jV85Aw_zhDl65OoXEs8-vaY/s320/IMG_20230521_115721828_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1CLoYtw3rn8zXqzjPl5aL2Teb87iDJBl6EL5lPDtZgxa0x0cyyPI129i-IhBquvH3-MP9_EbNpPO85SM6fvk5SzKD2jFf0vDsFXrHfoLUMr0jF0RFXoiukeBkyDU3Xc5pUFD-rFBZ_TKPlMgjATsdc617pPHal8QI1HqMsh1ZHMg_oZxOOzSMtJlflM/s3264/IMG_20230521_115730140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1CLoYtw3rn8zXqzjPl5aL2Teb87iDJBl6EL5lPDtZgxa0x0cyyPI129i-IhBquvH3-MP9_EbNpPO85SM6fvk5SzKD2jFf0vDsFXrHfoLUMr0jF0RFXoiukeBkyDU3Xc5pUFD-rFBZ_TKPlMgjATsdc617pPHal8QI1HqMsh1ZHMg_oZxOOzSMtJlflM/s320/IMG_20230521_115730140.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIcHOMqAceEQYd1OR4sH975GCISJA0MjxnncfF6IEmM78LmYqd7GfNwpI6I-FYD1rTUI53l4i8tpd5XKRK9gFTsuaIpS8qrO1kHu1rKnL-aE-Wng1MtOerZzKPL5hDqxmy9YXwkwdhz0ItWd4kyk9uvjwpZ3DFTsPhov1e7vgkympNgzc6nyAQLHtTTw/s4096/IMG_20230521_123848871_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIcHOMqAceEQYd1OR4sH975GCISJA0MjxnncfF6IEmM78LmYqd7GfNwpI6I-FYD1rTUI53l4i8tpd5XKRK9gFTsuaIpS8qrO1kHu1rKnL-aE-Wng1MtOerZzKPL5hDqxmy9YXwkwdhz0ItWd4kyk9uvjwpZ3DFTsPhov1e7vgkympNgzc6nyAQLHtTTw/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_123848871_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXA3MENu0o7jE76d2PnCBtIeW6yGbhKiESO6eCBnLxtnOBk3Ps4hyslCceUFVWEX2aP3rJF7HL1k7_sP3DHMwOx5MUFK2y8-0mzZfKZBOJ3-H5CqxOP9gWalErv9aCx1tqDqUXSW5gEdmb73_r7nAt6fS_8_-4lI7ejrodKkIMIHNsS0ewyqmGyHJCNl0/s4096/IMG_20230525_093526134_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXA3MENu0o7jE76d2PnCBtIeW6yGbhKiESO6eCBnLxtnOBk3Ps4hyslCceUFVWEX2aP3rJF7HL1k7_sP3DHMwOx5MUFK2y8-0mzZfKZBOJ3-H5CqxOP9gWalErv9aCx1tqDqUXSW5gEdmb73_r7nAt6fS_8_-4lI7ejrodKkIMIHNsS0ewyqmGyHJCNl0/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_093526134_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p>One bridge over the river was covered with love locks.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YoOjiKKOxpkU4hoIOLGAUwhrFcIYFwFrOwV_W8EghZX0EJDR4GPzQIn9oeVwEbnaK2DWCgJj4GkvSF72MDBl3mBz-AYS55irr9hIv27_bfZD1RDNY6AUNmbotDqcMG6lFniIi3hQOeoPmEKYvSQ-AeVq8lsOO9EWjLSzrkP1Ba-7F0Unxx-f0XnHBWE/s4096/IMG_20230521_120939704.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YoOjiKKOxpkU4hoIOLGAUwhrFcIYFwFrOwV_W8EghZX0EJDR4GPzQIn9oeVwEbnaK2DWCgJj4GkvSF72MDBl3mBz-AYS55irr9hIv27_bfZD1RDNY6AUNmbotDqcMG6lFniIi3hQOeoPmEKYvSQ-AeVq8lsOO9EWjLSzrkP1Ba-7F0Unxx-f0XnHBWE/s320/IMG_20230521_120939704.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT-SJiJ1V8dUY7Z-NbxytKv3Bid6infcFX2pHacpm3-8y7cMtMWnosGDQVjn8iOg1tfKonSOTqyAqq7J3RbzSE_jwfCo57uH75-RTgrWaG-4r1wGtHMW8aoaG_cq8RwZibPdZs-wlCHwAWWC7ic_NBkV_bErMOrkwaEnAND9eUgE7plmyCAZGbJ4V3Jk/s4096/IMG_20230521_120841736.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT-SJiJ1V8dUY7Z-NbxytKv3Bid6infcFX2pHacpm3-8y7cMtMWnosGDQVjn8iOg1tfKonSOTqyAqq7J3RbzSE_jwfCo57uH75-RTgrWaG-4r1wGtHMW8aoaG_cq8RwZibPdZs-wlCHwAWWC7ic_NBkV_bErMOrkwaEnAND9eUgE7plmyCAZGbJ4V3Jk/s320/IMG_20230521_120841736.jpg" width="240" /></a><p></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eOL2pDo4aQ4e-Q_bLeszLRkGqqlo8SUmKRlKeR-deudTsVrELjexqmEaTUCHc2sWxQepeOtTQAOAQjsDbEP6ecpDT4RiiRlVnAi1WvkYC-Nju7iCChvgEOrT-wmRIT4Kw0QBZGzSjA_L8BgTpLxhCYRKYcAUKt4DCNO1uDiCcXscN84qxIobnBFlSuE/s4096/IMG_20230521_121020121_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eOL2pDo4aQ4e-Q_bLeszLRkGqqlo8SUmKRlKeR-deudTsVrELjexqmEaTUCHc2sWxQepeOtTQAOAQjsDbEP6ecpDT4RiiRlVnAi1WvkYC-Nju7iCChvgEOrT-wmRIT4Kw0QBZGzSjA_L8BgTpLxhCYRKYcAUKt4DCNO1uDiCcXscN84qxIobnBFlSuE/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_121020121_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><br />There is a clock tower you can climb to, but we were content to admire it from below. Lots of beautiful architecture. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o0OE4ryNX-rp_BzYza8y3ozaYyZEDqXlgO6Y0UgKn3hiZ9s5zXehrDktbLztUu0Arwa6PhpgaDZp8DkwD70j2E7npOy9qPCyd9xXbq6vSo9WXK9ujfzWsm2HH3t1hAKQPdZAW9Sa4LlvZdd3FTETVX6t70V74HDP9z3IIEXOc58EKCxyVySChDZwh_s/s4096/IMG_20230521_110638431_HDR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o0OE4ryNX-rp_BzYza8y3ozaYyZEDqXlgO6Y0UgKn3hiZ9s5zXehrDktbLztUu0Arwa6PhpgaDZp8DkwD70j2E7npOy9qPCyd9xXbq6vSo9WXK9ujfzWsm2HH3t1hAKQPdZAW9Sa4LlvZdd3FTETVX6t70V74HDP9z3IIEXOc58EKCxyVySChDZwh_s/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_110638431_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnKzxO5uqAOOsoXdHR-mG3yaZW1NtNTXqtjnVUWiBAwJ1CWgjQ4qCgRyyKvOdqdW2PzLkJOQHpp1sSaMhJPEeWB3Z_rGup2GadMyyZ5v3y63MFK2i0EaA1a-1mJ-de2huM1UYpef6JnwJ8C9woC_ZqgIx-qs-_oUnYTAdTNWzTk9ZltgvpcFzmTTrZRs/s4096/IMG_20230521_120100491_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnKzxO5uqAOOsoXdHR-mG3yaZW1NtNTXqtjnVUWiBAwJ1CWgjQ4qCgRyyKvOdqdW2PzLkJOQHpp1sSaMhJPEeWB3Z_rGup2GadMyyZ5v3y63MFK2i0EaA1a-1mJ-de2huM1UYpef6JnwJ8C9woC_ZqgIx-qs-_oUnYTAdTNWzTk9ZltgvpcFzmTTrZRs/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_120100491_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8ybK80l52VyhZqdaiAsf1RJZgYvIPPClc8Tnhba1zd4bj_l1dpadebIOLUcd3kMFrxYdHX6ky4UEhk5H2b-f5zCB4DHc_1gR4ZJEgRwbUZBSPVaYD_E_2LKc74GTpicQ4-vzG59v3_MYx3ML7ThDgEONAkffe1Wl9tw0Jqoatlx239UW-c85R26ce8M/s4096/IMG_20230521_121934419_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8ybK80l52VyhZqdaiAsf1RJZgYvIPPClc8Tnhba1zd4bj_l1dpadebIOLUcd3kMFrxYdHX6ky4UEhk5H2b-f5zCB4DHc_1gR4ZJEgRwbUZBSPVaYD_E_2LKc74GTpicQ4-vzG59v3_MYx3ML7ThDgEONAkffe1Wl9tw0Jqoatlx239UW-c85R26ce8M/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_121934419_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqmKN27KZbVirF-rPtgMKEeiAKEpl8EhtUn8hroNVI3xW3nS5NjcH5rqbb8rsDUZB14OSJScaqhFAsvb6nluWhYUWaGfLRZIjxqt8oohzc5zBVLRjYZ6ulPkn6ED32k5mRCf1JrBSqluyydLoeIhOug_5X5Mk02xKAHCZVUZUTbu0hTrdVJS1_KIDL08/s4096/IMG_20230521_122203029_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqmKN27KZbVirF-rPtgMKEeiAKEpl8EhtUn8hroNVI3xW3nS5NjcH5rqbb8rsDUZB14OSJScaqhFAsvb6nluWhYUWaGfLRZIjxqt8oohzc5zBVLRjYZ6ulPkn6ED32k5mRCf1JrBSqluyydLoeIhOug_5X5Mk02xKAHCZVUZUTbu0hTrdVJS1_KIDL08/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_122203029_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh5kw5FdHAdeWYFOrfAb2nNVTeoojOmaMCy2WnYUXkzGCayDDzb7bWplgFQ45ON53PX6mM6tpDFKil2zXEUKJ81m9Xa2-SIShajPp4kmb8EqZv1_MPNAFV6dXf-zAUV9jcXIpQLerkhWN5-VJila40drwi0qVUmdhNGr7O2ZRJh948gSMm3dNYG-GKks/s4096/IMG_20230521_122630682_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh5kw5FdHAdeWYFOrfAb2nNVTeoojOmaMCy2WnYUXkzGCayDDzb7bWplgFQ45ON53PX6mM6tpDFKil2zXEUKJ81m9Xa2-SIShajPp4kmb8EqZv1_MPNAFV6dXf-zAUV9jcXIpQLerkhWN5-VJila40drwi0qVUmdhNGr7O2ZRJh948gSMm3dNYG-GKks/w400-h300/IMG_20230521_122630682_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFw8ERx4nK6FqqC5_jIAwcon235SV1AKFZiTf82u1JDOLYhHY9JEkhbTno5QzjyMVyV7zOX4c7Mmeez4C2TO90ABnNPOXlnXdHicoKfWH0GgGJBoATYyNSU1iSvy1vAmCg-pUrp8X2REctVe_6zBS5eEhWCZohhS0bIfei40h9FjrkCvDYTREDj8KcACo/s4096/IMG_20230521_123114044_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFw8ERx4nK6FqqC5_jIAwcon235SV1AKFZiTf82u1JDOLYhHY9JEkhbTno5QzjyMVyV7zOX4c7Mmeez4C2TO90ABnNPOXlnXdHicoKfWH0GgGJBoATYyNSU1iSvy1vAmCg-pUrp8X2REctVe_6zBS5eEhWCZohhS0bIfei40h9FjrkCvDYTREDj8KcACo/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_123114044_HDR.jpg" width="300" />I</a></div><p></p><p></p><p>The trains are frequent and utterly quiet. It took practice to be aware
of the bike paths and train tracks that were all densely integrated with
the streets and the sidewalks. The sense of the city was busy but not
fast. <br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaA3PW6fWMSBFa0C82YRJLCSU6hRMX3wslDfr-XodGP5vtomoTz95CBiGIlMM1mg9ERSHd8uIwQegBSmfL7z81P2IZ0qGioEm8oVpF3A5jHBisOSGI2TAD9eu5IKcqQc8cUBnFBVNWNzun6wMSxHrH6loi9EdB91Be1O1cZa-BULPD68M8wvier7L98ds/s4096/IMG_20230521_121247722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaA3PW6fWMSBFa0C82YRJLCSU6hRMX3wslDfr-XodGP5vtomoTz95CBiGIlMM1mg9ERSHd8uIwQegBSmfL7z81P2IZ0qGioEm8oVpF3A5jHBisOSGI2TAD9eu5IKcqQc8cUBnFBVNWNzun6wMSxHrH6loi9EdB91Be1O1cZa-BULPD68M8wvier7L98ds/w400-h300/IMG_20230521_121247722.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_E67VzEQbKZWbqNE6dyi3gmXg8i5tHlVOiAC65iPlEJ2k3lwy9GRXPLDB5SinPCGH50jX9AuCsqhL36H7ip_gNdWm_JlkNhTlTokbXwZkgp0CGqIZxilSQG8VbkT9w1_bw2kxhhKsZjSUbbpYVmN4gHa2HXXfOo5ZfWPZfglFJCToYBxWXABTPV7nx0/s4096/IMG_20230522_152938621_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_E67VzEQbKZWbqNE6dyi3gmXg8i5tHlVOiAC65iPlEJ2k3lwy9GRXPLDB5SinPCGH50jX9AuCsqhL36H7ip_gNdWm_JlkNhTlTokbXwZkgp0CGqIZxilSQG8VbkT9w1_bw2kxhhKsZjSUbbpYVmN4gHa2HXXfOo5ZfWPZfglFJCToYBxWXABTPV7nx0/s320/IMG_20230522_152938621_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rmJnyKqn5j84k-Ikk3VZXHXDf0_PLEWs57uzdf04od-Dac49nfyMDCIlIV7vrcyx5tKwIQogY-SKjQtpx__uFjGI7lPt27W2NMRqpVqvpYLb82H9hx6t4CmX1PjBJ1K9KdCkPdgj4Y0UJi6PqJJ9cxIcvOp8Bspw9MRjVo0fX3I3xh4KBYavnCsu3Yg/s4096/IMG_20230525_094233705.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rmJnyKqn5j84k-Ikk3VZXHXDf0_PLEWs57uzdf04od-Dac49nfyMDCIlIV7vrcyx5tKwIQogY-SKjQtpx__uFjGI7lPt27W2NMRqpVqvpYLb82H9hx6t4CmX1PjBJ1K9KdCkPdgj4Y0UJi6PqJJ9cxIcvOp8Bspw9MRjVo0fX3I3xh4KBYavnCsu3Yg/s320/IMG_20230525_094233705.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p>Among the things that surprised me in Austria were the cigarette machines, and the amount of smoking in general. For a rather health conscious looking populace, it was a crazy amount of smoking! We saw kids smoking in the park and no one cared. I was also unprepared for how unnerving it felt to have nearly everyone be white. (Last time I was that conscious of such a crowd was at a Bruce Springsteen concert in Detroit in the 80s.)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHWS2I1b9DhDMpBQSuwfLuTZpINwTaK1pTx4iyerN7FOgi1fjdQ-49fpSw9vuDaQCrALuAGbZPSUWO9zgzmasFasdIGbG6CpaLgDkFS4o7jX5SdXahtdJvB7UflTUEoPfWNyRsNzgrqYRJMAfOD6ioacn48_njXMnqVeGYy2KVuE_sCAaRGJZk0UkntA/s4096/IMG_20230524_085531207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHWS2I1b9DhDMpBQSuwfLuTZpINwTaK1pTx4iyerN7FOgi1fjdQ-49fpSw9vuDaQCrALuAGbZPSUWO9zgzmasFasdIGbG6CpaLgDkFS4o7jX5SdXahtdJvB7UflTUEoPfWNyRsNzgrqYRJMAfOD6ioacn48_njXMnqVeGYy2KVuE_sCAaRGJZk0UkntA/s320/IMG_20230524_085531207.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmPvNTTlIdBsuWeMRWV0XEx8ijB4bqSD0C6rHEG2BYGdlHbE7kWfFkLBQLgvcP-PfjvObJaC9uMHNhCMG4bKhVtmgbpgcZdEgq-zphjEgVVkVvt4-v-m0y1-uyI1y6_i-QEmysxHZq5iJjNUg5MEScdqKS_8TRAVRwaBaGkDwNE9lch9tIo90hFZYDcs/s4096/IMG_20230521_131124830.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmPvNTTlIdBsuWeMRWV0XEx8ijB4bqSD0C6rHEG2BYGdlHbE7kWfFkLBQLgvcP-PfjvObJaC9uMHNhCMG4bKhVtmgbpgcZdEgq-zphjEgVVkVvt4-v-m0y1-uyI1y6_i-QEmysxHZq5iJjNUg5MEScdqKS_8TRAVRwaBaGkDwNE9lch9tIo90hFZYDcs/s320/IMG_20230521_131124830.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We couldn't tell if this tree outside of the colorful school was some kind of palm tree, or simply trimmed to look that way.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYerQgcKEjNwqEL6fMtruUpXst_cKwiUVyTLKxBSQJ9ayPLf0WfFXjnphiKor3JkAX5CcK1JH3Of-z1AlAEYdWXwLnusbJQOckfxeRhovvaD48nBsSUgZWgxVbGYGNG6pHHknafiEH9WvtqWLIkSXHjVh58WT92jv3tmpWL-8jwpxjkUO3mLSqHwtraQw/s4096/IMG_20230521_131834701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYerQgcKEjNwqEL6fMtruUpXst_cKwiUVyTLKxBSQJ9ayPLf0WfFXjnphiKor3JkAX5CcK1JH3Of-z1AlAEYdWXwLnusbJQOckfxeRhovvaD48nBsSUgZWgxVbGYGNG6pHHknafiEH9WvtqWLIkSXHjVh58WT92jv3tmpWL-8jwpxjkUO3mLSqHwtraQw/s320/IMG_20230521_131834701.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We saw several buildings with sliding "shutters." I didn't think it was the most attractive thing, but it seemed practical.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGJWdkpW-Ed8fVcILIFUn0dGoZC89xLLYwAXgFJNzugGNUajKnZGafEh60wVkKFJXgLmLESkTglmiKkooGsg_vxWhd4jsg7hL3iM3ufbqU8ogX5DbT8NnbhjePQ0pa6gkaZtx1Beh3qIkJ3uy14cGAwml8esA9el5b3w0zNnO7veAaE63el-zNO6rpjM/s4096/IMG_20230521_132107671.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGJWdkpW-Ed8fVcILIFUn0dGoZC89xLLYwAXgFJNzugGNUajKnZGafEh60wVkKFJXgLmLESkTglmiKkooGsg_vxWhd4jsg7hL3iM3ufbqU8ogX5DbT8NnbhjePQ0pa6gkaZtx1Beh3qIkJ3uy14cGAwml8esA9el5b3w0zNnO7veAaE63el-zNO6rpjM/w300-h400/IMG_20230521_132107671.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That first night we eventually found food. We split a pretty good burger in an outdoor cafe that was near a lot of smokers. The menu looked similar to what you would find in Milwaukee, lots of beer, not a lot of vegetables.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3NG37ta8eN0k7P4Q3KgRdCJsrzSlq0jkjriEEz1CPULTBJBlFlg9kSpFmOLO99aWbIRULbJmDiajJ-_QlFVlVedQwg3O_kQAO38LioutRU7AF0CdGfJI8V8phOG62bClXbLcSPoKFetJcVUPyrb2LXxaeZMZRj7jto0PHGcsdwqA_lxs4Zo5oYhTOUI/s4096/IMG_20230521_111148398.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3NG37ta8eN0k7P4Q3KgRdCJsrzSlq0jkjriEEz1CPULTBJBlFlg9kSpFmOLO99aWbIRULbJmDiajJ-_QlFVlVedQwg3O_kQAO38LioutRU7AF0CdGfJI8V8phOG62bClXbLcSPoKFetJcVUPyrb2LXxaeZMZRj7jto0PHGcsdwqA_lxs4Zo5oYhTOUI/s320/IMG_20230521_111148398.jpg" width="240" /></a> <br /></p><p>The next morning, a very small group of us decided to rehearse a little outside by the canal under a tree. That was lovely. Although during a brief calamity I lost my pick in the grass, but that forced me to try some different kinds of picks I happened to have along, and discovered one I liked better anyway.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OkifPmtC4sFKv_2c69dg0zDWeNNVkLVGkZ2sASM89vx_r9JWC1XavyZV_c-nlVyT7Yztm309VNHrAZeBPfp5oOHV6XAUiTCJIsKKPovOgoQ6cKGHRGpCkNkm0cvARwMom-uRH3svLa_VylzpXImkCoqqcPrQhXBSJDGph1JeNSQ1BGC4EKGbEibVCU0/s4096/IMG_20230522_091342351_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OkifPmtC4sFKv_2c69dg0zDWeNNVkLVGkZ2sASM89vx_r9JWC1XavyZV_c-nlVyT7Yztm309VNHrAZeBPfp5oOHV6XAUiTCJIsKKPovOgoQ6cKGHRGpCkNkm0cvARwMom-uRH3svLa_VylzpXImkCoqqcPrQhXBSJDGph1JeNSQ1BGC4EKGbEibVCU0/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_091342351_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>There was some interesting signage that amused me in Graz, including an odd elevator sign where they look like they are sinking (or they are just strangely short), and what I think is a meeting place? Except that I wish I'd gotten the larger context because it was in a weird spot where there was nowhere to stand. The walking dude who looks like he's in a hat and mittens. Lots of signs with matching backs and fronts where on one side things were fine, but forbidden on the other. And the guy who is dragging around a child who looks broken. (Plus he looks like he has a foot going either direction.)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EYSJ1WL-r2uFBe-CEGy3jY8BCKG7hOh95xKrwS3MgghBL4TsFugige9rA2bBUqhiWhoZuIhwATO64gOEbu01fYf1BGQ3fXiZ56mUzsL0BDvcB4zeJ9Y_bvj1_oFhGk247TwXAAjt_-HNushQMM-m1frg3SkM4Xpgt_yxuRhRq-168zU-a3FZKhdu42s/s4096/IMG_20230522_141248789.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EYSJ1WL-r2uFBe-CEGy3jY8BCKG7hOh95xKrwS3MgghBL4TsFugige9rA2bBUqhiWhoZuIhwATO64gOEbu01fYf1BGQ3fXiZ56mUzsL0BDvcB4zeJ9Y_bvj1_oFhGk247TwXAAjt_-HNushQMM-m1frg3SkM4Xpgt_yxuRhRq-168zU-a3FZKhdu42s/s320/IMG_20230522_141248789.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJG00VsBxDsEK77n9hXeVqFggWQDHzgMDhUYMfQxQXggt25qsfY5v1QOI-APyAslRHY5AfjUF8-eo9zmHEOWqAnkyKF_I_Fwb0ArO-Txm208AGOgHN8XH43KjeTdU391y1MmCPKbOGgQn353gZABDAkgpVW16h8RfTfO6mxUA3Oo0_phBr0J2DamqUVc/s4096/IMG_20230522_150433635.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJG00VsBxDsEK77n9hXeVqFggWQDHzgMDhUYMfQxQXggt25qsfY5v1QOI-APyAslRHY5AfjUF8-eo9zmHEOWqAnkyKF_I_Fwb0ArO-Txm208AGOgHN8XH43KjeTdU391y1MmCPKbOGgQn353gZABDAkgpVW16h8RfTfO6mxUA3Oo0_phBr0J2DamqUVc/w300-h400/IMG_20230522_150433635.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting place? But in an awkward spot.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfDM6NsLpIzfKM_VvvdQbN3W434zdsvbnI6zJq63Tzeo6NMjLY2dP6HGtDnMN8m6Ud36X-g4ro1XDJ18dprHjM9ym_t65ABH0EoJVA3xojPVZ6QYJVxp-SNEMzchBbE2OAKKNnUudpQG7WJ3EZztSaUub9LPFRvMEiTvhV7f0sR6-_QVOYUqeNLD_mkQ/s4096/IMG_20230522_154414215_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfDM6NsLpIzfKM_VvvdQbN3W434zdsvbnI6zJq63Tzeo6NMjLY2dP6HGtDnMN8m6Ud36X-g4ro1XDJ18dprHjM9ym_t65ABH0EoJVA3xojPVZ6QYJVxp-SNEMzchBbE2OAKKNnUudpQG7WJ3EZztSaUub9LPFRvMEiTvhV7f0sR6-_QVOYUqeNLD_mkQ/w300-h400/IMG_20230522_154414215_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ17ItSdLJIfFrPH1RCvxQ9T6Wmm3SvkybK25Hz3E-z8012Y0lPt2GjJmH87ouAP6YV5tL1ipSzpbDIBSSGT0gAS3JA712O4SywQa4_rHSBN1nQC7hyphenhyphen5_EeOt6q_mYRT5Ws_PA7JdpZtPNYvN4xMmxV_Pq-Pwuth2fXFEM-3AnBCkkvOnf033u2RBw6ss/s4096/IMG_20230525_093436863.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ17ItSdLJIfFrPH1RCvxQ9T6Wmm3SvkybK25Hz3E-z8012Y0lPt2GjJmH87ouAP6YV5tL1ipSzpbDIBSSGT0gAS3JA712O4SywQa4_rHSBN1nQC7hyphenhyphen5_EeOt6q_mYRT5Ws_PA7JdpZtPNYvN4xMmxV_Pq-Pwuth2fXFEM-3AnBCkkvOnf033u2RBw6ss/s320/IMG_20230525_093436863.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-kq3DEHqNC9GRLigyLy11f_2r-PwY_FKRrtDyw4ttriGO15tW65EvUDQyfqWZR6upO7IoTlQhKY-p51JqtHjI3WiKRvg_RM162_z7NJgBnWSvydnLg4rnqhS6LmG583Rw4p4Q9_KlbBbBqfX2mV3DL_WZRC7YDIZh4Gr1l6U0OXwtBhaS-kQN_5mvE0/s4096/IMG_20230525_093441761_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-kq3DEHqNC9GRLigyLy11f_2r-PwY_FKRrtDyw4ttriGO15tW65EvUDQyfqWZR6upO7IoTlQhKY-p51JqtHjI3WiKRvg_RM162_z7NJgBnWSvydnLg4rnqhS6LmG583Rw4p4Q9_KlbBbBqfX2mV3DL_WZRC7YDIZh4Gr1l6U0OXwtBhaS-kQN_5mvE0/s320/IMG_20230525_093441761_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><p></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVN1m_XneZQfmIn58HkVf_x8ypWYDUHdzcLuk2FBM3XGaL0BJ89JV9whdSPrcQlSnrIdV_YaBnWPcp43-wlyWXPPCSB7U8vZbZw9Sk3_oP0tGphyphenhyphenITVUegELdtLcegthmaZcLClefVabDDhvNZCRXs7RKEPQQdFp40RBKzFvAzHltufGFGLr-gusXhAY/s4096/IMG_20230525_093501159_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVN1m_XneZQfmIn58HkVf_x8ypWYDUHdzcLuk2FBM3XGaL0BJ89JV9whdSPrcQlSnrIdV_YaBnWPcp43-wlyWXPPCSB7U8vZbZw9Sk3_oP0tGphyphenhyphenITVUegELdtLcegthmaZcLClefVabDDhvNZCRXs7RKEPQQdFp40RBKzFvAzHltufGFGLr-gusXhAY/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_093501159_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>So much pretty architecture in Graz, along with odd things here and there.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh878Sj8UK_qbpLejgN4MAzU6p_4KnHv9GiKO0ifUt8-zBIYnmzhI2QL66gWPPPmmAADAz6KXbBMi2u6pTGywbVKM38uESnmXYBnILCuOR8_WY7_bHJqmekl5U5I_ZQifA7qEMe3Dqkz041y7OZo6a6h5-h77Tp1cRqhyfRknn1JbRdDz6tveK4u8EiTp8/s4096/IMG_20230522_142305487.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh878Sj8UK_qbpLejgN4MAzU6p_4KnHv9GiKO0ifUt8-zBIYnmzhI2QL66gWPPPmmAADAz6KXbBMi2u6pTGywbVKM38uESnmXYBnILCuOR8_WY7_bHJqmekl5U5I_ZQifA7qEMe3Dqkz041y7OZo6a6h5-h77Tp1cRqhyfRknn1JbRdDz6tveK4u8EiTp8/w400-h300/IMG_20230522_142305487.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These details floating above the windows were weird.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFk1NIBrlBIrpfSHjosCNVP24IT1PZ7eaa6kiU-GYO6uCFulIB4tg7yRpuHvdWZBGsieSWULzLYEqts0OKHKyfhe3OUQ9ijRsSlNZjf8s6Yxoc1S52qOKJ4uhRrBCTFLmtTmy4h0ZFwOeo4nQHPrabUH303Q-7Zbl-qILzxsu1NnIMCDCyhhow3yqdzY/s4096/IMG_20230525_093240405.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFk1NIBrlBIrpfSHjosCNVP24IT1PZ7eaa6kiU-GYO6uCFulIB4tg7yRpuHvdWZBGsieSWULzLYEqts0OKHKyfhe3OUQ9ijRsSlNZjf8s6Yxoc1S52qOKJ4uhRrBCTFLmtTmy4h0ZFwOeo4nQHPrabUH303Q-7Zbl-qILzxsu1NnIMCDCyhhow3yqdzY/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_093240405.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyyCzhbwJWn47X9K9JymihSzTD74_u8y67_7Img9PuOhWHACaU8u6SSFcq96iYBo8tPcxKRdj_DD0GQ6gIeChUC5sTEkoq9kGlUp1Vj7TkLCZGL9MZr5w6C0iTLSJZOCyCqEsV1H58eYIhX7XPi46i-PQyvvtjQzzEY41XcGdLgdilw-CzU1YybZQPH4/s4096/IMG_20230522_145617450_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyyCzhbwJWn47X9K9JymihSzTD74_u8y67_7Img9PuOhWHACaU8u6SSFcq96iYBo8tPcxKRdj_DD0GQ6gIeChUC5sTEkoq9kGlUp1Vj7TkLCZGL9MZr5w6C0iTLSJZOCyCqEsV1H58eYIhX7XPi46i-PQyvvtjQzzEY41XcGdLgdilw-CzU1YybZQPH4/w300-h400/IMG_20230522_145617450_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2EqgXdGydxVLQMFGTGkCxGOtJD8X-nkYDuP4EF-EI-LdaA1_4GirkiNqkulzw74QX-vXFPrMRXGB7AXeibo_1Ak3sO-X-K9y6weKzh5BvZnbr1u3OR6rsq1scEa2suGU-eFA-R3qCv-1oXBPtqJqLZsB-reg8g17FZxHGa3AeZ25INeUeGEg_BOprFM/s4096/IMG_20230525_093352875_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2EqgXdGydxVLQMFGTGkCxGOtJD8X-nkYDuP4EF-EI-LdaA1_4GirkiNqkulzw74QX-vXFPrMRXGB7AXeibo_1Ak3sO-X-K9y6weKzh5BvZnbr1u3OR6rsq1scEa2suGU-eFA-R3qCv-1oXBPtqJqLZsB-reg8g17FZxHGa3AeZ25INeUeGEg_BOprFM/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_093352875_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXiApYvICZ6KIwv35lWqELq0qdTKlm4fsYqM38GhWMZcrU19OXXFQneHdvn1-LTMl-D-QBF1c-CPI8BnZ_hW0i6syiT4HhC31WWzQ7qY38fyd-4WyaVXiSyw-LjqV1hq3AECiAumBJzHwRX2XrqVIt1qMocyMbtMIbPEER1fkccp3-hwKZfadWGNoGQ4/s4096/IMG_20230522_145832242_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXiApYvICZ6KIwv35lWqELq0qdTKlm4fsYqM38GhWMZcrU19OXXFQneHdvn1-LTMl-D-QBF1c-CPI8BnZ_hW0i6syiT4HhC31WWzQ7qY38fyd-4WyaVXiSyw-LjqV1hq3AECiAumBJzHwRX2XrqVIt1qMocyMbtMIbPEER1fkccp3-hwKZfadWGNoGQ4/w300-h400/IMG_20230522_145832242_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIEnT18XBOmesBEDCEAvA5qmq2EzM4wZXWCMlnSscWexNzSQgQrl_Nfw0bQuJO2W6UWlVAX2duVUWixhR9gLmB_P_NQxI3aPDFFSk4vtDcyrs4iJvNbkhgp-WKv1vrNve1Zy5djBv5cWldaVOgqx3DwIbfIJti_gwtfqO-YICTUdlP64deo7wLOeUbkA/s4096/IMG_20230522_150613143_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIEnT18XBOmesBEDCEAvA5qmq2EzM4wZXWCMlnSscWexNzSQgQrl_Nfw0bQuJO2W6UWlVAX2duVUWixhR9gLmB_P_NQxI3aPDFFSk4vtDcyrs4iJvNbkhgp-WKv1vrNve1Zy5djBv5cWldaVOgqx3DwIbfIJti_gwtfqO-YICTUdlP64deo7wLOeUbkA/w300-h400/IMG_20230522_150613143_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>On that second day we enjoyed gelato! I had the Raffaello I think? It's a kind of fancy white chocolate with coconut we don't have here apparently.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEcokzStovjHzS-RGPIqXP2pJguarHD_JvebFZTORTy2OgpGvptW6086E6KDMWjhN4CAjrU_a1pthg6XkQVrg90pUOqjkg6zQ3-WMZJPdcC_J0coSnGwMrIgZu_dFrW6Zx8O3Jdv56-eAC0L7kUpJqu1pIyuv_azZLu_fK-JNkZcIhl-eLNBtdPy7Txxg/s4096/IMG_20230522_151056149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEcokzStovjHzS-RGPIqXP2pJguarHD_JvebFZTORTy2OgpGvptW6086E6KDMWjhN4CAjrU_a1pthg6XkQVrg90pUOqjkg6zQ3-WMZJPdcC_J0coSnGwMrIgZu_dFrW6Zx8O3Jdv56-eAC0L7kUpJqu1pIyuv_azZLu_fK-JNkZcIhl-eLNBtdPy7Txxg/s320/IMG_20230522_151056149.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9Rvu78g3C6ye0MB3fYJNX8B9RH4vlfV9uTry-P2c8N-ten7iD_Ogc9e4vW4Y1ZcyzRgaVTn2lz9hga1aMWzBbIBInIZPg_EqQjTW57qTcYU8woT_8vTxoOxTlTQvGWB1Q-HOmFPNWiTBxoXRVeNfPe7_rAHWPVW3t19S2UDRnH9sgUUDfvY6Z_16Ry4/s4096/IMG_20230522_151301059_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9Rvu78g3C6ye0MB3fYJNX8B9RH4vlfV9uTry-P2c8N-ten7iD_Ogc9e4vW4Y1ZcyzRgaVTn2lz9hga1aMWzBbIBInIZPg_EqQjTW57qTcYU8woT_8vTxoOxTlTQvGWB1Q-HOmFPNWiTBxoXRVeNfPe7_rAHWPVW3t19S2UDRnH9sgUUDfvY6Z_16Ry4/s320/IMG_20230522_151301059_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>And that night we wound up eating at an Italian restaurant somehow, mostly because we were hungry and tired of walking and it was there. It was good, but not what I was expecting to eat in Austria. It was a nice mother/daughter evening with another mother/daughter pair.<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEgD-Xg4v5bjAYTFMRX9PB2nsAIf5rEsl76nLOzAOuyYyBOCJm6QaK_5m1WpiQGKtHaqpWnI074HMF2yGMLJYi0F3WeY7OhyphenhyphenZFjt_mKyW71rottO43kRxHaY0C0JLi3ZiCAqNpg3NoNA9ySemAR7dcKaKe27RUV0kZm9THPnyWNi81mX07WpxWrKHyEg/s4096/IMG_20230522_185931374.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEgD-Xg4v5bjAYTFMRX9PB2nsAIf5rEsl76nLOzAOuyYyBOCJm6QaK_5m1WpiQGKtHaqpWnI074HMF2yGMLJYi0F3WeY7OhyphenhyphenZFjt_mKyW71rottO43kRxHaY0C0JLi3ZiCAqNpg3NoNA9ySemAR7dcKaKe27RUV0kZm9THPnyWNi81mX07WpxWrKHyEg/s320/IMG_20230522_185931374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVf5Zv4hvj4cpXh79ddgUAmq_RT15an-o70Ee0oQZIm9Zk7qIMVUK64tKL8iEB0QK1VTUv5mqzvXmGvzklNgLnr83it-SU8TvDXHnjsCs_JjlUoTTD8GCqR34dWjdDP0K2JMK8QRF05fwODkoZJxJo2uxqUGqV7hIgxwYXegC5GShjkeZKghzjczqZ_k/s4096/IMG_20230522_190306577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVf5Zv4hvj4cpXh79ddgUAmq_RT15an-o70Ee0oQZIm9Zk7qIMVUK64tKL8iEB0QK1VTUv5mqzvXmGvzklNgLnr83it-SU8TvDXHnjsCs_JjlUoTTD8GCqR34dWjdDP0K2JMK8QRF05fwODkoZJxJo2uxqUGqV7hIgxwYXegC5GShjkeZKghzjczqZ_k/s320/IMG_20230522_190306577.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>On to some mandolin things! We rehearsed the in a room at the end of the hall on the first floor of the nun house, both on the first night with those of us staying there, and the next day with everyone. <br /><br />One of the pleasant surprises of this trip was there was rain predicted the whole week, but it really only rained during a couple of times we were scheduled to be indoors anyway. One of those times was during the first full rehearsal and the storm was impressive outside the windows! The downside to so much otherwise pleasant weather was that I packed all wrong.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmihHOYhxdqn44l3W7J1J76VBGnCMeJmFBoOmQ3kI1-X37NYmkXY0o9nzQWDYZX2SQGXUqsk5UG-dfJZCS0kbFfr8_tcZ5xVD_Nl5vXmEAtMiBKTgcg3JWHcdxbQrLnzUPm0Fb2VdWSkphxoUKYGY-wYie8_GE_5EWA-7DDOaAt78wR5OYGOUZQUUIAY/s4096/IMG_20230523_130638193.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmihHOYhxdqn44l3W7J1J76VBGnCMeJmFBoOmQ3kI1-X37NYmkXY0o9nzQWDYZX2SQGXUqsk5UG-dfJZCS0kbFfr8_tcZ5xVD_Nl5vXmEAtMiBKTgcg3JWHcdxbQrLnzUPm0Fb2VdWSkphxoUKYGY-wYie8_GE_5EWA-7DDOaAt78wR5OYGOUZQUUIAY/w400-h300/IMG_20230523_130638193.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Our mandola section from Venice was reunited! <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJy82UMnJaBdP53h655DqC3Lws_rMIzv6-Sf01cTW58simSty8d5wr3JpAsXYWkDEBg9a_-Y_ZMqiD75Pk8fFPawRu4A1IWHYQzd4sQldcnpQ5zUWcAJKQETKfhKC_98BgUXuOiwpcoSx0FZkn3s18RNHy55JlOz1UWMqYuHEEZ7_AVCwzt4rHjbz3F0/s3264/IMG_20230523_134750208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJy82UMnJaBdP53h655DqC3Lws_rMIzv6-Sf01cTW58simSty8d5wr3JpAsXYWkDEBg9a_-Y_ZMqiD75Pk8fFPawRu4A1IWHYQzd4sQldcnpQ5zUWcAJKQETKfhKC_98BgUXuOiwpcoSx0FZkn3s18RNHy55JlOz1UWMqYuHEEZ7_AVCwzt4rHjbz3F0/w300-h400/IMG_20230523_134750208.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dR8ZqxBJ6kYQSzWMinyhiQ9N7z20ngaYrDWw18sa2tVikQ_wsqX4oWvVBKGPq_RrPG565swBWohNLibuxSOX5EpC8VBGLVETi11sG9jpRN1f7zSgYgnCN4Nvgpn3K6y-C-fJ3TIEVYtv3fUJ7mHRqf0pbwInWYbvmsNu1YJlbP2iXDrUiJlq_vhwd64/s4096/IMG_20230523_170811198_HDR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dR8ZqxBJ6kYQSzWMinyhiQ9N7z20ngaYrDWw18sa2tVikQ_wsqX4oWvVBKGPq_RrPG565swBWohNLibuxSOX5EpC8VBGLVETi11sG9jpRN1f7zSgYgnCN4Nvgpn3K6y-C-fJ3TIEVYtv3fUJ7mHRqf0pbwInWYbvmsNu1YJlbP2iXDrUiJlq_vhwd64/s320/IMG_20230523_170811198_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a>The rehearsal later in the church space was interesting. We were performing with the Austrian mandolin orchestra that had invited us, and this was our first opportunity to play with them. The program was them performing a set, then inviting us to the stage to play three pieces they had selected for us to all play together, and then the second half was our set, and ending with their group joining us for the pieces we had selected for everyone to perform.</p><p><br /><br /> </p><p> </p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GJn0B76iWRLm3gukaMfGpSGVGzLS6gXUGqWU4bBN5NnvX8fLCsNJ_XgQsq-Iy-9dIJprN4M-_emvQnbc0sPSBtyksQPqHuvD2qdNzo86kc_JYSaMbgwViVPXf6LXKZSKUJsrU-zhMdqpeORabY6yrixqyZvuSQzxEhOTMP4wpuc0KLWB4vr2cCtEuV0/s4096/IMG_20230523_170844230.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GJn0B76iWRLm3gukaMfGpSGVGzLS6gXUGqWU4bBN5NnvX8fLCsNJ_XgQsq-Iy-9dIJprN4M-_emvQnbc0sPSBtyksQPqHuvD2qdNzo86kc_JYSaMbgwViVPXf6LXKZSKUJsrU-zhMdqpeORabY6yrixqyZvuSQzxEhOTMP4wpuc0KLWB4vr2cCtEuV0/s320/IMG_20230523_170844230.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPBh2Oip4JtPTptR7ehzTbDH-gvup2KBCtQsBaQ09_UMg5XAVSLtDMnUCmWQih6p00beZtZtIUOlqseGT8yJHzduhxSw2dxITbnbBQhgZWidwuBO62VtVBRlRA7aIQNeZyaifqMGWIR8Nhe1NJc_16Dg26QmL1pwudxFhYN2Bre5OTiP7mRfPrj75iuA/s4096/IMG_20230523_182825493.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPBh2Oip4JtPTptR7ehzTbDH-gvup2KBCtQsBaQ09_UMg5XAVSLtDMnUCmWQih6p00beZtZtIUOlqseGT8yJHzduhxSw2dxITbnbBQhgZWidwuBO62VtVBRlRA7aIQNeZyaifqMGWIR8Nhe1NJc_16Dg26QmL1pwudxFhYN2Bre5OTiP7mRfPrj75iuA/w400-h300/IMG_20230523_182825493.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p> </p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s6yLOdpT2LwgKbYdXPc6kj7garHZvXlHo5CdsBKEQAqZUHFh2fESgsxhcH0WSEZCBdTNE2EhNvL9PoQs_IRF-JzHvmFC-Yq2xzoslbqDtrAGQB1f2CFy7XiV5OyZmLy2nufgBcX0pN9tW4dSLD1j_9dG6qRU0hVmlxJy8Qd1-jp2I5dCc-vPy4Q1NVk/s4096/IMG_20230523_182834187.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s6yLOdpT2LwgKbYdXPc6kj7garHZvXlHo5CdsBKEQAqZUHFh2fESgsxhcH0WSEZCBdTNE2EhNvL9PoQs_IRF-JzHvmFC-Yq2xzoslbqDtrAGQB1f2CFy7XiV5OyZmLy2nufgBcX0pN9tW4dSLD1j_9dG6qRU0hVmlxJy8Qd1-jp2I5dCc-vPy4Q1NVk/s320/IMG_20230523_182834187.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1Lyf5JQHPOzmjNmea9IGlplbjODScMErhySEJm0SroUCCkGd6_1MVdlLMGC0nKLR-StfZVRmgOt9bIvYdjeTPs6N0Gd6DGBcm_HRbfBRN8h99Ee8oZqojYnUJ1PXhB4Z1144Ghpyw-WwxtopW1OorHNckSnx_mStJYjirrCFI_PJQSCVyVnXvE1bAfs/s4096/IMG_20230523_183106857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1Lyf5JQHPOzmjNmea9IGlplbjODScMErhySEJm0SroUCCkGd6_1MVdlLMGC0nKLR-StfZVRmgOt9bIvYdjeTPs6N0Gd6DGBcm_HRbfBRN8h99Ee8oZqojYnUJ1PXhB4Z1144Ghpyw-WwxtopW1OorHNckSnx_mStJYjirrCFI_PJQSCVyVnXvE1bAfs/s320/IMG_20230523_183106857.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3rtdbJMGvR_Mz9tqznbcvCVJW1XlP3BF1WWdHhjCZBNxojaT_M5wSywsQGCXnL1IkLZDL-57MbHnt5WVXvxHY_jhWCGwjx035iNuCzWPVvDD0NB3T1mqsnKPorxBSkImkb_lYDtAGcqbs-15NoaOUk7cXgVWkQsDbLnnVRthiZLTz4g6R7f-JTb7iF8/s4096/IMG_20230523_183318890.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3rtdbJMGvR_Mz9tqznbcvCVJW1XlP3BF1WWdHhjCZBNxojaT_M5wSywsQGCXnL1IkLZDL-57MbHnt5WVXvxHY_jhWCGwjx035iNuCzWPVvDD0NB3T1mqsnKPorxBSkImkb_lYDtAGcqbs-15NoaOUk7cXgVWkQsDbLnnVRthiZLTz4g6R7f-JTb7iF8/s320/IMG_20230523_183318890.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AXnGAZiYmVLFKsNNaffuZj3kky0TV_UW3SXgJ54PI3sIKUKPxir9uu-4fUUb2TRKbEGNuOyj5zSzkurIQc9qqxqI7gyei1yLAM9xh0OFZ2mP7yJUuHl11ZqfTxCPozXnW-GJRC79Vt6Os6glFEdvNlODTj1g5tTotY2prTeeUEChHCkwmoD2Ulrj6N0/s4096/IMG_20230523_183442101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AXnGAZiYmVLFKsNNaffuZj3kky0TV_UW3SXgJ54PI3sIKUKPxir9uu-4fUUb2TRKbEGNuOyj5zSzkurIQc9qqxqI7gyei1yLAM9xh0OFZ2mP7yJUuHl11ZqfTxCPozXnW-GJRC79Vt6Os6glFEdvNlODTj1g5tTotY2prTeeUEChHCkwmoD2Ulrj6N0/s320/IMG_20230523_183442101.jpg" width="240" /></a> </p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OxqXpJsnM0p36gLpDyC1FewZziqERjqcAHs2nWDxR819yLHmOhIUG2qR21CUW3HLopeID26MC6B2SgZ9tVCZ6Beq4Yz-vCA65qp_wb1N0nM9gp0sjpNebnYhwoW4bhDkZJelsU6r2YWPXVfoB7HWt1ps5LBpfLyWalJrwKRQbwGWu2gx24zqkDZaRCk/s4096/IMG_20230523_185306061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OxqXpJsnM0p36gLpDyC1FewZziqERjqcAHs2nWDxR819yLHmOhIUG2qR21CUW3HLopeID26MC6B2SgZ9tVCZ6Beq4Yz-vCA65qp_wb1N0nM9gp0sjpNebnYhwoW4bhDkZJelsU6r2YWPXVfoB7HWt1ps5LBpfLyWalJrwKRQbwGWu2gx24zqkDZaRCk/w400-h300/IMG_20230523_185306061.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV7dX78N_2ZI-AofDgvXTVOwjyFY2ft5AHDYmEiodYvtANVBqgcRih9tAUXJ9BDxl1OZ5ThMcXLxVFbUt4BaySBJ2ajHlsrVq_Xc7vutNhRiRwktI8cChXv6XfCmUrK7dlMQfIRrJHUqlbF2J26dpB0jtHqMIs6nFXjyCrO1u53JaWiMFNcr8NvTChcU/s4096/IMG_20230523_183647791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV7dX78N_2ZI-AofDgvXTVOwjyFY2ft5AHDYmEiodYvtANVBqgcRih9tAUXJ9BDxl1OZ5ThMcXLxVFbUt4BaySBJ2ajHlsrVq_Xc7vutNhRiRwktI8cChXv6XfCmUrK7dlMQfIRrJHUqlbF2J26dpB0jtHqMIs6nFXjyCrO1u53JaWiMFNcr8NvTChcU/s320/IMG_20230523_183647791.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVw48sXg90v6QT8-lAjpAiI4nGLhzx8LmDAK3Fp-hWrcs97jMnCXzeDK-edo3tlJNoAUODLp4qicBk3TIVr9XG5lfUpILyTMnu_VjUC4Z3cEAScrKqJjNFJiUR3uSTCLSTaLygEOCil8-nJnEYiadDEm-5tlH2Ly-ZXuZ1TUanBMeJZJ4l6NqTvryad8/s4096/IMG_20230523_183527235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVw48sXg90v6QT8-lAjpAiI4nGLhzx8LmDAK3Fp-hWrcs97jMnCXzeDK-edo3tlJNoAUODLp4qicBk3TIVr9XG5lfUpILyTMnu_VjUC4Z3cEAScrKqJjNFJiUR3uSTCLSTaLygEOCil8-nJnEYiadDEm-5tlH2Ly-ZXuZ1TUanBMeJZJ4l6NqTvryad8/s320/IMG_20230523_183527235.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p>After the rehearsal, it was late, and we needed to eat. The streets in Graz roll up really early, and I had a feeling by the time we walked home and dropped off my instrument, we wouldn't be able to find anything, and I was very hungry. So we found a restaurant down the street from the church that was still open and decided to simply eat there. And not long after, many other MMO people found the same spot! It was good. Not great. But we were hungry and it was food so it was fine. Good company goes a long way for any meal.<br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6itJ5QDXiW4xoN_K1W7VpfylIszEmhPsUms6s0yYUbURDYfecKWb6sFnbKqr1iTp9QCwGqB4e5rAxAyLKdOI8UXVqwgRHqjjKYIrk3vYTisd__nR_8rykr1g8D60JGsgKJPWvs65y2c9CUP6FCyA3G2Pt9CyNsJvY6xRWozzZke_ADZ55RT9B80VpE-E/s4096/IMG_20230523_205958415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6itJ5QDXiW4xoN_K1W7VpfylIszEmhPsUms6s0yYUbURDYfecKWb6sFnbKqr1iTp9QCwGqB4e5rAxAyLKdOI8UXVqwgRHqjjKYIrk3vYTisd__nR_8rykr1g8D60JGsgKJPWvs65y2c9CUP6FCyA3G2Pt9CyNsJvY6xRWozzZke_ADZ55RT9B80VpE-E/w400-h300/IMG_20230523_205958415.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPqZq11JHCoX3yZ3aIICujTWmcKN0LmXT3G_D103-4f45Uc7V2FbA7t0MKXNVmAfD_GFwNaG3YNZh7vhU8cCgHAdJk1-ezaSuB-X2KTfBFk-M9QYS-keTJi87u1tstB9djgw2gp8CWlkH3iy8pZ7CdcALSpeVL7Nc9x_C5HXf-hqB029A_kp1xV_uIpE/s4096/IMG_20230523_210007708.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPqZq11JHCoX3yZ3aIICujTWmcKN0LmXT3G_D103-4f45Uc7V2FbA7t0MKXNVmAfD_GFwNaG3YNZh7vhU8cCgHAdJk1-ezaSuB-X2KTfBFk-M9QYS-keTJi87u1tstB9djgw2gp8CWlkH3iy8pZ7CdcALSpeVL7Nc9x_C5HXf-hqB029A_kp1xV_uIpE/s320/IMG_20230523_210007708.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ax4v6HbKE3UTqDb17JA07AYpmRXMRp2Nd3IwIy4jy1GArZ3vHzLJMwm8iwnbM67XQ9t0LLWQ_6Ggj4hPaPmHEAkS6UVtCIUXeuI7jWZQLeuIH3qNDrhxUxcMrgRmBgwi_D7CdACdLCWkfPyN6F3lI2cJdkgNPq39JIOTqLDp8axuyjpS24gDrBKZATg/s4096/IMG_20230523_210018468.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ax4v6HbKE3UTqDb17JA07AYpmRXMRp2Nd3IwIy4jy1GArZ3vHzLJMwm8iwnbM67XQ9t0LLWQ_6Ggj4hPaPmHEAkS6UVtCIUXeuI7jWZQLeuIH3qNDrhxUxcMrgRmBgwi_D7CdACdLCWkfPyN6F3lI2cJdkgNPq39JIOTqLDp8axuyjpS24gDrBKZATg/w400-h300/IMG_20230523_210018468.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p>The next evening was our concert!</p><p>I packed up my gear, and a group of us walked from the nun hotel to the train stop and to the church.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDkOKUz2fwoNRBC9-vhJ_KNeYqDZef9BZ8HPXl7bFxg2Hq7nVuvJBdmhxmZiwN0Y967BHC77uszyC8q1cyneQ9IkM4_h1SWlUFXtHiX28zPaY40qlMp2bSm_0E3Omg0n-xpxM9v-WuALNBEmQ5Asie4keqBnTMF_K-V7zM2MTagDwRq2sHOCx_Zt-Io0/s4096/IMG_20230524_160351697.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDkOKUz2fwoNRBC9-vhJ_KNeYqDZef9BZ8HPXl7bFxg2Hq7nVuvJBdmhxmZiwN0Y967BHC77uszyC8q1cyneQ9IkM4_h1SWlUFXtHiX28zPaY40qlMp2bSm_0E3Omg0n-xpxM9v-WuALNBEmQ5Asie4keqBnTMF_K-V7zM2MTagDwRq2sHOCx_Zt-Io0/s320/IMG_20230524_160351697.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rJyKrrAMlGvEaq3rssGXvnnsKheMzfWVADK641WXL9QuFUdSFJU7NsiFfmDv9aPa7iH7q-q2DWbbnYsRPkEtOT-aBVlzrWonF-JtBzac06Uotcu4DEKrtrg2BBag0txhHKiEPBDUsRAXJShDsYXCHOaw6SyasYtAoZvQkgnH3K0n87xJOF85py96868/s4096/IMG_20230524_164442983_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rJyKrrAMlGvEaq3rssGXvnnsKheMzfWVADK641WXL9QuFUdSFJU7NsiFfmDv9aPa7iH7q-q2DWbbnYsRPkEtOT-aBVlzrWonF-JtBzac06Uotcu4DEKrtrg2BBag0txhHKiEPBDUsRAXJShDsYXCHOaw6SyasYtAoZvQkgnH3K0n87xJOF85py96868/s320/IMG_20230524_164442983_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwfou2N7kz-LQMSkltOiJxLcQTm5AeCc0Ke3CD9oKJ3RY_Y0_OV5WDUhqsfSC6W9OKy7BXXswIE8rTwxGILKLwoYiKwD1IbZ_DkOmRbHaWviEvzLiCtGRTIlWRC8Kz3TXZK7z-0-HRt_W6PcsLhvDBOI5UrtKJ0iGB7fcZtljZ1cbgqfUPWxKySV-ctQ/s4096/IMG_20230524_165759294.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwfou2N7kz-LQMSkltOiJxLcQTm5AeCc0Ke3CD9oKJ3RY_Y0_OV5WDUhqsfSC6W9OKy7BXXswIE8rTwxGILKLwoYiKwD1IbZ_DkOmRbHaWviEvzLiCtGRTIlWRC8Kz3TXZK7z-0-HRt_W6PcsLhvDBOI5UrtKJ0iGB7fcZtljZ1cbgqfUPWxKySV-ctQ/w400-h300/IMG_20230524_165759294.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>We were able to run through the pieces with the Austrian group's conductor who wasn't available the day before. Very different from Rene's interpretations when he was conducting everything! That was fascinating for my mom to hear, since like most people it's hard to fathom how much difference different conductors make.</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4W0kSj9gPzsUgSMQue3NjabMUTZ7urCD7eLPd-iP_BKBF4bws7toE6Kc9ucHzs3fSwpQaJZMna9mZKo6ZRl9qetm2OHve5-vgI_GkFOJPYJk1mtq5IkmxkacdRD_EqcqdvkYQRs_9OVc9rWpzJ5Qb9GOoqShcgBOUnRXE9bm3bv478WpXS-O4UCbOY8/s4096/IMG_20230524_175231666.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4W0kSj9gPzsUgSMQue3NjabMUTZ7urCD7eLPd-iP_BKBF4bws7toE6Kc9ucHzs3fSwpQaJZMna9mZKo6ZRl9qetm2OHve5-vgI_GkFOJPYJk1mtq5IkmxkacdRD_EqcqdvkYQRs_9OVc9rWpzJ5Qb9GOoqShcgBOUnRXE9bm3bv478WpXS-O4UCbOY8/s320/IMG_20230524_175231666.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgtM0yzRXOR-LwQLG_O7v-qjjKopdKynjOMUryVE9H2sSWq3VTMQNdqbi27i1q_qULCsL6RibgcrAbFtljJvutlyNgIObBXmee74aXgiwPuR1LwtNqChCzGP_FaW97_lcFOz-1MtVURKxdSEO6M02aotpds5aiN-8o7lXJz6St1-diVKaBG186DmJVyE/s4096/IMG_20230524_175235658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgtM0yzRXOR-LwQLG_O7v-qjjKopdKynjOMUryVE9H2sSWq3VTMQNdqbi27i1q_qULCsL6RibgcrAbFtljJvutlyNgIObBXmee74aXgiwPuR1LwtNqChCzGP_FaW97_lcFOz-1MtVURKxdSEO6M02aotpds5aiN-8o7lXJz6St1-diVKaBG186DmJVyE/s320/IMG_20230524_175235658.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeOhe5-PQuurUOPkU3dUlfP5-BJDNrdhPJYHoHXthDA5QnKf2o-tt4s7TYHdDbCFi1YJk9KlzlpMvfcQT2xFZrSnah0Vd8IcAtU0K8Xfpp9U7FRqbxIxGUC0n0TJVS_1bLs6s_i-tIgeOISslA8RMEQhumGQFRtFX0PLXLpU0SAGOYxTqwUtHmOlloGI/s4096/IMG_20230524_165822996.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeOhe5-PQuurUOPkU3dUlfP5-BJDNrdhPJYHoHXthDA5QnKf2o-tt4s7TYHdDbCFi1YJk9KlzlpMvfcQT2xFZrSnah0Vd8IcAtU0K8Xfpp9U7FRqbxIxGUC0n0TJVS_1bLs6s_i-tIgeOISslA8RMEQhumGQFRtFX0PLXLpU0SAGOYxTqwUtHmOlloGI/w400-h300/IMG_20230524_165822996.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpjI0jklUe4iK_EsRv2dAEiCjjxD5ltR8itRyQm5KrcFBzX_KKuKo03s-QHic7H7b5C9iS2B6q3uJQTbM0oVDXZCyzPHQKc4I91_1YOGbBUvbNi6b922tUMSwixRP5qLIfpPjwzhy1oWSHnyDz_giWONmAi2g9VOtyVltQvgZjznlOwNn1kQPCbL78Ac/s4096/IMG_20230524_190202104.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpjI0jklUe4iK_EsRv2dAEiCjjxD5ltR8itRyQm5KrcFBzX_KKuKo03s-QHic7H7b5C9iS2B6q3uJQTbM0oVDXZCyzPHQKc4I91_1YOGbBUvbNi6b922tUMSwixRP5qLIfpPjwzhy1oWSHnyDz_giWONmAi2g9VOtyVltQvgZjznlOwNn1kQPCbL78Ac/s320/IMG_20230524_190202104.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></p><p>The contrasts made for a well-rounded show. The Austrians played music primarily from the Baroque era, like Vivaldi, and the pieces they had invited us to play with them included music from the movie The Third Man (which is set in Vienna) and a Japanese composition called My Homeland. (Mandolin orchestras have a long history in Japan, since Suzuki brought the idea for them from Italy as an accessible method for teaching classical orchestra music in schools.) After the intermission (where everyone left to purchase wine in the courtyard), we performed a set of American music mostly from the 1930s, and our group pieces were a challenging Mexican suite, and a Brazilian tune. The Austrian audience seemed delighted by all of it.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecRy2U1KAH8fhBeD_xppBEZlfbphZLu1QGreo0KDxyBmp8gIRCz6dOcuVvV6ZTX_yTPZ1EzYMqh5xkLkQDLYnziLn71ZQO1jx-vP1brVkmdtQV3nWNG-x_zNSsBtS89gcewiJ4sUYCkLx83vmfyxD8O2cJVvYLyRqEoKo3seSzddyOwlnBJ8LsfnS7Ss/s4096/IMG_20230524_200146267.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecRy2U1KAH8fhBeD_xppBEZlfbphZLu1QGreo0KDxyBmp8gIRCz6dOcuVvV6ZTX_yTPZ1EzYMqh5xkLkQDLYnziLn71ZQO1jx-vP1brVkmdtQV3nWNG-x_zNSsBtS89gcewiJ4sUYCkLx83vmfyxD8O2cJVvYLyRqEoKo3seSzddyOwlnBJ8LsfnS7Ss/w300-h400/IMG_20230524_200146267.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /></p><p>We were told by the Austrian group that after the concert there were reservations at a restaurant where we could all eat together. Sounded fun! Until we realized that it was the same place we'd eaten the night before, and that we did not actually have reservations, so the staff had to scramble to find room for everyone. I didn't want the same thing I'd gotten the night before, and I really wanted some crunchy vegetables, so I asked if the fried chicken strips on lettuce really came with just lettuce. They said just lettuce, and I asked if it were possible to add more vegetables. They said sure! I'm not sure what all the vegetables were that they tucked under the lettuce, but the best word to describe them was soggy.</p><p>We wandered home afterward in a small group through the deserted town, got some good rest, and thgen Mom and I wandered to a different section of Graz to admire more architecture before finally meeting up with everyone at the train station to head to Salzburg.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RHDyHHZf-eCaJWDrDdJAl_27lBwc5NnmjycHvkMbMEd7Bs2gYGmLXVmiQCP-kuDYhez5q4ljeLaydrHzUmO7pPR8znHVnEhcPi6uZz7b1XnZ_E30q2uygiXwDh5MmOyrTp7VZcffjqP5m8y_LvbiWfYD8x-Slmn_eLQJfwm5erLJsDlQiVv5j8yJ3-Q/s4096/IMG_20230525_094220354.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RHDyHHZf-eCaJWDrDdJAl_27lBwc5NnmjycHvkMbMEd7Bs2gYGmLXVmiQCP-kuDYhez5q4ljeLaydrHzUmO7pPR8znHVnEhcPi6uZz7b1XnZ_E30q2uygiXwDh5MmOyrTp7VZcffjqP5m8y_LvbiWfYD8x-Slmn_eLQJfwm5erLJsDlQiVv5j8yJ3-Q/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_094220354.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxfk9kdrHoa0oxkWnDesIkxJsfGCAbZ6m7kdm0Cuu2q0lE9EX44s_7Bgx7dVkDJxIJtL7Go7HnXGT3rOi-O0IUlXTW7CLCm6qZvHuaxwp1YxLdIgIPPEt7C2KM44ppS_-jjZ5mmyOIzuLtjjkK4HzsMTR-YFbioVuP3RFSdI4-NxKtiAOOL8kbalKg9I/s4096/IMG_20230525_094336983.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxfk9kdrHoa0oxkWnDesIkxJsfGCAbZ6m7kdm0Cuu2q0lE9EX44s_7Bgx7dVkDJxIJtL7Go7HnXGT3rOi-O0IUlXTW7CLCm6qZvHuaxwp1YxLdIgIPPEt7C2KM44ppS_-jjZ5mmyOIzuLtjjkK4HzsMTR-YFbioVuP3RFSdI4-NxKtiAOOL8kbalKg9I/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_094336983.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkubklGXl-7QbWQMxh_S0gXQCj5lTEHOZacO89IAW57nq4vLhefA22QYqfyWBVpuHdvBdNQguhehBd_x6drHK9MzfaE3ylNyojo5zO05-cez-_1-SOy3nHIWvX1FDG4rSn_HBMcrbLoGyBdhxRwegIGHJnmc5bzeg-G7FMgOmKOZF4kzk5wJb-9GzLjcs/s4096/IMG_20230525_094408772_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkubklGXl-7QbWQMxh_S0gXQCj5lTEHOZacO89IAW57nq4vLhefA22QYqfyWBVpuHdvBdNQguhehBd_x6drHK9MzfaE3ylNyojo5zO05-cez-_1-SOy3nHIWvX1FDG4rSn_HBMcrbLoGyBdhxRwegIGHJnmc5bzeg-G7FMgOmKOZF4kzk5wJb-9GzLjcs/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_094408772_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFq4BQRHDV_rug0Rp6EitAwwDHfjufB-meUK9tW0xD5n35YRHUA7yA1VYExw_lUq-XulRKbMf-b8kWiltEC2aZkEpV7wrZa2hkOHor58Aq61tBTaV5gM1yatQ1Q2_Do39_2FXjfv2iYvgymXaNpbl5wHTNKSYm5irwO463oHyOQ7dPvTxXv5aVgpcB2c/s4096/IMG_20230525_094441796_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFq4BQRHDV_rug0Rp6EitAwwDHfjufB-meUK9tW0xD5n35YRHUA7yA1VYExw_lUq-XulRKbMf-b8kWiltEC2aZkEpV7wrZa2hkOHor58Aq61tBTaV5gM1yatQ1Q2_Do39_2FXjfv2iYvgymXaNpbl5wHTNKSYm5irwO463oHyOQ7dPvTxXv5aVgpcB2c/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_094441796_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDOjIanbnYJJ6FwvqI8ZsAYGIpMYMnwBZ49JShVH_EW4_j3IFfk3US8S_WSKO7Sdx63UyRt8y_vYq6o6AgbRW2RdKre-8on0VRw3jTT82lSoyT_WNYuULz3YRqTOKmOPfdfZY9xayyIp5a7D3fuMfqr1zAOuPPAAj5XGXCzX9qrIkQARM7GYOphwQ10Q/s4096/IMG_20230525_094446165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDOjIanbnYJJ6FwvqI8ZsAYGIpMYMnwBZ49JShVH_EW4_j3IFfk3US8S_WSKO7Sdx63UyRt8y_vYq6o6AgbRW2RdKre-8on0VRw3jTT82lSoyT_WNYuULz3YRqTOKmOPfdfZY9xayyIp5a7D3fuMfqr1zAOuPPAAj5XGXCzX9qrIkQARM7GYOphwQ10Q/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_094446165.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ap3zJOh6Vjvt_JCLRAF_Ud4aZu5EeN3QcNJgtNKy6WDg_Ti0Zm_S6Wozszbuc6uQmNUSaAJRwXYTs9k1tVLLhjBS9UagJC1tQf3ugt5vNBAxKmGjSLyRaky5dFuL7TVy0fbOciksJfWBC4kEUjG83Yx9EHD60t2rOLPSxwD7Bo19_z5TcyUJUe-ek6M/s4096/IMG_20230525_094802966.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ap3zJOh6Vjvt_JCLRAF_Ud4aZu5EeN3QcNJgtNKy6WDg_Ti0Zm_S6Wozszbuc6uQmNUSaAJRwXYTs9k1tVLLhjBS9UagJC1tQf3ugt5vNBAxKmGjSLyRaky5dFuL7TVy0fbOciksJfWBC4kEUjG83Yx9EHD60t2rOLPSxwD7Bo19_z5TcyUJUe-ek6M/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_094802966.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzxe_yO31DwnApxoo_sStFjH-40R1ujpjwvNFuAr6Ooor1M3R6YP-Eu5SVJ19MuPPQPrxB2eg_A0NsJVTe9DJ_rPD2Is5h2nriFoKXW4-w2SKHz_BC9dzUYCeEQ-53hjG8ReSRkUok4HGvsyJyPIjISn1wrjjWVJptOdkYWIwi2aaWRNw-NLpFnw41xg/s4096/IMG_20230525_095057897_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzxe_yO31DwnApxoo_sStFjH-40R1ujpjwvNFuAr6Ooor1M3R6YP-Eu5SVJ19MuPPQPrxB2eg_A0NsJVTe9DJ_rPD2Is5h2nriFoKXW4-w2SKHz_BC9dzUYCeEQ-53hjG8ReSRkUok4HGvsyJyPIjISn1wrjjWVJptOdkYWIwi2aaWRNw-NLpFnw41xg/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_095057897_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>These crazy chimp/monkey lamps are little hard to see in this window, but they won the weirdness prize for us among all the things we saw for sale in Graz.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6TaVsgQjrA6bzxsxiZnRpYD-4xT6AMNt1znt5NHA3OBFacANWYraZ-xaqtQCbx9a6kvaB5VeFKTlAC74n023aBCK3Gext5l7RHjHi3VvoYHaPTZsTY8eypUJHQ8JXqWaVul3mAutUhNcAV9Lg3XfFH2eKvGxEYih_Rgm6aiX3iAuIN_IVL-7Czo69l4/s4096/IMG_20230525_100739624_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6TaVsgQjrA6bzxsxiZnRpYD-4xT6AMNt1znt5NHA3OBFacANWYraZ-xaqtQCbx9a6kvaB5VeFKTlAC74n023aBCK3Gext5l7RHjHi3VvoYHaPTZsTY8eypUJHQ8JXqWaVul3mAutUhNcAV9Lg3XfFH2eKvGxEYih_Rgm6aiX3iAuIN_IVL-7Czo69l4/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_100739624_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>And I loved this little bike repair kit just available on a wall for people to use as needed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHKQp1iIO7oiiRuuKZY2RrA4aGSsOET6UvWsNCAnHqk9Th81ZKdwTG2fhO90PzVa5GRW7QRWuz7MaB7BeCjECDG962_NE2V6HF0hXEs7bArmySmig4RlskZaNKs7ed5Ri-fpNXFrxtAtVkk7COQ1TOrvOf2ih4CjkI5NYiG-FpaxEQ4MrP4OMCzBRb6c/s4096/IMG_20230525_101741417_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHKQp1iIO7oiiRuuKZY2RrA4aGSsOET6UvWsNCAnHqk9Th81ZKdwTG2fhO90PzVa5GRW7QRWuz7MaB7BeCjECDG962_NE2V6HF0hXEs7bArmySmig4RlskZaNKs7ed5Ri-fpNXFrxtAtVkk7COQ1TOrvOf2ih4CjkI5NYiG-FpaxEQ4MrP4OMCzBRb6c/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_101741417_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Some architecture was better than others, but none of our walks were boring.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGtwjRyZliRsFJiysjEDGXOXKPTIT9Tu41YyWDhivQoxu_4MRbDH6HtHRYHDu2Z4g7FZ3HTMSvi6jX24XfF-cBQhmEWgYZlz7X45zIWZ0Zah-TqCWCWx9x5d-BCpcLokGr2Y-dyQHUXE2f4uDWTC3K0Oi_mreOEBQ4H3nozR-g23zSX4FQFz1088DMpY/s4096/IMG_20230525_102451982_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGtwjRyZliRsFJiysjEDGXOXKPTIT9Tu41YyWDhivQoxu_4MRbDH6HtHRYHDu2Z4g7FZ3HTMSvi6jX24XfF-cBQhmEWgYZlz7X45zIWZ0Zah-TqCWCWx9x5d-BCpcLokGr2Y-dyQHUXE2f4uDWTC3K0Oi_mreOEBQ4H3nozR-g23zSX4FQFz1088DMpY/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_102451982_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuIroNBStP1GwzBwvMn8pdGpiiqXmLGaa0wDaO2vnuhERIHmvH6AWP59wDg03eXY115eMFUz2fmHkecqvcsz9BVu5fXykVoWkbLiw1ofeEFkG7BYpGsZAyeaSVOrQ_sil6l8hfjdVKOsOOJ2pMG2KqM1C7ZARYUsFnTYj8lo8PvLWcla8iyWNSx2JuLI/s4096/IMG_20230525_102625442_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuIroNBStP1GwzBwvMn8pdGpiiqXmLGaa0wDaO2vnuhERIHmvH6AWP59wDg03eXY115eMFUz2fmHkecqvcsz9BVu5fXykVoWkbLiw1ofeEFkG7BYpGsZAyeaSVOrQ_sil6l8hfjdVKOsOOJ2pMG2KqM1C7ZARYUsFnTYj8lo8PvLWcla8iyWNSx2JuLI/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_102625442_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />The view on the train ride to Salzburg was spectacular. Mountains, and picturesque little towns in valleys, and every yard was perfect and tidy, and the skies were blue with fluffy clouds. I have no pictures that come even close to capturing how lovely this 4 to 5 hour train trip was.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPPA-U-xIZhzK_2gKaF9QZlq-3Zok5cOR2EMJ9uqU3i_RiaMop-F_x1oYdtoKud7yBbp7MyOB51WcnQNczT1WU3dqGpozoEmDouH6tmkXzOziszh2rwmz4GbsaM0Sp998cx8YHbUJSQNBmcaX-nlmaaj0QgvJ_14wBAR8vL4h2F5kFnVtOeBLuMfudEY/s4096/IMG_20230525_125421007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPPA-U-xIZhzK_2gKaF9QZlq-3Zok5cOR2EMJ9uqU3i_RiaMop-F_x1oYdtoKud7yBbp7MyOB51WcnQNczT1WU3dqGpozoEmDouH6tmkXzOziszh2rwmz4GbsaM0Sp998cx8YHbUJSQNBmcaX-nlmaaj0QgvJ_14wBAR8vL4h2F5kFnVtOeBLuMfudEY/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_125421007.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-s15SBl3BqIGF5SDSOAh6ldEsuda2iEH5bISwWxumZuQruKQzKzE1u667Uphr00-vSq68dvlcIeU91kIF9qALMrU56ODuaoaI9ezWQqeEUPKW4AuppbKLXLZcHbfPhAkH8bNMB83VHeyAzrOKUFnSUMkmPwrA6LyQ4m-9zvNe4AY7u21DZlMkVBfkxo/s4096/IMG_20230525_135525274_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-s15SBl3BqIGF5SDSOAh6ldEsuda2iEH5bISwWxumZuQruKQzKzE1u667Uphr00-vSq68dvlcIeU91kIF9qALMrU56ODuaoaI9ezWQqeEUPKW4AuppbKLXLZcHbfPhAkH8bNMB83VHeyAzrOKUFnSUMkmPwrA6LyQ4m-9zvNe4AY7u21DZlMkVBfkxo/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_135525274_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFjHuQEJhH5G0fSH-3vE9Quo-PgnV0J1IE4u7vq8B6PVA-EW550ocql6NWivhkOX6HdOZEZgFWUKXyu35gc11kf8hSaFJsX5OIzKg-Lkp7pzYXtH38wx4hxVtTFv51gn7XZT8mpk-8A12aEmMh7ma1VMLvgkRr8d0dV45niWHAQe_qYrJrDvgx5esVvU/s4096/IMG_20230525_150233615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFjHuQEJhH5G0fSH-3vE9Quo-PgnV0J1IE4u7vq8B6PVA-EW550ocql6NWivhkOX6HdOZEZgFWUKXyu35gc11kf8hSaFJsX5OIzKg-Lkp7pzYXtH38wx4hxVtTFv51gn7XZT8mpk-8A12aEmMh7ma1VMLvgkRr8d0dV45niWHAQe_qYrJrDvgx5esVvU/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_150233615.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-3Lrw9lqFcH2Dc9vD-rDbsH6VwCH1yYoC0xEb-W9Fw5PHHA0icI6bcXIXlnlB64cWgMg0LBIuxTpB3rYJYd8fxmU8UgUo0xT7cywTXviQbjxdBroKhJ8MvbBXsam1Zcj2A2yapYoUHt04rMNgugKZjfR-y4ohI9zF0pk8s3xrGHPRFxJ-52t84rIIx4/s4096/IMG_20230525_150800542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-3Lrw9lqFcH2Dc9vD-rDbsH6VwCH1yYoC0xEb-W9Fw5PHHA0icI6bcXIXlnlB64cWgMg0LBIuxTpB3rYJYd8fxmU8UgUo0xT7cywTXviQbjxdBroKhJ8MvbBXsam1Zcj2A2yapYoUHt04rMNgugKZjfR-y4ohI9zF0pk8s3xrGHPRFxJ-52t84rIIx4/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_150800542.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>When we arrived in Salzburg we were met by some friends of one of our group who were so helpful and kind to us! They loaded their car with our things to make getting to where we were staying a lighter trip, and even gave my mom a ride so she didn't have to do extra walking.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatKFCzgdLW_YEoszDtKgS36jmNx_qf3tvqY82lX7l_2dW5j34-ZTdjuflu59-ssBw9f4mxyqWiqzipr6YHYtmpmAKbeUhQqxtzeL_NoLRIQ2kAzO9vGAOBQCAlDbtZhbJCG2BWMXhMs4Ew3_er3gAIBTS7rSx_yhKEGECOT7G-_0KS_A4L1FIw0Y97u4/s4096/IMG_20230525_160552995.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatKFCzgdLW_YEoszDtKgS36jmNx_qf3tvqY82lX7l_2dW5j34-ZTdjuflu59-ssBw9f4mxyqWiqzipr6YHYtmpmAKbeUhQqxtzeL_NoLRIQ2kAzO9vGAOBQCAlDbtZhbJCG2BWMXhMs4Ew3_er3gAIBTS7rSx_yhKEGECOT7G-_0KS_A4L1FIw0Y97u4/s320/IMG_20230525_160552995.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Bikes. So many bikes!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg7hxIIhXwXrtYfvPZYq_73wsv_jXtWJSBiOTEn_EMtz8ZeZ9bTwNU5V2w7Hd3eJNT1VWjJ73paEn39MQxOvxvHnufKTz3SgMsvH6SGoHT9vOnroCi0TGFnFQbX_Nf2WsQ98V1UwslaXPPd2wrlb568cQ4VO_ihTPLyCkllnWDHzQ4MihuQyIbzRpvyE/s4096/IMG_20230525_160713165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg7hxIIhXwXrtYfvPZYq_73wsv_jXtWJSBiOTEn_EMtz8ZeZ9bTwNU5V2w7Hd3eJNT1VWjJ73paEn39MQxOvxvHnufKTz3SgMsvH6SGoHT9vOnroCi0TGFnFQbX_Nf2WsQ98V1UwslaXPPd2wrlb568cQ4VO_ihTPLyCkllnWDHzQ4MihuQyIbzRpvyE/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_160713165.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The bulk of the group was staying in another nun hotel, but Mom and I were a short walk away at a hotel this time. This was my first encounter with an energy saving system of needing your key card in order to turn on lights in the bathroom and parts of the room at large. It took me a long time to figure this out, and I had to pee in the dark before I did.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfemBmuq569DgJoKYtfBBha2sJ8TJI4CiFizix-WFTBd04V1sfD_STiHEQCgL81Udt4KJmxbSYTsuuG5hIA3IpvKcEEAQ_pvKtNtbrkq9zC6_llfwWIMaoCeC9zV4i-1LgfjDmAbXS6SSQ_dMXs52EBWMg0Pc7i1-uV0XcLhee4s5fv0PuWHtLTeHsX_o/s4096/IMG_20230525_165039735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfemBmuq569DgJoKYtfBBha2sJ8TJI4CiFizix-WFTBd04V1sfD_STiHEQCgL81Udt4KJmxbSYTsuuG5hIA3IpvKcEEAQ_pvKtNtbrkq9zC6_llfwWIMaoCeC9zV4i-1LgfjDmAbXS6SSQ_dMXs52EBWMg0Pc7i1-uV0XcLhee4s5fv0PuWHtLTeHsX_o/s320/IMG_20230525_165039735.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>This was the view from our window (which we could open!).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW5_82w9Mj0ImXe4dPcJr0ywVzJKARdGgM8YRqCuqyV18cmBVyk9Wx0zGOZJuRHkDzeyAKKKeDXfjKKpQM-2UGRrrcxNE521ou63HlbKBAE9n2IGVKce7437tnrGSSOQ5LvThe2BwGd5iM8rfsvVq6dvnK_njH4NjDpXBIBlpE27yJu3LOkX7T3ZqwIw/s4096/IMG_20230525_173342813_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW5_82w9Mj0ImXe4dPcJr0ywVzJKARdGgM8YRqCuqyV18cmBVyk9Wx0zGOZJuRHkDzeyAKKKeDXfjKKpQM-2UGRrrcxNE521ou63HlbKBAE9n2IGVKce7437tnrGSSOQ5LvThe2BwGd5iM8rfsvVq6dvnK_njH4NjDpXBIBlpE27yJu3LOkX7T3ZqwIw/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_173342813_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB60_ok8Ehhz6GWP9tGyJ6jnA-lWFbjItFzsMSzSoiO8ZJ6tebsWpxCxTgi2jYUu-0Y4XrpIkrIelUMMTHpFFjIXpyJU8_OxhJjFqfdxfcriivFGZAngQ2a7J2UYmH58o-QHzFd-ERhd5wkF4lGj030ajPnnb3PaLhnSEMOyDRpshyphenhyphendDsnx46_fsISfE/s4096/IMG_20230525_173351493_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB60_ok8Ehhz6GWP9tGyJ6jnA-lWFbjItFzsMSzSoiO8ZJ6tebsWpxCxTgi2jYUu-0Y4XrpIkrIelUMMTHpFFjIXpyJU8_OxhJjFqfdxfcriivFGZAngQ2a7J2UYmH58o-QHzFd-ERhd5wkF4lGj030ajPnnb3PaLhnSEMOyDRpshyphenhyphendDsnx46_fsISfE/w300-h400/IMG_20230525_173351493_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4tygogzK0lmxkPqkt5yafTWqFVPksWmuHh32YrrBp3JSgqr0uyG0Vv7V5Umr5F9_pRdl-kkmWF53ImTN9cblgujq5VYjXGYJ3To7oWoeYawnHf9Bi_ahHX9Eyb8KU3wvtPXW-NdvBKQcaAb6JlJvAq0zzZxxTxgaGQR4lCoBnArQWDPWWJBU9aZ2oAo/s4096/IMG_20230525_173405387_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4tygogzK0lmxkPqkt5yafTWqFVPksWmuHh32YrrBp3JSgqr0uyG0Vv7V5Umr5F9_pRdl-kkmWF53ImTN9cblgujq5VYjXGYJ3To7oWoeYawnHf9Bi_ahHX9Eyb8KU3wvtPXW-NdvBKQcaAb6JlJvAq0zzZxxTxgaGQR4lCoBnArQWDPWWJBU9aZ2oAo/w400-h300/IMG_20230525_173405387_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And this was our fancy "mood clock" setting on the TV in front of the bed. I'm not sure what mood it was supposed to be.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspwscYI-y3vC7PVJ4iyYHsCqjvTKqWsr4J6C6EzF2oxiMH1dTIAchIBfe3bYsocX7QCO3PeB0cYk1pZnx0GxjCm72UG1ApO0sgoy0eY82LjICPiW7Wfnhj1f6Yz6ZQ1ImEs-b_mYAluTTdCUCgX6kJyrhfUjANUt6qTVFMZondNeLX5ofw-zUMPV2ip0/s4096/IMG_20230525_220735846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspwscYI-y3vC7PVJ4iyYHsCqjvTKqWsr4J6C6EzF2oxiMH1dTIAchIBfe3bYsocX7QCO3PeB0cYk1pZnx0GxjCm72UG1ApO0sgoy0eY82LjICPiW7Wfnhj1f6Yz6ZQ1ImEs-b_mYAluTTdCUCgX6kJyrhfUjANUt6qTVFMZondNeLX5ofw-zUMPV2ip0/s320/IMG_20230525_220735846.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p> And this was the floor to almost ceiling art. I'm not clear what mood this was supposed to be either.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5BFhhOM0bR-yZk69LCkb2jwvqy-Qu6p5eRermLFwU6tBzrPSPnhLaM88ba9mZxbAjbMGCa3YDq4l4e93fUed68EHdITmIXKwFM5_HluZx2K7KUp-dIu-po6f9nOBUdGFZIGb37vRi78jVwUEi_g-HXeiXy1jYXN3lsXuX9KIY8mV8kebFWZ_YTXmh-w/s4096/IMG_20230526_145228577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5BFhhOM0bR-yZk69LCkb2jwvqy-Qu6p5eRermLFwU6tBzrPSPnhLaM88ba9mZxbAjbMGCa3YDq4l4e93fUed68EHdITmIXKwFM5_HluZx2K7KUp-dIu-po6f9nOBUdGFZIGb37vRi78jVwUEi_g-HXeiXy1jYXN3lsXuX9KIY8mV8kebFWZ_YTXmh-w/s320/IMG_20230526_145228577.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>This was the somewhat disorienting carpet in the hallways.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WpPPMet79V6Fj-9T_ujqJMl7WcQCF59u3629Kt2y68r21MvXFlOryuHxWzvWwi_ikXIG-pc-8Wt4u2NkPsHqOZDdDr3Zqwk9y5Oq8EyRp48qLMeaervsLSrD3e0PM86QUkk6qUv5ZRAgrHgyzYCqnPjvBVGeSLvt6pFhmhUaJXXJBIOuPxDFNoZp8go/s4096/IMG_20230527_084559540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WpPPMet79V6Fj-9T_ujqJMl7WcQCF59u3629Kt2y68r21MvXFlOryuHxWzvWwi_ikXIG-pc-8Wt4u2NkPsHqOZDdDr3Zqwk9y5Oq8EyRp48qLMeaervsLSrD3e0PM86QUkk6qUv5ZRAgrHgyzYCqnPjvBVGeSLvt6pFhmhUaJXXJBIOuPxDFNoZp8go/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_084559540.jpg" width="300" /></a> <br /></p><p> </p><p>After settling in and getting our bearings, we met up with friends for lunch, which was some very good Italian food (my gnocchi was delicious) by a little fountain/water feature that was fun to watch children play in as we ate.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQs_a1md6merqYcWGEmxcUX2D9oEM4unvfYmJd3ZEbjmkOaBBUjqVjJ9aX3U3sJ9yCdVPFVgOt4rEcHfWDBdY7FVPXD2mQM6-U1J5ND86eiUes8s38C9cCa6AR_9H4bS6uc0Nq1V-PiPaJf6-_YXfoL55DlUvZu10rMtKXvCzdkI1M6JcCcR0OCSnSpc/s2048/349203238_128363903588117_2673848125082847101_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQs_a1md6merqYcWGEmxcUX2D9oEM4unvfYmJd3ZEbjmkOaBBUjqVjJ9aX3U3sJ9yCdVPFVgOt4rEcHfWDBdY7FVPXD2mQM6-U1J5ND86eiUes8s38C9cCa6AR_9H4bS6uc0Nq1V-PiPaJf6-_YXfoL55DlUvZu10rMtKXvCzdkI1M6JcCcR0OCSnSpc/w300-h400/349203238_128363903588117_2673848125082847101_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Tonia took this picture)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqpTqweDa3MXVccGnYpzljnoQMtvkk4xglQS6qMEcPCoAA-6lgMAwa9OwUSNKnRK8r_A1ULmPTXvhEjhvJr7yO8HJByBa7hf_XOMFDyJJ0uC9AuUJ0QlUd0tO4_k1qW6frgO8owpHO6xi2HjbNex-3Vn0bDyoy4LJWg2-VFw_w_Gmohk4oofhVdImZ-g/s4096/IMG_20230525_175709682_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqpTqweDa3MXVccGnYpzljnoQMtvkk4xglQS6qMEcPCoAA-6lgMAwa9OwUSNKnRK8r_A1ULmPTXvhEjhvJr7yO8HJByBa7hf_XOMFDyJJ0uC9AuUJ0QlUd0tO4_k1qW6frgO8owpHO6xi2HjbNex-3Vn0bDyoy4LJWg2-VFw_w_Gmohk4oofhVdImZ-g/s320/IMG_20230525_175709682_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2VIkontxZM7hYB8l5fuEQqoWHeO76n0SO7Z60d4BZDVdewmQKkluKxdhc-hpJowaeBuWqrmwTEM6GMHoSH23DGOKClCapya1e1PmaCow6USRX973Cig9zKPNz4QP4qC3pbue66naXuSU7UZWXa00GqhHjBXsyDVZ5bd7Gqox_E9xwYPTe6bk4ygRw8o/s4096/IMG_20230525_184425975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2VIkontxZM7hYB8l5fuEQqoWHeO76n0SO7Z60d4BZDVdewmQKkluKxdhc-hpJowaeBuWqrmwTEM6GMHoSH23DGOKClCapya1e1PmaCow6USRX973Cig9zKPNz4QP4qC3pbue66naXuSU7UZWXa00GqhHjBXsyDVZ5bd7Gqox_E9xwYPTe6bk4ygRw8o/s320/IMG_20230525_184425975.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnLPKK0zG5K4GFzPkjQZUT-yz8VKMBQQ0MTSKgCUaJeg0rDCxBYrBiQPiDhPu0NEd3nQt5wcZru0z7Ti1VvL2_fzzH1rBX-O5A0yBaPQNEKRaKIyR1vxOI_k78eVaiLUlzSV_0mxlotSp8eH47K0Xs1ykJTs1cx2kI9HvU4OtOMSwrJpBt346vD_D7gA/s4096/IMG_20230525_184431610_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnLPKK0zG5K4GFzPkjQZUT-yz8VKMBQQ0MTSKgCUaJeg0rDCxBYrBiQPiDhPu0NEd3nQt5wcZru0z7Ti1VvL2_fzzH1rBX-O5A0yBaPQNEKRaKIyR1vxOI_k78eVaiLUlzSV_0mxlotSp8eH47K0Xs1ykJTs1cx2kI9HvU4OtOMSwrJpBt346vD_D7gA/s320/IMG_20230525_184431610_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Salzburg is beautiful.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XNGZDge61b6LFNvDod96ph6iip-6tCFhyphenhyphenc3afVr0CKWV6V_KVukBCvfmvuesRQ_Wx19fm76Ye3Cl487bukupERFoql3T5tCbldP_Nt6E7sPGMDDAszsAz5c5CHnXsiqOXgtSNvdBNxLvFmWtIgNnPivdz8i20FMXGOimoxnIAPISYt4GER_nIxv0Aec/s4096/IMG_20230525_184835268_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XNGZDge61b6LFNvDod96ph6iip-6tCFhyphenhyphenc3afVr0CKWV6V_KVukBCvfmvuesRQ_Wx19fm76Ye3Cl487bukupERFoql3T5tCbldP_Nt6E7sPGMDDAszsAz5c5CHnXsiqOXgtSNvdBNxLvFmWtIgNnPivdz8i20FMXGOimoxnIAPISYt4GER_nIxv0Aec/s320/IMG_20230525_184835268_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rVKsffT4iPId4P42Ajja8RmN0OKhfMD4nwPmlOBCwnVd-MvK-SKtbZL1ana_sX009hjaweKct0bl-RNu4eRxkcu-9qmEmwuEnFWHG6-0Yuprht4o7Je4vnNdk-_8wrCtY5HxuwlOT3k_FhRxAM-pnUbmrDq5IbEo7P8rlGPDu-7vwYgB6ZAGcPknJjI/s4096/IMG_20230525_184511019_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rVKsffT4iPId4P42Ajja8RmN0OKhfMD4nwPmlOBCwnVd-MvK-SKtbZL1ana_sX009hjaweKct0bl-RNu4eRxkcu-9qmEmwuEnFWHG6-0Yuprht4o7Je4vnNdk-_8wrCtY5HxuwlOT3k_FhRxAM-pnUbmrDq5IbEo7P8rlGPDu-7vwYgB6ZAGcPknJjI/s320/IMG_20230525_184511019_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzM3zplhAsQGuNQsrZ_wDM7LsPT_-lcVJ4jGRo5bFs05u2T2Lvzkl1cpciqeaZepDX3YEinqs9r-2vh36VBKdslgED293IG5SdCjn6Kx9AXsiX_nUzUu5eU_LUI1vtWTLWFGtVcZp2wNJu-rruz0mb8N2JHJrL19mB0Er6OuG3wPdiWYt8omRvOUxwi4/s4096/IMG_20230525_185752589.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzM3zplhAsQGuNQsrZ_wDM7LsPT_-lcVJ4jGRo5bFs05u2T2Lvzkl1cpciqeaZepDX3YEinqs9r-2vh36VBKdslgED293IG5SdCjn6Kx9AXsiX_nUzUu5eU_LUI1vtWTLWFGtVcZp2wNJu-rruz0mb8N2JHJrL19mB0Er6OuG3wPdiWYt8omRvOUxwi4/s320/IMG_20230525_185752589.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>In the afternoon, we met at the church hotel (where most people were staying) to hear Rene Izquierdo run through the set he was working on for a concert in Puerto Rico that immediately followed this trip to Austria. He was feeling pressure about the limited amount of time he had to work on that music, and he practiced during every spare moment, including all our train rides. It was quite a treat to get a small, private concert. (Pull up any recording of his you can find on YouTube and you won't be disappointed. Also, unsurprisingly, the performance in Puerto Rico went very well.)<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /> </p><p>The next morning (after a nice breakfast in the hotel) we rehearsed in the church hotel. The concert in Graz went well, but things can always be better, so we spent a good amount of time reviewing everything Rene thought could use improvement. (Which would be most things.) It was a fun rehearsal, even though the space was somewhat awkward for arranging ourselves because of columns in the middle of the room.<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVb_mCwTfDxR1rPFhnqykxrHOs-_Xu-Yv_AUa20ZRTvKBqxfP0wn4a3lrR_OMs5fHv0CP5iG0twXXl4u9Rwl-9ESAmsYztatRX2OJBOCZc3qpFEjxtngTbvEHf78I1-NIAEs2iPQOfqIhaHrxAs8ZV6tilX5IbcCNe8c5jejSqUiLSs-kyCicz0nWpKis/s4096/IMG_20230526_113231501.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVb_mCwTfDxR1rPFhnqykxrHOs-_Xu-Yv_AUa20ZRTvKBqxfP0wn4a3lrR_OMs5fHv0CP5iG0twXXl4u9Rwl-9ESAmsYztatRX2OJBOCZc3qpFEjxtngTbvEHf78I1-NIAEs2iPQOfqIhaHrxAs8ZV6tilX5IbcCNe8c5jejSqUiLSs-kyCicz0nWpKis/w400-h300/IMG_20230526_113231501.jpg" width="400" /></a><p>After the rehearsal we had the afternoon to ourselves, so we wandered with friends first to the interesting cemetery space on the church grounds behind the building, and then to the gardens and fountain that most people would recognize from The Sound of Music. (My mom had somehow in 80 years never seen The Sound of Music, so we watched it before we left on our trip. I think she was annoyed that I broke her perfect streak.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuJT4ZyrvRvnSNlruzr9KZ1ObpMWrCTdKvAbOi6yo5Iiw7jPpN1eMwbpcdUO1uuYwMEHOdBPF6lguOfiPE_4uqxUY5ieT66CuWcI_V6WPkKWT4tgt54NRmr21euNy5skVH1_00CDmBpXahE77Hu1fQ7UWMEzKnfiyL4Yjla8M3ppl_9-Ptb6wu2N1WsA/s4096/IMG_20230526_123611104.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuJT4ZyrvRvnSNlruzr9KZ1ObpMWrCTdKvAbOi6yo5Iiw7jPpN1eMwbpcdUO1uuYwMEHOdBPF6lguOfiPE_4uqxUY5ieT66CuWcI_V6WPkKWT4tgt54NRmr21euNy5skVH1_00CDmBpXahE77Hu1fQ7UWMEzKnfiyL4Yjla8M3ppl_9-Ptb6wu2N1WsA/s4096/IMG_20230526_123611104.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuJT4ZyrvRvnSNlruzr9KZ1ObpMWrCTdKvAbOi6yo5Iiw7jPpN1eMwbpcdUO1uuYwMEHOdBPF6lguOfiPE_4uqxUY5ieT66CuWcI_V6WPkKWT4tgt54NRmr21euNy5skVH1_00CDmBpXahE77Hu1fQ7UWMEzKnfiyL4Yjla8M3ppl_9-Ptb6wu2N1WsA/s320/IMG_20230526_123611104.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKwa9uD6y9fTYeaGInzlFH1AVo26gzZAd4uU5nboY1z2UGtg6b6f8ygceTUSDA3Kir0r2TxNU5kR1lCSt5dBtmyFAKISqWvYK3wmkPh2nZue0dMhFYB0lZ0Rq0Vp6VshpU6ZywzlXafGVyAs7aBiivy59I8RBrH5nuk1s2j4Trl18BQbeKHDIXzRJFrM/s4096/IMG_20230526_123346248.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKwa9uD6y9fTYeaGInzlFH1AVo26gzZAd4uU5nboY1z2UGtg6b6f8ygceTUSDA3Kir0r2TxNU5kR1lCSt5dBtmyFAKISqWvYK3wmkPh2nZue0dMhFYB0lZ0Rq0Vp6VshpU6ZywzlXafGVyAs7aBiivy59I8RBrH5nuk1s2j4Trl18BQbeKHDIXzRJFrM/s320/IMG_20230526_123346248.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqcK7yAdw-Xx_OTXcHaAUMdXYOjdE4d8yov334FR-rIAYlMfwKg5GCtQ0O8mBHZ19naydCzLYe9GovxZ9FgboBLXTH2x6Skht5XuMlfV_5YXKxj_bYQ2f38EPxyzNG3hUNFyR6_JCz8pkG8muTnWb0vV1VvUOx0dJPLKmCUGGSWmumxJ7cjS7bzafkus/s4096/IMG_20230526_124245780_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqcK7yAdw-Xx_OTXcHaAUMdXYOjdE4d8yov334FR-rIAYlMfwKg5GCtQ0O8mBHZ19naydCzLYe9GovxZ9FgboBLXTH2x6Skht5XuMlfV_5YXKxj_bYQ2f38EPxyzNG3hUNFyR6_JCz8pkG8muTnWb0vV1VvUOx0dJPLKmCUGGSWmumxJ7cjS7bzafkus/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_124245780_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPGRgP6G0c7FP03bEXs3TEM9M09UfRxUhf1f9wDDgtXgvSZKftH66_AY_Jr6CM1fulI0cjeZcNSkhG1jfcwZc1YA-tOzTeMne72Ud_fkikoX0toILWnqQ3vLgy6sV3nn1CQabDbn2_qA-R7mGdDCCEi9P-9_11DGn4suHQtz3ybJk189R6-4sIGDidLg/s4096/IMG_20230526_124424919.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPGRgP6G0c7FP03bEXs3TEM9M09UfRxUhf1f9wDDgtXgvSZKftH66_AY_Jr6CM1fulI0cjeZcNSkhG1jfcwZc1YA-tOzTeMne72Ud_fkikoX0toILWnqQ3vLgy6sV3nn1CQabDbn2_qA-R7mGdDCCEi9P-9_11DGn4suHQtz3ybJk189R6-4sIGDidLg/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_124424919.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxehR95I6e96ZF0KXEYfj_n7uDmKWQpGYAcS3yg8_Y6jo-94A04tgWd9J1EsfYWvnZl5fOvPBY0QJxmJsw9Qx9mnSoccxFKgKMEO7NSBDTVcCCMtZygKSop8mBjIKxv2_ENGqL2rZpTO5pc9fM2CmauZtIZ7wVqMgBAtRUX-Xl9tkHJDxQQOBGy79Iq9A/s4096/IMG_20230526_124409029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxehR95I6e96ZF0KXEYfj_n7uDmKWQpGYAcS3yg8_Y6jo-94A04tgWd9J1EsfYWvnZl5fOvPBY0QJxmJsw9Qx9mnSoccxFKgKMEO7NSBDTVcCCMtZygKSop8mBjIKxv2_ENGqL2rZpTO5pc9fM2CmauZtIZ7wVqMgBAtRUX-Xl9tkHJDxQQOBGy79Iq9A/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_124409029.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtScBT_Fe8Ew0Sa4g6EgW70wL5jzWZ9lwkynYhsIFPjOmBuyVCuGJEwaGKDih3ReCr_Mwb8F3XONN_cfDM2Np201GAkLIXqohn3KefftBKoaY-zRxkzeRlqJkiTbEplLddEVkxKZ1S3iTrSxBq-EonsUABCDgP3IIYQ_vTzRoojfYoWnlQIrcuH1qLUpg/s4096/IMG_20230526_124356293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtScBT_Fe8Ew0Sa4g6EgW70wL5jzWZ9lwkynYhsIFPjOmBuyVCuGJEwaGKDih3ReCr_Mwb8F3XONN_cfDM2Np201GAkLIXqohn3KefftBKoaY-zRxkzeRlqJkiTbEplLddEVkxKZ1S3iTrSxBq-EonsUABCDgP3IIYQ_vTzRoojfYoWnlQIrcuH1qLUpg/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_124356293.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdtD9lf_nXvmy6TCjStBAkKcgLJ1eX7uHs5dWDriTRXn4K4XQ0PVcIf8iBaabzVGpQXdeq7eE3QIybu1sHAIYutVQiYbo1WbOKd2NY4EMxgk2bTDcOjmhz-BTIHdVuJW2a4qhvRHKDXLKcxmb8FwX5jZMmY87sqCrKzEg1nv5Cj22gCc5MgVbtrkebhw/s4096/IMG_20230526_123351972.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VY3ynseltZQ8D_Z7WEOgUPb3hkinJDNXvVJbiITqZBgCqTafOb4qRgiKINmQkgb27fH-E1ku0-Liz9dpdQCnCgCfOJe1H_1EwvdK2a5Og2I673PhDZ2HSsm4Z-qQzD1PfCQskSS85f6Jix2z9ARqZz8cOPIlJsUxtCbM1sn8AKNJJ5hB5ud-SgjMoik/s4096/IMG_20230526_123248300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VY3ynseltZQ8D_Z7WEOgUPb3hkinJDNXvVJbiITqZBgCqTafOb4qRgiKINmQkgb27fH-E1ku0-Liz9dpdQCnCgCfOJe1H_1EwvdK2a5Og2I673PhDZ2HSsm4Z-qQzD1PfCQskSS85f6Jix2z9ARqZz8cOPIlJsUxtCbM1sn8AKNJJ5hB5ud-SgjMoik/s320/IMG_20230526_123248300.jpg" width="240" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdtD9lf_nXvmy6TCjStBAkKcgLJ1eX7uHs5dWDriTRXn4K4XQ0PVcIf8iBaabzVGpQXdeq7eE3QIybu1sHAIYutVQiYbo1WbOKd2NY4EMxgk2bTDcOjmhz-BTIHdVuJW2a4qhvRHKDXLKcxmb8FwX5jZMmY87sqCrKzEg1nv5Cj22gCc5MgVbtrkebhw/s320/IMG_20230526_123351972.jpg" width="240" /></div></div><p><br />Before we reached the gardens, we did stop for a basic lunch of soup, and we walked in some inefficient circles for a while, but everything was beautiful, and it didn't really matter where we walked.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAsMJndiN28xK9Mo9olWJkIpTM82C52PUc2jQm0AI5m18gaV4F9qXcTpIJ0eXt2-W1UfVY8RNfdqCYb5bv_exEx4s_rbXh0cMiBg7dh6iaLWv_-YLS5RsgeZHF7hCC-60pc_ovVTBkkUXHOWVN7CfPo4ba4QSsxjFotppg3LY4elJiGnXe2kEiqzqilc/s4096/IMG_20230526_141047771_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAsMJndiN28xK9Mo9olWJkIpTM82C52PUc2jQm0AI5m18gaV4F9qXcTpIJ0eXt2-W1UfVY8RNfdqCYb5bv_exEx4s_rbXh0cMiBg7dh6iaLWv_-YLS5RsgeZHF7hCC-60pc_ovVTBkkUXHOWVN7CfPo4ba4QSsxjFotppg3LY4elJiGnXe2kEiqzqilc/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_141047771_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tLR7j0E64XQMb4cAH5P7-4I-ahrf9LN_VPiM4jN4JAlQkyo0h-525-sL01eAKnhkj7vYpjaxHKwpbS2z9q6nHuW7kT5aQCvXl1Mj6xVS_H6KWuE0h2tQx5_VognvxgygdOMOvReca-sJMFm52dpDefLbMU_kAqglQNAHEfg5ZbHquNQGh_lH5PzpaAc/s3264/IMG_20230526_141126653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffmlgeNTcst3bNGTaqsNIitssIFx4wpHgWT1I63pkhpZ63U6uldK5VspSDnmdQDjmF_4jBSBUsEm1NWhTRbwUzRSXpwLyBIB5KwJGZjf2gQqUeWT9LnFVExTwtrfIcCnP8n6I7hRoov2l7w81NERNuSYVUUH4b45ID13ZKgdP0EIRYInAG8tl8ojfY_Y/s4096/IMG_20230526_141325632_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffmlgeNTcst3bNGTaqsNIitssIFx4wpHgWT1I63pkhpZ63U6uldK5VspSDnmdQDjmF_4jBSBUsEm1NWhTRbwUzRSXpwLyBIB5KwJGZjf2gQqUeWT9LnFVExTwtrfIcCnP8n6I7hRoov2l7w81NERNuSYVUUH4b45ID13ZKgdP0EIRYInAG8tl8ojfY_Y/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_141325632_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7GcguIqBnuduSFMu5TgAj_Hy66KW06YDTt47eFS97S0JB3P_h0NvjfFsQWmt9ZRKCyX9IXriqH4_LwC095HdnU5FwgEmBdZaAeG2w3NdNGcOqvBFeGPQk2Aja0UQo8EINNhHSiA0ppOdduIKA30JY3UiHuaWPKds9Cv3pFykoRsXydLrRyqKc3sBxxY/s4096/IMG_20230526_141551071_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7GcguIqBnuduSFMu5TgAj_Hy66KW06YDTt47eFS97S0JB3P_h0NvjfFsQWmt9ZRKCyX9IXriqH4_LwC095HdnU5FwgEmBdZaAeG2w3NdNGcOqvBFeGPQk2Aja0UQo8EINNhHSiA0ppOdduIKA30JY3UiHuaWPKds9Cv3pFykoRsXydLrRyqKc3sBxxY/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_141551071_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi7rTJAfhdIFIIDPj88WilQ9uYm4VfBFbxlEEYdlRKbaXKKhQn8FKeyul0UPrClEUntgEomLUT825UiAoqX6FLuLD0WQu53QXYJxAHLwcivAiBzw34izCA0qN461lmvDzdabCxJQuTwThWZ4Q8QkoTsx6p3w-mahpQ-Qi2QFyyiL3bSZWNnEhgITd82c/s4096/IMG_20230526_141605750_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi7rTJAfhdIFIIDPj88WilQ9uYm4VfBFbxlEEYdlRKbaXKKhQn8FKeyul0UPrClEUntgEomLUT825UiAoqX6FLuLD0WQu53QXYJxAHLwcivAiBzw34izCA0qN461lmvDzdabCxJQuTwThWZ4Q8QkoTsx6p3w-mahpQ-Qi2QFyyiL3bSZWNnEhgITd82c/s320/IMG_20230526_141605750_HDR.jpg" width="240" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi7rTJAfhdIFIIDPj88WilQ9uYm4VfBFbxlEEYdlRKbaXKKhQn8FKeyul0UPrClEUntgEomLUT825UiAoqX6FLuLD0WQu53QXYJxAHLwcivAiBzw34izCA0qN461lmvDzdabCxJQuTwThWZ4Q8QkoTsx6p3w-mahpQ-Qi2QFyyiL3bSZWNnEhgITd82c/s4096/IMG_20230526_141605750_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-lHC9q9jbsTgkWLqxRsEu3K1u4CZNOpeNhDz6ARW67QxygZTLAn99L1wMhx7qewlg-xgFqKcxm-SPBAyBzdt5rdLkGFz8ZS-CRVMu4kMKTIUhWNMRVOU0UQMAtU7dd2Xk3yCeCLr6f2eXEd-n07gL_r6p2cS2XeaceVxvmQFlXves-YCxQPiB9Z4_pA/s4096/IMG_20230526_141612490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-lHC9q9jbsTgkWLqxRsEu3K1u4CZNOpeNhDz6ARW67QxygZTLAn99L1wMhx7qewlg-xgFqKcxm-SPBAyBzdt5rdLkGFz8ZS-CRVMu4kMKTIUhWNMRVOU0UQMAtU7dd2Xk3yCeCLr6f2eXEd-n07gL_r6p2cS2XeaceVxvmQFlXves-YCxQPiB9Z4_pA/s320/IMG_20230526_141612490.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqASu4QasX_e52tAt0RasWdgQTjZ4wjuTCHJ8t4KTJoka6NjtYt5o_XW0kNjEPuVG3_QmHPeReiGxmMJ5DCiM7T0P9lMs6lKe9y2r18dzKYOEFe_3yZ_QZK5cFibiJ_2zY00rQffPVbxwo6jw63rKY1tNtvJQCMRyrFFtfjwgDHc_UXbyBKEAiWeJMzTc/s4096/IMG_20230526_141736192_HDR.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqASu4QasX_e52tAt0RasWdgQTjZ4wjuTCHJ8t4KTJoka6NjtYt5o_XW0kNjEPuVG3_QmHPeReiGxmMJ5DCiM7T0P9lMs6lKe9y2r18dzKYOEFe_3yZ_QZK5cFibiJ_2zY00rQffPVbxwo6jw63rKY1tNtvJQCMRyrFFtfjwgDHc_UXbyBKEAiWeJMzTc/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_141736192_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeqNaF4oa_qACKMsvYR97zlXOMfSGF6oJQ43LVtAOICklsWiHqa-oTn2LstFmsRmZvj1gxel2qxkSZMS7Mk4jTl45WEUycsqPlh1Bxz-fycqe4-PIvDzwQZpxBvjKZtLsILGwNXkeNoh3mQ_O12mz_HgO_vvA3byxZnwwG1qfKOaZw9I2ATvrGJJ9jiQ/s4096/IMG_20230526_141947716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeqNaF4oa_qACKMsvYR97zlXOMfSGF6oJQ43LVtAOICklsWiHqa-oTn2LstFmsRmZvj1gxel2qxkSZMS7Mk4jTl45WEUycsqPlh1Bxz-fycqe4-PIvDzwQZpxBvjKZtLsILGwNXkeNoh3mQ_O12mz_HgO_vvA3byxZnwwG1qfKOaZw9I2ATvrGJJ9jiQ/s320/IMG_20230526_141947716.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGoUSJyNDomX5toy-o_tnkpXHJemOsEdzLKmNBtmFwTKIMlXfwlgsSucl0XfmLVN7p-uDD8v78AtgZ1W9FomI8dTxQlgPbM5CNwyS6XJyvjJM4IRNx_y2MXrUKIUwCMGS4PIkw3zIzaVAYsTIPl9BVS6X-sSvIBCOV1fMo7tu8kUNCub-bXA8HQdepQo/s4096/IMG_20230526_142133650.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGoUSJyNDomX5toy-o_tnkpXHJemOsEdzLKmNBtmFwTKIMlXfwlgsSucl0XfmLVN7p-uDD8v78AtgZ1W9FomI8dTxQlgPbM5CNwyS6XJyvjJM4IRNx_y2MXrUKIUwCMGS4PIkw3zIzaVAYsTIPl9BVS6X-sSvIBCOV1fMo7tu8kUNCub-bXA8HQdepQo/w400-h300/IMG_20230526_142133650.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKdJJSfW7VQ0F10VP1uNZ3jIjoCLPfDpzVhwqnbs3D_qZmJozxENKk5T-L5JsSobkWy6pFUBeg4H6ZVDlvR7fDOfC4ihx0vxlNShHLsueCWstFACdIen-XoFLpBDR7TtJaXjMpFz2BUU6EtsBNnpqMoIfqeV8Jcqa-mlupVTPUB49KWu9QnyjuWoaEZk/s4096/IMG_20230526_142456806_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKdJJSfW7VQ0F10VP1uNZ3jIjoCLPfDpzVhwqnbs3D_qZmJozxENKk5T-L5JsSobkWy6pFUBeg4H6ZVDlvR7fDOfC4ihx0vxlNShHLsueCWstFACdIen-XoFLpBDR7TtJaXjMpFz2BUU6EtsBNnpqMoIfqeV8Jcqa-mlupVTPUB49KWu9QnyjuWoaEZk/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_142456806_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljhvoeU-xbH9F8c8Zc-SyeopmlFM8ZK120ABl40G6ldRmss7obFiz3G4inJpsxJrmU_wniQRCHkrLV8NqlhvqPBod9TYl4qXEU9TZz7c-Z4ULTM2IS6iKdSAWJ-zMBbpDkS6ver4XALXgTOanG2YOFYd6bSh0PwuJ_5WPSJDpmyKok5k8tZqXcDo0LCk/s4096/IMG_20230526_143056615_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljhvoeU-xbH9F8c8Zc-SyeopmlFM8ZK120ABl40G6ldRmss7obFiz3G4inJpsxJrmU_wniQRCHkrLV8NqlhvqPBod9TYl4qXEU9TZz7c-Z4ULTM2IS6iKdSAWJ-zMBbpDkS6ver4XALXgTOanG2YOFYd6bSh0PwuJ_5WPSJDpmyKok5k8tZqXcDo0LCk/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_143056615_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>After heading home to change, we tried to meet up with people who knew how to catch public transit to the concert location. But we were lucky enough to catch a ride in an Uber with a couple of players who decided to go that way, and that worked out very well.</p><p>Our concert was in the building that was used for the outside establishing shot of the home in The Sound of Music! The inside is nothing like anything from the film, but it was genuinely amusing to pull up in front of this place that was so recognizable. (This was in good keeping with our nun theme, seeing as the main character in that musical/film was a nun.)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMlA3OdGuIjWDQgFWfpMEqgfgroidjzAA5tVGF93fuF_ulhOwdAqz9vdXavFlMH9Pi3aofctJQEYHktzs8RFmcXn9MLaiBG7czLPCtKXMWabrsxn0mZi3OmbbEp3XUBcwNf5VmMTc7QtDqfdGkEI1VdSqkDkwN7z1DDdd7ftykdCN3IyljEn_3D5UELM/s4096/IMG_20230526_155241948_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMlA3OdGuIjWDQgFWfpMEqgfgroidjzAA5tVGF93fuF_ulhOwdAqz9vdXavFlMH9Pi3aofctJQEYHktzs8RFmcXn9MLaiBG7czLPCtKXMWabrsxn0mZi3OmbbEp3XUBcwNf5VmMTc7QtDqfdGkEI1VdSqkDkwN7z1DDdd7ftykdCN3IyljEn_3D5UELM/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_155241948_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>We were a bit concerned about how everyone was supposed to crowd into the small room that was chosen for this performance, but in the end it all worked out somehow. Although the people in the first row of the audience were close enough for me to touch if I had wanted. Again, a very appreciative audience. And I think we played very well.<p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSY610E5dQqGjTxurgSSVw2888zk4Ti9LNo9Xbcfe84Ab9M-jvPNuFJ4juhxhniAO5H7bnchVdao8ZdTlxe0vxuj4gdjqDzJxqGTzLhfAMcnPh44p-O99CeogTb2VFrcUsblp3GnWqZp-ZzlVMXpQR8Na00kFgD-3Bp-wddfvCCHZ11mG9zPzRObldHA/s4096/IMG_20230526_163252785.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSY610E5dQqGjTxurgSSVw2888zk4Ti9LNo9Xbcfe84Ab9M-jvPNuFJ4juhxhniAO5H7bnchVdao8ZdTlxe0vxuj4gdjqDzJxqGTzLhfAMcnPh44p-O99CeogTb2VFrcUsblp3GnWqZp-ZzlVMXpQR8Na00kFgD-3Bp-wddfvCCHZ11mG9zPzRObldHA/w400-h300/IMG_20230526_163252785.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBsWDY5vA-hkrlgAPd_VOrXq1UfvH9DSuYfrmPq7gNi6SNGW69519b2Ph-bUouXT0aZVit_2J0l7VWOp_DP4qrzoZZxXSMFWT7-owL807Q_uk1WWd8kz13MAVuPnWJTtiLMI2qpJys48hUbZPUS5xDf2PdpZV_yb0ivAxvWqz6LBgi96vO0cJ0lAiJy4/s4096/IMG_20230526_163415640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBsWDY5vA-hkrlgAPd_VOrXq1UfvH9DSuYfrmPq7gNi6SNGW69519b2Ph-bUouXT0aZVit_2J0l7VWOp_DP4qrzoZZxXSMFWT7-owL807Q_uk1WWd8kz13MAVuPnWJTtiLMI2qpJys48hUbZPUS5xDf2PdpZV_yb0ivAxvWqz6LBgi96vO0cJ0lAiJy4/w400-h300/IMG_20230526_163415640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofiY5EUyRvF3mTkGrw78Yc8bNMnC962MGM2q-PzIyoLiQOr8kQQg_gR_v1Nt8u8mCykFklj3zdIg20RSURVhacSU9fe3fDncDnuWT48gfIOS6RVSwhmvs3JjLgygsqRDJDOO7DRYwIx9nxQVxO4RTKW8nRlAZd1cmrQJ3IvPqJJycEqk2IgnYm7X36uo/s4096/IMG_20230526_162045362.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofiY5EUyRvF3mTkGrw78Yc8bNMnC962MGM2q-PzIyoLiQOr8kQQg_gR_v1Nt8u8mCykFklj3zdIg20RSURVhacSU9fe3fDncDnuWT48gfIOS6RVSwhmvs3JjLgygsqRDJDOO7DRYwIx9nxQVxO4RTKW8nRlAZd1cmrQJ3IvPqJJycEqk2IgnYm7X36uo/s320/IMG_20230526_162045362.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our imported audience!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspHvhgBmQQfiD4swVASRbpH4TH89PLUWNRKxag2n-LjLOPZ4rsvkGkV2x7Q54CXJjnzkP_CwmccmugT6eB1NAEt0-Su0AoPJWqYtt47HOgnzJpFWz9lKNCZy8ZCtnJWDy8Pih7qYhLtU5I4Ujy4vScgwd6LmGCg1OCtFs1_saUgGMAl1JWLo6jiLZT9c/s4096/IMG_20230526_163423048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspHvhgBmQQfiD4swVASRbpH4TH89PLUWNRKxag2n-LjLOPZ4rsvkGkV2x7Q54CXJjnzkP_CwmccmugT6eB1NAEt0-Su0AoPJWqYtt47HOgnzJpFWz9lKNCZy8ZCtnJWDy8Pih7qYhLtU5I4Ujy4vScgwd6LmGCg1OCtFs1_saUgGMAl1JWLo6jiLZT9c/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_163423048.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmn8vW2aFfulMaFOxDJ1Y2Vu2iPP5ijHYP7Do_0MxSRTjoNNVeP9zVSX8gXuR6qfTz7bTH7-drz9y6WFNWDOcy5Pvq7KySOaJJjQnNjMlI8OncMJ1Ar_wvm3hNR6k40ncGqs0RQLfoCIlKj-_63d2v6gD2lWYDMAnYqrPSEcUIvPrYTJ_1l4YVFrblbE/s3264/IMG_20230526_171755546.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmn8vW2aFfulMaFOxDJ1Y2Vu2iPP5ijHYP7Do_0MxSRTjoNNVeP9zVSX8gXuR6qfTz7bTH7-drz9y6WFNWDOcy5Pvq7KySOaJJjQnNjMlI8OncMJ1Ar_wvm3hNR6k40ncGqs0RQLfoCIlKj-_63d2v6gD2lWYDMAnYqrPSEcUIvPrYTJ_1l4YVFrblbE/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_171755546.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this picture so much.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0_0uChKX7KpyQvV78SSAlWVqQ_E2nGIw4oE6hw056n0XamOo3V0CiiXceLRnTXAO0iIasJJdxSXIg7ZocSXAx4oOepYQY0p06KVlyjEjO_j5dUF1rMqwrDEZWr5M-NnEHguuAQvu3hDZ_8SXrvDX9h-Xpkfs7DH_dv7jOQPdgeODcuTHgzVg6vxTUGY/s4096/IMG_20230526_171558196_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0_0uChKX7KpyQvV78SSAlWVqQ_E2nGIw4oE6hw056n0XamOo3V0CiiXceLRnTXAO0iIasJJdxSXIg7ZocSXAx4oOepYQY0p06KVlyjEjO_j5dUF1rMqwrDEZWr5M-NnEHguuAQvu3hDZ_8SXrvDX9h-Xpkfs7DH_dv7jOQPdgeODcuTHgzVg6vxTUGY/w400-h300/IMG_20230526_171558196_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="400" /></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfznjdKuHJ7PMZWsWsRz62iReY_1XWakKUxxhVM7IRMZwckEg0om5cKZWlvoDqUPoar3QVS-CXqbOEg7wqBd_2MDOqZphNwmSPlFC3pOT7X35u2bw4hcb6z9wGL3HF8GGTbDG-6enIKTjDI-bSBIuxCF6Jszeevrch83M9AppcLDfo7KmLNTYF1Vxtk8/s4096/IMG_20230526_172159309.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfznjdKuHJ7PMZWsWsRz62iReY_1XWakKUxxhVM7IRMZwckEg0om5cKZWlvoDqUPoar3QVS-CXqbOEg7wqBd_2MDOqZphNwmSPlFC3pOT7X35u2bw4hcb6z9wGL3HF8GGTbDG-6enIKTjDI-bSBIuxCF6Jszeevrch83M9AppcLDfo7KmLNTYF1Vxtk8/w400-h300/IMG_20230526_172159309.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milwaukee mandolas in front, Austrian mandolas in back!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />A successful concert! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfCPvttvdHueMBG8Y85k3mDaUk593pnUKzRR4MGhx1mLYvpzEc_BQo3d5-yU1PzxzzK7_2tGb2vcpfnfxiRJ0DRH352SQV1cXvdfHSnfovjX5Ax6QyL3WrEdrQnD2F-vaano2kw_qc_jdmVOJPrtCnnJMjsq8womTdoUyRdj1yNyPhbmJP4pm2f6PLHg/s4096/IMG_20230526_231202569.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfCPvttvdHueMBG8Y85k3mDaUk593pnUKzRR4MGhx1mLYvpzEc_BQo3d5-yU1PzxzzK7_2tGb2vcpfnfxiRJ0DRH352SQV1cXvdfHSnfovjX5Ax6QyL3WrEdrQnD2F-vaano2kw_qc_jdmVOJPrtCnnJMjsq8womTdoUyRdj1yNyPhbmJP4pm2f6PLHg/w300-h400/IMG_20230526_231202569.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>And we were assured this time by the Austrian group that afterward they had reservations at a restaurant back near where we were staying. Great! But then, no, it was a sports bar kind of place that served drinks fairly late, but the kitchen was about done for the night by the time we got there, and our choices were a white sausage, a red sausage, or the potato goulash. Lots of potato goulash all around! And someone gave me a pretzel they weren't going to eat. Not the kind of dining experience I was hoping for, but again, the company was great, so that helped carry the goulash. For most of us, this was the last big goodbye before we headed our separate ways on the journey home.<br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The next morning, after one more hotel breakfast, it was off to the train station and on to Vienna. We ran into a few people we knew at the train station headed that way as well.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HPRG5f6soMyijthBV1VuwNbNJ4_bqmwUuBaBCu1XRwNoi3xlgPedwFDKDY_a6iIGf3k04iY2MzHIO8h5GRSNh-2yuOVky0R0JhHIsdUPUUFJJY5Y_oAF3W81fAa2lFiZEsz5AjYpCgZJGzjPJshkqoi8mdSIZ9C36Zlv8v8JFPNf87dzavnaiw63rQE/s4096/IMG_20230527_132155706.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HPRG5f6soMyijthBV1VuwNbNJ4_bqmwUuBaBCu1XRwNoi3xlgPedwFDKDY_a6iIGf3k04iY2MzHIO8h5GRSNh-2yuOVky0R0JhHIsdUPUUFJJY5Y_oAF3W81fAa2lFiZEsz5AjYpCgZJGzjPJshkqoi8mdSIZ9C36Zlv8v8JFPNf87dzavnaiw63rQE/s320/IMG_20230527_132155706.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>My mom and I did not have reserved seats on the train, so we ended up having to sit apart. I got to spend the ride with this lovely person! She was originally from Sicily, and told me she missed the comforting glow at night of the volcano there, but enjoyed living in Austria and doing administrative work for various theaters. I had expected to nap the whole way to Vienna, but we found too much to talk about to want to rest. (She had a violin with her, so how could I not?)<br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>Vienna is just stunning, and if I had it to plan again, I would have made sure to schedule a few days there with my mom so we could really do things. But as it was, we arrived at our airport hotel at an inconvenient time in the early afternoon where there was a lot of time to use, but not enough to really get anywhere to actually use it. With more time I would have figured out how to get us to the Palace where the museum is, but tickets were timed, and I just didn't feel competent at that point to get us there. I had done all the navigating and decision making, and by Vienna I was feeling burned out, because I'm not good at most of that when it's all in English, but I was not confident about any of it in German, Although, we did take a tram as far as a station where I felt we should get off, which is good, because it was headed off into some kind of suburb.<br /><br />My rule of thumb when lost is to talk to a person with a dog. People walking dogs tend to know their way around because they have to walk a lot, and there is always an easy entry point of conversation by simply saying how much you like their dog. We found a guy with a cute little dog, told him generally where we wanted to go, and he gave us detailed directions that was convinced I would forget, but no! We did it! And I'm still very proud of us for managing to go into the train station and figure it out.<br /><br />We wound up on the main drag where there was lots of activity, tourists, and shops. We also grabbed dinner at a Turkish restaurant which was probably our best meal of the trip. (Leaps and bounds above the potato goulash.) </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DI3wrWCe8kD_42vHyf35ZYCNlSeCBNFLvTLI3Tp5IrLNzm2gZKEKMs-dbDbsWuDA8Y-cBIN3nK7KlJFBfkz8ADdMew3vuEm7KPeUP4UZCsYyIYWVXTm2eML8njB4bniju94yONS_LeRVA3xDVSYDRUh75npScBfy7GQTAZeAuhaW9jOizW3ovgtzib4/s4096/IMG_20230527_175115773.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DI3wrWCe8kD_42vHyf35ZYCNlSeCBNFLvTLI3Tp5IrLNzm2gZKEKMs-dbDbsWuDA8Y-cBIN3nK7KlJFBfkz8ADdMew3vuEm7KPeUP4UZCsYyIYWVXTm2eML8njB4bniju94yONS_LeRVA3xDVSYDRUh75npScBfy7GQTAZeAuhaW9jOizW3ovgtzib4/s320/IMG_20230527_175115773.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY1jX-tgYVoASwuVCTHjxXakihj4HdVd-rXt2WlmDZJR8204W4SduJjz76x720FAfK22pT2RrFGEbknP2iyPG6z82HJeixJtv2VM9PzdHkt89EE1SDkoz67dMEepOsKsJC4WlhGnxH6YqXWIwc3yvknMSvTTkPM5VBCqMqPvbMoqzp4XyRtrEFr7l8jI/s4096/IMG_20230527_180930441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY1jX-tgYVoASwuVCTHjxXakihj4HdVd-rXt2WlmDZJR8204W4SduJjz76x720FAfK22pT2RrFGEbknP2iyPG6z82HJeixJtv2VM9PzdHkt89EE1SDkoz67dMEepOsKsJC4WlhGnxH6YqXWIwc3yvknMSvTTkPM5VBCqMqPvbMoqzp4XyRtrEFr7l8jI/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_180930441.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jMVvBex3b1WEZYUOhDydr4_Qm1vfXWIHo-5fZCuOZUaVq1he86pc3M0PucpUaO5MkXZX7WkhkMMJhdJfyR_QB03x7DuthvY2yNJm8fn_KBTocVgKxINdZ7eJsYipQFBlQwO-CeoMYc8gmy5AuxmnfflaFUya97TF28N6VmQEYTlGpwMb8SqH00z8wcw/s4096/IMG_20230527_173547667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jMVvBex3b1WEZYUOhDydr4_Qm1vfXWIHo-5fZCuOZUaVq1he86pc3M0PucpUaO5MkXZX7WkhkMMJhdJfyR_QB03x7DuthvY2yNJm8fn_KBTocVgKxINdZ7eJsYipQFBlQwO-CeoMYc8gmy5AuxmnfflaFUya97TF28N6VmQEYTlGpwMb8SqH00z8wcw/s320/IMG_20230527_173547667.jpg" width="240" /></a> <br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83bmz6X439NIuv4MexhQkUTMR2Xx10WDX_VnRFAt6aGHlrF_suD5EBIrxZ81zd9dCuYz6E1LMXTDCNM5h3FFk8XjzCM_VYNXJroPkNjb7Jsjae8HyQ3RjdaTxUZ9FCfwBmjRP7YiJktnw3XkQBegYJzP6cZrwMolI8HUNW4oOKg_w-CC-7CkOraBUFfc/s4096/IMG_20230527_172220496_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83bmz6X439NIuv4MexhQkUTMR2Xx10WDX_VnRFAt6aGHlrF_suD5EBIrxZ81zd9dCuYz6E1LMXTDCNM5h3FFk8XjzCM_VYNXJroPkNjb7Jsjae8HyQ3RjdaTxUZ9FCfwBmjRP7YiJktnw3XkQBegYJzP6cZrwMolI8HUNW4oOKg_w-CC-7CkOraBUFfc/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_172220496_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZI4gH3iXq-wJMNUSOzWyqI5iYCl3GFg1HZGYUgwqFnljKQyjXFV2gSv_nxNA5str3dYb-F3s71i17vUwZYBhkB9txp43janRG53g5ibculXa-2Pwm88KORmRdpnZruPw_mCYtRFStSGvgXSiSG51C39qaf8gYSAqEXryM27PG7sWNOwBmUuuM_5lryrI/s4096/IMG_20230527_172614235_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZI4gH3iXq-wJMNUSOzWyqI5iYCl3GFg1HZGYUgwqFnljKQyjXFV2gSv_nxNA5str3dYb-F3s71i17vUwZYBhkB9txp43janRG53g5ibculXa-2Pwm88KORmRdpnZruPw_mCYtRFStSGvgXSiSG51C39qaf8gYSAqEXryM27PG7sWNOwBmUuuM_5lryrI/s320/IMG_20230527_172614235_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj609l5cQENWq1_z47vXKp5oVc-rYs85Gsrkv_5BI812Wo7J2HR-eJgb9j-xQ5dnnrP5ngoJ3J6yPomfmm3pcUbDBsyLSNa389ZGav6o2LgIIIYxvFyRsnvjAjL1qUy6Kvmd5uDwBnGWA-DIsgbGVV9ugevKdjVLcWUqXndmlTgtqsCh1gjtmxij1EVAww/s4096/IMG_20230527_182647161.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj609l5cQENWq1_z47vXKp5oVc-rYs85Gsrkv_5BI812Wo7J2HR-eJgb9j-xQ5dnnrP5ngoJ3J6yPomfmm3pcUbDBsyLSNa389ZGav6o2LgIIIYxvFyRsnvjAjL1qUy6Kvmd5uDwBnGWA-DIsgbGVV9ugevKdjVLcWUqXndmlTgtqsCh1gjtmxij1EVAww/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_182647161.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgnsVxPkr6uJh6Mx2rc470Gj62RinzV1nvrHuKy8aMGgcJj12N3A6Du_Mb4OWQYc2auTZ5p8GTaN8F4xr1iY2ddirc79rCj08GnwKPdsXmxHaaflBEkTjCvF0elrrlYuUctx-8Z1FPBZOsbU20wNYSb9eaVVeRVLkOX6gf2ulIAW8D28Pg9T1HG6nMwM/s4096/IMG_20230527_182715360_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgnsVxPkr6uJh6Mx2rc470Gj62RinzV1nvrHuKy8aMGgcJj12N3A6Du_Mb4OWQYc2auTZ5p8GTaN8F4xr1iY2ddirc79rCj08GnwKPdsXmxHaaflBEkTjCvF0elrrlYuUctx-8Z1FPBZOsbU20wNYSb9eaVVeRVLkOX6gf2ulIAW8D28Pg9T1HG6nMwM/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_182715360_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLB_6-pGvV1NBSRp96HUUWGjw9IVNGV6eOGPIk_ftvnxvnZyCf81FrpeTBA-JVbKKh23zNOr3-IG7M_bfAc9DP6V0F_y4EewseQ4t-vlcHCwdsfyfNbC-2shX0NCpd-qA4AxO2-l1VoWwzhOV5L1vTF8l-udqApulFgYdYkmPRdsyd7spzYhX7-_amlhA/s4096/IMG_20230527_182937097_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLB_6-pGvV1NBSRp96HUUWGjw9IVNGV6eOGPIk_ftvnxvnZyCf81FrpeTBA-JVbKKh23zNOr3-IG7M_bfAc9DP6V0F_y4EewseQ4t-vlcHCwdsfyfNbC-2shX0NCpd-qA4AxO2-l1VoWwzhOV5L1vTF8l-udqApulFgYdYkmPRdsyd7spzYhX7-_amlhA/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_182937097_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICw9DxXa7WeV3oEwN4QmlmfhN9RgUdwF4rLjFXdt4EbSfF2At0n7Zy4qoP2WJM9SL1vtw5wpHgtPfZbyxsfpCQdzrKb7GsSySNUueShe4mWmEULle4DLa0-JXVnZq0HiRGN0qrsjBoYjwQvOIiZkiROhmvpf9FY2wJFvOOAMeh5IBEKfaKwMYg9NeTY8/s4096/IMG_20230527_183109598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICw9DxXa7WeV3oEwN4QmlmfhN9RgUdwF4rLjFXdt4EbSfF2At0n7Zy4qoP2WJM9SL1vtw5wpHgtPfZbyxsfpCQdzrKb7GsSySNUueShe4mWmEULle4DLa0-JXVnZq0HiRGN0qrsjBoYjwQvOIiZkiROhmvpf9FY2wJFvOOAMeh5IBEKfaKwMYg9NeTY8/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_183109598.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUANMLBX3HDE6ed4LOtTYS0WAkARBwdd4qrUcc5auGYDVslBYWuTlYlwSf-hw07sL_uvhLUfz8Fv2j8xzXU0Dc7pPdVzTpsfDvwXys_kqWQ4jonnr92WHVJYWPsvwlZfYjdbncUYlwfxwHDb2g-FJvmsFvfyF8Z2BB8umz-XTlxR43AcBWQG4KnVweC8/s4096/IMG_20230527_183224201_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUANMLBX3HDE6ed4LOtTYS0WAkARBwdd4qrUcc5auGYDVslBYWuTlYlwSf-hw07sL_uvhLUfz8Fv2j8xzXU0Dc7pPdVzTpsfDvwXys_kqWQ4jonnr92WHVJYWPsvwlZfYjdbncUYlwfxwHDb2g-FJvmsFvfyF8Z2BB8umz-XTlxR43AcBWQG4KnVweC8/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_183224201_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a> </p><p>Only place I've ever been with multiple crystal stores of the same brand.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkfMELhAmJzP26VPvfOM6sgZ2zem1dekpVyJBDH4cmoo9BdMrKoisK8gtD2wn7rtatOPuch8bzRi9Asx_IzF6Ze9FsfTfGsn4BtU0x6DfOqmldP2umq28TMSFTT1M5Es3k-lkYGnMwAhI46C6melNYC4k-5mTn5XeF4R_x5sNKdxnDZftI676vYalCkk/s4096/IMG_20230527_183939228_HDR.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkfMELhAmJzP26VPvfOM6sgZ2zem1dekpVyJBDH4cmoo9BdMrKoisK8gtD2wn7rtatOPuch8bzRi9Asx_IzF6Ze9FsfTfGsn4BtU0x6DfOqmldP2umq28TMSFTT1M5Es3k-lkYGnMwAhI46C6melNYC4k-5mTn5XeF4R_x5sNKdxnDZftI676vYalCkk/s320/IMG_20230527_183939228_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jyEu9VeK57pnjIAvPC5vV7TvFV368bZr4a3BGrDjL28sphcV_wpcbDJevvdSd9yf9smEwPaOMFaVwizQorbxnu7gDRxY3d4JcpyozKqKn2vvIn_V4qXhfp0HS5oLUuZVaW6u3TZiqA7ReuYVdHZcAnj0LVfV19knGcG4RnMH5JXo7OvImJRWZ4e67Dk/s4096/IMG_20230527_183930451.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jyEu9VeK57pnjIAvPC5vV7TvFV368bZr4a3BGrDjL28sphcV_wpcbDJevvdSd9yf9smEwPaOMFaVwizQorbxnu7gDRxY3d4JcpyozKqKn2vvIn_V4qXhfp0HS5oLUuZVaW6u3TZiqA7ReuYVdHZcAnj0LVfV19knGcG4RnMH5JXo7OvImJRWZ4e67Dk/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_183930451.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crystal display<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVqmBy67F4yZRbTQr5ZUNaDAkhoOKhw8Z577nvSqy3fCAeK7QygKenj5siV3LtPhhesDYrlRlzjpZ5MdlXuuu22uPkX7dyx_JGtv6mk-pKE4QOTEL2Igl1YE48GVvQxB6C43TBPRErOAX4-Mw6ajmcKQOI_RjSGd_fFx2J8gCtsrCE6AgtBxkaao4doI/s4096/IMG_20230527_184307545_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVqmBy67F4yZRbTQr5ZUNaDAkhoOKhw8Z577nvSqy3fCAeK7QygKenj5siV3LtPhhesDYrlRlzjpZ5MdlXuuu22uPkX7dyx_JGtv6mk-pKE4QOTEL2Igl1YE48GVvQxB6C43TBPRErOAX4-Mw6ajmcKQOI_RjSGd_fFx2J8gCtsrCE6AgtBxkaao4doI/s320/IMG_20230527_184307545_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like the little love couple crossing<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We decided on tickets to the opera as our Vienna activity. We didn't care what, and it turned out what was playing was Dialogues des Carmelites (Dialogues of the Carmelites) by Poulenc. It's an opera about martyred nuns! So this trips was nuns all the way down. </p><p>The opera house is almost too beautiful. And we bought our box seat tickets from some sketchy looking little table outside the theater that we were skeptical about, especially when I didn't have enough cash for two tickets, so he just settled for what I had. Which was fine, because it was not expensive, and I used up the last of my euros.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XMRzN6xoLZw_bOJ-v-_XQZX2-4WtQjU-WHz6GPcIKJrco1WBdOvwHWTpJLLNEMbUTQ347khnveTLkarwOGC_LKMMfKHu6LewlDz6VnA4lMqxy9Wa646K-AfPNDPpnndu9PkVrxeJ0xtlfyI-vQrQgiiEA89TMPOPrH9FX3wPuReopWH-F7YrInsgEMw/s4096/IMG_20230527_184548931.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XMRzN6xoLZw_bOJ-v-_XQZX2-4WtQjU-WHz6GPcIKJrco1WBdOvwHWTpJLLNEMbUTQ347khnveTLkarwOGC_LKMMfKHu6LewlDz6VnA4lMqxy9Wa646K-AfPNDPpnndu9PkVrxeJ0xtlfyI-vQrQgiiEA89TMPOPrH9FX3wPuReopWH-F7YrInsgEMw/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_184548931.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfm05cl5LkgNZ3juLYuI3mJcpl1ZVY2IAnj5YW_Eg0VNT76ejZYadit3DV3jMnqbOi-OXXXaqusAYFkKXxJLiiuUojQx339RdjiWG2MyvYLNJfUNrSP3Y6SbozV9Jq_AZ39LJxkCYoVwLhQDl5-OVFXeWdbbp0VBg7LoQdYQObYIUANH5eaNADjZq2-k/s4096/IMG_20230527_184601668.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfm05cl5LkgNZ3juLYuI3mJcpl1ZVY2IAnj5YW_Eg0VNT76ejZYadit3DV3jMnqbOi-OXXXaqusAYFkKXxJLiiuUojQx339RdjiWG2MyvYLNJfUNrSP3Y6SbozV9Jq_AZ39LJxkCYoVwLhQDl5-OVFXeWdbbp0VBg7LoQdYQObYIUANH5eaNADjZq2-k/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_184601668.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPFgnEB34QSW7dRwZq1GE8aa4lwBj57Mrm7oH7LtPzdd3zcCzHzx68BgV3XdMcd8nEsC0cqvyUovgxk8x3IVEYusagkqb7PCp3hK-Hms8xohm59GB56Xv2Q3bP9Ql4tq-rhnYpP6Cuch6mRt9WPVNVr4YOhvV99EfPaPk7fSozYmPkUWEh7hT6AMt8HA/s4096/IMG_20230527_184818186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPFgnEB34QSW7dRwZq1GE8aa4lwBj57Mrm7oH7LtPzdd3zcCzHzx68BgV3XdMcd8nEsC0cqvyUovgxk8x3IVEYusagkqb7PCp3hK-Hms8xohm59GB56Xv2Q3bP9Ql4tq-rhnYpP6Cuch6mRt9WPVNVr4YOhvV99EfPaPk7fSozYmPkUWEh7hT6AMt8HA/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_184818186.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xya0q-52rOHyNv2oWap65u7Ndtfo7-o9_-oNb8h1_thGEWk3KlLTWBV5fcuSfaaKaR4dautL_zJRl8iraCL4Lp-hVSPrBAQb4N7KISDPntDNSRsz9vB1eywVQqaV8UEem8BcTQhWl3CNuOzEgFnFRPrqW7Bum3r02s2vNOGbdb_XRhaP4lHJ309JEnU/s4096/IMG_20230527_184826410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xya0q-52rOHyNv2oWap65u7Ndtfo7-o9_-oNb8h1_thGEWk3KlLTWBV5fcuSfaaKaR4dautL_zJRl8iraCL4Lp-hVSPrBAQb4N7KISDPntDNSRsz9vB1eywVQqaV8UEem8BcTQhWl3CNuOzEgFnFRPrqW7Bum3r02s2vNOGbdb_XRhaP4lHJ309JEnU/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_184826410.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqp4iEBZ03zm-4ERiJX8NGYD_hyphenhyphen9z88xnuPhjbbANWO6ZetxJ5lcn5a7PmR5zy02rAiex2_dmjxJ_Q9jlZv-g4WgoLW9dzuyOFz_C4G548S1bPmITFqnPcjwEJMjd2ma2s2-6hKXVtqNAv-EQxEAfCZcmqRLpFOpPaWKOvP6dqhvCnaRSnqoUFlm9-s4/s4096/IMG_20230527_185004135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqp4iEBZ03zm-4ERiJX8NGYD_hyphenhyphen9z88xnuPhjbbANWO6ZetxJ5lcn5a7PmR5zy02rAiex2_dmjxJ_Q9jlZv-g4WgoLW9dzuyOFz_C4G548S1bPmITFqnPcjwEJMjd2ma2s2-6hKXVtqNAv-EQxEAfCZcmqRLpFOpPaWKOvP6dqhvCnaRSnqoUFlm9-s4/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_185004135.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf24XP_qR4xFM4YpkZe3rp-ELBnWd7i5KNnSrLrBI6m7-lUNEvy-n9P8qhfrYk9J2M_Fqut85VSl-tmUHgWcZ16oQTLRaPPKupTEnCzC0upM5ZEjqFjO2X_7OPOEfofmcWFrNibwEIvYizRJnMMy5BW-_LLyORN2M0o9EgsHHAi4xmIvBWSEyIA3UmdCw/s4096/IMG_20230527_185012277.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf24XP_qR4xFM4YpkZe3rp-ELBnWd7i5KNnSrLrBI6m7-lUNEvy-n9P8qhfrYk9J2M_Fqut85VSl-tmUHgWcZ16oQTLRaPPKupTEnCzC0upM5ZEjqFjO2X_7OPOEfofmcWFrNibwEIvYizRJnMMy5BW-_LLyORN2M0o9EgsHHAi4xmIvBWSEyIA3UmdCw/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_185012277.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FoKt97Lu6n7pFsDCBDrZS52Cj8xz01aCc8NpqkDntQz8yju5SXu9UZh0BonBDdKhv6d9Z_iuuC2kJbvZVZqW6KHw1GSSU-w52Bgn1gCQz0fCp9cZQDJsFyE-XRS35bCcfGhVLimvQSBHZnY_aprOPWNOQo0pYnXSpKJk0XgtNiH62cQyRBFLCjnlEds/s4096/IMG_20230527_185016186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FoKt97Lu6n7pFsDCBDrZS52Cj8xz01aCc8NpqkDntQz8yju5SXu9UZh0BonBDdKhv6d9Z_iuuC2kJbvZVZqW6KHw1GSSU-w52Bgn1gCQz0fCp9cZQDJsFyE-XRS35bCcfGhVLimvQSBHZnY_aprOPWNOQo0pYnXSpKJk0XgtNiH62cQyRBFLCjnlEds/w300-h400/IMG_20230527_185016186.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>There were doors leading to the individual boxes, and a little coat area, and then the seats. And we figured out quickly why our seats were so cheap! We were the second row in, from which you couldn't see the stage. Luckily the family in front of us (a mother with two teenage children) said they didn't mind if we stood behind them occasionally to see what was happening. (Which turned out to be not much every time we checked.) And luckier still, they left after the first act and we got to have a real view for the rest of the show. Unfortunately the people in the box to our left were obnoxious. They were actively filming the whole thing and talking as if they were at home. At one point when I was tired of not being able to see around a woman who was leaning out on her elbows, I tapped her, and she at least looked chagrined about having blocked my line of sight. But overall, it was fine! We got to see an opera in Vienna! The singing was beautiful.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQdowN6WDXMIuM_IwmoU3WwiEb0dqL3M6QyN0dQo1J9Rhw-WVShxYXEaeOPmZJtjNDsmreDto2EizISP1tL4Bfgfu81dJNLzpR60EWFIiqiMtJzov9i2fCAjhFGaHvSpFf-CJOgfLz3sii-pIehfLvyqwCAUaDWo8BBxcPiDeQrjNg1SZ1Sm0uFraxbM/s4096/IMG_20230527_185330572.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQdowN6WDXMIuM_IwmoU3WwiEb0dqL3M6QyN0dQo1J9Rhw-WVShxYXEaeOPmZJtjNDsmreDto2EizISP1tL4Bfgfu81dJNLzpR60EWFIiqiMtJzov9i2fCAjhFGaHvSpFf-CJOgfLz3sii-pIehfLvyqwCAUaDWo8BBxcPiDeQrjNg1SZ1Sm0uFraxbM/s320/IMG_20230527_185330572.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglg0yysn9mtyTs6z-L9fCQWHSnmmYzjhxsyDrCctO9svVZicpcHxNCRxe1H63z_VjwlFq-bHJ0NpPRSpKrMv7S310LS57X6Og2ic6naEP6sohpJ9h7D3xktsSGon-HXNmuF24m45W9rrQ80OzezI3reJKVHJUkgQbwCf599uebXUpA9_HoUoVl6OcZ2Xk/s4096/IMG_20230527_190143043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglg0yysn9mtyTs6z-L9fCQWHSnmmYzjhxsyDrCctO9svVZicpcHxNCRxe1H63z_VjwlFq-bHJ0NpPRSpKrMv7S310LS57X6Og2ic6naEP6sohpJ9h7D3xktsSGon-HXNmuF24m45W9rrQ80OzezI3reJKVHJUkgQbwCf599uebXUpA9_HoUoVl6OcZ2Xk/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_190143043.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8zzDJ6H8p5E3PiWhpcCBbBtg0geqjgyr_cfV4oGv-MoiTskEz7UaZLoZzDt0EwnJ6cSqT8PSMjeQYMouFOk7wMwMEoM8LENpUJCQMcuI9X_9hwmkUASr1bkJ1Hz71qfmiENvRRyqzoMcfThhyphenhyphenXETCYgQ2PfNqPhlDH7cblD8IIDJab6pqk0bEt2oeYk/s4096/IMG_20230527_203558041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8zzDJ6H8p5E3PiWhpcCBbBtg0geqjgyr_cfV4oGv-MoiTskEz7UaZLoZzDt0EwnJ6cSqT8PSMjeQYMouFOk7wMwMEoM8LENpUJCQMcuI9X_9hwmkUASr1bkJ1Hz71qfmiENvRRyqzoMcfThhyphenhyphenXETCYgQ2PfNqPhlDH7cblD8IIDJab6pqk0bEt2oeYk/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_203558041.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKIH18IIb5KVW4B0Fb8KmdcynlVWVgO2BTVjwmNr3rpdFQXU_STNssWRxqSKgrw_579GgJ0mTycyAhuKa-Elrlch2EYp4BFEIISX4tynqoJNCKK_EiEvzMUx7Asyfi9B7kjT4l6IdVvLe68Fi8QVasiJVkbip-JKGPNYOacIS3u1kE-KArShNBVtFMMs/s4096/IMG_20230527_204125314.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKIH18IIb5KVW4B0Fb8KmdcynlVWVgO2BTVjwmNr3rpdFQXU_STNssWRxqSKgrw_579GgJ0mTycyAhuKa-Elrlch2EYp4BFEIISX4tynqoJNCKK_EiEvzMUx7Asyfi9B7kjT4l6IdVvLe68Fi8QVasiJVkbip-JKGPNYOacIS3u1kE-KArShNBVtFMMs/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_204125314.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I loved the little pads they had available that would translate the libretto for you! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMQmcMaF3pCbL2zSRINRMR6bEdFZeppLxNUZUAMauXPS3RXksMTULGfVA1Ygexr6QU91GJRPIw7Y9eVWlv5oAC4lK8LLiRAFeyFZFC1UtPtg0stzv4drsFTEeAt5DLxFCqcWlLDSI2KDf2V02Gur4h2gaHfGA0CoP24W9cwjio9Oi5M8KKQNjX59TQKQ/s4096/IMG_20230527_222123180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMQmcMaF3pCbL2zSRINRMR6bEdFZeppLxNUZUAMauXPS3RXksMTULGfVA1Ygexr6QU91GJRPIw7Y9eVWlv5oAC4lK8LLiRAFeyFZFC1UtPtg0stzv4drsFTEeAt5DLxFCqcWlLDSI2KDf2V02Gur4h2gaHfGA0CoP24W9cwjio9Oi5M8KKQNjX59TQKQ/w400-h300/IMG_20230527_222123180.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>We struggled a little to get back to the hotel by the airport, mostly because it was late enough that the normal places I would ask for help were closed. Luckily there were enough people out and about willing to help guide us the right direction, but I was worried for a bit that my mom and I were going to end up sleeping in the train station if I couldn't figure out the schedule.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B2q_CdnyNdcGzpRdtl1TEnOr7_h148yEf9vAzVI2IHeYY9VL8dSiSG8yfxb1mSgb0DFPTFI4T9SLtC3Lia08HY4R4jAKLPMR2v8ZmBsCmZDBKaskIUayFgfy-a2pIJ_Q9bQapVhJuWH-oJR3OHzX5Bmd8BCaDjhRbJWW0d9NwpGWfGvibGwp029HoGs/s4096/IMG_20230528_160228001.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B2q_CdnyNdcGzpRdtl1TEnOr7_h148yEf9vAzVI2IHeYY9VL8dSiSG8yfxb1mSgb0DFPTFI4T9SLtC3Lia08HY4R4jAKLPMR2v8ZmBsCmZDBKaskIUayFgfy-a2pIJ_Q9bQapVhJuWH-oJR3OHzX5Bmd8BCaDjhRbJWW0d9NwpGWfGvibGwp029HoGs/s320/IMG_20230528_160228001.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></p><p>It worked out really well to be in a hotel right next to the airport the morning we departed, so I would definitely splurge for that again in the future. The plane ride back over the Atlantic included an open seat between us, which was nice for spreading out ourselves and our stuff.<br /></p><p>The last really funny thing was that the tiny little plane we took on the last leg back to Milwaukee had the special first class people separated from us with a teeny curtain just over the tops of the seats! So fancy.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1rL4Qskrd9FZS0wx1WmOr0y0k262E9xgYcuZGmToyCAyfUAgfPPwfFLpAuJQn9rkGMhBObwsseJyVLJU1Nht-25xvfoaXE6kbFdjPihIynlvGJCUaWWdGVLaxpRb9dOUtgJ7jeYuxJVcHq40y26bWEu_Q8q0R-DwkSQM9NNHs4_Inf1Z1LJp2dluncU/s3264/IMG_20230528_154122204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1rL4Qskrd9FZS0wx1WmOr0y0k262E9xgYcuZGmToyCAyfUAgfPPwfFLpAuJQn9rkGMhBObwsseJyVLJU1Nht-25xvfoaXE6kbFdjPihIynlvGJCUaWWdGVLaxpRb9dOUtgJ7jeYuxJVcHq40y26bWEu_Q8q0R-DwkSQM9NNHs4_Inf1Z1LJp2dluncU/w300-h400/IMG_20230528_154122204.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>A great trip! I've been so lucky to get to travel with my mom. Fingers crossed she's free for wherever next year's mandolin adventure takes us.<br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-20699012952008298582023-08-31T23:41:00.000-05:002023-08-31T23:41:02.661-05:00Self-Imposed Deadlines<p>Stress is a strange thing. Being frustrated, anxious, worried. . . They are all states of mind that sometimes we can control and sometimes we can't. The ways in which thoughts or simple awareness can manifest into physical reactions is fascinating to me.</p><p>I remember the first time I needed stitches. I was in my mid-20s, and while carving something with a dull tool managed to stab it into the side of my left thumb. The doctor at the clinic we went to tied four neat little stitches into my skin, and I couldn't believe how much the whole thing turned my stomach. I told the doctor how weird it was that if I didn't know what was happening and couldn't see it, it would all be fine because the pain wasn't that terrible. It wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst thing I could imagine by a long shot. However, if I looked at my skin being stitched through like fabric, that was nauseating and made me a little dizzy. Wasn't that strange? How could that be? As the doctor finished up his last little knot, he said, "Only in the Western world are people surprised by the connection between the mind and the body." I don't know how true that is, but I've thought about it a lot since then.</p><p>We can try to forge a more practical attitude about that connection, but it doesn't always work. There was a stretch a few years ago where I had terrible migraines. It's easy to see now how much they were tied to upsetting events in my life. Certain thoughts and worries were literally hurting my head. The pain was so bad that at one point while writhing around on a couch at 3 a.m. it occurred to me that death, if it came right then, wouldn't be unwelcome because at least the pain would stop. When I couldn't stop the pain, I would try to accept it, and that helped somewhat. Fighting the pain made it worse. Simply letting it be what it was made it more bearable.</p><p>My life at the moment is [knock on expensive violin wood] really going quite well. This is the place where I could have barely dared hope for the pendulum to swing during those literally and figuratively painful times a few years back. I'm not taking it for granted, and I'm not foolish enough to believe such fortune will last, but I've enjoyed this year very much. I have the love and support of my husband, my kids are all headed in good directions right now, health and work are fine, I've gotten to travel and spend time with family and friends, and even have a trusty little dog at my side who reminds me to be in the moment. Life is good.</p><p>In fact, when I'm honest with myself, the biggest sources of stress currently going on for me are all self-imposed and a matter of choice. Which seems ridiculous, but hear me out, because I like to believe there is an upside, or at the very least an understandable explanation.</p><p>For the past couple of months I have had the joy of all three kids at home. My oldest has been home from college for the summer, and we've tried to cram as much into that limited time as possible. Which has meant putting my normal projects on hold. I have barely been in my home shop, so the instruments that were rolling along so nicely back in the spring have not progressed at all. And the novel I want to be getting out into the world sooner rather than later just sits and gathers virtual dust. I only recently started going back to rehearsals, because they were technically optional this summer, and I wanted as much time as possible with my kids.</p><p>So I have been operating like a person with no creative pursuits, and frankly, it's a much more relaxed kind of life. There is time to hang out and play games and binge watch things as a family when nothing I want to get done "needs" to get done. It's been fun. But it's also not really me. If I went on this way indefinitely, I'm not sure who I would be anymore. Because I'd no longer be a person who builds instruments or plays music or writes books.</p><p>All those creative endeavors, though, require deadlines that I invent for myself. Because none of them are things I "have" to do. Not really. There are people waiting for the instruments they commissioned, but completing them is still a matter of choice. If I woke up one day and realized building instruments is making my life worse rather than better, I can stop, even if it disappoints others. There is no one out there requiring me to write more books. There are plenty of other musicians to replace me if I up and quit playing viola and mandola.</p><p>Once my daughter leaves for college again in a few days, and the rest of us settle into a fall routine that has us interacting less often, I will get back into my shop, back to regular practicing, and back to editing my latest novel.</p><p>All of those things require self-imposed deadlines in order to make progress. Deadlines are stressful, even arbitrary ones.</p><p>One of the few self-imposed deadlines I've managed to keep up with over my summer of fun, is this blog. Barely. When I worked for (the now defunct parenting website) Babble, there was no explicit number of posts per month that I was contractually expected to write, but I aimed for about two a week. That seemed to match the rate most of the other personal bloggers on the site were doing, and it felt natural. Plus I was getting paid, so I certainly had to produce something regularly. </p><p>Since moving to this blog, the only reason to write is if I feel like it. But one of the important reasons for me to maintain this blog, is that writing regularly is good for me as a writer. There are enough other things happening in my life that giving up the blog entirely would be very easy, and few would notice if it ceased to be. But I like the discipline that some manner of deadline requires. I like making myself create something in this space on some kind of schedule.</p><p>The self-imposed deadline I've given myself on this blog is at least one post a month. And I've managed to maintain that all these years. I've never skipped a month, which is a lot harder than it sounds.</p><p>I've been trying to put together a post about my trip to Austria since May. But that post is huge, and every time I work on it, I see the end of the month creeping up on the calendar, and have to switch gears merely to get something posted before the deadline. The number of partially started drafts in my Blogger folder is getting rather silly. But hey, at least I'm writing. That's the point. </p><p>Since nobody makes demands about my being a writer other than me, I have to be some kind of task master to myself. Same with instrument making. Same with any creative project that is important to my identity and my soul. But I have to choose stress to do any of it. I have to convince myself it's necessary, and then put pressure on myself to actually make progress on any meaningful kind of schedule, or nothing happens. Nothing aside from watching more Star Trek and baking cookies, which is all a lot of fun, but not what I want to define me.</p><p>This month I also meant to finally write about my trip to Austria. But did you catch the date? And the time? I wonder how many of my readers actually notice the time stamp on the things I post, and realize how many of them bump up close to midnight on the last day of the month. The people in my house certainly notice. I had to pull myself away from my kids tonight, pausing the show we were watching saying, "I have to go write something!" And one of them said, "Wait, is it the last day of the month already?"</p><p>But hey, my streak remains unbroken. I have minutes to spare before I hit "publish." And I will take my manufactured stress in order to remain creative over the kind of stress inducing scenarios life sometimes likes to hand out. I just need to remind myself when I start to panic over either of them, that it helps to cut myself some slack, take a deep breath, and maybe walk the dog again.</p><p>And I need to remember that there are physical ramifications to being under stress, and that dwelling on certain thoughts can cause physical pain. There are too many things in life we can't control, to not appreciate the ones we can. When I have moments of, "Oh no! My blog!" I need to balance the tools I use to make things happen with my overall well being. </p><p>After a "summer off" I'm taking stock of how much stress I need or don't need to choose even when times are good. I have a sense that by the time I figure it out, my life will be about done.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-36267505802311785802023-07-31T22:56:00.000-05:002023-07-31T22:56:35.618-05:00Thoughts About Barbie<p>Last night I went out with my kids to see Barbie. It's very good, I highly recommend it.<br /></p><p>I have a lot of thoughts about Barbie in general, and some about the movie that contain spoilers, so if you plan to see it, I don't want to ruin any of the fun. Maybe read the first few paragraphs that are about me and not the movie, and come back and read this once you've seen the film and share your thoughts. If you don't plan to see Barbie, that's fine. Just don't jump to conclusions about what you think it is if you haven't watched the movie, because it's probably not what you would expect. I'm frankly stunned that this movie exists.</p><p>Many women like myself have had a complicated relationship with Barbie. That sounds silly on its surface since we're talking about a doll, but it isn't. And I've only in recent years come to terms with what my aversion to her might mean, namely internalized misogyny. <br /></p><p>I did not have Barbies growing up. I preferred stuffed animals. I was never a girly girl, but I was never a Tom-boy either. I was just me, and I seldom felt like I fit in anywhere. I tended to avoid pink.<br /></p><p>When I had kids, I didn't get them Barbies. I felt she presented an unrealistic body image for girls, and all the cutesy pink irritated me. I wanted my girls to be interesting and strong, and Barbie struck me as neither. I resented the gendered aisles of toys, and avoided the sea of pink that was all things Barbie and what someone thought my girls were supposed to like and be. I remember feeling a small crisis when I learned a relative who loved Barbies was planning on gifting some to my girls. I don't remember exactly how that played out, if I let my disapproval be known through family channels to avoid the issue or if we actually got the dolls. All I know is at some point we acquired at least one Barbie, which my kids mostly liked because she had a dog with puppies, and a horse. I wasn't happy about it, but I left it alone. I'm not the kind of parent who forbids things, but I tried to steer us clear of the pink aisle.</p><p>I did, at least, until I had my third child, who was assigned male at birth. I knew very early that she was at odds with the role she was expected to play by the world around us. She asked to go by a more feminine name when she was about two or three. She was smart and gentle. <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2010/12/rethinking-pink-misogynist-within-babble.html" target="_blank">She liked pink</a>.</p><p>There weren't any resources readily available for trans youth a dozen years ago. I tried to seek them out just in case that was the direction my child was eventually going to inform us we were going. All I could find were programs for teens and adults, and a society telling me my kid was going through a phase.</p><p>Now, honestly, when she eventually came out as trans as a teen, I was relieved for several reasons, not the least of which was that I figured she'd have less trouble in the world as a woman than as a gender non-conforming man. She's commonly been assumed to be a girl in public for most of her life, but in those moments where society forced her into the end of the binary where she wasn't comfortable, it was really painful. </p><p>Because boys are not supposed to like pink, and the world lets you know that.<br /></p><p>And this got me rethinking Barbie, since pink and Barbie are deeply intertwined.</p><p>When I had girls that wanted pink, I tried to suggest lots of options. I certainly wouldn't deny them pink, and no one batted an eye if they were in pink. But when we had a "boy" who wanted pink? Well, suddenly defending pink became important. Because I realized that girls crossing over into boy things was acceptable or even praiseworthy, but for boys crossing into pink, that was questionable. I realized pink was viewed as contaminated. It was something boys were taught to have an aversion to.</p><p>Like I did.</p><p>So I asked myself what that was about, and I came face to face with Barbie.</p><p>Why did I roll my eyes at Barbie? What was so wrong with her? I had always told myself it was because she reduced women down to what they looked like, and I resented it.</p><p>And that's when I realized that's what <i>I</i> had been doing to Barbie. </p><p>I was the one dismissing all the other things she was, from an astronaut to a doctor to an ice skater, etc. Because she was exaggeratedly pretty. If we're not supposed to judge people by their looks, that goes both ways. If she was pretty she couldn't also be a veterinarian? Or a reporter? What sort of misogynistic garbage was that?</p><p>There is a funny scene in the movie where Barbie in the real world spots a billboard for a beauty pageant that is an image of pretty women in row, and she assumes it's a picture of the Supreme Court. It's very funny, but why is it funny? What if we lived in a world where we didn't assume such women <i>can't</i> be the Supreme Court? Wouldn't that be a better world?</p><p>I see that billboard and think about how I have never worn a bikini. I don't have a body I'd be comfortable showing in that way, and I probably never will. But I wouldn't deny someone who looked like me the fun of wearing a bikini if they liked. There are people out there who would applaud an older and/or heavier woman being so bold, but then also a lot of those same people might resent younger more conventionally beautiful women for doing the same.</p><p>In the movie, Barbie doesn't even have a word for "self-conscious." What a concept.<br /></p><p>So, the Barbie movie itself is visually amazing. The costume and set designers deserve award nominations. There are tons of movie references, including the opening tribute to 2001 A Space Odyssey which we enjoyed. The acting is great, the music is spot on.</p><p>Essentially, the movie shows Barbieland as a real place where a representation of each type of doll exists, living sort of like beings in Plato's perfect plane. The Barbies do everything and the Kens are accessories (who do "beach"). There is also Ken's buddy Allan, who doesn't really seem to fit in anywhere. (I love Allan.) When stereotypical Barbie starts to have thoughts of death and develops cellulite, she goes on a journey to the real world to find the person playing with her doll that is causing the problems. The Ken who loves her stows away in her car to join her on the trip, and winds up learning about the patriarchy, and takes it back with him to Barbieland before Barbie returns herself with the mother/daughter pair that had been playing with her doll. The Barbies have to outsmart the Kens in order to revert Kendom back to Barbieland. Barbie acknowledges that it was unfair for her to take Ken for granted, and suggests he find his own identity outside of his interest in her. And in the final scenes, the stereotypical Barbie decides to become real and return to the real world.</p><p>I don't have any nostalgia for these dolls, so I was surprised by how quickly the movie was able to establish a connection with me. The society they portrayed in Barbieland was innocent and appealing. My oldest daughter commented on how open and safe it was there in the beginning. It would be nice as a woman to be able to walk any streets that way without fear.</p><p>The only vaguely dark moment in this movie was when Barbie returns home to discover it's been taken over by Kens and she's not allowed in. There is never any doubt that Ken loves Barbie and would never harm her, so there is no real danger, but when he faces off with her in the doorway, it's an uncomfortable reminder of the implied threat that exists in encounters with men that most of us have to navigate on some level in our daily lives. The unfairness of it as Barbie stands there, kicked out of her home, realizing there is nothing she can do in that moment, is painful and a little frightening. That's not something I was expecting to feel at this movie.<br /></p><p>The most surprising element of the Barbie movie to me was the depiction of the Mattel company. It was the most surreal aspect of the whole story, and I'm still puzzling parts of it out. Particularly toward the end where Will Ferrell as the head of the company, which is represented in the boardroom entirely by men, is genuinely unhappy about the commercial success of the Mojo Dojo Casa House (created by Ken and now flying off the shelves in the real world), because it's not about Barbie first. I suppose it's a glimpse of men who are on the side of women but are somewhat clueless on how to go about doing it right. <br /></p><p>There's an unexpected scene where Barbie in the real world is sitting by an older lady, and Barbie says to her sincerely, "You're beautiful." I know in that moment my head immediately went to all the reactions I would have had if that had been said to me. I would have been surprised, maybe a little suspicious, pleased but dismissive, flattered but doubtful. Self-conscious would be in there. But no, the lady on the bench (who I believe is a renowned costume designer) responds that she knows! And Barbie looks genuinely pleased, because that's all she wants in the real world is for other women to be proud of who they are, and to know they are beautiful.</p><p>Some of the ways the Barbies related to one another in Barbieland reminded me of how we treat each other in my <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2021/11/women-in-lutherie.html" target="_blank">Women In Lutherie</a> group. We have rules in our Zoom meetings about not apologizing, and not being self-deprecating. Those were awkward adjustments at first, because women are in such a habit of making ourselves smaller on every level. We're not supposed to take up space or be openly proud of our accomplishments because we're encouraged to believe being liked is more important than anything else. It's been really empowering to take those habits from the Zoom meetings and use them in the world, where we are allowed to have authority without apology, and to have the courage to share what we do. I recognized the same sense of self-worth reflected in the Barbies. It felt good, and as welcome as it was unexpected.</p><p>I found the end of Barbie moving. The idea of becoming "real" reminded me of one of my favorite books from childhood: The Velveteen Rabbit. In both stories, the idea of being real involves surviving and accepting pain, and being convinced that the sacrifice is worthwhile to experience deeper meaning to existence. The last line of the Barbie movie where she's ready to be seen by a gynecologist is laugh out loud funny, but also highlights that by becoming real she's signing up for pain on a monthly cycle as part of her transformation.<br /></p><p>Many people have already written about America Ferrera's speech about the impossible standards women are held to by themselves and others, and it's definitely a highlight of the film. I teared up. But the line that hit me the hardest was about how<span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto" lang="en"> our experience and perception of women is problematic, even with just a representation of one. </span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto" lang="en">That clarified for me the issue with Barbie that I've been wrestling with over the past decade. Barbie can be whatever you want her to be. I apparently wanted her to be a problem. I'm over that.<br /></span></p><p>Barbie is unabashedly feminine. In a world where feminine is conflated with weaker, lesser, frivolous, and secondary to masculine needs, tastes and desires, that makes Barbie easy to disdain. Unless you don't buy into any of that, then Barbie looks fearless.</p><p>I've made peace with Barbie, because I'm finally making peace with myself. That's a lot to get from a very pink movie about a doll. I'm glad I saw it.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-38493945343282692342023-06-18T23:38:00.002-05:002023-06-19T08:15:42.742-05:00Dear Dad (2023)<p>Dear Dad,</p><p>So much to tell you about this year!</p><p>First, some general updates on the kids, which is the thing I most miss being able to talk to you about. </p><p>I can't believe when you died they were only 13, 11, and 8. That was half Quinn's life ago at this point. There is such a world of difference between those ages, and 21, 19, and 16. I mean, could you have imagined Mona with a driver's license? She's still the only kid who has one, although Quinn is doing a good job in driver's ed and should have no trouble passing her test when she's ready. We need to bug Aden about finally taking her test again, even though she's not keen on driving. Mona seems to like it, and Quinn is getting more comfortable behind the wheel. </p><p>Anyway, Aden loves her college, but she's been struggling. I think we missed catching that she likely had ADHD and anxiety issues when she was growing up, and now there are bigger complications with that at a college level. It's so hard to know sometimes what things are typical kid problems, and what things run deeper. All kids have bouts of laziness and bad time management, but how are you supposed to tell that from something parenting alone can't correct? We're working on some things with a therapist over summer to see if we can get her to a more confident place come fall. Aden is so talented and kind and lovely... It hurts to watch her not be able to do the things she wants to do. Regardless, she's managed to grow up quite a bit in her couple of years away at school. </p><p>I'm glad Aden's home this summer. Although she's living in the downstairs nook, since Mona has kind of taken over their whole room. I know for Aden that home does not feel the same as it used to. That's such an odd transition, isn't it? When I visit Detroit, the house is still home, but there's really nothing there that's mine now. And yet, when I lie in the guest bed in my old space, I still recognize the patterns on the wooden door and the way the light shifts in the room. Somehow that's enough to feel like I belong.</p><p>Aden's been doing some nice print work. A lot of art schools have apparently abandoned print making, but not Stout. She does some adorable animation. The best news recently was that apparently one of the big video game design studios is now in Madison, which would be nicer for an eventual job than maybe all the way out in California. (At least for her mom.) She's hoping to spend time with friends up at the cottage before going back to school. Her new housing assignment will include a real kitchen and a private room, and she's looking forward to cooking again, and more privacy. She's playing a lot of a game called Tears of the Kingdom. She still has the bluest eyes you've ever seen.</p><p>Things for Mona have begun to turn in a good direction! She's been frustrated with her unfruitful job searches and was feeling stuck, but she's now on track to apprentice with the new tattoo shop opening across the street from the violin store soon. She had a great interview, they loved her work, and she's prepared to put in the hours and effort to learn those new skills. Mona will also be moving into the Airbnb space above the shop, so that will be a short commute. I think it's a good fit. She'll get to create art that's personal to people that they literally carry around with them everywhere, and make a good enough living to still pursue other avenues with her art as she likes. I'm excited for her.</p><p>The biggest adjustment to her moving out may be less of not having her around (since I'm sure she'll still come to the house and hang out from time to time), but more of the bird being gone! I can't picture that corner of the dining room without Keiko. He's so loud! And present. And lately he's been hanging out in a tinier cage next to the TV so as we watch things, he watches us. (And tells us that he's an adorable Keiko bird.) You never got to meet Keiko, but you'd have liked him. I wonder if seeing him would have reminded you of stories of your own birds that maybe you hadn't told us before.</p><p>Mona's sewing some beautiful things lately. Things far more intricate and professional looking than I ever came up with. We got her a really nice straight stitch machine. Apparently the better the machine, the fewer things it does, and this one does straight stitching really fast and well. I think what sold her on it was the extra arm that you can use to lift the sewing foot with either your elbow or your knee, so you can keep your hands on your work by the needle to spin it, etc. Saves Mona a ton of time. She's got an Etsy shop, and she works diligently to fill orders. You'd be as proud as I am of how hard she works. I'm already looking forward to updating you next year on how it all goes.</p><p>Quinn is good! She is SO relaxed and happy compared to a year ago. Remember how reserved she was, even back at 8? Like, not so much shy (which she is), but like she had her guard up a little all the time. Now that she is able to be herself in the world, she still spends a lot of time in her room and she'll never be an extrovert, but she moves differently, with a grace that wasn't there before. It's like she can breathe. I love it.</p><p>It's a scary time for trans-people right now, particularly kids, but so far Quinn's had nothing but support. I have friends in states that aren't so lucky. I'm grateful for her school and her doctor, and that even the people at the social security office who helped get her gender marker changed were happy to help.</p><p>She's doing well in all her classes (particularly Spanish), she continues with piano in a sluggish way but insists she doesn't want to quit, and she wishes she weren't so tall but otherwise is just quietly being Quinn. She's in charge of having dinner on the table at 6:00 when I get home from work four nights a week (which she does with the aid of a Hello Fresh box).<br /></p><p>My favorite thing with Quinn is that during the school year, I get to straighten her hair every Sunday night. She has lovely waves in her hair, so of course she wants them gone. I miss the physical contact you have with smaller children that evaporates when you have teens. Getting to put on a movie and play with Quinn's hair for about 90 minutes while we watch something together is something I look forward to each week.</p><p>Speaking of missing smaller children, we got ourselves a baby-sized dog! I needed her. I really craved having something to scoop up who was excited to see me in a way that doesn't happen when your children are bigger. Ian was a holdout on the idea of a new dog after Chipper died, and periodically I'd ask him if I could start looking, and he wasn't ready. But then Quinn said she wanted a dog, and of course Ian relented. Now we have our little Chihuahua-rat terrier mix, Domino. You would love her. Everyone loves Domino. And this dog would have happily let you pet her all you wanted. Mona and I even flew with her to New York where we stayed with Arno and Deepanjana, and by the end of the trip she was doing the subways like a local dog. I got some nice pictures of her by the Nick Cave mosaics in one of the stations. (You'd have liked those, along with the Chuck Close ones.)</p><p>Arno and Deepanjana are doing the best I've ever seen them. Their lives are more than I can adequately describe, but they are thriving. And Ellora got into her dream school! She loves Berkeley, and is currently doing work in Madagascar. The newly expanded apartment is honestly the nicest place in New York as far as I'm concerned. Crazy that after Ellora moved away that they finally have extra space and a second bathroom.</p><p>Barrett and Dosha are doing great, too. Barrett's soon-to-be-published book is so good! It's filled with Mom's drawings, and he even found a way to include a picture of my viola. I don't know if that's the instrument I would have wanted to represent me in a published book, but that instrument has cochineal in the varnish which is what he needed. (I just remind myself that people interested in cultural entomology are not going to be scrutinizing my lutherie skills the way violin makers would, so it will be fine. But that's the viola I made for myself when Ian was deployed, and the only time I had to carve was after midnight and between newborn feedings so its claim to fame is that it exists at all.)</p><p>Rivyn is amazing. It just hit me that he's the age now that Quinn was when you died. That's kind of mind boggling. That little baby you got to hold briefly in those last few days at home has grown up to be imaginative and funny and is such a delight. He cycles among several interests and is better read at this point than most of the adults I know. I wonder how much of Barrett you'd see in him and what elements would be completely new.</p><p>Ian is well, but he's still adjusting to the passing of his mom. It's been a year. He's still undecided about what to do with the house out in Portland. I get it. After grandma died, I realized I couldn't drive by her old house without feeling a lot of pain. There's something deeply awful about being severed from a place that was once a close part of you and your story. I don't know if once Ian lets go of his childhood home if that's the last we'll see of it. I don't know if when someday we have to let the house in Pleasant Ridge go if I'll ever see it again, or if that whole neighborhood will just be gone from my life. It's a jarring, unpleasant thought. I don't know if there's a way for Ian to resolve any of that in his situation that doesn't hurt, so in the meantime it just gets postponed. Grief is hard. Grief is persistent. </p><p>Mom's done a lot of traveling this year. She spent a few weeks in India and had an incredibly nice time, then she and I got to travel to Austria! What an amazing trip. She got to hear my mandolin orchestra perform in Graz, and in Salzburg. I made her watch The Sound of Music before we left because we were in some of the places that appeared in the movie. Somehow Mom had gotten to this point in life and not seen it before. I feel like you must have watched that movie, right? I saw it as a kid, so someone must have been there. (I guess this goes on the list of questions that it's too late to ask.) Mom's amazing. Her work is more beautiful than ever, she's busy. She misses you, of course, but is doing okay. Still the best cook ever. Every time she serves us a meal I think about asking you in that book of questions what your favorite food was, and you wrote "anything Karen makes."</p><p>I'm doing okay. I'm frustrated (as usual) with my lack of progress on book stuff, but will make time soon (I hope) to sort it out. The store is really busy, and I need to make time to work on the commissioned instruments on my bench. My health is fine, which I don't take for granted, and we have what we need.</p><p>I miss calling you on Mondays. I miss curling up with you to try and help with your crossword puzzles. (I know I was never any help, but occasionally there was a Star Trek clue that made me feel useful.)</p><p>Hey, I'm not crying this year as I type this. Is that some kind of progress? I don't know. It's probably good that I can think of you in a similar way to how I think of people who are still here, and not focus almost solely on your being gone. But I really really miss you. What I wouldn't give for one more hug from my dad this Father's Day. You gave great hugs.</p><p>I love you, Dad.</p><p>Kory<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-83763760544558762182023-05-14T23:17:00.000-05:002023-05-14T23:17:07.648-05:00A Few Thoughts This Mother's Day<p>When I was a child, Mother's Day didn't appear complicated.</p><p>Teachers gave us assignments that would provide us with handmade gifts to take home that weekend. Those teachers instructing us to make cute little paper flower projects and tracings
of our hands seemed to assume that everyone had both a mom and a dad at home. I wasn't aware of any kids from divorced homes when I was small. Back then in our tiny Detroit suburb there were no visible variations on what a family was expected to be--with the exception of single mothers, who by the 80s I noticed were generally considered lacking at best, and the source of all of society's ills at worst. </p><p>I'm sure whatever cards or acknowledgments my brothers and I made for our mom on Mother's Day were woefully inadequate. How could they not be? My mom was (and is) amazing, and I don't understand looking back at how she did everything she did. I really don't. I'm a pale imitation of her on my best day when it comes to mothering, and there are never enough words to convey what we've been given by having her as our mom.</p><p>But time and age cast us in new roles, and a range of different families have finally become visible. For a variety of reasons, Mother's Day is no longer uncomplicated.</p><p>Let's start with loss. My husband's mother died a year ago. He tried to call her last Mother's Day and she didn't answer. He figured out a day or so later that she had passed away at home in her bed. He has no one to call today. I don't know how to help him with that, other than to hug him and hope he's okay. </p><p>For the mothers I know who have lost children... I can't imagine they brush this day off as another greeting card holiday. I can't dwell on that thought very long without coming undone.</p><p>I know people who have dysfunctional mothers. That's a whole different struggle, and a loss in its own way. <br /></p><p>Then there are the welcome variations that change the shape of Mother's Day when it comes to those school projects. I didn't know any gay couples with children when I was growing up. I'm glad my children can't say the same, because we know some lovely families with two moms, or two dads, and they are wonderful role models for my kids as well a their own. I'm mystified by people who fear their children knowing such families exist, because whatever harm they're concerned about is only in their minds. </p><p>I know people whose lives were enriched by being part of a blended family. I don't know how single moms manage, and they deserve support and respect. I think every Mother's Day about families coping with separations like we lived through when Ian was deployed.</p><p>The composition of a family isn't as important as compassion, support and love. That's the difference between a family that's good and one that isn't, not anything to do with race, religion, or gender. <br /></p><p>So I do not take for granted on this particular Mother's Day, that I was able to give my mom a call, and that all three of my children happen to be home. They brought me breakfast in bed, got Indian food for dinner, and picked me flowers. I loved all of it.<br /></p><p>I will admit, I kind of miss the assigned school projects. I loved all the little ceramic dishes and bead bracelets and heart necklaces. But the finest idea any of the teachers ever had in my children's elementary school was the one who had my youngest write me a letter on pretty stationery.</p><p>A few years ago, things were so fraught between me and one of my kids that I gave up on Mother's Day. I didn't see the point if I was failing at my role so badly. I declared it "just a day" and told everyone not to worry about it. The baby of the family ignored that. She brought me breakfast in bed, and when I asked why, she said it "felt important." And she gave me her school assignment letter which listed all the things I do that matter, and she ended it with, "I love you. We all do." Which to this day makes me cry because I needed it so much in that moment.</p><p>Now we are in a different moment. Mother's Day is back to being a sweet excuse to defer to me all day for decisions about what to eat and do on a quiet Sunday at home. It's peaceful again. But not ordinary. And richer for the ubderstanding of how complicated it could be.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-71627145212854070142023-04-29T20:48:00.005-05:002023-04-29T22:56:40.370-05:00Peeps 2023<p>It was a good <a href="https://www.ramart.org/exhibit/14th-annual-peeps/" target="_blank">Peeps season</a>!</p><p>As usual, it started with general brain storming to see what we could come up with for the annual show of Peep art at the Racine Art Museum. Mona, having won last year for her spectacular Peepzilla (which even made it into <a href="https://people.com/human-interest/easter-2022-13th-annual-international-peeps-art-exhibit-at-racine-museum/" target="_blank">People Magazine</a>), decided to not focus on what might win, but what would be the most fun to make. I landed on the idea of "The Picture of Dorian Peep" because it made me laugh. And Quinn envisioned a jar full of Peeps.</p><p>Turns out the concept that Mona found most intriguing was a Peep Jack-a-lope. She created her "Peepalope" out of recycled plastic bags and bottles, paper, tape, glue, paint, and of course Peeps (look at the antlers).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJ2VRNPRE6HgPe7CY59OZOGKNvscwNv8y-ejMYnRohBkL80UBdgIqFy0J1QeN821DRceX8Q4eDcaF3upYmMRFz_xejsENdTkAOfH_dbNh-ygqP5NZ9a5vbzqatnsB7YMt2-YlgJwowPvQ296CeQqBPE4qU8AdCozolpIIo_qsBlwfz-4-VHzKZg-9/s4096/IMG_20230318_091950594.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJ2VRNPRE6HgPe7CY59OZOGKNvscwNv8y-ejMYnRohBkL80UBdgIqFy0J1QeN821DRceX8Q4eDcaF3upYmMRFz_xejsENdTkAOfH_dbNh-ygqP5NZ9a5vbzqatnsB7YMt2-YlgJwowPvQ296CeQqBPE4qU8AdCozolpIIo_qsBlwfz-4-VHzKZg-9/w480-h640/IMG_20230318_091950594.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLF4Q0821T9nwGu9GQ-vBVATQNQZ4kuGmv5LcDpKKIKnr8VHph2e5TahBoEGLhqm2CoC9-XYolBbemswz9kAxXpw89olumy2siRVUQ8CpbTw-IUptLtoTvOu567AvhotzOjrnH-YGFS7dKnUHLKXzKPfH7MPVvRJr-E8lteWumL4VF0qNZJi39nd0h/s4096/IMG_20230318_091847145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLF4Q0821T9nwGu9GQ-vBVATQNQZ4kuGmv5LcDpKKIKnr8VHph2e5TahBoEGLhqm2CoC9-XYolBbemswz9kAxXpw89olumy2siRVUQ8CpbTw-IUptLtoTvOu567AvhotzOjrnH-YGFS7dKnUHLKXzKPfH7MPVvRJr-E8lteWumL4VF0qNZJi39nd0h/w300-h400/IMG_20230318_091847145.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8POP1ioIYWoNf2_vTueRBfHfCJsfRBpcCycy2R4eRsN3PbbDA7rImlqXs4xeH-h7SXW_R7ZWM4z0clVps6tRx9-nhpSU3_U6-caLkHMv1GG3Sm-CBABEOqjBz5HI26QUt1Dj-wTXeO9Z-5RI70l9wY8YW3mIQMDlpkRWIu3ofpJoCGrDBlFv8PgMQ/s4096/IMG_20230318_092025079.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8POP1ioIYWoNf2_vTueRBfHfCJsfRBpcCycy2R4eRsN3PbbDA7rImlqXs4xeH-h7SXW_R7ZWM4z0clVps6tRx9-nhpSU3_U6-caLkHMv1GG3Sm-CBABEOqjBz5HI26QUt1Dj-wTXeO9Z-5RI70l9wY8YW3mIQMDlpkRWIu3ofpJoCGrDBlFv8PgMQ/w300-h400/IMG_20230318_092025079.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>It didn't get any awards, but it was much admired, and I think is one of the most interesting pieces Mona's made in a while.</p><p>I was originally only going to do a painting for "The Picture of Dorian Peep" but then I decided it would be funnier as a sculpture with the young and perfect Dorian Peep standing nearby. (If you don't know the literary reference, Google: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.) I sawed him out of a piece of basswood, painted him, and dressed him up. The painting is on basic canvas board, but I added a bunch of art gel to it for a thick paint texture. It was fun to paint something that was supposed to look bad. The frame was made of Peeps on mat board that I spray painted gold. I was amused to find the eyes on those Peeps came out very shiny! I think the Peep frame mimicked a fancy carved-wood gilded frame pretty well. I stuck all the parts in place with Plasti-tac on top of a wooden tray.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9TOIylNr1zbryuIeIWiOyVo-VNI79HnR81_ULTfcOq7-jHtAMTXfvx-HVqAA7LJWQXVTrWvwxM4RcMZcN_Y2w4ud0e4Yp59MH4Qkc3pDlW9RrdD5ryRLRyxMJGEgAvdMsjsTeyKpLDySaXBwr2-tV-ZraY1f6wYjkr2oD0FH3vUOBwi3nfKFh4dI/s4096/IMG_20230312_163304024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9TOIylNr1zbryuIeIWiOyVo-VNI79HnR81_ULTfcOq7-jHtAMTXfvx-HVqAA7LJWQXVTrWvwxM4RcMZcN_Y2w4ud0e4Yp59MH4Qkc3pDlW9RrdD5ryRLRyxMJGEgAvdMsjsTeyKpLDySaXBwr2-tV-ZraY1f6wYjkr2oD0FH3vUOBwi3nfKFh4dI/w300-h400/IMG_20230312_163304024.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigG3BQ6Yo2sJYMXPIlGXsv_0Y8HCfCSQNJi2LxVSUmAvl8vBGtf3wwFAoVVEyLky-6vDlrEcmHM6QTqoyeo4sQbHs1WrYskPnmE3iSk5_TVl1FYYbi4lFMLru55_ra7KUcWvSF8vSZQmdzbO0LEIT8w0Q3WAaDS8WJWg3ufOdKU6dhI1PFJdo2F0Jk/s4096/IMG_20230312_170923679.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigG3BQ6Yo2sJYMXPIlGXsv_0Y8HCfCSQNJi2LxVSUmAvl8vBGtf3wwFAoVVEyLky-6vDlrEcmHM6QTqoyeo4sQbHs1WrYskPnmE3iSk5_TVl1FYYbi4lFMLru55_ra7KUcWvSF8vSZQmdzbO0LEIT8w0Q3WAaDS8WJWg3ufOdKU6dhI1PFJdo2F0Jk/w300-h400/IMG_20230312_170923679.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOU9aDglUwnTcCOeN1445PwFWK_ilwhh-VXPhgCAbq3ig_odGh3lXPUsjk0Xhhq9uoF8MK9YD8Bt6qU9VrETw4lCrFRoAMd04vCCSoDZyaVNU-Deu3MTpAMfq2cdg-ccnUQFBdzoRjbzuieLZtV_D_w5TFtdIgZRiKvNcBQK5ktWKS9ss3_ZasYwu/s4096/IMG_20230312_224602757.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOU9aDglUwnTcCOeN1445PwFWK_ilwhh-VXPhgCAbq3ig_odGh3lXPUsjk0Xhhq9uoF8MK9YD8Bt6qU9VrETw4lCrFRoAMd04vCCSoDZyaVNU-Deu3MTpAMfq2cdg-ccnUQFBdzoRjbzuieLZtV_D_w5TFtdIgZRiKvNcBQK5ktWKS9ss3_ZasYwu/w300-h400/IMG_20230312_224602757.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-poDwrhKBT9oPQKzcj06xFghyRgU1Azokb-AZVahLLK8axHBk47zKoTnOlszm3-5Vamy3FapRzl2Crr_EVJFQfyzX5nKqP2bHle-P1y5624-RWvXSzYrvU0Tc91fLFf6dw2izOUgw3-ifE4BWJ65kwHXSs1RJXJUHg4LTi3zego38xDsczGhH4QOd/s4096/IMG_20230314_102630270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">|<img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-poDwrhKBT9oPQKzcj06xFghyRgU1Azokb-AZVahLLK8axHBk47zKoTnOlszm3-5Vamy3FapRzl2Crr_EVJFQfyzX5nKqP2bHle-P1y5624-RWvXSzYrvU0Tc91fLFf6dw2izOUgw3-ifE4BWJ65kwHXSs1RJXJUHg4LTi3zego38xDsczGhH4QOd/w480-h640/IMG_20230314_102630270.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlISFXEOovv1dgKBPeSsDOg8P_OLmr0p5fQG-Qs6oCDr57yJtGeu-pHkiOo-04zx3-yMxOEoF5nXYlgWapYaFKclBFWz9ckhgQyukb3VGEjVajNzNvaudl1ItDPHbKq3BbTiXpNMi_AsFUd28Ra_faMsePHHCOP6F9lWsesqLGzBQZ3g_wamRzesH/s4096/IMG_20230315_195644927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQT5KAQadhX25L6I2_XxK5wlWvw_YS8tPEByAzan1LxAovH9vrmy9BEh1Shy5YO7EGxpgWp7P3GR5439mKIZYPTSkJWHJYGwTOeOn7uYnWYLH87QbsLUM9O28e24q9N5m1avO2wIgz45Wo2m932SkH-G1ZDCZLKUiQ6BT82__iU-UAkITOtCO6PsJA/w480-h640/IMG_20230315_195606376.jpg" width="480" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm pleased with how it came out! The judges liked it too, and I got an honorable mention.</p><p>Quinn simply wanted to cram Peeps into a jar. I think it took about ten minutes total, and in the art museum's virtual tour of the exhibit, they used her piece as an example of how artistic creation doesn't have to be complicated. After throwing lots of ideas for titles around during various car rides, Quinn settled on "Jarmaggedon." It makes me laugh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjFXpQTcxwBHX9xCwrv-mj3aQDYMkML9Dj5-23-PsnCCnSNHtM0Upg2fB-KpVy7Sc67yZ4qVWJiPwcseeTOcDxJCA7hyJztln4LFPwF5D4MiBHq-ltNMvoUefD_ptZO-FKnsFTa5KKK_Zar-XJXA5iqnNEZrNL9AcSHu3gO7Vj8-ky-dlTiPAfpbt/s4096/IMG_20230315_200218400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjFXpQTcxwBHX9xCwrv-mj3aQDYMkML9Dj5-23-PsnCCnSNHtM0Upg2fB-KpVy7Sc67yZ4qVWJiPwcseeTOcDxJCA7hyJztln4LFPwF5D4MiBHq-ltNMvoUefD_ptZO-FKnsFTa5KKK_Zar-XJXA5iqnNEZrNL9AcSHu3gO7Vj8-ky-dlTiPAfpbt/s4096/IMG_20230315_200218400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuZhE-w8KNEVQ2c7nbrxboT5htNHa0ALvdHa_GOpxL2oZYNXNlog-SYOSxvDP3sb8EurYjkDWhE-tRAWvyTMhs5exdcP0Wo3-A-AIqkkCa2URvmXbDC49KTUYYb9t0GVlB12uX6AqKnQUuJ0ZvUwmBZm_fGZvkFgLbhkIbzNRyJNq5d6ja8wnbQK7/s4096/IMG_20230315_200225360.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjFXpQTcxwBHX9xCwrv-mj3aQDYMkML9Dj5-23-PsnCCnSNHtM0Upg2fB-KpVy7Sc67yZ4qVWJiPwcseeTOcDxJCA7hyJztln4LFPwF5D4MiBHq-ltNMvoUefD_ptZO-FKnsFTa5KKK_Zar-XJXA5iqnNEZrNL9AcSHu3gO7Vj8-ky-dlTiPAfpbt/w240-h320/IMG_20230315_200218400.jpg" width="240" /><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuZhE-w8KNEVQ2c7nbrxboT5htNHa0ALvdHa_GOpxL2oZYNXNlog-SYOSxvDP3sb8EurYjkDWhE-tRAWvyTMhs5exdcP0Wo3-A-AIqkkCa2URvmXbDC49KTUYYb9t0GVlB12uX6AqKnQUuJ0ZvUwmBZm_fGZvkFgLbhkIbzNRyJNq5d6ja8wnbQK7/s320/IMG_20230315_200225360.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aZSEFgctZgo9pPpAR7G_WQ2eRwHGvwV9eKzRPj9wpGQqcOWHZjPNuR4fGu7_Wi-LajtIJoswlLRKQcFqbsx1AShaxH-Zu36rChz4zRs0UIYR3uZ8SL2POwJMPJyFHblIF881MSk7s7z6cQbWEcf6-NkcPOPrh_F5SLV-_JedNsecV5ibbzs-17Vu/s4096/IMG_20230315_200231562.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aZSEFgctZgo9pPpAR7G_WQ2eRwHGvwV9eKzRPj9wpGQqcOWHZjPNuR4fGu7_Wi-LajtIJoswlLRKQcFqbsx1AShaxH-Zu36rChz4zRs0UIYR3uZ8SL2POwJMPJyFHblIF881MSk7s7z6cQbWEcf6-NkcPOPrh_F5SLV-_JedNsecV5ibbzs-17Vu/w300-h400/IMG_20230315_200231562.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>The museum show in Racine was great! Some inventive and well-made entries this year. The Peeple's Choice award was given to the clever toy store display. The longer you looked at that one, the more details you found to delight in.<br /></p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8U1mgcoeUjxQikaEDL6TiS00nwt67_zySDq5o1sbRWJwSrji2JsODQ50GUTmtl2RNyQZLaG54XjjqIyw-cJrKcEXcOOT4dkkg9V5_rdCz4UPXRFBnMHxT40pQJN3y7wjNt7zBKeYkWPEyYbC446r4ljqrVS3GumanYDmNzbdvby_AnYXeUhAXGU4J/s4096/IMG_20230405_123308074.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8U1mgcoeUjxQikaEDL6TiS00nwt67_zySDq5o1sbRWJwSrji2JsODQ50GUTmtl2RNyQZLaG54XjjqIyw-cJrKcEXcOOT4dkkg9V5_rdCz4UPXRFBnMHxT40pQJN3y7wjNt7zBKeYkWPEyYbC446r4ljqrVS3GumanYDmNzbdvby_AnYXeUhAXGU4J/w300-h400/IMG_20230405_123308074.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7VYMsp9LIkqEEAU-eqplMsdfxyBDn-oTgbl66Qn9DSRYbyVNSqW0Z1jE4o1mX2AnJsLT_z_h4XVr4q9VzQtVP6Oggs9AigQS5ErFuiMANanAkJD1Oms1dv1G0qE3qqyELWG9JJfh7ucYVK-LNjmqGJUt0DXwL_KYdMlPUH4dIdR91bSzFbuSkzbA/s4096/IMG_20230405_123447554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_iShzmTMyWJtyk_nJ8dqV2X9MwNOA0s1FY7v9junaaSUahR-K2zFAkRjbWW4hMmgJN2sCL25XragM4yTdeJP54wZQn2KP-LwqyVqnPJ6HWZJy45Gc_V7lwvQMWYRzyLweblBBNzhT10AlgznR8IuSq0pDvFCMgvinyEE3JBSepGa1JoXfX7mpGwfe/w300-h400/IMG_20230405_124205744.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oZHT4Ox9x-XmYJSlV2Hg-yoiMnsYVNxkBN_IMqzKpiV-PMu9OdCebhmN4Iv9-VoE39kWFxUlUuEK1y5EWtyGsnjnIYA0VD0pwnSCSG6A70W4LuaLVzzHXk6IHP_MUvoWoyO7ii6sM_w1W9sEMfnKurQgpXWDeLIXl7c07hj5lmpwywQO15HxL2CF/s4096/IMG_20230405_124212588.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oZHT4Ox9x-XmYJSlV2Hg-yoiMnsYVNxkBN_IMqzKpiV-PMu9OdCebhmN4Iv9-VoE39kWFxUlUuEK1y5EWtyGsnjnIYA0VD0pwnSCSG6A70W4LuaLVzzHXk6IHP_MUvoWoyO7ii6sM_w1W9sEMfnKurQgpXWDeLIXl7c07hj5lmpwywQO15HxL2CF/w480-h640/IMG_20230405_124212588.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Once we picked up our pieces after the show ended, we put them in the violin store window. It's been funny to watch Domino join the display when she's up there looking for other dogs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCDL8A6jLsxRIroEa3jV2mXsUICTgMNFLx80rATOSeX0YS40bCFLPrFlKzqqncVus0ay3jR92Q42bNfK1Odc-C7ktA19OJ8gPmxHmhkT8Z0CcBfb-5dcRnRybESgsk_v_FriUfEeVFpsWL45NrjHLmgVdmcxRJ3iO-u7vPmwluPKPhOKwjv6psZ0y/s1080/343865166_1140395683465265_7456556654173822200_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCDL8A6jLsxRIroEa3jV2mXsUICTgMNFLx80rATOSeX0YS40bCFLPrFlKzqqncVus0ay3jR92Q42bNfK1Odc-C7ktA19OJ8gPmxHmhkT8Z0CcBfb-5dcRnRybESgsk_v_FriUfEeVFpsWL45NrjHLmgVdmcxRJ3iO-u7vPmwluPKPhOKwjv6psZ0y/w640-h640/343865166_1140395683465265_7456556654173822200_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We're already thinking ahead to 2024! (Personally, I'm curious about the sequel to Jarmageddon.)<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-59512290459712630172023-03-31T00:49:00.003-05:002023-03-31T08:56:17.578-05:00Car Stories<p>This month has involved a lot of car stuff: driving, searching, buying, donating, moving plates, fixing, parking, and a couple of trips to the car wash.<br /><br />We started March with one set of cars, and are leaving it with a mostly different set of cars. It's an exciting change!</p><p>The cars I grew up with were green. I have a vague memory of a blue car that something was profoundly wrong with and went away quickly enough that I don't remember what it was. And we had a white Pontiac Sunbird for a while, which was convenient because that was the same kind of car they had at our high school for driver's ed. (Do any schools still have an on site driving practice area like that now? We had a whole course beyond the athletic field where about half a dozen of us would drive around and around during summer driver's ed, and I remember the true skill we were honing was being able to turn the radio off when we got back around to where the instructor outside would hear it.)</p><p>But the true cars of my childhood were the 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo, and the 1980-something Ford Grenata. Both green. Both before shoulder harnesses in the back, or air bags, both with ashtrays and cigarette lighters (standard), dial radios, pull up door locks that reminded me of golf tees, and crank roll down windows.</p><p>The Monte Carlo was huge. Just a long, boat of a car, and when my dad started driving us to high school, my brothers described it to their friends as "the Limo" when we would pick them up. "The Limo" was famous toward the end for raining little bits of rust on the driveway every time we slammed the doors. My dad would insist we leave the doors UNlocked when we parked that car in downtown Detroit in the hopes that someone might steal it, but no, we had that car forever. That was a hell of a thing to practice driving in, but it was solid. It still worked the day my dad took it to the junkyard. I think he got $25 for it.</p><p>The first car that was mine was a blue Buick Cutlass Sierra that my grandma gave to me a few years into college when she was retiring it for something new. We went down to the DMV to transfer the title, and they insisted there had to be a sale for it to be legal, so Grandma charged me $1 for it. (I don't think she took the money, though.) She told me she'd had it all checked out first to make sure it was in good condition. That was something Grandpa had been serious about, making sure to put things like new brakes into a car before he sold it. He would say that anyone buying a used car like that wasn't going to be able to afford certain repairs, and he wanted people to be safe.</p><p>The Buick was a good car, although at some point the connection was broken under the passenger side of the big front bench seat, so it would slide back and forth as you sped up or came to a stop. I loaned the car to my brother at Cornell for a while (I think when Ian and I were backpacking around Europe after college), and he dubbed that feature "the pleasure seat." </p><p>My friend Gabby and I drove that car across the country, from Detroit to Santa Fe and up the continental divide to Glacier National Park. The big bench seats made it possible for us to sleep in the car to save money. (Although the backseat was better than the front, because there were seat belt things sticking up in it that you had to cover with something so they didn't poke you all night.) We slept in the parking lots of some of the finest hotels in that car. <br /></p><p>Ian and I took that car out west twice, and drove it across most of Canada over two different trips. We got into a fender bender while visiting people in Seattle, and wound up having to stay extra days there to get the Buick fixed. The best man at our wedding said in his toast that he knew watching us deal with unexpected car trouble, and still have fun, that we would be a couple that could last.</p><p>When I say "fixed," I mean only sort of fixed. The driver's side door wouldn't close at the top,
and insurance refused to pay for it. I'll never forget the official
looking woman at the desk saying, "We've determined the amount of the
repairs exceeds the value of your car, so we're declaring it totaled."
And she held out her hand expecting us to hand over the keys. To a car
that still ran. From people who were on the other side of the country
with no other transportation home! We protested. They agreed to let us keep the car, but we could only have insurance to cover other people, not the car itself. We spent quite a while putting up with rain getting in that side of the car before we were able to afford a replacement door that was sort of the right shape, but it did close all the way.<br /></p><p>The Buick was with us while we lived in Pennsylvania for a couple of years, and our move to Milwaukee. But eventually we reached that point where adding oil to it all the time and paying for repairs was getting ridiculous, and we traded it in for a used Ford Taurus (white). </p><p>The Taurus was the most frustrating car I've ever had, and caused me to swear off Fords forever. Probably unfair, but that particular car left me stranded so many places. I hated it, and when it finally blew a tire on one of my endless commutes back from school out in Oconomowoc, I think about then we called it done. With that flat, I mostly remember thinking something weird had happened to the road, then figuring out it was the tire and pulling over, and being stuck in the middle of I-94 for a long time.</p><p>This was in the late 1990s, so not as many cell phones out there, but I did have a big clunky one we kept in the glove compartment for emergencies, and the first person I called was Ian to thank him for the phone. He told me to call AAA and ask if the tire could be patched when they got there. A cop stopped at one point to tell me he'd gotten lots of calls about me sitting there, and made sure I had help on the way. I didn't dare step outside of the car until there was a tow truck to provide cover from the traffic, and when I did finally walk around and see the tire, I laughed, because it was completely blown to bits in a full circle with cables and bits sticking out all over. I went ahead and asked, "Can it be patched?" and the guy looked at me as if I were insane.<br /><br />After the Taurus was a used Hyundai Elantra (also white). I figured even used, it still had a good warranty, so it would work out better. I really liked the Elantra. That was the first car our kids knew. That was the car I brought my babies home from the hospital in. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvw_aIy7mHw6Msl0fNQl_XSrl7KVTOc8L95hYhhamfP9RnXscFkJ_BS9FMflnXe4NWpTkVJnxOXBf0CDPiGu9e97fKac_wy9dp04VpbcbKseLmBwEnf2DulDteTN1KXSNsepmQQtwrFqeWbOCKCGYtmuIjbOdBqCmHHyEhXMVyOpSFXFWZIQMkuK2/s2848/101_0103.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="2848" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvw_aIy7mHw6Msl0fNQl_XSrl7KVTOc8L95hYhhamfP9RnXscFkJ_BS9FMflnXe4NWpTkVJnxOXBf0CDPiGu9e97fKac_wy9dp04VpbcbKseLmBwEnf2DulDteTN1KXSNsepmQQtwrFqeWbOCKCGYtmuIjbOdBqCmHHyEhXMVyOpSFXFWZIQMkuK2/w400-h300/101_0103.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The Elantra had one fatal flaw, though. If you had the lights on, and shut the car off, the parking lights would remain on, but there was no alarm to warn you about it before you got out of the car. So if I started driving when it was dark, and it was light out by the time I stopped, it was very easy to not realize I had left the lights on and the battery would be drained by the time I got back in the car. That happened to me once when I took Aden and Mona to Michigan and back on the Lake Express ferry. We parked the car on the Michigan side in line for the boat, went off to play on the beach for a couple of hours, and came back to realize the car was dead. They loaded everyone else around us onto the ferry while we got our battery jumped, ran it for a while, got on the boat, and hoped with all our hearts that it would start when we got to the other side of Lake Michigan. (It did, thankfully.)<p></p><p>My dad made me the funniest set of little cards to help with this problem. They were little reminders for the dashboard telling me to check the lights. Little poems with sayings like "If you don't want a fright, shut off the lights!" I still have them. They still make me laugh.<br /></p><p>In 2006 we bought a used minivan. We'd gotten by okay with just one car (despite it being tricky on drill weekends when I was home alone with kids and no car), but Aden and Mona were 4 and 2, and Quinn was on the way, and we could not fit three car seats into the sedan. Plus we were headed into a time where two adults and three kids was going to get complicated without a second car. So after some online searching we found a 2005 Kia Sedona in Kenosha. Green. Apparently I was back to green.</p><p>The girls had so much fun crawling around that new car when we brought it home. So much more room than in the little Hyundai! <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4stZd7mIErzsGpg8P_LZFKUtB4-f6lCCjmAPPsvcqkGNusSPyKCo3zb44FzQGAWwjSJNvQ0T2eC5lisYbPjwNtzPqwOXu1_PAUuZQ_3HvJMIAVB3EbhjAnL6DLab-Q3DHEhvp6brnvvXSmhiJyHxrWGfG2Zg-8YHimPV5Tf5Tjqc5zez763--6hSy/s2848/101_0081.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="2848" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4stZd7mIErzsGpg8P_LZFKUtB4-f6lCCjmAPPsvcqkGNusSPyKCo3zb44FzQGAWwjSJNvQ0T2eC5lisYbPjwNtzPqwOXu1_PAUuZQ_3HvJMIAVB3EbhjAnL6DLab-Q3DHEhvp6brnvvXSmhiJyHxrWGfG2Zg-8YHimPV5Tf5Tjqc5zez763--6hSy/w400-h300/101_0081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLfElXC_bPxwog6WyekJR1B0WU2boR10MM8OqegrImX5BNt8j5vpbQxDl6x0TRUFHxgy4d9PiZAsAe3Qhfe5tmMA0CBWsfVNrWiF-gOuIzKpm19oHEL3ecrcX2l4FZEGdNGvWU_4UV_-qp-T84GBT6zC5DzsNRxV3YQ7dPiI7_lwel0lo0Y17IONL/s2848/101_0084.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="2848" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLfElXC_bPxwog6WyekJR1B0WU2boR10MM8OqegrImX5BNt8j5vpbQxDl6x0TRUFHxgy4d9PiZAsAe3Qhfe5tmMA0CBWsfVNrWiF-gOuIzKpm19oHEL3ecrcX2l4FZEGdNGvWU_4UV_-qp-T84GBT6zC5DzsNRxV3YQ7dPiI7_lwel0lo0Y17IONL/w400-h300/101_0084.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VN59lFRwizvy5jdULWJmz0edC-vdp4-Fxw9mhwPPs3TU2B1mwgrZi4NXpHlRlSYEL-s5NuBC6mtDscYRtuMH0UrIAxRWfN2Ee4bZsEbex6Q9sdxBiGyfU3MXxYQRlIVyG2HglIijaP77KIIcCvkHjpMQuITtzQ6aTYchnAx2mamVvRxcxc2PH8Qd/s2848/101_0087.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="2848" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VN59lFRwizvy5jdULWJmz0edC-vdp4-Fxw9mhwPPs3TU2B1mwgrZi4NXpHlRlSYEL-s5NuBC6mtDscYRtuMH0UrIAxRWfN2Ee4bZsEbex6Q9sdxBiGyfU3MXxYQRlIVyG2HglIijaP77KIIcCvkHjpMQuITtzQ6aTYchnAx2mamVvRxcxc2PH8Qd/w400-h300/101_0087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I assigned seats in the minivan, because Aden was the only one old enough to get herself in and out of the buckles of her car seat. She was relegated to the far back corner where I couldn't reach anyway. She objected. Now she feels out of place anywhere else. Mona and Quinn were in the middle seats where they were easier for me to buckle. Unfortunately when Ian was deployed the first time, Mona figured out how to open her 5-point harness, and I had to stop driving on freeways because I would be driving along in the minivan and suddenly I'd realize Mona was standing next to me. There was a long stretch of having to pull over every couple of blocks to get her back into her car seat. <p></p><p>And after a few more years, we decided it was time to replace the Elantra with a new sedan, and found a used 2008 Hyundai Sonata. "Sage," which was really just a way of saying "light green." Which is funny, because my only request for the new car was "not green."</p><p>I have lots of fun pictures of us in the minivan, but probably because that was the adventure car that went to national parks and far flung states. Apparently the sedan did much duller things that did not inspire photographs, so here it is on its last day at our house (missing door handle and all): <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjxvdzjqEaGNdEY565AyuF-zjL1O4gl-ZsgQPYoKhiCCfsFoWUG2_CpJFqyJnv6ETZVDUVgeYdLJzSbe4AqubCBHWNLwFjaDeGOIjZnYeM1_4gW7VU_xwtOvkVMc-a6v5szT6uHJzSdZ0nOyZGv1-0iJXGBaQ3yeiF6gE3dKqMDCnQ-gaP7ykXUhA/s4096/IMG_20230319_105219602_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjxvdzjqEaGNdEY565AyuF-zjL1O4gl-ZsgQPYoKhiCCfsFoWUG2_CpJFqyJnv6ETZVDUVgeYdLJzSbe4AqubCBHWNLwFjaDeGOIjZnYeM1_4gW7VU_xwtOvkVMc-a6v5szT6uHJzSdZ0nOyZGv1-0iJXGBaQ3yeiF6gE3dKqMDCnQ-gaP7ykXUhA/w400-h300/IMG_20230319_105219602_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The introduction of the Sonata did not go over well with the kids. Well, Aden really. Aden was not always big on change, and she was determined to dislike the new car in loyalty to the old, and she got her siblings on board with that idea. They were so sulky and grumpy! It was amusing at first, but then eventually Ian and I explained that buying a car was a big deal for us, and should be something to be excited about, and she was raining all over the parade. Years later she understood she was being inconsiderate and did apologize, and I think that factored into her not expressing too much sorrow over the retirement of both the minivan and the sedan this month.<p></p><p>Here are all the girls enjoying a final trip to the bakery in the Elantra on our way to trade it in. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUGL7RqHeNz8fXj1o_M71rb9RxZSBBAIWLpCR9G_qqHmPzsU0CGhvPiiZkbFBu6WleA0rP9JmNZYZezzd23xq4-TgC85t9yG-0wLm7Mlio9JLPEkugAs-hD9eA9vpwAspwFhvnalIA0ngoPER5DXTZ0GAEkOcKNxd25vnjlZLNW_X4yPGyNnZUZBq/s2592/DSC01082.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUGL7RqHeNz8fXj1o_M71rb9RxZSBBAIWLpCR9G_qqHmPzsU0CGhvPiiZkbFBu6WleA0rP9JmNZYZezzd23xq4-TgC85t9yG-0wLm7Mlio9JLPEkugAs-hD9eA9vpwAspwFhvnalIA0ngoPER5DXTZ0GAEkOcKNxd25vnjlZLNW_X4yPGyNnZUZBq/w400-h300/DSC01082.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The minivan was a good car. It survived a couple of small accidents. One happened on our short drive to violin lessons where we were smashed into by a grumpy nun. Hit us right in the brain! (A magnet gifted to us by my brain-mapping brother.) I had to keep my kids occupied on the sidewalk for a long time before the poor car got picked up. They spent much of that time saying over and over, "The tire is flat! Our car is leaking! The tire is flat! Our car is leaking!" I was mostly alarmed to learn that inside the bumper was just a lot of Styrofoam.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMVEpqVKk9I-LonPODeWYPSwH19aoFiq880umgq_BV0J6N6GprNVoIyxV0WzFnA664TmT5aUkpd_OSr6uKPEYFOMWXA8Aoa-8CIUbovbTagM91z1FKK_F6w6KTdIfx1bYNxVPI-9XE9al7mUfC94kgr3fWYaFnlj_ImRjODEb8IplG3eoFHA4v-dT/s3648/IMG_0517.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMVEpqVKk9I-LonPODeWYPSwH19aoFiq880umgq_BV0J6N6GprNVoIyxV0WzFnA664TmT5aUkpd_OSr6uKPEYFOMWXA8Aoa-8CIUbovbTagM91z1FKK_F6w6KTdIfx1bYNxVPI-9XE9al7mUfC94kgr3fWYaFnlj_ImRjODEb8IplG3eoFHA4v-dT/w400-h300/IMG_0517.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>In all these years the minivan only left us stranded twice that I can recall. Once near Chicago on our way back from the cottage, and once in Michigan on our way to the cottage. We took that minivan on Mold-A-Rama adventures as far away as Knoxville and Florida and San Antonio. It's been back and forth to New York City several times, and all the way to the Badlands and Yellowstone. It's made more trips to and from Michigan and Ohio than I can remember. It's hauled more instruments and children than I can count.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65_oSil7zmjhjE_Ggwmlfhuin9PA1OwIPm2paveIgL73Cj1cxEKtBByONiYDyqmXUaQrbUx2CyjZlVgU2JWxg9CYWEbu_vMYihfsRWxuQqurLMYlI_lX8wpYdkkFXE-3QkUd3hbcUTSNrW3Ke04Si29L7zI50bKKgnwyluplW9i2v2iaNFCj6w4la/s4096/IMG_20210712_103235878_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65_oSil7zmjhjE_Ggwmlfhuin9PA1OwIPm2paveIgL73Cj1cxEKtBByONiYDyqmXUaQrbUx2CyjZlVgU2JWxg9CYWEbu_vMYihfsRWxuQqurLMYlI_lX8wpYdkkFXE-3QkUd3hbcUTSNrW3Ke04Si29L7zI50bKKgnwyluplW9i2v2iaNFCj6w4la/w300-h400/IMG_20210712_103235878_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a> <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOU7C1cOD0lonMic9t8cwHoCh95hhs4VE7bYxpUtqw8kAn6-mjbnqBpxOlrbcDjwpzF6Z35gRDsuKi1LU2632yZ6T9Lh7THfQkEfKpKqwrkQEwBWP310w934rENAvyhSiyQfenojXfhnMygE4cOjlX-qN1fBmG13i3pIJTXzRvISpEqOqrM4-sdRG/s2592/DSC00574.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOU7C1cOD0lonMic9t8cwHoCh95hhs4VE7bYxpUtqw8kAn6-mjbnqBpxOlrbcDjwpzF6Z35gRDsuKi1LU2632yZ6T9Lh7THfQkEfKpKqwrkQEwBWP310w934rENAvyhSiyQfenojXfhnMygE4cOjlX-qN1fBmG13i3pIJTXzRvISpEqOqrM4-sdRG/s320/DSC00574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS2jeV7sNFFD3vgwu2DplYvc_EfBCosKkA51BOrscpaN5zubNYkCNOZmi_LRLGYnijGLrDle0ywcUIy8RKULp-9LGfrNj1_Gu6UBdQLzN-kztraVF8dbNSvHWtlO5-sCorQ95COeQi0hgiFZBwVn8vPEd9ei2TGm19mxqekdMKrCoqWURGmA4lqUd/s1600/IMG_0568.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS2jeV7sNFFD3vgwu2DplYvc_EfBCosKkA51BOrscpaN5zubNYkCNOZmi_LRLGYnijGLrDle0ywcUIy8RKULp-9LGfrNj1_Gu6UBdQLzN-kztraVF8dbNSvHWtlO5-sCorQ95COeQi0hgiFZBwVn8vPEd9ei2TGm19mxqekdMKrCoqWURGmA4lqUd/w300-h400/IMG_0568.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6V_6ZmfrXTiyfN5AImLUeH2Tj7tIBtSTk3qrI3j0dhHQ02avnpSwmHfR5uLAZqx_z16R1XPpPNqGlSIQJW6HztNBdMIJ7cIODUWeojLBfuNf8rfTM6a2CrP7wlY0PWQxcBTjEU37qSto8IkGJPLy1PeAli99jot9NlEcDpbILsfxhVdlLJNEQEWb/w400-h300/IMG_0298.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtI-8PZPUmXvXWLSCkMHOkNs8oFFpJ85Xg-DS0wGFX42yQgALbIcw2liylUM7rULHFIdW01L9XxO5M206C8PIJZBSL_dagJtZNNZA0RJBJDV9RoZlWgHbqxf0rxekihc4BNnczSkFBwg7CNdgk8-ZWW5wYO8IG9kV9DrvdE7PveLaLljJKmzX-p2tf/s3648/IMG_0182.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtI-8PZPUmXvXWLSCkMHOkNs8oFFpJ85Xg-DS0wGFX42yQgALbIcw2liylUM7rULHFIdW01L9XxO5M206C8PIJZBSL_dagJtZNNZA0RJBJDV9RoZlWgHbqxf0rxekihc4BNnczSkFBwg7CNdgk8-ZWW5wYO8IG9kV9DrvdE7PveLaLljJKmzX-p2tf/w400-h300/IMG_0182.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zKS_ZsbFjKILdVHamkVgPgkkpK0CmeunedartSUUaUg2mrCQkGi-IYTtQx-hDC_1ry8s_FB17cBqLY6MECCoImo1kMrrpq9hysjN5U0EkUMGs1MrNcNvbjewZRaJWdodnNAotqFo1WtoKHFxYSnNpDRiC9lfxu5lqdpMuACrtqR7X8V5pADXacaw/w300-h400/IMG_8168.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ9aqMdozOwHzHNGva-eJN9SfYy8rriZuosQctcyIVWC11r1eohJ4XN3vBXc5BpCRx-FbrWCvlQung9EEy7qQtp9aYjXyX5HquFWc1KtVxLUHQKLtq6ebgdPm1zf4zkxaEUkoPRDrfAg-328QV6iQo4JwaWBOyOkNOy_PYnmQzoVratGJAny3Mz1l/s5152/IMG_8351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ9aqMdozOwHzHNGva-eJN9SfYy8rriZuosQctcyIVWC11r1eohJ4XN3vBXc5BpCRx-FbrWCvlQung9EEy7qQtp9aYjXyX5HquFWc1KtVxLUHQKLtq6ebgdPm1zf4zkxaEUkoPRDrfAg-328QV6iQo4JwaWBOyOkNOy_PYnmQzoVratGJAny3Mz1l/w400-h300/IMG_8351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrooHJbNihzfDV0mNdjRSNZzd1hRKEiKe6LmivQagGpdR44RJ34OZYa0coBeXmMZh9jlT_ds7eCsFSJvlWc7wfslxvcci03Ru2c0GA0lIl-Bw1PnEaKsFwmrVrvn92pB8ytix4EIDeEVvJJW39BYh5qpeAEiTUjl1Vv2qZac9sc9Zecxhy5Vk-XY-r/s5152/IMG_8265.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrooHJbNihzfDV0mNdjRSNZzd1hRKEiKe6LmivQagGpdR44RJ34OZYa0coBeXmMZh9jlT_ds7eCsFSJvlWc7wfslxvcci03Ru2c0GA0lIl-Bw1PnEaKsFwmrVrvn92pB8ytix4EIDeEVvJJW39BYh5qpeAEiTUjl1Vv2qZac9sc9Zecxhy5Vk-XY-r/w400-h300/IMG_8265.JPG" width="400" /></a><p>Our kids grew up in that minivan, and we showed them as much of the country as we could with it. And we've developed a tradition of enjoying Christmas morning at home, then driving all day to Detroit for Christmas dinner with my mom. I felt weird about condemning them to Christmas in the car the first time we did it, but it's become one of their favorite things. My kids really like a road trip. We once gave them the choice on our way back from Florida to break up the drive and stay overnight somewhere, or simply go non-stop back to Wisconsin, and they all instantly said, "All the way home!" <br /></p><p>But that poor minivan has been falling apart. The rust holes in the doors put the ones in the old Monte Carlo to shame. The side doors stopped opening from the inside. The heat didn't work anymore, so we started referring to it as our "three season car" with "solar heat," which in Wisconsin where even spring feels like winter half the time, is not great.</p><p>At the same time, the poor Sonata after years of reliable use was also coming to bits. The driver's side mirror cover was a cracked mess, the engine was making weird noises even after an expensive repair, and one day about a month ago one of the back door handles simply came off in my hand. The last straw was driving with Mona in a storm and the windshield wipers stopped working. We slowly and carefully made our way home, but that was one problem too many. I just wanted something reliable, and the 18 and 15 year old cars weren't it.<br /></p><p>So when Ian came across a good deal on a 2017 Nissan Leaf, we went out to try it on my birthday. I had not been sold on the idea of an all electric car, because I wanted the security of still being able to get to Detroit at a moment's notice if my mom needed me, or still doing long road trips, and I liked the idea of that option in any car we had. But the truth is for daily driving to and from work and the grocery store and rehearsals, we don't go very far at all. We could get rid of the minivan and use the Sonata for any distance driving a bit longer. And the Leaf was affordable so I told Ian we should get it.<br /></p><p>The Leaf is adorable! It plugs into the outlet on our deck near the driveway, and we'll never have to buy gas or oil for it. It has a rear camera for backing up, and GPS, heated seats, and a HEATED STEERING WHEEL. I never knew I needed a heating steering wheel, but apparently I do, because it is the best thing on a cold morning. There was nothing this fancy in any of our previous cars, so this is exciting. The Leaf also plays weird little clown music when you turn it on which makes us laugh. It's odd getting used to it being so quiet, and my biggest problem is remembering to shut it off when I get out for an errand, because I don't need a key. As long as the fob is anywhere on me, I can turn the car on. The only issue we had with the Leaf was in the first week it would act weird if we made a brief stop, refusing to start while showing us all the dashboard lights and not playing the clown song. After some internet research, Ian figured out the little battery in the car probably needed to be replaced, so we called the dealer and they installed a new one. With luck, that will be the last thing it needs for a long time.</p><p>We decided to swap out the minivan when we got the Leaf. We wanted to donate it to public radio (good NPR listeners that we tend to be), but they needed you to produce a title on pickup, and we didn't have one. We also didn't want to pay upwards of $150 dollars for one, so we settled on the Kars4Kids charity which didn't require a title, just proof you owned the car. They were beyond efficient! Arrived first thing the next morning and took the minivan away.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaONM85Izrq9eQwFpdaTEoLJMlU35J44KBC3KrDJqm6t7aPvl4OblN6Af_E_irnXWRcsWPPLPjfJdtNP1Fw6dBN99L_UGjYNFF2d9WNa2V2cEBvb41tgX5xB6IidW8nhBf2eZsF8EpGAQiRRfInBeUMQQAZpCamcVDsd-VeBYkjOhLzvYp5fa2szMt/s4096/IMG_20230315_180600554.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaONM85Izrq9eQwFpdaTEoLJMlU35J44KBC3KrDJqm6t7aPvl4OblN6Af_E_irnXWRcsWPPLPjfJdtNP1Fw6dBN99L_UGjYNFF2d9WNa2V2cEBvb41tgX5xB6IidW8nhBf2eZsF8EpGAQiRRfInBeUMQQAZpCamcVDsd-VeBYkjOhLzvYp5fa2szMt/s320/IMG_20230315_180600554.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The most amazing thing to me about the story of the minivan is we bought it while I was pregnant with Quinn, and Quinn was the last one to drive it. She parked it across the street from our house after her evening of driving practice with her dad.<p></p><p><br /> </p><p>We decided the next car to replace the crumbling Sonata should be big enough to haul cellos and seat not just our family but guests, and we wanted a hybrid. Since Ian picked the Leaf as the car that satisfied his needs in a car, we decided I could choose the next one, and if we stumbled across a good deal on that particular thing, we would go look at it. No rush. But then I decided a Toyota Highlander Hybrid ticked all the boxes, and I found one in town to test drive the same day that we bought the Leaf.<br /><br />The hybrid has a third row of seats that fold down, so it can hold eight people if we need to, but otherwise it's just got a big trunk. It will be great for trips to the cottage and various road adventures. We found a 2019 one that we could afford and a reasonable amount of miles on it, so we got it. Signed papers for it about eight hours after we signed the papers for the Leaf. Which is crazy. But there we are. No heated steering wheel, but heated seats, sunroof, and fancy settings that will do things like readjust the seats the way you want them when it recognizes your fob in the driver's seat. I can't wait to take a road trip in it!</p><p>We went through the same thing again with contacting Kars4Kids and the next morning the Sonata was gone, too. (And just a side note about donating the cars: I had started to fill out the online form for a donation for public radio and stopped when I got to the part about the title information. Someone from public radio contacted me anyway the next day, I explained I already donated the car without the title, and that I would keep them in mind the next time. The guy should have left it at that, but no, he tried to make me feel bad, and ended with, "Good luck, Sweetheart." Um, no. I hope the call was recorded and someone explains to him how unproductive that was. I'm still a bit annoyed. Kars4Kids may have a jingle worthy of being the national anthem of Hell as portrayed in The Good Place, but they were super efficient, polite, and appreciative. No "Sweetheart" stuff there.)</p><p>We are adjusting to the new cars. We even have a third one, which is an old Prius that was Ian's mom's that he drove back from Oregon a couple of months ago. That's a hybrid that we think of as a car for one of the kids when they should need it. Currently Mona's in charge of driving it to the opposite side of the street every night. </p><p>I will admit to a sense of guilt as a Detroit-born girl that all our current cars are Japanese. But.... <br /></p><p>I love not caring about the prices at the gas stations since we now very rarely go to one. I love the push-button trunk door on the Highlander, and the defrosting side mirrors, and the compass, and the blue-tooth connection to my phone, and the built in GPS, and (you know) working doors with handles!<br /></p><p>I'm sure a lot of this sounds run of the mill, and both our new cars are pre-pandemic, so there's probably even fancier things out there, but for us this is exciting. Mona even said as we were driving the hybrid home and admiring the blind-spot warnings on the mirrors and enjoying the map displaying what street we were on and the direction we were going, that "Cars sure have improved in the past several years!" I told her I remember hearing a review of the latest cars on the radio at one point, and the guy said that really, you can't buy a bad car anymore. They're all excellent and simply competing over small luxuries. </p><p>I think that's true, but it makes me wonder when my kids recount the list of cars from their lifetimes, what about these new cars will seem antiquated and clunky. What will be their dial radio and roll up windows? Hard to know. I just hope whatever adventures they have on wheels are as fun. </p><p>Oh, and both the new cars? Not green. RED. Opposite end of the color wheel. Finally.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdCWYIgsNt6GAtqiZghPKo5F_JPzCqPv_Ze1KuUr_QGvqWk6l3ry4rrLkRSVhhW9rquq_BFIrSYUBw5fIiIkZJXp9AxwK_43qV13A4Ap2SCVhRudjXINWSjXXugmhh-0DSi8dyV6sgrSwZpcOb1RXKJ786uuBVKh7-DSt8S1Xk2MEQmXquRf9CxMX/s4096/IMG_20230314_163819916_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdCWYIgsNt6GAtqiZghPKo5F_JPzCqPv_Ze1KuUr_QGvqWk6l3ry4rrLkRSVhhW9rquq_BFIrSYUBw5fIiIkZJXp9AxwK_43qV13A4Ap2SCVhRudjXINWSjXXugmhh-0DSi8dyV6sgrSwZpcOb1RXKJ786uuBVKh7-DSt8S1Xk2MEQmXquRf9CxMX/s320/IMG_20230314_163819916_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA_v2fzqYjZ2edYQuV-LhrxL4XEZBTw9N2MhiBV-aIDGGDaRCrto4_1YfOriF03PfNVitNt0tD5bXiwU_CRHV_8lVuxqMWZnqBwafVhPC5BpjHhn1becuLfNUlfOE0zNe5mhDLpvBj7Amz2kg1NDooZExCAapxQRDbd3kN3hc8otFt2YyCOUU0gB7/s4096/IMG_20230317_191354390.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA_v2fzqYjZ2edYQuV-LhrxL4XEZBTw9N2MhiBV-aIDGGDaRCrto4_1YfOriF03PfNVitNt0tD5bXiwU_CRHV_8lVuxqMWZnqBwafVhPC5BpjHhn1becuLfNUlfOE0zNe5mhDLpvBj7Amz2kg1NDooZExCAapxQRDbd3kN3hc8otFt2YyCOUU0gB7/w400-h300/IMG_20230317_191354390.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br />Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-29694471666579976362023-02-28T16:22:00.005-06:002023-02-28T16:29:15.367-06:00The Last Student Driver<p>16-year-old Quinn has her driver's permit and has been going out for regular practice in anticipation of her first outing with an official driving instructor. She's our youngest, and our last one to learn how to drive.</p><p>Our oldest still doesn't have a license yet. She got dinged on her test for not turning to look behind her at one point, so she needs to take the test again this summer. Our middle daughter has a license, and I must say it is handy to have another driver in the house. All three kids are good drivers. They don't take risks, they're careful, they
work hard to follow all the rules, and even though they lack experience they are doing well so far.<br /></p><p>But <i>teaching</i> the kids to drive... Nothing quite prepared me for how it would feel to be in a car with one of my kids behind the wheel.</p><p>Which is funny, because I remember distinctly as a teenager feeling I would do a much better job with teaching my own kids one day than my parents were doing with me. I was insulted by how often my mom tapped the phantom brake on the passenger side of the car when I was doing my driving practice. My parents' nervousness felt like an undeserved lack of confidence. Surely I would be more relaxed when it came time for me to teach my children to drive.</p><p>I was so wrong. I am a jumble of nerves when I'm not in control of the car. In fact, I've noticed that there are times if I pay too much attention to how my husband is operating the car it makes me nervous, even though he's an excellent driver and there is nothing to worry about. There's just something disconcerting about paying close enough attention that you feel the slight differences in reaction time and judgement as the car is moving. When I'm in the car instructing the kids, I have to pay attention to every choice and action, and they're invariably a little different from what I would do, and my anxiety level rises.</p><p>I've spent a lot of time with each of my kids in the parking lot of the Chuck E Cheese's near our house. We've been around and around that lot, using the turn signals, stopping at signs, parking in empty spaces. That's all fine. When they move out onto the actual streets, that's when Ian takes over.</p><p>My husband is a really patient and calm driving instructor. He taught my sister-in-law from India how to drive by taking her on long boring roads here in Wisconsin so she could get the hang of everything without the distractions of the streets in New York City. He's good about finding routes for the kids so they can practice all right turns one day, easy left turns the next. If he's nervous at all, he doesn't show it. (Of course, he's lived in a war zone twice, so the bar is different for him.)<br /><br />The best bit of advice I think I've given my kids as drivers is to be predictable. When I drove with Aden and Mona to New York a couple of years ago, Mona did a lot of the driving in both Indiana and Pennsylvania. She started off a little erratic, and I understood her confusion about what to do with people merging onto the freeway near her. I explained that in most cases, it made sense to remember that it was the job of the people merging to adjust to her, not the other way around. If she suddenly slowed down to adjust to them, it disrupted the flow and made things potentially more dangerous. She got the hang of that philosophy in Indiana, which was good, because by the time we hit the winding mountain roads covered with trucks in Pennsylvania, there were some precarious driving moments that she handled very well. My anxiety level was through the roof, but I was still proud of her.</p><p>Other advice I've given them: Start any kind of turns early when traveling at high speeds so they will actually happen at the right time. Use the "two second rule" to keep a safe distance behind the car ahead of you. And something my Uncle Joe told me when he went out driving with me on my permit once was to kind of center your view of the steering wheel down the middle of the road or lane to position the car correctly in that space.</p><p>It's strange adjusting to how some driving techniques have changed since I first learned. For instance, keeping your hands at "ten and two" is no longer considered safe because if the air bag were to deploy it would break your arms. Now kids are taught to keep their hands low, more like "eight and four" which I remember being strictly forbidden when I was in driver's ed. I was a bit alarmed when I realized Mona had been taught it was okay to leave one foot on the brake and the other on the accelerator. I made her learn how to use a single foot for both pedals instead, because riding the brake is bad, and even just lightly tapping it can cause the brake lights to turn on which could cause confusion.</p><p>Thinking back on my own days of learning to drive with my parents, two moments stand out.</p><p>The first is the time I was backing out of our driveway and hit a tree. That sounds dramatic (which is how my mortified self thought of it in the moment), but I really only tapped the tree. The house where I grew up has a shared driveway, and requires some tricky maneuvering. I slowly backed up, not really by using the accelerator but more by letting go of the brake, and bumped our enormous green 1972 Monte Carlo (we used to refer to it as "the limo" it was so long) into the oak next to the house. My dad and I both got out to inspect the tree and found a small fresh gouge mark in it. I felt horrible until my dad pointed out an identical (less fresh) gouge mark a few inches over and said, "I did the same thing last week."</p><p>The second is the time we took a trip out East and I ended up for some reason driving us on the New York Throughway. When you first learn to drive, you are hyper aware of all the rules and speed limits, and all of those things went out the window on the New York Throughway. The average speed people were doing was about 95mph. (Not hyperbole.) My mom was in the front seat with me telling me to slow down, since the speed limit was only 55. My dad (who was from New York) was in the back seat with my brothers telling me to speed up. That was... nerve wracking.</p><p>So far, aside from Mona navigating the PA roads better than I expected, the only memorable driving moment with my kids was when we sent Mona up alone to retrieve her sister from UW Stout, four hours away. There was a crazy bit of texting between Aden and her father about a storm system up there. Aden was worried and kept saying, "It looks bad" and her dad kept checking the radar maps and saying, "It should be fine." Then Aden said there were tornado warnings and they were all in the basement of the dorm. And finally Mona, having arrived, piped up to say, "You all worry too much. I'm here, let me in, I need to use the bathroom,"</p><p>Anyway, so far Quinn is doing well with driving. And I'm sure one day I'll be able to relax a bit with one of my kids behind the wheel. It's just disconcerting when in my mind it's so easy for any of them to be babies again to me, or age seven, or twelve. How did they all get so grown up? It all went so fast.<br /></p><p>This is why I needed a baby-sized dog. And I don't have to worry about her ever wanting the keys to the car.<br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-38941069942073104112023-01-31T22:57:00.142-06:002023-01-31T23:51:20.110-06:00Loss<p>I recently lost everything that was on my laptop.</p><p>I know I should have backed things up properly. I know about the Cloud. I even bought an external drive for storage this summer when I upgraded my machine, but I just never found the time to use it. I don't have a good excuse, but that's not really relevant right now. A small object fell on my keyboard in exactly the wrong way, which required replacing what was inside my computer. My last laptop was already wiped of all information. More than 20 years of notes and writing and projects and memories are gone. It's a lot to get my head around.</p><p>I would have guessed I'd be more physically upset about it. I'm sad, but I haven't cried. I'm also not letting myself think about it too much for fear of being overwhelmed. I'll have moments in the middle of the night where I'll remember some random item (like a recording of my brother's laugh that I used to click on when I need cheering up, notes on various instruments I built, bookmarks to sites I'll never find again...) and I feel that loss.</p><p>But loss is a strange thing. There are many types of it. And our predictions of what it will be like don't always match the reality when it happens.</p><p>The death of my grandparents, the death of my dad... Those are obvious forms of loss that I still feel every day. Not with the kind of crippling intensity that I did when those losses were fresh, but they are still hard. That shouldn't surprise anyone. <br /></p><p>There are other losses, though, where my reactions do surprise me. The other day one of my daughters asked about a situation that caused a schism in my extended family about twenty years ago. As I was describing it, I began choking up. There are people whom I loved dearly that I always expected to be a part of my children's lives who chose not to be, and for reasons I still don't quite understand. People cut me and my family off, and that loss still hurts, even though I try regularly to let it go.</p><p>Sometimes I mourn a bit the losses I see unfolding in front of me that won't really be felt until later. The kids still living at home with us are teenagers, which means they are absorbed in their own private issues, and don't feel any pressing need to spend time with their parents. I'm acutely aware of how the number of days where they live with us are dwindling. They don't realize this time is special, because for them it's all they know. But every evening that goes by where they don't want to talk, or every concert I perform that they don't attend, I wonder if they will regret not being present for when I'm no longer around. But that's true for all of us all the time. If anything terrible happens to anyone in this house tomorrow, I'll wonder why I spent time writing this post tonight rather than be with them. That vague anticipatory sense of loss is something I wish I could dismiss, but I don't know how.</p><p>I often think about a friend of mine who while on a trip far from home found out from her parents that their house had burned down. Everything she had with her in the car was now everything she had period. The concept took my breath away when she told me. My mind went to childhood mementos like my stuffed toy dog Tippy, and fun things from my friends, and photos, and my favorite books and records, and my instruments. But she said it wasn't that bad. There was freedom in being released from objects.</p><p>Losing everything on my laptop was like a virtual house fire. A lot is gone that I wish I still had, but there is an unexpected sense of relief about some of it.<br /></p><p>I tend to cling to a lot of things, both on my computer and in real life, primarily because I don't like losing memories. Small reminders keep things in my mind in a way that keeps them alive. It can look like hoarding, since I still have physical files of notes on my former students' lessons, and research I did in college, and articles from my dad, etc. etc. etc. I feel like as long as things don't pile up to the point where our lives are in danger, it's okay. <br /></p><p>On my laptop, I liked the fact that memory hoarding was so compact, and all of it at my fingertips. I should have protected it better.</p><p>But I've also thought about so-called "death cleaning," and how people will have to deal with all of my stuff one day. I've seen how hard it's been on my husband this past year dealing with his mother's house and all of her belongings. It's got me asking who am I keeping things for? I don't want my kids burdened with old Christmas cards and notes I passed in seventh grade and a pile of Solo/Ensemble medals. Very little of it is of interest to anyone but me, and when I'm gone, it will be meaningless. I can picture poor sentimental Aden tortured by the idea of throwing out things I loved simply because I loved them. She doesn't need that guilt. I figure a few years from now when all the kids have moved away, I can start chipping at the contents of the house and worry about it then.</p><p>It occurred to me there is a role for "death-cleaning" for the contents of my computer as well. I wrote a lot of stories that I didn't ever intend for others to read, but I liked having them. I don't have to worry about them anymore. Maybe it's good that a whole lot of memories have been cut loose and I'm not responsible for them. There was a lot on my laptop that I won't remember having been there, so that loss is mysterious, but not necessarily painful.</p><p>There are projects that I am of mixed mind about. I had this idea about writing a letter to my kids each year on their birthdays, telling them what they were like, sharing stories and thoughts personalized to them. That was hard to keep up with, so although I did print out letters the first few years, I simply had running notes for each of them beyond that, and I always intended to find a quiet weekend at the cottage to buckle down and turn those into more letters. All of those are gone now, and it's kind of okay. That's not looming in the back of my mind as something I need to do anymore. I'll do something simpler one day to replace it. But I don't have to feel guilt that I'm not working on it.</p><p>Sort of like when I told the kids certain things got "lost in the move" when we bought the new house. There are opportunities for things to go sometimes. I'm trying to look at the data loss that way where I can.</p><p>The hard things are the writing projects I'm still interested in. Luckily my latest two novels I was able to retrieve drafts of from friends and family who were test readers and still had digital copies. I don't have to retype hundreds of thousands of words from printouts, so that's good.</p><p>But my sequel to my repair guide is gone. That hurts. Because I don't know if I have the energy to rewrite it.</p><p>Rewriting something that's been lost is a particular kind of pain. When I wrote my first novel, Almost There, I was doing it in a program called AppleWorks that was apparently notorious for not saving things. I would actively stop and save my work every few minutes, only to discover later none of the changes took. I remember losing essentially all of Chapter 10, and being dazed and upset by it, only to have to dive back in at some point and try to write it all again. </p><p>There are few things I find more fun than getting into the flow of a first draft. It's enjoyable to simply write, and let the ideas come, and revel in finding the right words.</p><p>There are few things worse than trying to recapture that. Writing something again has no flow. It's all second guessing, and feeling sure whatever I wrote the first time was better. I'm positive that the new chapter that replaced the lost one from Almost There is superior to the original. That doesn't mean I don't still believe there were particular phrases and sentences that I would have loved to have kept.</p><p>I don't really want to rewrite the repair guide sequel. I liked what I had down. I'm frozen at my keyboard when I try to redo any of it. Maybe that's a project I can let go, then, and not worry about? I haven't decided.</p><p>I also had a collection of emails between me and Ian when he was deployed in Iraq that I had hoped to put together as a memoir, primarily for our kids. That's been a project I've felt guilty for not pursuing for many years. Maybe I can let that go? (Since it was essentially "lost in the fire?")</p><p>Thankfully I did have my photos backed up on an external drive, because my last computer didn't have enough memory for all of them. I've lost photos between July and New Years, and some of those I can probably copy off of Facebook. I don't have the video clip of me and Quinn meeting our new dog for the first time, but ultimately who cares? I have the dog. (Who is curled up at my side and reminds me to live in the present as much as possible. Domino's a good dog, and good for me.)</p><p>Do I wish I hadn't lost everything off my laptop? Of course. But it's also not a bad reminder that nothing lasts. I can't hold onto all of it forever, even if I hadn't lost it. Someone, someday, was going to wipe it all away anyhow.</p><p>Maybe this is a good time to look forward and not back.</p><p>In the meantime, I'm no longer worried about backing up my computer. There's nothing there! And that's sort of freeing.</p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-58183621401275959942022-12-31T16:06:00.001-06:002022-12-31T17:10:26.332-06:00Back To Bed<p>"Back to bed" is a phrase I think evokes the idea of giving up. That things are going so wrong there is no point in going on with the day and simply going back to bed would make more sense so one could reset and start over later. There's been a lot during pandemic days where time and purpose became battered to the point of feeling like we should all just go "back to bed."<br /></p><p>But I never hear it that way. For me, there are few pleasures in life greater than getting to go back to bed.</p><p>When you think you have to get up, or you need do something very early, but then it turns out there's time to crawl back under the covers and steal a little more sleep before your day must begin. I love that.</p><p>I have trouble sleeping many nights, and it's usually not until morning that I find it easier to rest, which never seems fair when I have to get up to keep to some kind of schedule. An alarm going off and interrupting real sleep is an unpleasant way to start the day.<br /></p><p>But between my children growing up, and the pandemic shutting everything down, I don't think I've set my alarm for the morning more than a couple of times in the past three years. Quinn doesn't need me before school unless her bus doesn't show. The pool where I swim only recently re-opened, but as long as I'm in it by 9:00 I can make it to work on time after swimming. (That's one of the perks of running your own business: Setting the hours. My parents' art gallery didn't open until 11:00 because they were not early-risers either, so my 10:30 start time almost seems ambitious.)</p><p>I am not wired to be up before 8:00. I can do it. I did it for decades while raising children and I kept my alarm set for hours that are always still dark, but it's painful. For me, it physically hurts to wake up too early. During the kids' elementary school years I wanted a snow day as much as they ever did. Because sometimes that meant going back to bed!</p><p>Back to bed is the best.<br /></p><p>One of the things I really love about our new dog, Domino, is that she also likes to go back to bed. The first week we had her, I was concerned because she needed to get up very early for a walk, and then wanted to play in the living room when we got inside again. I started resigning myself to returning to a phase similar to when my kids were small and I would have to be someone who would get up and stay up, but no. After the dog was settled into her new home, she started sleeping in, and then when given the option after her first walk of crawling back under the covers? She jumps at it. Domino has a lot of energy, and when she's wound up she wants to bounce and prance and play, but almost any time that I can crawl back in bed, she'll happily join me. She burrows deep under the covers and snuggles up. It's perfect.</p><p>I admire people who can get up early and accomplish a lot before noon. But nobody ever accuses me of not doing enough things, so I don't lament not being an early bird. I do wish I had more opportunity to go back to bed on an average day, though. It's like an unexpected bonus, a surprise gift, a stolen stretch of dazed calm. It's a welcome time-out in a busy day. I've had a few chances to go back to bed over this winter break, and it's made the vacation that much better.<br /></p><p>Looking back on 2022 this New Year's Eve, "back to bed" is a good summary to me. There were parts that were frustrating or disappointing because that's life, but overall? There were more unexpected bonuses and moments of joy than anyone deserves. I got to go to <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/09/venice.html" target="_blank">Venice</a> with my mom. I <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/10/meet-domino.html" target="_blank">got a new dog</a> that loves me. I got to improve our house with a new deck. I got to spend time with my husband and kids. I got to make music. I got to put instruments I made in the hands of people who were excited to play them. I made new friends. I had time with family at the cottage. I put out an <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/12/korinthian-violins-b-c.html" target="_blank">ABC book</a>. My back problem appears to be gone. Stitch Fix finally sent me some <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/08/rethinking-concert-dress.html" target="_blank">decent concert clothes</a>. I feel more calm.<br /></p><p>The pandemic damaged my sense of time in that 2020 was a slow blur, 2021 was disjointed, but 2022 unfolded in a way that felt more welcome and familiar. Like going back to bed.</p><p>I'm looking forward to 2023. I hope you are, too.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-45160839093244101012022-12-01T22:17:00.000-06:002022-12-01T22:17:27.967-06:00Korinthian Violins A B C<p>My new book is out! I mostly made it as a cute little gift to have in my shop, but <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Korinthian-Violins-B-Korinthia-Klein/dp/1733388966/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2Q2FMCO96HM5I&keywords=korinthia+klein&qid=1669953959&s=books&sprefix=korinthia+klein%2Cstripbooks%2C78&sr=1-2" target="_blank">copies are available on Amazon</a> if anyone wants one. (And if you like it, please give it a good review!) It's a tiny paperback for $15.</p><p>For anyone who simply wants to see it, here it is! Enjoy. (And I'll type the text in case it isn't readable in the images.)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHeenodHPqIAW_lkPlayBZDhT9y0NlNhIkNI2B3vgKGcKIaownmchxwaBmjBLtgUKyqk_1kPeT7MXR-PefJ4do_R6qmYEzd-p4oD-wYD2KUsu2z4j5n7aMTirkB-mScFn1pMLaWuTL8zkHv_lC9HF8gQpabELaKaZDKFdpZL_eQYC_tEEOT8NqlPk/s4096/IMG_20221122_124440647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHeenodHPqIAW_lkPlayBZDhT9y0NlNhIkNI2B3vgKGcKIaownmchxwaBmjBLtgUKyqk_1kPeT7MXR-PefJ4do_R6qmYEzd-p4oD-wYD2KUsu2z4j5n7aMTirkB-mScFn1pMLaWuTL8zkHv_lC9HF8gQpabELaKaZDKFdpZL_eQYC_tEEOT8NqlPk/w300-h400/IMG_20221122_124440647.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZybsrMSERGpOTAcqx-gQTEy1BtFNwAED7jukMdZ0E40YA_RYFQRa5WgHyAgMtB_Ah8ns4a51HVHjmBywVeN4w5CpS9p_DHIXsMDiINVXMQDK_07fHF26Z77JNqX1P25UJ0emJ-s8gOkFyHBolDxlhiv244jaxA3DGDN9JEjA5BQzZDxl4SZjuLA0A/s4096/IMG_20221122_124703718%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZybsrMSERGpOTAcqx-gQTEy1BtFNwAED7jukMdZ0E40YA_RYFQRa5WgHyAgMtB_Ah8ns4a51HVHjmBywVeN4w5CpS9p_DHIXsMDiINVXMQDK_07fHF26Z77JNqX1P25UJ0emJ-s8gOkFyHBolDxlhiv244jaxA3DGDN9JEjA5BQzZDxl4SZjuLA0A/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_124703718%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This book is dedicated to Robyn Sullivan and Carol Kraco. Both spent many years contributing their time and talents to make Korinthian Violins the place it is. They have moved on to new adventures and they are missed. We hope this book reminds them of fun days in the shop they helped run for so long.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPA4Qet_J4X11NScFX4ZmjMLhv-ktdC0lyn9twwEK1fU526-D0DzOKwAfB5aLS-auqhf_On7tJgAqxyI5f8CsvmpWb5FOL0LUVvkkawdITnNaQuUGwqPFTQZLSIfw1gAC5lbeDgYUVKPSKhKihsxrWsuQG-5TM7uMvd2gNGsmngeTdzAocvAmRPE6/s4096/IMG_20221122_124827853_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPA4Qet_J4X11NScFX4ZmjMLhv-ktdC0lyn9twwEK1fU526-D0DzOKwAfB5aLS-auqhf_On7tJgAqxyI5f8CsvmpWb5FOL0LUVvkkawdITnNaQuUGwqPFTQZLSIfw1gAC5lbeDgYUVKPSKhKihsxrWsuQG-5TM7uMvd2gNGsmngeTdzAocvAmRPE6/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_124827853_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Welcome to Korinthian Violins! We are a small violin store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, only a couple of blocks from Lake Michigan. We think our shop is special, and we want to show you the reasons why from A to Z. (And if you are reading this in our store, see how many of these things you can spot in real life!)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxUrDoS3RDwvN9n4CwX-xnDqw3kqrB648hlHnOSZavUiVIU0kUsmrWXGsDg7_CpvoeaCy-TvZwUW47rGuardFJ9yI12WgUJb5kr0LUYC8pB__kb5hElgYISeDqmtgtNNKWEDd16wuW3Hx2LFFnDKUaygysJAqeD9G_8I66dltpLRj_gfVK2dlSVRN/s4096/IMG_20221122_124854863%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxUrDoS3RDwvN9n4CwX-xnDqw3kqrB648hlHnOSZavUiVIU0kUsmrWXGsDg7_CpvoeaCy-TvZwUW47rGuardFJ9yI12WgUJb5kr0LUYC8pB__kb5hElgYISeDqmtgtNNKWEDd16wuW3Hx2LFFnDKUaygysJAqeD9G_8I66dltpLRj_gfVK2dlSVRN/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_124854863%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A is for Armadillo. This cute little sculpture has been posing in our store practically since we opened in 2008. He was made by Detroit artist Dick Cruger.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw99i2-qEHsoJeZa2rLuN6h7QWmjgeO8SElm-s_FdZVQqRJ3FS89QrR_pp0rjiBBW6zBnuGeqKOj7fy5vrG4zCmV0ohTWFEgEYwgRA3kJSzjrBUmIknlVsoNU4xPxxbAj_4E4MABTg6li4rSCQQNDi2Q0a28GAsU_87Jb6-gpi8N1tmE87CwY062Kb/s4096/IMG_20221122_124908305_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw99i2-qEHsoJeZa2rLuN6h7QWmjgeO8SElm-s_FdZVQqRJ3FS89QrR_pp0rjiBBW6zBnuGeqKOj7fy5vrG4zCmV0ohTWFEgEYwgRA3kJSzjrBUmIknlVsoNU4xPxxbAj_4E4MABTg6li4rSCQQNDi2Q0a28GAsU_87Jb6-gpi8N1tmE87CwY062Kb/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_124908305_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>B is for Box of Crayons. I liked this broken violin body and found a new way to use it. Sometimes repurposing things makes the world a little more interesting.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UVmyCp0WPHHaTi_HnqBQYHuhVhTeCmhvMjlUAcA5XCnmvpRjOy-INvdGnoWBJBSxuOyU8bLeJLBM0HjcY-0OIWcs6snaa-IYgq6i9HsZIVIQsbs-Ys8h2wtayiETdS5Vd3kDsNB9FE0i5eN0ttMeU27qu9-zKvFmXFw_gBpApxOyo5NoY4Mb9UZi/s4096/IMG_20221122_124926695%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UVmyCp0WPHHaTi_HnqBQYHuhVhTeCmhvMjlUAcA5XCnmvpRjOy-INvdGnoWBJBSxuOyU8bLeJLBM0HjcY-0OIWcs6snaa-IYgq6i9HsZIVIQsbs-Ys8h2wtayiETdS5Vd3kDsNB9FE0i5eN0ttMeU27qu9-zKvFmXFw_gBpApxOyo5NoY4Mb9UZi/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_124926695%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>C is for Clock. This large music clock on the back wall was the first thing I made for our store. Do you know what all the music symbols on it are? (If not, find a musician to ask!)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOa4LoHQr1lcFjMOaEYttMctTeBuE0rimeBG1hDug4w52YbIgsDhhxBgztgyq0uCUQWxGF3Aq2e8lUt86jHl0LZP1ApK-9bgu5WZexlHeRIk2wjjCoLJvaFQNqdd_eB5s5vyL9e239L8iJAfahQebI3dI9-OvIpUsMfDXwbTnbXdQShCkoRowGVvjW/s4096/IMG_20221122_124941671_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOa4LoHQr1lcFjMOaEYttMctTeBuE0rimeBG1hDug4w52YbIgsDhhxBgztgyq0uCUQWxGF3Aq2e8lUt86jHl0LZP1ApK-9bgu5WZexlHeRIk2wjjCoLJvaFQNqdd_eB5s5vyL9e239L8iJAfahQebI3dI9-OvIpUsMfDXwbTnbXdQShCkoRowGVvjW/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_124941671_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>D is for Drum. This drum came from West Africa and used to be in my parents' art gallery in Michigan until my dad passed it on to me for my music store.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVf21pQqjUSP73AkK0zE5kLIjkd16H3KHN3tip5v8qh63XhNigftmEpUi-ckxoPBAXw-oPeTXOJkbPuJ09UPyMbyuqHRe6JZnn3VSUS9qVtp8scNpf_uiBXT2fsiRtxNKuFX2wKQpnfg_twGdBF2R5imzZyS2WY_z3X0IuS2vQRfLXbSZO8HTQbAc/s4096/IMG_20221122_125000631_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVf21pQqjUSP73AkK0zE5kLIjkd16H3KHN3tip5v8qh63XhNigftmEpUi-ckxoPBAXw-oPeTXOJkbPuJ09UPyMbyuqHRe6JZnn3VSUS9qVtp8scNpf_uiBXT2fsiRtxNKuFX2wKQpnfg_twGdBF2R5imzZyS2WY_z3X0IuS2vQRfLXbSZO8HTQbAc/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125000631_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>E is for Escher Lizards. This floor puzzle is based on designs by M. C. Escher. Repeated interlocking patterns like these lizards are called "tessellations."<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91w6LgsGcewrdvsIpGrkJHyT1y8QBZolpD57u2k0epK1NjRmvNAyIjHhdER6EHFVNq-SdtF-4HIg3R3ogWZhKRcaGKjLdxcwpn-qTAgD93t-eHpUy5eIxS3kKCCOQtVA2MRs7lXjSsZ2Rk8ZXpx8S7ZilkQf3MvA8KhyAn3BKhDYmrd-ohKlUqx93/s4096/IMG_20221122_125019210%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91w6LgsGcewrdvsIpGrkJHyT1y8QBZolpD57u2k0epK1NjRmvNAyIjHhdER6EHFVNq-SdtF-4HIg3R3ogWZhKRcaGKjLdxcwpn-qTAgD93t-eHpUy5eIxS3kKCCOQtVA2MRs7lXjSsZ2Rk8ZXpx8S7ZilkQf3MvA8KhyAn3BKhDYmrd-ohKlUqx93/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125019210%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>F is for Fancy Floors. Our building is over 100 years old, and still has the original tiled floors, which I think are beautiful even with the cracks.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4laHjhzD-ugPmjDjxf6Hychm1s2ml3oNnghOX6iqNHYM32aTwmyYbPL6Sw2fEC1zgzMuN7SrtuAuZgjKeAlXxZQIEvBfHbkk7vRCcnyKJ8uOXOemRNklB6252pRcnrw0fhy8_hTStufPBZ8940oPBhMa7xYZbBejSAAyMHS2DUoOsuzW03_BiPjQd/s4096/IMG_20221122_125035851%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4laHjhzD-ugPmjDjxf6Hychm1s2ml3oNnghOX6iqNHYM32aTwmyYbPL6Sw2fEC1zgzMuN7SrtuAuZgjKeAlXxZQIEvBfHbkk7vRCcnyKJ8uOXOemRNklB6252pRcnrw0fhy8_hTStufPBZ8940oPBhMa7xYZbBejSAAyMHS2DUoOsuzW03_BiPjQd/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125035851%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>G is for Gifts. We have lots of fun gifts, many of which were made by me, or people I know.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfdSpr69-V5EbqfazHYqqspGzPOTIv_E4-pInkuDwMTQHxrbVdi8SAttvMV8uDsZ03Ibx3OxBayLo_4iFBvZEMDwJvbCWCO1oizVh8aMnr-Cxj1UcCOBbfyeVc28GJylbFbjj4FQ3prGwwFTIqpHx7pCtSptXlQl7Sk2TGSbk8ghh2Z0mAk7ObtmA/s4096/IMG_20221122_125119928_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfdSpr69-V5EbqfazHYqqspGzPOTIv_E4-pInkuDwMTQHxrbVdi8SAttvMV8uDsZ03Ibx3OxBayLo_4iFBvZEMDwJvbCWCO1oizVh8aMnr-Cxj1UcCOBbfyeVc28GJylbFbjj4FQ3prGwwFTIqpHx7pCtSptXlQl7Sk2TGSbk8ghh2Z0mAk7ObtmA/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125119928_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>H is for Halloween! Korinthian Violins won a neighborhood association award for our Halloween window display in 2020, which included this Cell-O-Lantern.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHAJT4Jjs8fGGvW11vSj2T8P-sSI9VPzfigp57_nW6VfrE8vt3aJ5atehiBOsoNiFwy55IdH75DRsVCEM1aV-XpoJPNUv95kW1Z0IQJ2DNsCX1dJoWK-qzcx85OEkd0l_VHV_BqLJbDSw1ZYdn0kUj7EdhmRBMCkCD_v1pEzmvnrDU80vKYkc1XnT/s4096/IMG_20221122_125141060_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHAJT4Jjs8fGGvW11vSj2T8P-sSI9VPzfigp57_nW6VfrE8vt3aJ5atehiBOsoNiFwy55IdH75DRsVCEM1aV-XpoJPNUv95kW1Z0IQJ2DNsCX1dJoWK-qzcx85OEkd0l_VHV_BqLJbDSw1ZYdn0kUj7EdhmRBMCkCD_v1pEzmvnrDU80vKYkc1XnT/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125141060_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I is for Intersection. Korinthian Violins is at the intersection of Rusk and Delaware Avenues.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96cf-BDl-yZBHXKJDn37MEg1pbZEqjTV28WW5GQEAAOtjxUwoLshfujsd_MMEDYOBJrasXMWm_TNiyACvSjF-01SiH3Ex909LZ9vSiZW6MUJLzoXzeB7rnq46VAzth3n8oJ1FeoeAXaZJ8r1QcE8ZQnoj9By3eHZSER0YlugHUzSgqQM2-jIuCmQo/s4096/IMG_20221122_125216791%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96cf-BDl-yZBHXKJDn37MEg1pbZEqjTV28WW5GQEAAOtjxUwoLshfujsd_MMEDYOBJrasXMWm_TNiyACvSjF-01SiH3Ex909LZ9vSiZW6MUJLzoXzeB7rnq46VAzth3n8oJ1FeoeAXaZJ8r1QcE8ZQnoj9By3eHZSER0YlugHUzSgqQM2-jIuCmQo/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125216791%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>J is for Jar of Tips. Bow tips! Sometimes people put money in the jar, which always makes me laugh since the jar is a joke.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj7Nr4pcTvj7fBS9500ZJ4dVrWGeGHvir7GdVEXYtb1nGNzPL3xDLgFYGNpgKt5XVeUGgm8XR0fjGF-Ck6HqU3vS2PgXvJLLRkgmen_AufiaUZUw5i28ZT60kYWVRWMvnGNM5Z-aIs85McFgv8wTxmAZ_RGVqW2BZ06Uhk9_owuKvoLutZxDmrX0B/s4096/IMG_20221122_125237521_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj7Nr4pcTvj7fBS9500ZJ4dVrWGeGHvir7GdVEXYtb1nGNzPL3xDLgFYGNpgKt5XVeUGgm8XR0fjGF-Ck6HqU3vS2PgXvJLLRkgmen_AufiaUZUw5i28ZT60kYWVRWMvnGNM5Z-aIs85McFgv8wTxmAZ_RGVqW2BZ06Uhk9_owuKvoLutZxDmrX0B/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125237521_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>K is for Korinthia! I love having my own violin store! People are often surprised that it's my name on the window.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5NZpDB7bhCI7dBS795WR8WDCUffBqjdb4g2HuwnI7TFgjJ_Td9BnR7XfW2q-GFg9neskp7p3ROWdCzMh9VvLGDwDgY3eNRcLTlHzroXKC-Jh7EuOkQVq3zESH-d9oF6TSHtkAj_YJdpYfL1s8unIjM4wWUSIfWKY37wsZPze8DC03AbwiGDm2cJh/s4096/IMG_20221122_125309984_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5NZpDB7bhCI7dBS795WR8WDCUffBqjdb4g2HuwnI7TFgjJ_Td9BnR7XfW2q-GFg9neskp7p3ROWdCzMh9VvLGDwDgY3eNRcLTlHzroXKC-Jh7EuOkQVq3zESH-d9oF6TSHtkAj_YJdpYfL1s8unIjM4wWUSIfWKY37wsZPze8DC03AbwiGDm2cJh/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125309984_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>L is for Lamp. We find lots of things to do with broken instruments. This cello lamp can be found in our teaching studio.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ha7TcFzD_QU2SwVoJeO3QmOJGxOrP2gelW59EDtwz-aLfHHwM8_KgqQsYsievk3uj3p3iAe1Fsv1GdyeHTX57-IB-bOzzMzEJT93CuROK-j7tX_6A9Zi5A4dOUEDIZNWccNSrQ8x6snUkvxGuZf4b7MpKgAl6f8qad1HM7emfaIHPgvDgUymQVrp/s4096/IMG_20221122_125329561%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ha7TcFzD_QU2SwVoJeO3QmOJGxOrP2gelW59EDtwz-aLfHHwM8_KgqQsYsievk3uj3p3iAe1Fsv1GdyeHTX57-IB-bOzzMzEJT93CuROK-j7tX_6A9Zi5A4dOUEDIZNWccNSrQ8x6snUkvxGuZf4b7MpKgAl6f8qad1HM7emfaIHPgvDgUymQVrp/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125329561%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>M is for Mold-A-Rama. Our family collects figures from Mold-A-Rama machines around the country. We have our own machine that makes a corythosaurus dinosaur.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoaSMmcYWEk8af2-BQ6Ci5-XeGlWx2Q2VJ2Z0CSzzNbK0o0UhJo6kg9kiv8u3xfDub_ZkpJR42rvf-X7ix8a7ANMjetGM1UTLb8wS10QSZF2sL5E3kfJl_rBD0Q_nSnwIqgNodLqFIDidr2XQzKTFcl04hAOx7s6bv38-2BCtgfwKdUhVZYnbwF4H/s4096/IMG_20221122_125343856_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoaSMmcYWEk8af2-BQ6Ci5-XeGlWx2Q2VJ2Z0CSzzNbK0o0UhJo6kg9kiv8u3xfDub_ZkpJR42rvf-X7ix8a7ANMjetGM1UTLb8wS10QSZF2sL5E3kfJl_rBD0Q_nSnwIqgNodLqFIDidr2XQzKTFcl04hAOx7s6bv38-2BCtgfwKdUhVZYnbwF4H/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125343856_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>N is for Novels. I like to write books! Just because people know you for doing one thing doesn't mean you can't do other things, too.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHXbnr43lWjdTv0WmWICHgjO9_rBgyQ65IDzI42wXvugq-WtfNl1BbbivONMdhoqZAYQeIvrvnRiUClVhAgjZSbT7yyJw7r203PCdWc59hkXRg0kfUmnpkZ6uJyPFujZOJ_eBMVm9baL__bH0Ha1bS8NSkIw3t7eM7ZNHzM9TmDs709FSwpQl5AnK/s4096/IMG_20221122_125410753%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHXbnr43lWjdTv0WmWICHgjO9_rBgyQ65IDzI42wXvugq-WtfNl1BbbivONMdhoqZAYQeIvrvnRiUClVhAgjZSbT7yyJw7r203PCdWc59hkXRg0kfUmnpkZ6uJyPFujZOJ_eBMVm9baL__bH0Ha1bS8NSkIw3t7eM7ZNHzM9TmDs709FSwpQl5AnK/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125410753%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>O is for Open. I like that when the case on our front door is open it means the store is open to visitors.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYbS3MLa-3BFAy5c_CUrXFKjlzy3ee60RwCTJfTAEYPMveU8IhS_JYIfl76n9-44I7lYbFU6x4EKpioi9oVkd4sQDTxRS-fB6DwUDa6XrVc3gHxyBldWC_BH1nEWbgANx8EgaI4sCtM0RHe8Yr0gHnBdBAMhQnOxdJctpiPHyRjjG7qGVqYopLlrR/s4096/IMG_20221122_125429656%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYbS3MLa-3BFAy5c_CUrXFKjlzy3ee60RwCTJfTAEYPMveU8IhS_JYIfl76n9-44I7lYbFU6x4EKpioi9oVkd4sQDTxRS-fB6DwUDa6XrVc3gHxyBldWC_BH1nEWbgANx8EgaI4sCtM0RHe8Yr0gHnBdBAMhQnOxdJctpiPHyRjjG7qGVqYopLlrR/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125429656%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>P is for Peeps Violin. Our family enjoys entering the Peeps art competition at the Racine Art Museum every spring. I have also had on display a Peeps orchestra, and a Peep-A-Rama machine.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX0yO2GcAd8e-mxnbWAI6AzBwW2go7P2p0hyylvr7PBP7pvIGek5FG-tRRiSlWmwibTYusBBz0hm56y8CMAOrWU4zgKhVGvcaspVoB94Y9BFLHw3ENiky5Kw6G-LDNywY5BxViZDYbGGWDfqmMIw1cTfXSRu9j61m37CIGdHONQqrkv8VNppr5La0/s4096/IMG_20221122_125443186_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX0yO2GcAd8e-mxnbWAI6AzBwW2go7P2p0hyylvr7PBP7pvIGek5FG-tRRiSlWmwibTYusBBz0hm56y8CMAOrWU4zgKhVGvcaspVoB94Y9BFLHw3ENiky5Kw6G-LDNywY5BxViZDYbGGWDfqmMIw1cTfXSRu9j61m37CIGdHONQqrkv8VNppr5La0/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125443186_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Q is in Bow-Quet. We find many ways to recycle things at Korinthian Violins, like these broken bows.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3UHgHW5LJHrlfB5a6InBFHZ6bYW98u3NUiRP8j5dX90bxHbrVC5KFwNL5Vlu6iav4LoDs5dcdm-AbJADisvYBFeLdSXqNQPMKviQNEeHl0j7gnA7Qq8wrwqdvvIk0g-648M3SMbV_ophKr4T0cCRiUc_9GQ6crJNRbxY0t6LgWdOEC2WaNM5IHB-/s4096/IMG_20221122_125457114_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3UHgHW5LJHrlfB5a6InBFHZ6bYW98u3NUiRP8j5dX90bxHbrVC5KFwNL5Vlu6iav4LoDs5dcdm-AbJADisvYBFeLdSXqNQPMKviQNEeHl0j7gnA7Qq8wrwqdvvIk0g-648M3SMbV_ophKr4T0cCRiUc_9GQ6crJNRbxY0t6LgWdOEC2WaNM5IHB-/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125457114_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>R is for Rubik's Cube. I love having my very own cubes for my collection! We offer free cube solving at Korinthian Violins.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vMtmcOsdyuvpdYNLKSu2KszH3ra7x_LS5nkd4quIcuUrmiLHlYl95R0617AeYyXrIj91is0Xp3gDqAAa64mOifY8lIHGB36KI1w8KmKcbY_aERFsLlq0r9293Tkfq3uv5jo4A_XxmqtqD7C8iJW6_oB0Gu_-2udjodMQwpyC0Nd0NYgf1FuOQrwa/s4096/IMG_20221122_125510921_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vMtmcOsdyuvpdYNLKSu2KszH3ra7x_LS5nkd4quIcuUrmiLHlYl95R0617AeYyXrIj91is0Xp3gDqAAa64mOifY8lIHGB36KI1w8KmKcbY_aERFsLlq0r9293Tkfq3uv5jo4A_XxmqtqD7C8iJW6_oB0Gu_-2udjodMQwpyC0Nd0NYgf1FuOQrwa/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125510921_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>S is for Sparkle Cello. No, it doesn't play, but it's very pretty, especially in the sunlight inside our front window.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bMTf4PXrcmMA0lxowHx6fUgNyNhlNOsb-qw992vdek9D2kUvZnaRHf91Gg7FC0lwDSEDn-Ko_u8UyVc3Sui3ag3878ivam6OuuMNeQ2lJ_nDlHWVU1YRi9kjTGS8GW7QDhAZPrsLGeuEVVheZAkPMVOJ0TtCPnOw0vE_7rZdD9CFJlsKRixy-8lG/s4096/IMG_20221122_125526378_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bMTf4PXrcmMA0lxowHx6fUgNyNhlNOsb-qw992vdek9D2kUvZnaRHf91Gg7FC0lwDSEDn-Ko_u8UyVc3Sui3ag3878ivam6OuuMNeQ2lJ_nDlHWVU1YRi9kjTGS8GW7QDhAZPrsLGeuEVVheZAkPMVOJ0TtCPnOw0vE_7rZdD9CFJlsKRixy-8lG/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125526378_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>T is for Toy Box. Cellos are fragile, and many got broken when our store used to rent them, so we found some of the broken ones new uses, like this one for toys.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXsx4MwjlGmZMAV8cC7crUl6d6O8BSs8sWuWGrWKFj2DQIhyQ36IWM3uCijGHoo9z8zrDLIv5j35kVkyDfLHaPls5DTE_xoTjNS1E_Ln5i6XA6izjyl0yvxje2DEZVV8kekRARI80JaVuc9nKrD9SNkQ1RyuBx7xsqGg47nrfG4xMxjILkN04omi-/s4096/IMG_20221122_125541867_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXsx4MwjlGmZMAV8cC7crUl6d6O8BSs8sWuWGrWKFj2DQIhyQ36IWM3uCijGHoo9z8zrDLIv5j35kVkyDfLHaPls5DTE_xoTjNS1E_Ln5i6XA6izjyl0yvxje2DEZVV8kekRARI80JaVuc9nKrD9SNkQ1RyuBx7xsqGg47nrfG4xMxjILkN04omi-/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125541867_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>U is for Ukulele. I thought it would be fun to play ukulele during slow days, but our store is very busy, so it just keeps me company on my bench.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWa5BHjr2-J3J8kSzfI1abyet65-y0QLpHfobgTyaD3dD7_i6wjHmINY8R8DMUTuugZKGxYHVuY0JuVpyo7xIUoPXOSAcU89DePsuA_hSNGVWFRe3eMDX7JdmuLb1Kat4Jud4SHD4-5R4Qsw0fyCSroq3tdKphSwSCO6bAkQpLHQJ91Amk4uAp2Fim/s4096/IMG_20221122_125557188_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWa5BHjr2-J3J8kSzfI1abyet65-y0QLpHfobgTyaD3dD7_i6wjHmINY8R8DMUTuugZKGxYHVuY0JuVpyo7xIUoPXOSAcU89DePsuA_hSNGVWFRe3eMDX7JdmuLb1Kat4Jud4SHD4-5R4Qsw0fyCSroq3tdKphSwSCO6bAkQpLHQJ91Amk4uAp2Fim/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125557188_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>V is for Viometer. I use this tool to help measure new players to see what size violin they might need.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nB89iwA3o2-M2PTjM8y-fK5b9if8sCw-6ZdMauqSHyC-nO1CHd6n0e8vnaeZtbtwvkPToag29qzfpHZhJ_WO0H3lK6U-ZNpvqFZCo6SS5kGVH6eVn3q9paaNTN0bh_mCqdBfYYhmv9a3yDlaHJ7TraYgTCbsbgPN1a3YQXF-nYMYa1cIo4j5iXW6/s4096/IMG_20221122_125620369_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nB89iwA3o2-M2PTjM8y-fK5b9if8sCw-6ZdMauqSHyC-nO1CHd6n0e8vnaeZtbtwvkPToag29qzfpHZhJ_WO0H3lK6U-ZNpvqFZCo6SS5kGVH6eVn3q9paaNTN0bh_mCqdBfYYhmv9a3yDlaHJ7TraYgTCbsbgPN1a3YQXF-nYMYa1cIo4j5iXW6/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125620369_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>W is for Walking Sundae. A business in our space once sold walking sundaes and the sign is still on our side window. (That's a treat that looks like a sundae, but is made from less-melty things such as pudding and cake.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwItTFWXH59HhZKs3k4RldCnaff148I3sBDJmnQk6agQ35-UL8IvNtTRoVoGwXTlhyHNprFkH3IZTVy8Uzy53Y7-EYcYdFvXRtIaMEGI7_qn0nsjVw7aU81-C8r4HJ1ZmQseBhqE1WV7RVVL_iY6roEqt_YHtuKr_fptW4Nl_5fKo9znI6WRZtenFm/s4096/IMG_20221122_125639923%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwItTFWXH59HhZKs3k4RldCnaff148I3sBDJmnQk6agQ35-UL8IvNtTRoVoGwXTlhyHNprFkH3IZTVy8Uzy53Y7-EYcYdFvXRtIaMEGI7_qn0nsjVw7aU81-C8r4HJ1ZmQseBhqE1WV7RVVL_iY6roEqt_YHtuKr_fptW4Nl_5fKo9znI6WRZtenFm/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125639923%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>X is for Xylophone. We have a couple of xylophones in our store, but my favorite is this one made from bamboo.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwTRdWYsT-AIbjbg7GPIIC4biiUzz8tmFptF-naviLQNUW21gcJwvMa_Q99HwymxBiI8uYdT3zTdvYZ-7FRl_LBPhg8uWSGlMkguNszGLvm7Q-Y8Sfbu1p85Q1dvswJk-Qt5gD2nreAnl-aW1VuHCeOe9-PJwIxxCdP8VfZkD6oeQu616XtqbAzHe/s4096/IMG_20221122_125654742_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwTRdWYsT-AIbjbg7GPIIC4biiUzz8tmFptF-naviLQNUW21gcJwvMa_Q99HwymxBiI8uYdT3zTdvYZ-7FRl_LBPhg8uWSGlMkguNszGLvm7Q-Y8Sfbu1p85Q1dvswJk-Qt5gD2nreAnl-aW1VuHCeOe9-PJwIxxCdP8VfZkD6oeQu616XtqbAzHe/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125654742_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Y is for Yellow Stand. And its friends! We love having colorful stands for sale, and we put them all in rainbow order in the window every June for Pride.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDpEu-jGXuEatAg4wwqwY_vc6vpzxPutYbYoKUcfm2OT8mnxUhiXdOz-SOBD8i8jY449-GV8Pb9DMepcUwGRN0MsRBFgs-vGpbzcVptauO8gaLWgYL5D0wF-Bhttrj38mnpERepy6SSvzYGPZEfBIUrcIFhF708qqzNRypAjUyOcCLEI-vIevBPu2/s4096/IMG_20221122_125723237_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDpEu-jGXuEatAg4wwqwY_vc6vpzxPutYbYoKUcfm2OT8mnxUhiXdOz-SOBD8i8jY449-GV8Pb9DMepcUwGRN0MsRBFgs-vGpbzcVptauO8gaLWgYL5D0wF-Bhttrj38mnpERepy6SSvzYGPZEfBIUrcIFhF708qqzNRypAjUyOcCLEI-vIevBPu2/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125723237_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Z is for Zebra. Because Z is always for zebra. Our zebra's name is Buzz, and you can hunt for him in a different spot every time you visit. (Searching for a buzz is very common in violin shops.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaITE021V1miVEogkibqmsdfpBPv-B0N8km6gFyjuDcMxhcI0sUFEmWWQfTRVuzbS7HMPskRDGkDrBuPEQ7mCWTsfaMQAvNMMWF3_0xDvvzKVSGj_rWNDyOt5-Nf3zSGgd-Ni9heXqITyWrGBKYGmSs4c8U32LyVad_s2N-1unYgo5FUs4xEhp41C/s4096/IMG_20221122_125737998_HDR%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaITE021V1miVEogkibqmsdfpBPv-B0N8km6gFyjuDcMxhcI0sUFEmWWQfTRVuzbS7HMPskRDGkDrBuPEQ7mCWTsfaMQAvNMMWF3_0xDvvzKVSGj_rWNDyOt5-Nf3zSGgd-Ni9heXqITyWrGBKYGmSs4c8U32LyVad_s2N-1unYgo5FUs4xEhp41C/w400-h300/IMG_20221122_125737998_HDR%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Thank you for spending time with the A B Cs of Korinthian Violins! If you want to know more about our store, please visit us on our website at: korinthianviolins.com. (And much love to my husband, Ian Weisser, for being the other half of Korinthian Violins, and for showing me how to format this book.)<br /><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-17233327044286252712022-11-11T22:39:00.000-06:002022-11-11T22:39:17.035-06:00Halloween 2022<p>There is only one costume to document this year, but it's a doozy. Please take a moment to admire Mona as a Birdhouse:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkR1lomkRJQqnRHUuPscGXBOOlc4CtruV9sk9KR_Cb2IeMhFXRGHUZWnwjrMpcbJchzWetBrAedStSdUfKhOy7Ofd9kkOCdTGUib5huR7ZKVhZkVm0YJalq-gSqKsuMwnqiSnHMrrlNKPhmnMMrAFT7RdHR-YXNheVZwxJbQqUiIY5dDGNQ3kJeRD/s1440/312728679_10227328268690883_331254013621938905_n-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkR1lomkRJQqnRHUuPscGXBOOlc4CtruV9sk9KR_Cb2IeMhFXRGHUZWnwjrMpcbJchzWetBrAedStSdUfKhOy7Ofd9kkOCdTGUib5huR7ZKVhZkVm0YJalq-gSqKsuMwnqiSnHMrrlNKPhmnMMrAFT7RdHR-YXNheVZwxJbQqUiIY5dDGNQ3kJeRD/w300-h400/312728679_10227328268690883_331254013621938905_n-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>I miss making costumes. That stopped abruptly in 2020 (along with most things), but now that Halloween events are back, Mona was inspired to make herself something cool this year. After weeks of holing up in her room with lots of cardboard and paint, she emerged in time for Trick-Or-Treat as a Birdhouse, and I am in awe.</p><p>As were most people. Mona didn't collect candy, but she did walk around the neighborhood with me and our dog dressed as a pumpkin leading the way. She couldn't see well, but she could hear one person after another say, "Oh, how cute, that dog's a pumpkin, and OH MY GOD LOOK AT THAT!!!!" Several people declared the Birdhouse their favorite costume ever.</p><p>Here is Domino the pumpkin:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ia557WS6upVVYNQCnYz9SEt_4pVCh-Ce_fSIiQpNDSp6lYHl_wCzioCQkDWIsOq-TdpVLhPwFygTKSwjBp2Eai4FUeIc5cgChy4SPGAUgzCJggRLqdawtct4K2nwz__LoPO7ENo1Nom4hFRhqXeOUYiSBOGLubU8HSubqvNd8r-n_7DhtuuvZYtw/s1311/313354979_10227310515887074_6017844309939006918_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ia557WS6upVVYNQCnYz9SEt_4pVCh-Ce_fSIiQpNDSp6lYHl_wCzioCQkDWIsOq-TdpVLhPwFygTKSwjBp2Eai4FUeIc5cgChy4SPGAUgzCJggRLqdawtct4K2nwz__LoPO7ENo1Nom4hFRhqXeOUYiSBOGLubU8HSubqvNd8r-n_7DhtuuvZYtw/w330-h400/313354979_10227310515887074_6017844309939006918_n.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>And here are some details from Mona's costume, along with her doing last minute work on it before Trick-Or-Treat. I love the sewing she did on the wing tips. The feet were actually some claw-gloves she found at Target that she modified into shoes.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4HlNpOD-fv4QTJxFQkEkvI0DC6f9IhrLTDWswnzNHHcKockMpOXfqR0D0nck9vCAIa-9uTJIkQJAvPZBfXfQwGpv8p8g9XegUSec3-ptSTIWgCsQwAb6NnDr4bOUbdU_bzETMP1Hyx5WYBky3XcaZOfQX1J4uqnmpXtxrTD9dGiywNMZOuJXWG7p/s2048/315202163_10227401462400680_4804225649608017899_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4HlNpOD-fv4QTJxFQkEkvI0DC6f9IhrLTDWswnzNHHcKockMpOXfqR0D0nck9vCAIa-9uTJIkQJAvPZBfXfQwGpv8p8g9XegUSec3-ptSTIWgCsQwAb6NnDr4bOUbdU_bzETMP1Hyx5WYBky3XcaZOfQX1J4uqnmpXtxrTD9dGiywNMZOuJXWG7p/w300-h400/315202163_10227401462400680_4804225649608017899_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH2SX9mH1_AqZZBw8gCg6XsDTjd0oxNhKLdXJMVMBKyT7wOuEy8BWn_IrvrHy6LEpIk7xQ5EVcIE3EQBKhCD6sv935yvCC75TYAlClA8aPgb0JA_9Hn35ju5jfLiX0Waksq6UYE6YB7rxnXApqqmy6kUESmI6zTpX-WpcPnDivig7eUsH3Gg10FZe/s2048/315174091_10227401462760689_3175589868841235121_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH2SX9mH1_AqZZBw8gCg6XsDTjd0oxNhKLdXJMVMBKyT7wOuEy8BWn_IrvrHy6LEpIk7xQ5EVcIE3EQBKhCD6sv935yvCC75TYAlClA8aPgb0JA_9Hn35ju5jfLiX0Waksq6UYE6YB7rxnXApqqmy6kUESmI6zTpX-WpcPnDivig7eUsH3Gg10FZe/w400-h300/315174091_10227401462760689_3175589868841235121_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdCexL5rdYYNVjzui_0leUUw1jNIhoBiy-sryD3nJiqVyHzDMc0TBxHxlMqcpYvhjh6V95MjYUIuSNxaqBNz8DYwLPQTtRIIbvvlpMypx9ETay8Z8e0tnLZPxYWjL6Zt2w6UB88nkrBwDXLwnLn7-4_UeVrsrlRwYYeWHcUZVXRyHdfvzJ_poCUYf/s2048/315197782_10227401459240601_7732578809822927560_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdCexL5rdYYNVjzui_0leUUw1jNIhoBiy-sryD3nJiqVyHzDMc0TBxHxlMqcpYvhjh6V95MjYUIuSNxaqBNz8DYwLPQTtRIIbvvlpMypx9ETay8Z8e0tnLZPxYWjL6Zt2w6UB88nkrBwDXLwnLn7-4_UeVrsrlRwYYeWHcUZVXRyHdfvzJ_poCUYf/w400-h300/315197782_10227401459240601_7732578809822927560_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH2vf6co82-Kzl-LMgQHZJpeEIxobs1cT5yA21wQAUwNwvqVfx_XBdbkaoy3Raalo-pNny8ETrWN77KyKzuMNjiQdAYjHoMRbxsFKzrU9368E4v-iX_ezb_7TW8SwZqW-erKcU-avgqh8BkRqC55ZiFPWCbzJ-Xr83TC33-lBDMgUWFrKC7mqhyHk/s2048/315277031_10227401463880717_125909386460600042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH2vf6co82-Kzl-LMgQHZJpeEIxobs1cT5yA21wQAUwNwvqVfx_XBdbkaoy3Raalo-pNny8ETrWN77KyKzuMNjiQdAYjHoMRbxsFKzrU9368E4v-iX_ezb_7TW8SwZqW-erKcU-avgqh8BkRqC55ZiFPWCbzJ-Xr83TC33-lBDMgUWFrKC7mqhyHk/w300-h400/315277031_10227401463880717_125909386460600042_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOpXo6Q2Va8IzKkuWZwV5wddFiSGoboByUoPkevxbNC9U9HEP2E0JSPSaQHrH_aduKUp8CebDUrqLsI05NdKy4fegx-g_MJJc-eP-rooAZafvr4VpxLVNebOCV_cRr6_9t6fIsleZ1HkfZtScBysx3tZMjQ7hjTHmoGnFpumSfyfJ6iKQWECRlPZV/s2048/315308580_10227401461120648_5677586286936616758_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOpXo6Q2Va8IzKkuWZwV5wddFiSGoboByUoPkevxbNC9U9HEP2E0JSPSaQHrH_aduKUp8CebDUrqLsI05NdKy4fegx-g_MJJc-eP-rooAZafvr4VpxLVNebOCV_cRr6_9t6fIsleZ1HkfZtScBysx3tZMjQ7hjTHmoGnFpumSfyfJ6iKQWECRlPZV/w300-h400/315308580_10227401461120648_5677586286936616758_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Our area gets a lot of Trick-Or-Treaters, and there's always one neighbor who goes out in his roller skates and juggles in the street to entertain everyone. We had fun meeting up with people on our block that I feel like we haven't seen in forever.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghWus2MVUZnUM41ATj5VokRbPhewDgvpIbGuyckzRWj6xxxPMhxNymZagBP97cpLIS4S_iT2SVotdVOjUDdstKUy5m_hASJ7LzFgnOEQ_2sZ4gqjpaQWP5Xl82yIMRZhDshCgKeQvW69sgzgGEhC1wHDIs-h00kANSbxD9d7dPPKsAcOdp4hb6Bni/s2048/315064292_10227401455600510_117669714563005869_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghWus2MVUZnUM41ATj5VokRbPhewDgvpIbGuyckzRWj6xxxPMhxNymZagBP97cpLIS4S_iT2SVotdVOjUDdstKUy5m_hASJ7LzFgnOEQ_2sZ4gqjpaQWP5Xl82yIMRZhDshCgKeQvW69sgzgGEhC1wHDIs-h00kANSbxD9d7dPPKsAcOdp4hb6Bni/w400-h300/315064292_10227401455600510_117669714563005869_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM-oN7nA-Q_FraJhCdEfCqeEYH2Ig-e3poAYIyC0O9kowOu-TK2JRlX8CsEUa0JMzbgi8Dairk0VWjmEq2TfVrO1UpIQmnR9_JjZw1VCFWznPOGszRjJpf7fNkBWAi1CeNw67oS5FOa5UWlVZfa7yp9Eu5O1150OI3mkb2PlhtrcOvyYqaIuJNDeE/s2048/315349989_10227401454840491_142708286112587844_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM-oN7nA-Q_FraJhCdEfCqeEYH2Ig-e3poAYIyC0O9kowOu-TK2JRlX8CsEUa0JMzbgi8Dairk0VWjmEq2TfVrO1UpIQmnR9_JjZw1VCFWznPOGszRjJpf7fNkBWAi1CeNw67oS5FOa5UWlVZfa7yp9Eu5O1150OI3mkb2PlhtrcOvyYqaIuJNDeE/w400-h300/315349989_10227401454840491_142708286112587844_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWre-2Rzy4MnA2fpyiwbh5czm8ts5BQBY6YwDtQWqdz9-NaLHl-vTxvQ3wqSXwZOrwW4xe7ASxK9NxjL4N4M6MAth3ImHZrwunU2Bpefwm9qp7wuBAVp8w-JJCEkxaG5Htdm5jaVwqvvzQfJUcIW7lsBjgZN-0lySfYG59Y0BUgTZj4gbiVQnOuJ4C/s2048/315162097_10227401456040521_7593130947216089910_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWre-2Rzy4MnA2fpyiwbh5czm8ts5BQBY6YwDtQWqdz9-NaLHl-vTxvQ3wqSXwZOrwW4xe7ASxK9NxjL4N4M6MAth3ImHZrwunU2Bpefwm9qp7wuBAVp8w-JJCEkxaG5Htdm5jaVwqvvzQfJUcIW7lsBjgZN-0lySfYG59Y0BUgTZj4gbiVQnOuJ4C/w300-h400/315162097_10227401456040521_7593130947216089910_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>We then drove over to the violin store, because the street behind it is a spectacular Halloween extravaganza. Many hundreds of people got to admire Mona's costume over there. Apparently in the minute and a half I ducked inside the store to turn on our Cell-O-Lantern in the window, several little princess girls gave Mona a hug.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggXnwAwsQ0fmlT49enctBSyX3ZXPxkjHofQTxiZHk696b71mhibTm3K2CXwauHVl8qTJv-c-i4GNhfnvju8p4ywAway4vkJllXisxlTu_82I5pG8K70pGju6dcCrMzKxFwL03w0Uey-6GEbRx5ks3LsR8paobg5y2_pL3GL4Qpa8p_po1BFvZPuLI/s2048/315033531_10227401454000470_1660469241132128272_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggXnwAwsQ0fmlT49enctBSyX3ZXPxkjHofQTxiZHk696b71mhibTm3K2CXwauHVl8qTJv-c-i4GNhfnvju8p4ywAway4vkJllXisxlTu_82I5pG8K70pGju6dcCrMzKxFwL03w0Uey-6GEbRx5ks3LsR8paobg5y2_pL3GL4Qpa8p_po1BFvZPuLI/w300-h400/315033531_10227401454000470_1660469241132128272_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsqWn78hPx-8cleDZjxWgKNH67F4U0ZWWlcV7qXcsLKyM-TF1SGaxmySJKB6R0qiL18mBKokePUsPgZsnkGfYYegkDuSSFFDs_VmD9kRrU-K0bhxOPFONqSbZ8jo2y3SXlFcTGlzc8y-z-ic4E9jWlaESPHkOpFP9h7yIcW9gwlrgBOLQhbLdz9G-/s2048/315198407_10227401453200450_865568164336034450_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsqWn78hPx-8cleDZjxWgKNH67F4U0ZWWlcV7qXcsLKyM-TF1SGaxmySJKB6R0qiL18mBKokePUsPgZsnkGfYYegkDuSSFFDs_VmD9kRrU-K0bhxOPFONqSbZ8jo2y3SXlFcTGlzc8y-z-ic4E9jWlaESPHkOpFP9h7yIcW9gwlrgBOLQhbLdz9G-/w400-h300/315198407_10227401453200450_865568164336034450_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpV-MQpXzDGOhG3JHkF3b2sEWrgiWFLW2U1xmQ0l3eN74Vh1J-ztwE5uKwHH8rzwoz3HIiHruv6UAzyY3BWQTb32uGVWiwWpAjeKGXkDZ_c0WpB1Ar0O7mxlykxfWrzkwNbVVn5bIFG4oHk9-bLUfmCeW2UPfaUU1pZDu2p2zBas0nm20QapfsdjG/s2048/315293729_10227401452000420_6160618809086887378_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpV-MQpXzDGOhG3JHkF3b2sEWrgiWFLW2U1xmQ0l3eN74Vh1J-ztwE5uKwHH8rzwoz3HIiHruv6UAzyY3BWQTb32uGVWiwWpAjeKGXkDZ_c0WpB1Ar0O7mxlykxfWrzkwNbVVn5bIFG4oHk9-bLUfmCeW2UPfaUU1pZDu2p2zBas0nm20QapfsdjG/w400-h300/315293729_10227401452000420_6160618809086887378_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Bay View really goes all out for Halloween, and after a couple of Covid ruined years everything was up and going again, including the block that does a whole Nightmare Before Christmas decorating event, and the house that raises money for charity that this year chose the movie Beetlejuice for its theme. I don't have many decoration photos, but I will share this inside joke that was my favorite. There is a man in Milwaukee who looks like Wolverine from the X-Men who strides around shirtless (sometimes with a little dog) and he's referred to as the "Milverine." Milverine sightings are always fun. Someone put up a zombie version of the Milverine and it's excellent:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg8muJFPUvdiwX0Ki7vb1x3fOKdiHD2HFwBbTFD-yQnm7cnXtieSKvnn_G0KjcMaEptV9NhZiUne1xl2oSPIr2k4KNHD4ReJ-hZhFlw7Upg_zQGXF1jndqvwayiNWCHHi-grKJbVMnIexmwkobaD3vaQq1dV73-jrv26pz-JKlwsA8xuMY0EbJggR/s960/315202171_10227401418719588_821670643150118180_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg8muJFPUvdiwX0Ki7vb1x3fOKdiHD2HFwBbTFD-yQnm7cnXtieSKvnn_G0KjcMaEptV9NhZiUne1xl2oSPIr2k4KNHD4ReJ-hZhFlw7Upg_zQGXF1jndqvwayiNWCHHi-grKJbVMnIexmwkobaD3vaQq1dV73-jrv26pz-JKlwsA8xuMY0EbJggR/w300-h400/315202171_10227401418719588_821670643150118180_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>I'll take a moment here to note that this fall was one of the prettiest I can remember. Warm and pleasant, beautiful leaves.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RFWY5RD1UIsGh10ZuHM_3ulVRrH3BKjpYx74mRDX1VF9kCnXeKSGPQQAoi91QJzTW-K_WXPQVtJcibMl2vV4haks3l5z_JP9Q5bFW9ZZO6Pa-CHVoQRHNWBw6RwNbf1HKVd-lUkdBKjJBbSeQNU82cj-td6b3VCYDn0A6PiWEWAa5IoOO6u11YtD/s960/314485627_10227401420159624_1169256956741804223_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RFWY5RD1UIsGh10ZuHM_3ulVRrH3BKjpYx74mRDX1VF9kCnXeKSGPQQAoi91QJzTW-K_WXPQVtJcibMl2vV4haks3l5z_JP9Q5bFW9ZZO6Pa-CHVoQRHNWBw6RwNbf1HKVd-lUkdBKjJBbSeQNU82cj-td6b3VCYDn0A6PiWEWAa5IoOO6u11YtD/w300-h400/314485627_10227401420159624_1169256956741804223_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTK42liEwcBV_eq4wYUHryy2krd2C4UAldzDZX17OJDasPrEr2_Z6jJQ9w0bLDIO_owCphEvz7__5yJK2PVSWy94bpAhqrWBRzhHTcN_dIVuM1jYyxZKxSuIAETf8zUs1tYYjorxXNZ0OXv7v960IaQarfZrVCpix2iWN_JDMSGz0YbQlwD6KNLfO/s2048/315108798_10227401466320778_1548113390043598142_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTK42liEwcBV_eq4wYUHryy2krd2C4UAldzDZX17OJDasPrEr2_Z6jJQ9w0bLDIO_owCphEvz7__5yJK2PVSWy94bpAhqrWBRzhHTcN_dIVuM1jYyxZKxSuIAETf8zUs1tYYjorxXNZ0OXv7v960IaQarfZrVCpix2iWN_JDMSGz0YbQlwD6KNLfO/w300-h400/315108798_10227401466320778_1548113390043598142_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOv8z1YxFHG_MhOuDzXNKkMiAPF5lutAa1jwWcUXeLPwG00Codb3LF4px9mbYuVA01whsjxj_uCsxlPvKLpMrCLGhTch5Z16akVIPO9g2xanTrva9jee1JAYBGd7aBn5Gex8DarZAuUrw1TiCw8Ce_VFXrE4oPqx1_s_D0KzUNC282Jgw8hkKppFl/s2048/315167667_10227401466720788_4079284341261499953_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOv8z1YxFHG_MhOuDzXNKkMiAPF5lutAa1jwWcUXeLPwG00Codb3LF4px9mbYuVA01whsjxj_uCsxlPvKLpMrCLGhTch5Z16akVIPO9g2xanTrva9jee1JAYBGd7aBn5Gex8DarZAuUrw1TiCw8Ce_VFXrE4oPqx1_s_D0KzUNC282Jgw8hkKppFl/w300-h400/315167667_10227401466720788_4079284341261499953_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYm_sEq7V_FSOKOPU9aLgm84F_saKcYLCvknBu_gMlYEZpdzsSpRbTQUN3bI6pJ2yNHWW7LAeemVnnw59jTkldE621EeXnDUC5cRzjraL0MYCgAqw-NPlS5OeYQa5cADGIAOKLfWwLedpL3YStHjsqPj2EQ863tmifTQ-rpeJyLWqLx2GbWX03siC/s2048/315204382_10227401467680812_4929322155663575716_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYm_sEq7V_FSOKOPU9aLgm84F_saKcYLCvknBu_gMlYEZpdzsSpRbTQUN3bI6pJ2yNHWW7LAeemVnnw59jTkldE621EeXnDUC5cRzjraL0MYCgAqw-NPlS5OeYQa5cADGIAOKLfWwLedpL3YStHjsqPj2EQ863tmifTQ-rpeJyLWqLx2GbWX03siC/w400-h300/315204382_10227401467680812_4929322155663575716_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6sOLEIrxAvu4ItnwcD7uybtoa7hhIO5GHArrQ1BXxPzsiu-VrFSNVx11F7AGxLFLyiFxzkVe5c0rU-ZmyZwk1xybHvvzpcUDPVtOmH9L72kTW-1j9t3xf-Hj82Levi5RaR52b7nyy5LBo0AAg3kajy1sEPf39erp24jZxsSmhpZKXdmE0oIBHjAa/s2048/315256912_10227401469200850_3750662966219733910_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6sOLEIrxAvu4ItnwcD7uybtoa7hhIO5GHArrQ1BXxPzsiu-VrFSNVx11F7AGxLFLyiFxzkVe5c0rU-ZmyZwk1xybHvvzpcUDPVtOmH9L72kTW-1j9t3xf-Hj82Levi5RaR52b7nyy5LBo0AAg3kajy1sEPf39erp24jZxsSmhpZKXdmE0oIBHjAa/w300-h400/315256912_10227401469200850_3750662966219733910_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wQ6LzynQaaYF2QZtjs5VhjV-_CQLPxM6OE3vmQntNNq8lGtaFfkcRvXAFbuaxsdqRr4TIYeHGFgRR99zJXFnvYKVRR0LB8-HdA1cHPhn7O5SdItEII4ms24Sut6agJGs3Cu84Ad9jS4YNatuvWbfQ-w8LIuiMG9ZDRVD4Gy2hVHVPtAzG_bMCfDP/s2048/315296120_10227401467880817_8415631442363132936_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wQ6LzynQaaYF2QZtjs5VhjV-_CQLPxM6OE3vmQntNNq8lGtaFfkcRvXAFbuaxsdqRr4TIYeHGFgRR99zJXFnvYKVRR0LB8-HdA1cHPhn7O5SdItEII4ms24Sut6agJGs3Cu84Ad9jS4YNatuvWbfQ-w8LIuiMG9ZDRVD4Gy2hVHVPtAzG_bMCfDP/w300-h400/315296120_10227401467880817_8415631442363132936_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm still considering what I want to do with Halloween going forward. I'm pleased Mona still wants to make a costume, but when she moves on to someplace new, all we'll have left is to hand out candy. I have ideas for how to decorate our house that could be exciting, but no real time to do that soon.</p><p>But at least this year we got to experience a truly great costume. Mona's amazing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHpzG0ofPPent6C0-AsoZj9TmJhtvJPtUeCVin0ZKlST3wXT3eCf0IUvCknuze47piQqg_zjqyIGbKVZRS_C5Yk1K8muAhHMNTtHZsyNtHd1PRM5AIhsLiIS6Q0jig-Nr8Uld-T2cy9aaL8bZin1nBx2ieWXLxW7jWMThxFDj8LYGcCk5SZw_O83v/s2048/315120925_10227401459760614_1159578720713743708_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHpzG0ofPPent6C0-AsoZj9TmJhtvJPtUeCVin0ZKlST3wXT3eCf0IUvCknuze47piQqg_zjqyIGbKVZRS_C5Yk1K8muAhHMNTtHZsyNtHd1PRM5AIhsLiIS6Q0jig-Nr8Uld-T2cy9aaL8bZin1nBx2ieWXLxW7jWMThxFDj8LYGcCk5SZw_O83v/w300-h400/315120925_10227401459760614_1159578720713743708_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-74891618534878268342022-10-20T20:42:00.002-05:002022-10-20T22:03:09.561-05:00Meet Domino!<p>It's been about a year and a half since <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2021/04/let-me-tell-you-about-my-dog.html" target="_blank">our dog Chipper died</a>. It's hard to lose a pet. It's also hard to want to replace it too soon, but we were finally ready, and I'd like to introduce our new little dog: Domino!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCTfGFoxxw7RIYmkCgrYTrulr9uU8XRY0SkE_PzMi4kDh-9K9Sz-AvyOlZhnxcKmGqcnnbDXTLis9AJVyJgn43IaDPRT7uCZiOFQ_Ojz7tH99dbxCdyA3d1o8EuQs5UVx0d_CpDTX_gy3hhToB-8fvQHVQT3cthegsRngTZ4EzkRoQXd3fzbmXp6p/s1350/311781366_10227090302941888_2671421446659503911_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCTfGFoxxw7RIYmkCgrYTrulr9uU8XRY0SkE_PzMi4kDh-9K9Sz-AvyOlZhnxcKmGqcnnbDXTLis9AJVyJgn43IaDPRT7uCZiOFQ_Ojz7tH99dbxCdyA3d1o8EuQs5UVx0d_CpDTX_gy3hhToB-8fvQHVQT3cthegsRngTZ4EzkRoQXd3fzbmXp6p/w320-h400/311781366_10227090302941888_2671421446659503911_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>She's some sort of Chihuahua mix, about a year old. She loves everyone. She's unsure about other dogs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSu_DM3pe1YuKSueImCMhajQDju2JPbnikv95h5TnjjwkJ3c0cqhfNXAS1R0j9ePoFMtcqhZo0CYq_tz4ICUXr25iS-KEKFFSxN9-Gwvky0VTnVY5mw-UW3PPQ0HRbMZB7qFT6bn8Q-Y5D9SrGRexmieIRil4MpuA95vUWeBuq4iWMeznDDNo7TOY/s1080/310839874_10227038903096924_1253564971162871093_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSu_DM3pe1YuKSueImCMhajQDju2JPbnikv95h5TnjjwkJ3c0cqhfNXAS1R0j9ePoFMtcqhZo0CYq_tz4ICUXr25iS-KEKFFSxN9-Gwvky0VTnVY5mw-UW3PPQ0HRbMZB7qFT6bn8Q-Y5D9SrGRexmieIRil4MpuA95vUWeBuq4iWMeznDDNo7TOY/w400-h400/310839874_10227038903096924_1253564971162871093_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmRVFJ7W6pzztxeLiJ7JVJNn_j_nWtBehmtKg5soloRjM-cbZRM8eYn6T9vqjfJXpMk6uekWVsI8JER7biZKH211TEoEZ_RyNN2rakMiUiTJ2fFyJzgPmVLS1wYD8fL18kB81QjUz6GbksGry8YrVWiqjZC22XNVw__nuwegQdllSApXtae5AR-Mp/s960/311780738_10227179360568273_1482633287920038822_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmRVFJ7W6pzztxeLiJ7JVJNn_j_nWtBehmtKg5soloRjM-cbZRM8eYn6T9vqjfJXpMk6uekWVsI8JER7biZKH211TEoEZ_RyNN2rakMiUiTJ2fFyJzgPmVLS1wYD8fL18kB81QjUz6GbksGry8YrVWiqjZC22XNVw__nuwegQdllSApXtae5AR-Mp/w300-h400/311780738_10227179360568273_1482633287920038822_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU1HgGMDxa9QmlQStJoA-zlJEp7GJqKjDIvRKdhT6hNhqZkyWRTUNI7pDOohDjHL8wLfwLsHIQav20chsZQ1mRZbY1v_ZmNFfxSOiI5SMg51bvNcb76kVk1WhsMSmpHaps0FBVpG4S9cq5VBneTbhNzC80KQ9qKP2GfhD-V-bUnWjBEDuefMEk_sk/s4096/IMG_20220927_104054557.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU1HgGMDxa9QmlQStJoA-zlJEp7GJqKjDIvRKdhT6hNhqZkyWRTUNI7pDOohDjHL8wLfwLsHIQav20chsZQ1mRZbY1v_ZmNFfxSOiI5SMg51bvNcb76kVk1WhsMSmpHaps0FBVpG4S9cq5VBneTbhNzC80KQ9qKP2GfhD-V-bUnWjBEDuefMEk_sk/w300-h400/IMG_20220927_104054557.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYbtlVs59vBbLWXdShrp-Gb8DwbtopK5yh0qtzdl_BZRSHCvS93BZ4FYg9iEW9bIchWQgPp8MNzxPXIAcdzVTuUW2oG3nNDozHl9kiORc-mVwlAR6ObaEh5Aa3LKcoqT3Ojic-N2FD5vNL4sanERqi3hjzmp_Q0iYOWRI6eASURummg-45TjpkasH/s4096/IMG_20220927_104230948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYbtlVs59vBbLWXdShrp-Gb8DwbtopK5yh0qtzdl_BZRSHCvS93BZ4FYg9iEW9bIchWQgPp8MNzxPXIAcdzVTuUW2oG3nNDozHl9kiORc-mVwlAR6ObaEh5Aa3LKcoqT3Ojic-N2FD5vNL4sanERqi3hjzmp_Q0iYOWRI6eASURummg-45TjpkasH/w400-h300/IMG_20220927_104230948.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The main thing I was hoping for in a new dog was one that could come with me to the violin shop. Chipper didn't like new people, and howled at violin playing, which made him not a good shop dog. So far Domino is doing really well. On nice days we walk to work, she wants about half an hour of time to play fetch when we get there, and she's pretty active before noon checking everything out and needing additional walks. But in the afternoon, she seems content to hang out in her dog bed at the end of my bench. She likes to sleep in the sun when she can. She greets new people and then lies back in her bed when they stop paying attention to her. After the first few days she decided she'd rather nap under my bench by the sandpaper closer to where I sit, which is very dear, so I moved her bed there.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpAHWNrjNU4EcKbwE-zAciyXBvhXCZuV0ZKydFroEY_roRyVgllDP4SYZxijakK3fUWfO02RYqsveiG0AJ862aVFomXmmteawxs_8r_OCfZodwkawbtXbiuVRe_piYgAj6PLlBsGo7kyK7V2Ozg3eiYqYnEQEppuI0Pv-dFlotEA25YP3-kDR7Pnm/s1350/310293689_10226999487711564_1916921611780860386_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpAHWNrjNU4EcKbwE-zAciyXBvhXCZuV0ZKydFroEY_roRyVgllDP4SYZxijakK3fUWfO02RYqsveiG0AJ862aVFomXmmteawxs_8r_OCfZodwkawbtXbiuVRe_piYgAj6PLlBsGo7kyK7V2Ozg3eiYqYnEQEppuI0Pv-dFlotEA25YP3-kDR7Pnm/w320-h400/310293689_10226999487711564_1916921611780860386_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFofbPAeH3L_Ib2OBfpL55EWlQLSKk0-aLX7tnInkgwNRuISx5T_429Vb2EdQ_zd3-qvWS-j1tBauO2TDHJ-YfTntI_k3KDm9zspnxtoPykE7iq7vCSpH567ONuJe5lqX0JkkJuXetHuP0b-P6PCLJTaHQQZAWJIlC_ulKvlria95hTRDe-HgZFF9/s1080/311927804_10227101127292490_5693966200562715208_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFofbPAeH3L_Ib2OBfpL55EWlQLSKk0-aLX7tnInkgwNRuISx5T_429Vb2EdQ_zd3-qvWS-j1tBauO2TDHJ-YfTntI_k3KDm9zspnxtoPykE7iq7vCSpH567ONuJe5lqX0JkkJuXetHuP0b-P6PCLJTaHQQZAWJIlC_ulKvlria95hTRDe-HgZFF9/w400-h300/311927804_10227101127292490_5693966200562715208_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJwGRppRenmZu3dY3YAL2CzR4XCxUrqpyZE0OTBuYvnBUndCsDFifkaZgd-fWvQcmX1akyv5Kytf2TOXQh7taO6CzhwrLI-cooeQHfBLd6ft12NneekOTByZydRq06x1n2fiJZnwzNwNiVIccD_timnmah_RfJE08dlvZ3xLLZN0gHfzt3DAGd_3X/s1350/312323269_10227162948597984_6478043267764030249_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJwGRppRenmZu3dY3YAL2CzR4XCxUrqpyZE0OTBuYvnBUndCsDFifkaZgd-fWvQcmX1akyv5Kytf2TOXQh7taO6CzhwrLI-cooeQHfBLd6ft12NneekOTByZydRq06x1n2fiJZnwzNwNiVIccD_timnmah_RfJE08dlvZ3xLLZN0gHfzt3DAGd_3X/w320-h400/312323269_10227162948597984_6478043267764030249_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Aden was feeling left out of the whole process, worried that the new family member would only think of her as a visitor since she's away at college. But that's sort of the new reality. Aden may be back for a few months at a time here and there, but as much as this will always be her home, it's not where she makes her life now. To help ease those feelings a bit, we took Domino up to campus for a night to give Aden a chance to get to know our new dog. Chipper was definitely her dog. Domino is definitely mine. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVVul8nkle7_F6yTbJyY-AmiDJTXlb7g9ozmcXzxOOC0J1jWmiRIB9ZFkf5QEjtPsUKZgB253qlno4pThjgXRHMMveAnW5b8VSEoCD4YSZfIsH2KDf75hDqJ-aOa4kcUn93mGac0IwEwwKG3MaH3oavAg27ztVf15PeGdoAfHGm06RepFPhMXLULS/s2048/312499855_10227179363848355_482704491874394672_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVVul8nkle7_F6yTbJyY-AmiDJTXlb7g9ozmcXzxOOC0J1jWmiRIB9ZFkf5QEjtPsUKZgB253qlno4pThjgXRHMMveAnW5b8VSEoCD4YSZfIsH2KDf75hDqJ-aOa4kcUn93mGac0IwEwwKG3MaH3oavAg27ztVf15PeGdoAfHGm06RepFPhMXLULS/w300-h400/312499855_10227179363848355_482704491874394672_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JIU_Sgloch8Ohff9zHAxXU0NVDC77NG0-rpG_Qd8wiFHa2IsPt_jnzSN3S8CAW-Ntms6KK5XBrIAIF5aFxwipynbu6pWuH845ApxkUHYW5MEP4z6gXmXHIoi6f9loxM1NIKRZ6jsGCNwd8k7dBFvyd-_okVcKjLhKqxLLmoIxIZkSFNZXJwN-xHq/s2048/312374699_10227179364768378_229728233215662200_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JIU_Sgloch8Ohff9zHAxXU0NVDC77NG0-rpG_Qd8wiFHa2IsPt_jnzSN3S8CAW-Ntms6KK5XBrIAIF5aFxwipynbu6pWuH845ApxkUHYW5MEP4z6gXmXHIoi6f9loxM1NIKRZ6jsGCNwd8k7dBFvyd-_okVcKjLhKqxLLmoIxIZkSFNZXJwN-xHq/w300-h400/312374699_10227179364768378_229728233215662200_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>I've been wanting a new dog for a while now, but my husband understandably didn't want to be tied down like that right away. Having a dog means less freedom in a day to day schedule, and makes lots of travel plans complicated. I was willing to wait for a time when he was agreeable to adjusting our lives like that again, but apparently all it took was for our youngest daughter to say wistfully, "I want a dog." How do you deny the heartfelt request of a child as sweet as Quinn who generally asks for nothing? You don't. Ian agreed we could get a dog, so I started my online search.</p><p>My first concern was about allergies. Most members of our household are allergic to cats, and we made the assumption when we got our last dog (who didn't shed) that such a problem would be true with dogs as well. But both Quinn and Ian thought that a dog that sheds might not be an issue, so I widened my search from non-shedding dogs to simply dogs that looked friendly and weren't too big. </p><p>I've always felt it was important to get rescue dogs when looking to adopt. There are so many dogs that need homes, many of whom will die if they don't find one. One of the things I learned during my dog search was that kill-shelters are the norm down South, so lots of dogs get rescued and driven to the Midwest to foster homes. One of the first dogs I was interested in was up here in Wisconsin, but the adoption paperwork was all through a shelter in Mississippi.</p><p>The hoops to jump through for shelter dogs is no joke! Pages of paperwork wanting detailed information about past pets, current occupants, and a few that wanted to know the "height, length, and <i>weight</i>" of our fence. I'm assuming they were interested in the material that our fence is made of, but "weight" was an odd question. We had to send one shelter photos of our house inside and out, along with pictures of all the people and the general neighborhood. We had to grant permission to our vet to answer questions about our last dog. We needed non-family references with phone numbers and email addresses. We needed to explain our plans for the dog if we died. All of this before we would be granted the opportunity to even meet the dog we were interested in! On one hand I appreciated the care people were taking, but it also seemed like a bit much.</p><p>This meant that the shelter with the fewest hoops was the first place we were able to get into to meet a dog. It was part of an animal hospital in Wheeling IL, and they didn't have any requirements to simply go down and meet Domino. So after school one day, Quinn and I drove down together and spent a little time with the dog.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_ijfLY9uI08znKs_FtE_nTBT4SD7CHNl90Y267EwP5cVB5cCKPQryzhAQGHhum4bog6cEQ8UlJpsIc06kwxPftsWGY0Mwf2Kb_WDfTfdsmJSVYYKbAo7iWl0UgTRG-LZg1ww-FPkV88HUVEh0JckF7c3KRDGkLo6dni9IpEmQwgFD3vIhQiQZeqe/s2048/312498420_10227179362208314_6534925677431070922_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_ijfLY9uI08znKs_FtE_nTBT4SD7CHNl90Y267EwP5cVB5cCKPQryzhAQGHhum4bog6cEQ8UlJpsIc06kwxPftsWGY0Mwf2Kb_WDfTfdsmJSVYYKbAo7iWl0UgTRG-LZg1ww-FPkV88HUVEh0JckF7c3KRDGkLo6dni9IpEmQwgFD3vIhQiQZeqe/s320/312498420_10227179362208314_6534925677431070922_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaF4Z_JP8GvWGUOrkU5JNwX4zzKfTVuMVOZGqqdWC2_9tnj0YM1h0UMjnzVupaV9TwALd9oeUlCREqV5AN3mexS8pCMAu4lUhJjZd_yacfCRZBLkhX8HqtQ7HrydONeIiM1CkrxRuWxVhym0UZq7JJPhxaqNibLMzFLDXpvXlTNBSQ1Vs7uF711H9J/s2048/312379419_10227179361448295_7219080799552440946_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaF4Z_JP8GvWGUOrkU5JNwX4zzKfTVuMVOZGqqdWC2_9tnj0YM1h0UMjnzVupaV9TwALd9oeUlCREqV5AN3mexS8pCMAu4lUhJjZd_yacfCRZBLkhX8HqtQ7HrydONeIiM1CkrxRuWxVhym0UZq7JJPhxaqNibLMzFLDXpvXlTNBSQ1Vs7uF711H9J/s320/312379419_10227179361448295_7219080799552440946_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> <p></p><p>SO CUTE. You already know that from the pictures, but this dog was so cute! And she greeted us like she'd missed us forever and was glad we were back. We played with her in the yard out back. She had an injury to her back right leg, but they said it was likely a sprain and would heal, and they were giving her anti-inflammatory pills for it. She'd been in the shelter for a few months, and said she liked everyone.</p><p>Domino is small (only about 11 pounds) and still kind of a puppy. I never expected to get an even smaller dog than our last one, and not a pup with so much energy, but as Quinn and I were driving home, we both felt that we'd left "our dog" behind. However, I struggled with the idea of adopting the first dog we met. We needed to make a choice that was a better fit for our family as a whole than we did the last time, and to do that it seemed prudent to meet more dogs. The other dog we'd been working on getting an appointment to see was a dog with a deformed front paw named Teddy. I asked Quinn if we should still be trying to meet Teddy, or should we tell the animal hospital we wanted Domino? Quinn simply said, "If you've met perfection, why would you keep looking?"</p><p>So there was that. Our application was approved the next day. We didn't hear back that weekend from the shelter that had Teddy. We went out Sunday to pick up a collar and a tag and a dog bed, etc., and then drove down as a family on Monday after school to pick up Domino.</p><p>It was a rocky first couple of days in terms of house training, but she's now sleeping through the night and giving us clear signals about when she needs to go out. Her leg is still a concern since our vet thinks she might need surgery, but we can deal with that. She gets around fine, we just don't want her to be limited because of any pain.</p><p>It's nice having a dog again.</p><p>One of the things I missed about having a dog was being forced to take walks every day. I like walking, but I don't like doing things with little purpose. I need a reason to walk. I think it's good to be out in all kinds of weather, but I won't choose to walk in the rain if I don't have to, even though it's not bad. Work is only a mile and a half away, but driving gets me there faster, so I budget my time differently if I can do that. Walking the dog to work, however, has a dual function, so I'm happy to do it. Plus at this time of year in particular, the walks are beautiful.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2LYgUyUP5hvV8NVE-MJ9JT54GfNFClqkAKaXGOq9_v8ZWBGbB9lAx_uk2nX-76_HbWBoPUjP5TMac4aVF8ue-Im5CB7gxBqVoHOzkJPTXwooQHv6qhZ47bjgYwFto7XDTizIxRZmUEo2AEM3uhaeX8ctP2ZBEPKT_HaexEv4boD-foPfm9FEuxEw/s1080/311137613_10227162461945818_4037548160283828989_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2LYgUyUP5hvV8NVE-MJ9JT54GfNFClqkAKaXGOq9_v8ZWBGbB9lAx_uk2nX-76_HbWBoPUjP5TMac4aVF8ue-Im5CB7gxBqVoHOzkJPTXwooQHv6qhZ47bjgYwFto7XDTizIxRZmUEo2AEM3uhaeX8ctP2ZBEPKT_HaexEv4boD-foPfm9FEuxEw/s320/311137613_10227162461945818_4037548160283828989_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiGYeK7Gs27QBUP0R_ojVtpUr7YpuCvKyh_PFKyrDBej8EjU_SUfwYx9dLFRDDotp0KJXXwFa0gU4h0Rz2RIhy7dLwB4X7krO-zi5eSyZqC0ntX02i-TQu9ENJUPPH2tJWQH6eeZVmz20jOZSSOOpBV3r97KRszqXh2llinNCt8YcM_zynVCS9fIO/s1350/311875706_10227100301871855_260267703218153277_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiGYeK7Gs27QBUP0R_ojVtpUr7YpuCvKyh_PFKyrDBej8EjU_SUfwYx9dLFRDDotp0KJXXwFa0gU4h0Rz2RIhy7dLwB4X7krO-zi5eSyZqC0ntX02i-TQu9ENJUPPH2tJWQH6eeZVmz20jOZSSOOpBV3r97KRszqXh2llinNCt8YcM_zynVCS9fIO/w320-h400/311875706_10227100301871855_260267703218153277_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijwfrmrnGfwdpHphaRYPeRRPllWcxemdWO4v9R8pSNuBNBx4vqUItId7sGr8uqINh3syCH6Ah-TOFk5n0ZCzyWXyt9uPv9friPh6NI1qsbzr8qXnmsBHW-dLeH7u9FkD80msE2NtCRGYWF798IypcQSsFanZuCHabwUEceB_LpX9MgXJUkMCbPSX0/s1080/312170494_10227164350033019_2990415395468492338_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijwfrmrnGfwdpHphaRYPeRRPllWcxemdWO4v9R8pSNuBNBx4vqUItId7sGr8uqINh3syCH6Ah-TOFk5n0ZCzyWXyt9uPv9friPh6NI1qsbzr8qXnmsBHW-dLeH7u9FkD80msE2NtCRGYWF798IypcQSsFanZuCHabwUEceB_LpX9MgXJUkMCbPSX0/w400-h400/312170494_10227164350033019_2990415395468492338_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8_wboe0Dc0DszPbsdmxuQYUNLlmd3BpZZOo7QgjJ5v8iisGyT8P8I8SlzAiGE6ATdm0mTZ1ipLBMAlS2UF9DBpRGINY_XSn93Y7vpHWJCH_iXx2Dg2J6qy4G8gLSWP8jJ9EGBqLEU318okITyg7cJFJMndzgoAJtT_f8bXOp0FdUsTYUBCYRfBq5/s1080/312416341_10227164320872290_5057611238941154124_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8_wboe0Dc0DszPbsdmxuQYUNLlmd3BpZZOo7QgjJ5v8iisGyT8P8I8SlzAiGE6ATdm0mTZ1ipLBMAlS2UF9DBpRGINY_XSn93Y7vpHWJCH_iXx2Dg2J6qy4G8gLSWP8jJ9EGBqLEU318okITyg7cJFJMndzgoAJtT_f8bXOp0FdUsTYUBCYRfBq5/w400-h300/312416341_10227164320872290_5057611238941154124_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8JzOrjs0JNNB7L8Kle9HyuPiqzsRxcZu-MmIH_-2QFOsbe9X9GCOiTnHPtrMA1VPy7JlVPb28eA9IP_Vrl8WR0BLQuusOSbFbluN3eJ2cQULag5Hl4-pUorFgCigb1bw0B-MrPH5y8FWjpMNwmEHB9ut2XgY5MPeeqHf9Rh8BkeQlsPBJD9MNwe8/s1350/312476199_10227176437415196_6375311712660625012_n-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8JzOrjs0JNNB7L8Kle9HyuPiqzsRxcZu-MmIH_-2QFOsbe9X9GCOiTnHPtrMA1VPy7JlVPb28eA9IP_Vrl8WR0BLQuusOSbFbluN3eJ2cQULag5Hl4-pUorFgCigb1bw0B-MrPH5y8FWjpMNwmEHB9ut2XgY5MPeeqHf9Rh8BkeQlsPBJD9MNwe8/w320-h400/312476199_10227176437415196_6375311712660625012_n-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Walking the dog also makes me feel more connected to our neighborhood. I notice small changes to houses and gardens when I see them every day. Not to mention having a better connection to people. When you walk a dog you tend to come across the same people over and over who are walking theirs, or people on your route who wave from their porches. Everyone smiles when they see Domino. I'm reminded a bit of when I used to take walks with my babies. The world loves you when you have a baby, and everyone loves a cute dog. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKde1pexlwT4u4GwWpnTZCTyEQn3-_10UQfrHI4p7xl-Ci4D4U7vKKBbVv457FHnQF4BlGw2ygHqgQhY89PNQ-B6PlVfiX-E4ZbyZ6e7vvVc685RRIdhxHyd66SIWJG4ppEvFS9CSbhkkiB-XjWZsxVhmFyEUHq5ULUwgPlAka6paYKKGNVl4q52qz/s1080/311022113_10227036956888270_3544677835991596543_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKde1pexlwT4u4GwWpnTZCTyEQn3-_10UQfrHI4p7xl-Ci4D4U7vKKBbVv457FHnQF4BlGw2ygHqgQhY89PNQ-B6PlVfiX-E4ZbyZ6e7vvVc685RRIdhxHyd66SIWJG4ppEvFS9CSbhkkiB-XjWZsxVhmFyEUHq5ULUwgPlAka6paYKKGNVl4q52qz/w400-h400/311022113_10227036956888270_3544677835991596543_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ca5b0hEH5BBKSjB6fRW_e0Qzw2EN3O-g5kHO3ibGJAOHaXJ2biL_bRX6p6X1ov2ZpSM_Fu75eFN7MCz6Cd2hRsM8W_TxNuMLfqFGDjYiSnjtHwQIPv1oj0RXxfKizHWBIR-vSidM5aAnZaFW73cRxSjbl7MQx_gnCe-hIo0O3WgZIkeMILArB5az/s1350/311071853_10227162464025870_19575549679757441_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ca5b0hEH5BBKSjB6fRW_e0Qzw2EN3O-g5kHO3ibGJAOHaXJ2biL_bRX6p6X1ov2ZpSM_Fu75eFN7MCz6Cd2hRsM8W_TxNuMLfqFGDjYiSnjtHwQIPv1oj0RXxfKizHWBIR-vSidM5aAnZaFW73cRxSjbl7MQx_gnCe-hIo0O3WgZIkeMILArB5az/w320-h400/311071853_10227162464025870_19575549679757441_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjYs-KPu8eLdqyoOR8CSwjlsCrv4Dle9ZGFeD5aJI4tBL4V38N4kvY4ouoRUrXWby-CVv5Fgl9N9ymOL98r2W09MEGoZoEU--UHc8LV9KE13pptD-OvKnfxqyGrhfnmIwKUZIrBsk2z-V_ZpXfucb71OdNT1UsScJu9r64IRO5a-zdjckbOAvci8U/s1080/312272070_10227148056065680_269981261882104351_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjYs-KPu8eLdqyoOR8CSwjlsCrv4Dle9ZGFeD5aJI4tBL4V38N4kvY4ouoRUrXWby-CVv5Fgl9N9ymOL98r2W09MEGoZoEU--UHc8LV9KE13pptD-OvKnfxqyGrhfnmIwKUZIrBsk2z-V_ZpXfucb71OdNT1UsScJu9r64IRO5a-zdjckbOAvci8U/w400-h400/312272070_10227148056065680_269981261882104351_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The other thing I didn't realize I needed so much was how a dog fills in certain gaps. Dogs are in the moment, so when you stop to pet one, so are you. She forces me to take breaks, mentally and physically. It's very easy for me to work too much, because there is always more to do. But if I'm at the shop and Domino needs a walk, I have to take her out. And it's good. I'll get to the work in a timely manner, but I shouldn't just press forward relentlessly the way I'm prone to do. And in those breaks with the dog, I'm distracted from a lot of the worries of the world that otherwise weigh me down. I think she's good for my blood pressure because she makes me feel it's fine to just be. Plus it's hard to look at her and not be happy.<br /></p><p>We've also reached a point where my children don't need me very often. That's a good thing, and it means I did my job well enough, but other than an occasional ride to school when the bus doesn't show, Quinn doesn't ask for much. She does her own laundry and a lot of the cooking and sometimes she wants to accompany me on errands and sometimes she doesn't. The oldest child is away at college and the middle kid is busy with projects of her own. I apparently missed having someone to care for, because I don't mind the work of being the person in charge of the dog. Plus I selfishly enjoy that she loves being around me. There's an old Erma Bombeck quote about how you need a dog when your kids become teenagers because you need someone to be happy when you come home. I feel that! The dog is just pleased I'm around, and I miss that about little children. And it doesn't hurt that I can scoop Domino up. I miss being able to lift my kids into my arms. A baby-sized dog fills that need just fine.<br /></p><p>As I type this, Domino is nestled under the covers and pressed against my hip. She loves diving into a nice warm bed. She's really funny during her high energy moments when she wants to play, but I most love snuggle-puppy mode. She's fun to curl up with on the couch, and even though I lose track of her at night somewhere at the foot of the bed, I like knowing she's there.</p><p>Domino's a good dog. I love her.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56-EDtrniWV_QYPpfWrOuYU2dShCBuElkk_IlYNQYRBu5mHUQ6SFN61h7TJo3Q8zBwAFD0NkZXDvA-bhypAmCzyol9pi25n5oCPbD7NKziEN1wad6m9hpGZjHx46pgpX7PScfZ78GbEAqgTlJ6aLkFosVI57eH9sPgv1lAg6JKBSrTUjxtSIqppv2/s1350/311160509_10227159305306904_558156786476772068_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56-EDtrniWV_QYPpfWrOuYU2dShCBuElkk_IlYNQYRBu5mHUQ6SFN61h7TJo3Q8zBwAFD0NkZXDvA-bhypAmCzyol9pi25n5oCPbD7NKziEN1wad6m9hpGZjHx46pgpX7PScfZ78GbEAqgTlJ6aLkFosVI57eH9sPgv1lAg6JKBSrTUjxtSIqppv2/w320-h400/311160509_10227159305306904_558156786476772068_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-38997591438280120542022-09-16T22:51:00.001-05:002022-09-17T20:51:23.991-05:00Venice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>Let me tell you about my lovely trip to Venice during the first week of May. <br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhENyAvQyBYNQU07FwanFER62pQBiba-MnNp3qfxrpj8OqIiWztqpCvLs8TOS4Un2KQke6qYcwPDlY7RWLTtlGs68rAmJDUrVphsXK9t_y8XTAviWq4d5FmC8fJCXBMg4B6SZ5ql8izz7xNRlfEzmQwl3ANMA4svr3zzJ1lnOxeUpivcuZBqiLzyFxU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhENyAvQyBYNQU07FwanFER62pQBiba-MnNp3qfxrpj8OqIiWztqpCvLs8TOS4Un2KQke6qYcwPDlY7RWLTtlGs68rAmJDUrVphsXK9t_y8XTAviWq4d5FmC8fJCXBMg4B6SZ5ql8izz7xNRlfEzmQwl3ANMA4svr3zzJ1lnOxeUpivcuZBqiLzyFxU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi472ZeZdSO_Pzy6luope6o2hOnRxp93N6JzmZExieY_diGfRbx0UdhFe0t6-knvG6rw_9VmCnY2n7oATtfJ9y-P0nYS9UCKa80WoWscvpKPD7tEkqdGbSMKAq81O9sCBH8f9-ekrVGPhpxZ7A_l5CRypo71ZoaTBcxWoRjgskPL-H9Pe6NcMLnNToG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi472ZeZdSO_Pzy6luope6o2hOnRxp93N6JzmZExieY_diGfRbx0UdhFe0t6-knvG6rw_9VmCnY2n7oATtfJ9y-P0nYS9UCKa80WoWscvpKPD7tEkqdGbSMKAq81O9sCBH8f9-ekrVGPhpxZ7A_l5CRypo71ZoaTBcxWoRjgskPL-H9Pe6NcMLnNToG=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivn2cdpyMQNt98h8cfYpdV3tiF4AO2W9vco-CtaktQX9_2spCEw8DCEHbeMbguiQX1uJHla5DOo9myjthVl5zzMJZUY9IS_xrrVSAGxtvwbWaggSw0oSuSbexiXmjVSyENh0776MGgRlLYCL_KvivNnrPXqj7sa2gJy-6IITwBDYMrmJw24nbZElou" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhENyAvQyBYNQU07FwanFER62pQBiba-MnNp3qfxrpj8OqIiWztqpCvLs8TOS4Un2KQke6qYcwPDlY7RWLTtlGs68rAmJDUrVphsXK9t_y8XTAviWq4d5FmC8fJCXBMg4B6SZ5ql8izz7xNRlfEzmQwl3ANMA4svr3zzJ1lnOxeUpivcuZBqiLzyFxU=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWSqYhlpJPurL16rP-BVkA25SiI_iW-86yMT6uI18sEm9_vG1_mZNTLabC9w4FcY8ewdAPf_tE2d9Up0LGf4CCT6bOiMicxGB6RZM4u-YC_zfF7pRSzii_jYPBBqePWb51grrQkmoIrtby7XS2XS9L2T4Q6Z7KeQldBwHsXAhkiKvtYGMMn6_He9o/s320/IMG_20220503_072919728_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWSqYhlpJPurL16rP-BVkA25SiI_iW-86yMT6uI18sEm9_vG1_mZNTLabC9w4FcY8ewdAPf_tE2d9Up0LGf4CCT6bOiMicxGB6RZM4u-YC_zfF7pRSzii_jYPBBqePWb51grrQkmoIrtby7XS2XS9L2T4Q6Z7KeQldBwHsXAhkiKvtYGMMn6_He9o/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_072919728_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivn2cdpyMQNt98h8cfYpdV3tiF4AO2W9vco-CtaktQX9_2spCEw8DCEHbeMbguiQX1uJHla5DOo9myjthVl5zzMJZUY9IS_xrrVSAGxtvwbWaggSw0oSuSbexiXmjVSyENh0776MGgRlLYCL_KvivNnrPXqj7sa2gJy-6IITwBDYMrmJw24nbZElou" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivn2cdpyMQNt98h8cfYpdV3tiF4AO2W9vco-CtaktQX9_2spCEw8DCEHbeMbguiQX1uJHla5DOo9myjthVl5zzMJZUY9IS_xrrVSAGxtvwbWaggSw0oSuSbexiXmjVSyENh0776MGgRlLYCL_KvivNnrPXqj7sa2gJy-6IITwBDYMrmJw24nbZElou=w400-h300" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzhzLc1DH1YSgubY_ASuLufnxSsk_nkn1BThPlv-LREikCHBcZdbQbIFfLrF9Gsly_66VAkz0_jPn04d-MdJP2KbETKVlTnCuRxyJijfs1QyAdHGKRNn2Mdc7pChyb1BBB3RqcWoCgjujrfzmGxaCLXlg5zuq9bwuV4uA0b6Gd7AB_f_-79A6pQr0P" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzhzLc1DH1YSgubY_ASuLufnxSsk_nkn1BThPlv-LREikCHBcZdbQbIFfLrF9Gsly_66VAkz0_jPn04d-MdJP2KbETKVlTnCuRxyJijfs1QyAdHGKRNn2Mdc7pChyb1BBB3RqcWoCgjujrfzmGxaCLXlg5zuq9bwuV4uA0b6Gd7AB_f_-79A6pQr0P=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p>Not Venice, Florida, like my first online search for tickets tried to guide me to. VENICE Venice, as in Italy.</p><p>I've been to Venice before. The first time was with my now husband when we were backpacking around Europe after college. That was fun, but involved a youth hostel, and we spent much of that trip dirty and hungry. (We once offered our Venetian Boat Pass--with a clear picture of a boat on it--on a bus to an official checking tickets just outside of Venice, and that guy simply shrugged and punched it anyway.)</p><p>The second time was with my parents and brothers in 1999. That was a much different trip to Italy where we stayed in actual hotels and ate in nice restaurants and showered regularly. (Here's my dad on that trip to Venice. He would have loved this trip. I miss him.) <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4WSqRY0IeyMUhw-IAwdRBhOWMYEgeCVWNShZrgH7lZpYgxkg5DZAxvprxTUksJjmz1UcvRXUu1k9ITAUjScWeCtez0F2IsLgsG0hIoa8sjsrYa8aI3FcGuCAIFc1tf3DBTgIK6NWBF8bj_ciCu3E-s-_tBFmbeJMlnnlM6TVA-Rq9OboBzoV4PIl/s320/IMG_20220509_131834355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4WSqRY0IeyMUhw-IAwdRBhOWMYEgeCVWNShZrgH7lZpYgxkg5DZAxvprxTUksJjmz1UcvRXUu1k9ITAUjScWeCtez0F2IsLgsG0hIoa8sjsrYa8aI3FcGuCAIFc1tf3DBTgIK6NWBF8bj_ciCu3E-s-_tBFmbeJMlnnlM6TVA-Rq9OboBzoV4PIl/w300-h400/IMG_20220509_131834355.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>No matter how you see Venice, though, Venice is beautiful. That's just undeniably true.</p><p>But both those earlier trips were also short, and left an impression that the place was too overrun with tourists to truly enjoy for more than a brief period. It was crowded and seemed geared to take your money more than anything else. If you'd asked me if I planned to return, given other options in Italy to visit, I would have said probably not.</p><p>However, the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra was presented with the opportunity to play in Venice as part of a 2022 mandolin orchestra festival, and how could we not want to go? And this time, not only did I get to spend a full week in the city of canals, but I got to go with my mom, and we stayed in a neighborhood off the beaten path where locals reside, and it made all the difference. This was the first trip to Venice where I couldn't get enough, and fantasized about living there. It was magical.</p><p>This post is overdue since life has been busy, but I still want to remember as many details of my trip as I can before they all slip away, so this will be long, and will likely get tedious for anyone who isn't me. I won't be offended if you simply skip ahead to all the pictures. (Because the best part of any Venice post is always going to be the pictures.)<br /></p><p>My trip started by leaving directly from my varnish workshop in Chicago for Detroit where our flight was going to depart two days later. It seemed silly to drive as far as Chicago, only to turn around and do that part of the drive again the next day on the way to Michigan, so a friend in the workshop staying at my house agreed to take all my instruments and supplies back with her to Milwaukee, and I could hit the road to my mom's house after lunch from Chicago. I was excited about saving some time and getting to Detroit early, but then I managed to get lost on a route that I have driven more times than I can count. Even with a GPS I can do this! (It's a gift.) After a lot of unnecessary driving in Indiana I arrived at my mom's, where there is always an amazing meal waiting, even when I'm late.<br /></p><p>The extra day in Detroit was to accommodate an online Pitch-O-Rama in San Francisco that I was signed up for, to try and find an agent for my new novel. I thought that event would take maybe an hour, and then I could spend the day with my mom. But it was five! That's a lot of time on Zoom telling people over and over again about a book. (I did learn some interesting things, and one agent did want to see the first fifty pages of my book, but turned it down, so that saga continues.)</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKgthRNQb3fmytUyxdbfPO2_BaLw0LaRcP25H_8ML8Qgj4zKAQleBHcLe89V8vaHCcJbwNbo6GZbldtr9EHFz06JJxl64ZAge5c-DXaq-roveQxK2t3aFkk1MVLbzHqi3GjSlhAxypHu4eWwqp6ZenoKXEDcQcz10iyloVlEDnl09_70tXQwzqdpKX" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKgthRNQb3fmytUyxdbfPO2_BaLw0LaRcP25H_8ML8Qgj4zKAQleBHcLe89V8vaHCcJbwNbo6GZbldtr9EHFz06JJxl64ZAge5c-DXaq-roveQxK2t3aFkk1MVLbzHqi3GjSlhAxypHu4eWwqp6ZenoKXEDcQcz10iyloVlEDnl09_70tXQwzqdpKX=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trip starts from the porch in Michigan!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZPfUzIy-YjnjCzp8mC86oDkgOiQFvutzSmuJPmloQ1K2aoSYCP0FyxBz3DBvRGWPRSKvuUAagqoHXS60WeMxqtcmDXmpdHlwdAnxBOqcQSrgocnySOybpj-dDqo53twC-pRT4rPribFxFlM759kFQi4vzU0cMEnBbj5WFaSzGdoNiYSWAmUTBRh2w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZPfUzIy-YjnjCzp8mC86oDkgOiQFvutzSmuJPmloQ1K2aoSYCP0FyxBz3DBvRGWPRSKvuUAagqoHXS60WeMxqtcmDXmpdHlwdAnxBOqcQSrgocnySOybpj-dDqo53twC-pRT4rPribFxFlM759kFQi4vzU0cMEnBbj5WFaSzGdoNiYSWAmUTBRh2w=w240-h320" width="240" /></a>A friend dropped us off at the airport the next morning, and Mom and I had fun with air travel. First leg of the trip was to Toronto, and we enjoyed our snack of pretzel/bretzels on the plane. The snarling mess of delays in Canada was impressive, confusion with Covid vaccination cards and passports, the annoyance of being in masks all day. . . Eventually we found mandolin orchestra friends in a LONG line for our flight to Italy.</p><p></p><p>Mom and I settled into our middle seats in the middle section of an enormous plane where we sat on the runway for over THREE HOURS. We watched the world's most boring movie. (If anyone out there has seen the highly acclaimed "Drive My Car" and can tell me what was good about it, I'd love to know.) Once in the air, we watched things and ate stuff and dozed uncomfortably all the way to Marco Polo Airport in Venice. The long, messy "line" to get our passports checked took forever and was weird. But it was weirdness in Italy, therefore exotic.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1PY9sbw0Fa--WHJmHYF2_Na_3HVTEa7dtEZP0vS5J-yip_s2vVtdteYtnjXxeVcK3LtlaDlQkf5eU4G_ZjUsg4NgYmFnQ8OWmLvMHG0dea8S0C1A0eQtbJ4Tas8U9cKUP59UmoFWBlrzKwjcOOL1oypPgTFDqBYbnAfHPRyqPsL3AY0zH3tzc4MV/s320/IMG_20220502_113459270_HDR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1PY9sbw0Fa--WHJmHYF2_Na_3HVTEa7dtEZP0vS5J-yip_s2vVtdteYtnjXxeVcK3LtlaDlQkf5eU4G_ZjUsg4NgYmFnQ8OWmLvMHG0dea8S0C1A0eQtbJ4Tas8U9cKUP59UmoFWBlrzKwjcOOL1oypPgTFDqBYbnAfHPRyqPsL3AY0zH3tzc4MV/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_113459270_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Next task was to navigate our way to the Airbnb without any helpful language skills. I found a kiosk to buy a boat pass to where my Airbnb host instructed us to go. We managed to get on the right boat, and after maybe twenty minutes ours was the first stop at the Madonna dell'Orto. We carefully GPSed our way through some tiny streets, passed an impressive church, and in a little square our host managed to spot us and lead us the rest of the way to the pretty front door.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-Gz-sdD3LiBZ57g1xQHvLefvptSiqe3XrWj6I5b726jrk56uqDPx0zPOeMCXkdl3yZuovp-cyuAqMto-oQGwv8OocKX3zdl0OlmaFgk1FEM4A8Ecl38E7aGGUvyYuZtr7jkW1k2McclmKi6m7fdocyEwo_Wk1SeTw7Tcw-tSBKN6B7vIuOwdAuCe/s320/IMG_20220502_111934749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-Gz-sdD3LiBZ57g1xQHvLefvptSiqe3XrWj6I5b726jrk56uqDPx0zPOeMCXkdl3yZuovp-cyuAqMto-oQGwv8OocKX3zdl0OlmaFgk1FEM4A8Ecl38E7aGGUvyYuZtr7jkW1k2McclmKi6m7fdocyEwo_Wk1SeTw7Tcw-tSBKN6B7vIuOwdAuCe/w400-h300/IMG_20220502_111934749.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt0OArZYXKyxtjetY59prFmyZUba8dLRh6oTdsPRaIqE4tJDbx3OGD4N9jJ3ApdUg0AuC1NBwgu9bq1yyEbqXifagOfaSiP6qRStjV-zLTeWuTtNAaBUCZNlls5GwMKaYvxLdZ_nMIzIKkngyHWhWiSuwAUdUJqDdyHdBKvHFWylmejzJpy5ZeaNt/s320/IMG_20220502_111846811_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt0OArZYXKyxtjetY59prFmyZUba8dLRh6oTdsPRaIqE4tJDbx3OGD4N9jJ3ApdUg0AuC1NBwgu9bq1yyEbqXifagOfaSiP6qRStjV-zLTeWuTtNAaBUCZNlls5GwMKaYvxLdZ_nMIzIKkngyHWhWiSuwAUdUJqDdyHdBKvHFWylmejzJpy5ZeaNt/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_111846811_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our window<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>Odd details about getting around: Preferred communication (with the host, with water taxi service, etc.) was with WhatsApp, which I don't want, so we had to do that through my mom's phone. My phone only worked where I had wifi. My mom's phone had service everywhere, but Google Maps was a giant confusing mess on it. It took us so many odd directions! And often when we were close to our destination, it would pause, delete the actual map, spin everything so we were no longer sure of our orientation, and leave us with a line of dots to follow like playing Pac Man but without the walls of the maze. Then it would usually tell us we were now at least twice as far from our
destination than we had been seconds before. For one restaurant I wanted to go to, it took us to a dead
end and announced we were there. Thankfully Venice is small and
confusion is traditionally part of its charm.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8rwZ-Smd5xV4FSejSPJKOPoSJwNoK4KDW124LwVbvkWvb5aByZgvhGf7Ygu17qW7Njsd4IsfDvMHtI-zSKgPRE-fz8LpdSgQh1Ic8eLplbKa1zG_W5Q-e0A9WYir2GJYS6JQJaF1TVAzTTkLDestNFemljd-06mcit8wKzgP_sYWoLZe08LmfwRV/s320/IMG_20220503_134940336.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8rwZ-Smd5xV4FSejSPJKOPoSJwNoK4KDW124LwVbvkWvb5aByZgvhGf7Ygu17qW7Njsd4IsfDvMHtI-zSKgPRE-fz8LpdSgQh1Ic8eLplbKa1zG_W5Q-e0A9WYir2GJYS6JQJaF1TVAzTTkLDestNFemljd-06mcit8wKzgP_sYWoLZe08LmfwRV/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_134940336.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Also, if you haven't been to Venice, every path is some kind of street. There are single-file only spaces between buildings that here wouldn't even count as alleys that there are labeled calles and are on the map. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgux3UZbUM1zUbnvPFHWav7O54l3Pr_wTxPbx5xNRCUOnQYbnhHSI6vj7WK1RT5fp1ssRpcuehiIhFD6qAHR2-sK2FpyoAbdLZxtV0YdnnnEBq7GWn5MOfsskTOOvkaisEKWRnncaKDTIz8hkZHlR5aXRLCl3i181pDKp1mi_4139kBowCsWngawI/s320/IMG_20220504_142811424_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgux3UZbUM1zUbnvPFHWav7O54l3Pr_wTxPbx5xNRCUOnQYbnhHSI6vj7WK1RT5fp1ssRpcuehiIhFD6qAHR2-sK2FpyoAbdLZxtV0YdnnnEBq7GWn5MOfsskTOOvkaisEKWRnncaKDTIz8hkZHlR5aXRLCl3i181pDKp1mi_4139kBowCsWngawI/s1600/IMG_20220504_142811424_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MiKeXeLHNF-gav6YAXGQ-7xjFIv0fxum9pzJRInBkktfRtoFaJXm4VTtoTGQkeFSzn7omYv5l6GTnGW-aEa4KPMtaLc6_3YkqtIEWvmjKRtqlu0boeyhfv4e2hVR24C3HLSQrgbLJbxzqR7kszKylqaM2gfFoAFcZ1qvOdFwY3kZMKHqIj_49q9i/s320/IMG_20220504_093502599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MiKeXeLHNF-gav6YAXGQ-7xjFIv0fxum9pzJRInBkktfRtoFaJXm4VTtoTGQkeFSzn7omYv5l6GTnGW-aEa4KPMtaLc6_3YkqtIEWvmjKRtqlu0boeyhfv4e2hVR24C3HLSQrgbLJbxzqR7kszKylqaM2gfFoAFcZ1qvOdFwY3kZMKHqIj_49q9i/s1600/IMG_20220504_093502599.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div> <p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oa1CogCIrkqJ9kAO_4HNdbEXiwUyC_bRte9jduj4sX8704cgUowx8Eh7fDtGcAUhmaRgviYi9uaw0u5hsAV48yfuakcer2Rk5m-luB7gTq3bSqK-jFyxv4V-CoNgm5upeJg2l0PG_XXbLq1-c_5n3rE9ub1XEudsKAHJW3UWz8etcxy_I9KW_yg7/s320/IMG_20220507_170005373_HDR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oa1CogCIrkqJ9kAO_4HNdbEXiwUyC_bRte9jduj4sX8704cgUowx8Eh7fDtGcAUhmaRgviYi9uaw0u5hsAV48yfuakcer2Rk5m-luB7gTq3bSqK-jFyxv4V-CoNgm5upeJg2l0PG_XXbLq1-c_5n3rE9ub1XEudsKAHJW3UWz8etcxy_I9KW_yg7/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_170005373_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a>There are paths that run alongside canals, and there are places with no pedestrian access that are only canals. Many bridges. Everything is on foot or by boat. The city is completely impassable if you cannot walk and do stairs, with the exception of one bridge with a ramp near San Marco's Square in the most heavily touristed stretch of Venice. I wondered a lot about how locals managed if their bodies failed them at some point.</p><p> <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The place we stayed was the best! Interesting combination of old and new, great bathroom, lovely view. . . I just wanted an affordable apartment with two bedrooms in Venice proper, not someplace outside we'd have to commute from every day. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUuufoZqPKfvTMbrAZPlj1yHiDvV40E-OixK9h6fScL_ArRexzB7RXvFJz30mWYHa0LviAHgnqFb_cVw7JbYM1gMAEgOGj1TzXnaC8Hh3rhQ_FcJ7eUSw-cJkQW7oyWc3YVpHdfv7_CnGvmGsrCDwNBSxe6X_TITU-v2oPVRAB6ECwuj6rXPMXpk4/s320/IMG_20220502_141657472.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUuufoZqPKfvTMbrAZPlj1yHiDvV40E-OixK9h6fScL_ArRexzB7RXvFJz30mWYHa0LviAHgnqFb_cVw7JbYM1gMAEgOGj1TzXnaC8Hh3rhQ_FcJ7eUSw-cJkQW7oyWc3YVpHdfv7_CnGvmGsrCDwNBSxe6X_TITU-v2oPVRAB6ECwuj6rXPMXpk4/w400-h300/IMG_20220502_141657472.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our apartment door inside the building<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqWzb3HtZUAGSOW9OOARS5Us4wjB-jKu6Vf-XIVkIb89QWuHu-1UA1vYa65NaubhnV_J5W4OqL3lGJuykbjwClXcbTfPeNc5VbHv6T6N5akAZaOEO_2V92adgnvBL_85WXw4Z-FC-vbx7cCLV4j9AXXjISWoIC7-fn4LLxKk5bIsGOiRGeJqvIIVu/s320/IMG_20220502_141701620.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqWzb3HtZUAGSOW9OOARS5Us4wjB-jKu6Vf-XIVkIb89QWuHu-1UA1vYa65NaubhnV_J5W4OqL3lGJuykbjwClXcbTfPeNc5VbHv6T6N5akAZaOEO_2V92adgnvBL_85WXw4Z-FC-vbx7cCLV4j9AXXjISWoIC7-fn4LLxKk5bIsGOiRGeJqvIIVu/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_141701620.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floors!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqs8qa2QNKcAE5sojQrat8fXi9rxPE3fOzZ1nuq2PeDOxGFxx7MSHiNmRrtrQ3tfEHI3gZC2TE3YOzgYK3GRW9XQEjwg8WRl16ar7JlQjIuLoZCkchlsYKiuxrWBUxN3uS9YyS7zxlIInbdbT12XZLaw_Cl8DHChWJfvd2L7KIF8WbtyealsnZ-i0/s320/IMG_20220502_112014047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqs8qa2QNKcAE5sojQrat8fXi9rxPE3fOzZ1nuq2PeDOxGFxx7MSHiNmRrtrQ3tfEHI3gZC2TE3YOzgYK3GRW9XQEjwg8WRl16ar7JlQjIuLoZCkchlsYKiuxrWBUxN3uS9YyS7zxlIInbdbT12XZLaw_Cl8DHChWJfvd2L7KIF8WbtyealsnZ-i0/s1600/IMG_20220502_112014047.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQleMBZAQ8i7kwXO6I05PMUoH2U5ey7TedIAxksATsC6Se5QQ6Zh0zTvA5ALF48HWUWjF39dVrBPgAtohmWE2h8KJ1BsGwRletCBIl1WQfo4EcxlRtIq2LZ-d2Y7wuJJUwdTl_FCgJFD8gjaO-Ev3FYzU0n6c3VcpfOSBc5Q8fEtjhVghQc6a7O0AE/s4096/IMG_20220502_111923194.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQleMBZAQ8i7kwXO6I05PMUoH2U5ey7TedIAxksATsC6Se5QQ6Zh0zTvA5ALF48HWUWjF39dVrBPgAtohmWE2h8KJ1BsGwRletCBIl1WQfo4EcxlRtIq2LZ-d2Y7wuJJUwdTl_FCgJFD8gjaO-Ev3FYzU0n6c3VcpfOSBc5Q8fEtjhVghQc6a7O0AE/s320/IMG_20220502_111923194.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div>Other than that, I didn't really care where, so we ended up in this lovely old place at the north end of Venice, very close to the Madonna dell'Orto, which was the stunning church we passed when we first got off the boat. It could not have been the more perfect spot. It was far from the crowded tourist areas, and we got to see regular people walking their dogs, going to work, buying groceries, and little kids in soccer uniforms laughing and running. It was originally on the other end of town where we were supposed to be rehearsing and performing, but then that church had to cancel (due to a priest with Covid), and it all switched to the church right next to us! I couldn't believe our luck.<p></p><p>Traveling with my mom was a treat. She sees the world as an artist, and she told me it was fascinating to tour a historic place as a musician would, considering spaces for their acoustics not just their visual attributes, and scheduling events around rehearsals and concerts, factoring instruments into logistics, etc. We saw beautiful things at every turn and ate wonderful food. Couldn't have asked for better company.</p><p>We started our flight from Detroit on Sunday, May 1st, and arrived in Venice early on the 2nd. That whole first day we simply got our bearings, got instructions from our host about the ins and outs of where to put garbage, how to lock to doors, and how to find the lights and the wifi. </p><p>We wandered about and got a sense of how to return home, what restaurants were nearby, what kinds of shops were easily available, etc. We also learned that even though phone booths are becoming rare in the US, they still have them all over Venice. I have no idea why since everyone from everywhere has a cell phone. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrrP81WwqEG-cI-kS6FoZu-17xWRmKLlDzcPeiUnX7F4AK1L9nnFwR1nvxkNinFzySVCM7D3Sq1xxtsV4SLc59buksa5fclo6C_7IxP_6HxJdq5daD8thH8zMzOUHI0QXbSNpPmyg2eVksTaJetAKMb2XGHPvSXcSrYtB_wBldb6DP-hB7ZXcH7ZE/s320/IMG_20220502_114110939_HDR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrrP81WwqEG-cI-kS6FoZu-17xWRmKLlDzcPeiUnX7F4AK1L9nnFwR1nvxkNinFzySVCM7D3Sq1xxtsV4SLc59buksa5fclo6C_7IxP_6HxJdq5daD8thH8zMzOUHI0QXbSNpPmyg2eVksTaJetAKMb2XGHPvSXcSrYtB_wBldb6DP-hB7ZXcH7ZE/s1600/IMG_20220502_114110939_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaZlfu4VxbUZP03UqhKYAm1VnCCjwAUEk5sIrYSgW61aqpezqC_PwQaWCeDWhR0yJV4quIp4DKzbTzou_hmx94qZjYBpxCsQV4pDQKeUwbBaENV2Nwbqp49_JxImezcXIIkab-8ybLG4kuPR_JfuWaqDKU4cW9O8YWhn-_B7f0GGIIetF7Bd3uq9I/s320/IMG_20220507_212216897.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaZlfu4VxbUZP03UqhKYAm1VnCCjwAUEk5sIrYSgW61aqpezqC_PwQaWCeDWhR0yJV4quIp4DKzbTzou_hmx94qZjYBpxCsQV4pDQKeUwbBaENV2Nwbqp49_JxImezcXIIkab-8ybLG4kuPR_JfuWaqDKU4cW9O8YWhn-_B7f0GGIIetF7Bd3uq9I/s16000/IMG_20220507_212216897.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Anyway, day one in Venice we wandered, ate, and just enjoyed the wonder of it all.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibI0uS5bdBmcAdMbk5BryaybJ4-5Wx5RnOZ3Bqdm4DWdO3y_lXsqekmf6ER9XdYGH4Ghu0vCie0NQqCGOVGzUwRJKNtojd5R2Nh5-JQCSpX4E9hrIlvZ-HC84S_L_62aKNaVGlAKYCxEHPBcbAo9hJRuYZSTz9lvEJV3OKsSK54loKUwzlX8ltW3xL/s320/IMG_20220502_121902043_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibI0uS5bdBmcAdMbk5BryaybJ4-5Wx5RnOZ3Bqdm4DWdO3y_lXsqekmf6ER9XdYGH4Ghu0vCie0NQqCGOVGzUwRJKNtojd5R2Nh5-JQCSpX4E9hrIlvZ-HC84S_L_62aKNaVGlAKYCxEHPBcbAo9hJRuYZSTz9lvEJV3OKsSK54loKUwzlX8ltW3xL/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_121902043_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5qrQBmE6RPXWXsQg0homj3AWaJQ5-Pk2I8kLQtVcRlZBW0mnfyepCWT7yImp0qq2J8Hlb9lk1B0a0OL_gMmgCbl6X6uWXxUGboU8Hx4g5RSmLOjvLEHFAMXjg9FvSYoRYIknPUHbdJOalDvOJKH1L-eoKT9ENpS4M2zZfMwISoPAV9zviPg0uD1o/s320/IMG_20220502_133605204_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5qrQBmE6RPXWXsQg0homj3AWaJQ5-Pk2I8kLQtVcRlZBW0mnfyepCWT7yImp0qq2J8Hlb9lk1B0a0OL_gMmgCbl6X6uWXxUGboU8Hx4g5RSmLOjvLEHFAMXjg9FvSYoRYIknPUHbdJOalDvOJKH1L-eoKT9ENpS4M2zZfMwISoPAV9zviPg0uD1o/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_133605204_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWCb5e4Gk8VmJw9qzfkqDLPIIpRcEQCY5WVuKJ-VKjxsCJhHW4ZRJZ_-GNREeU9avx_xX2usPYm27Vl-s1a_eJnmXCcDD-KT7G-IIa9zYmHXVOKokXnQ27-IcoGQFfiIVKKt9YV5aNkwUo_blUNiWq9f35I2Frgb_OmLUmWtgX1SLqINX4pzgZpMa/s320/IMG_20220502_134010364_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWCb5e4Gk8VmJw9qzfkqDLPIIpRcEQCY5WVuKJ-VKjxsCJhHW4ZRJZ_-GNREeU9avx_xX2usPYm27Vl-s1a_eJnmXCcDD-KT7G-IIa9zYmHXVOKokXnQ27-IcoGQFfiIVKKt9YV5aNkwUo_blUNiWq9f35I2Frgb_OmLUmWtgX1SLqINX4pzgZpMa/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_134010364_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNYevBcWa413ITOBaFBAW9bb7_RPtTPKwD_9MkHw2IHS1-A8HYJxmydfOSmcyyKEAqBOfEDdfFCjeqBsr2rpqXPNTkbCnzU-G3IdvpsYkN8hvGwe_nUQPbkS2uOKDHMJ5naoPaa6ZeXHoXhcELy80NpbAl94aO60SCwcZZ7YKN7oR_wDXYqxeFwVZ/s320/IMG_20220502_133528816_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNYevBcWa413ITOBaFBAW9bb7_RPtTPKwD_9MkHw2IHS1-A8HYJxmydfOSmcyyKEAqBOfEDdfFCjeqBsr2rpqXPNTkbCnzU-G3IdvpsYkN8hvGwe_nUQPbkS2uOKDHMJ5naoPaa6ZeXHoXhcELy80NpbAl94aO60SCwcZZ7YKN7oR_wDXYqxeFwVZ/s1600/IMG_20220502_133528816_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQpudGDjrAFk3fgBtRam282ziBn5_TE8kNZC0WqQxDbJp8OGLUEVq1gtljwjbLjvEN7OvTo-iHICGpZt6PaF90LPKYqJCyCDiVkXV9_ZVCtD5unvN4GAF6vob6o0lOOuklvPsnAqr2CKKuyq5-a6rv1BGMaH0SZi7-faZoeVD0at5oX33g4-vGku7/s320/IMG_20220502_133611780_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQpudGDjrAFk3fgBtRam282ziBn5_TE8kNZC0WqQxDbJp8OGLUEVq1gtljwjbLjvEN7OvTo-iHICGpZt6PaF90LPKYqJCyCDiVkXV9_ZVCtD5unvN4GAF6vob6o0lOOuklvPsnAqr2CKKuyq5-a6rv1BGMaH0SZi7-faZoeVD0at5oX33g4-vGku7/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_133611780_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24l36DkwOBy6Zqb1D_JXk7pkSaV78IYZeEDvliqrKRoWAzIgVnIrG-zMA7VEs5XPuoYzAdHuRr7YcI_IYmwWeJRroqEuTp_D1ZwmBZpEjHuQ6eWovATSzz08fGbyfG34RoUZ2D8P09ZXSjfvxl91t_lqNPHDXz6DKagRvRcKb1KUdCXMWMbzAmsX7/s320/IMG_20220502_133846798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24l36DkwOBy6Zqb1D_JXk7pkSaV78IYZeEDvliqrKRoWAzIgVnIrG-zMA7VEs5XPuoYzAdHuRr7YcI_IYmwWeJRroqEuTp_D1ZwmBZpEjHuQ6eWovATSzz08fGbyfG34RoUZ2D8P09ZXSjfvxl91t_lqNPHDXz6DKagRvRcKb1KUdCXMWMbzAmsX7/w300-h400/IMG_20220502_133846798.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvOFBCiYhFONAC9ai-rszfFDaJlFzSsoLzT_Tlk59fDaXxXZS0QHNflEoJ7Z57QE9x6CBjXlbhSVIfWMXM9xGhHQ-foN7AKVC3hebZjnAN8gSuIcGYxxSNoNYc9IPD5hoMYLVvWpHke-WFlAZ8_ciIBi-94gk_2jpgrM9VnrNmsm1c3IoJOWFojxh/s320/IMG_20220503_073134532_HDR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvOFBCiYhFONAC9ai-rszfFDaJlFzSsoLzT_Tlk59fDaXxXZS0QHNflEoJ7Z57QE9x6CBjXlbhSVIfWMXM9xGhHQ-foN7AKVC3hebZjnAN8gSuIcGYxxSNoNYc9IPD5hoMYLVvWpHke-WFlAZ8_ciIBi-94gk_2jpgrM9VnrNmsm1c3IoJOWFojxh/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_073134532_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></div><p>On Tuesday (the 3rd) we wandered about in the early part of the day and visited a lovely print making shop next door to the the former home of Tintoretto. It was a space crowded with books and art and puppets where artists were busy at work, and you could leave a small donation at the door and look around. I wound up buying a print I liked that someday I will get framed here at home.</p><p>(I was quite spoiled growing up that my parents ran an art gallery and would frame things for us regularly! I had to find a new framer once my mom retired but no one will ever be as good.)<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0isLxVO5Bw9uyYLSI5Q9ag4NWuELf1SKYwqVF6DiyTs5MATZOUc0mJ__N9a9tG_RjB1dQY1WksZbdFaO-cBLFWsPJiUD8ll8sPB5PIuKAmZ1cMA9GT77zjfd9S0wf1UmnfkD7FzMmF0Gj3l4KhOq6QJRRweydCTuJ1tM88eFK7bBZ89wv12GVXnY/s320/IMG_20220503_073833166.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0isLxVO5Bw9uyYLSI5Q9ag4NWuELf1SKYwqVF6DiyTs5MATZOUc0mJ__N9a9tG_RjB1dQY1WksZbdFaO-cBLFWsPJiUD8ll8sPB5PIuKAmZ1cMA9GT77zjfd9S0wf1UmnfkD7FzMmF0Gj3l4KhOq6QJRRweydCTuJ1tM88eFK7bBZ89wv12GVXnY/w400-h300/IMG_20220503_073833166.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf46GfVHm44zpftVqq7gNwUeoT-XWoabi-5O3oA4YKB1uLkrI6iEWDH-MsC75NsuJ0GRM31nuGC7jwMEHJZH5MQXowqLzv-aC3MwGF-82cfog8FsrilyZnG_WhCcoUvW-gAdEjDmxYR6ChZzaDNx3WNPY7mrnepzic4fz2RAmI2LlUsJ02d0DvBtO/s320/IMG_20220503_074102977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf46GfVHm44zpftVqq7gNwUeoT-XWoabi-5O3oA4YKB1uLkrI6iEWDH-MsC75NsuJ0GRM31nuGC7jwMEHJZH5MQXowqLzv-aC3MwGF-82cfog8FsrilyZnG_WhCcoUvW-gAdEjDmxYR6ChZzaDNx3WNPY7mrnepzic4fz2RAmI2LlUsJ02d0DvBtO/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_074102977.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the afternoon I finally met up with the mandolin orchestra in the church. What a spectacular venue! Tintoretto paintings on the walls behind us, fabulous floors, high ceilings, and just knowing it was a space where Vivaldi himself once played made all of it thrilling. We did a lot of enjoyable work making adjustments in terms of tempo and balance to ensure our pieces weren't swallowed in all the reverberation of the room. Our esteemed director Rene Izquierdo remarked that it may have been the first time those walls ever housed anything like jazz. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptNwjkSmPhUWukBvxuBoBTuWTNXD-GIsPIAOU90PCDTXARPtMWLlc8B9qFu3zDbpE0Iap65BEfuvYXevADAv5ERzZrqqQ_TWn0xQPwCiu2A1_P3oHgsy9VFjgtZyayZMvg9dOMcDLD1_qmnIEw85-EHIWAeeM4xMLjzvqcptP2wnHD5BPeeTMD40A/s320/IMG_20220503_105305656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptNwjkSmPhUWukBvxuBoBTuWTNXD-GIsPIAOU90PCDTXARPtMWLlc8B9qFu3zDbpE0Iap65BEfuvYXevADAv5ERzZrqqQ_TWn0xQPwCiu2A1_P3oHgsy9VFjgtZyayZMvg9dOMcDLD1_qmnIEw85-EHIWAeeM4xMLjzvqcptP2wnHD5BPeeTMD40A/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_105305656.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LeunJuI3tdG2CZ2e-FmarjDTnFwO6TWTDBBvAlJqP0sRn4aFBDyVevwkQkM7rlTpHYKswpAjG8qwjtF_wkZXpalTPZstrmW6rHBawGV2ZoaM--BK0jlWv6QD6q970ZWFfXNKXa2vyuzj0Q-jl4bqWJPkt1lY55PLYJB3O3MV3heK3UG2rVh9G9-h/s320/IMG_20220503_092811492.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LeunJuI3tdG2CZ2e-FmarjDTnFwO6TWTDBBvAlJqP0sRn4aFBDyVevwkQkM7rlTpHYKswpAjG8qwjtF_wkZXpalTPZstrmW6rHBawGV2ZoaM--BK0jlWv6QD6q970ZWFfXNKXa2vyuzj0Q-jl4bqWJPkt1lY55PLYJB3O3MV3heK3UG2rVh9G9-h/w400-h300/IMG_20220503_092811492.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bteNUq5vBoabCfteJg58AQRNVrogzo9WuSjCoAr17irZS6y2LSAMw4ZzNNI9IAsWxBbdRO4ZVnyCKY5Y3cG_m8eIG3iVPn-Vaqu_eIG0k9_CWqlTjyln6zhLcvYtoTBuvqFzDdYeJvTOYAsWA3KXuU6v-cHu2vy6wAZuPI-ZmTbLe5-DoNEawboC/s320/IMG_20220503_092555850.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bteNUq5vBoabCfteJg58AQRNVrogzo9WuSjCoAr17irZS6y2LSAMw4ZzNNI9IAsWxBbdRO4ZVnyCKY5Y3cG_m8eIG3iVPn-Vaqu_eIG0k9_CWqlTjyln6zhLcvYtoTBuvqFzDdYeJvTOYAsWA3KXuU6v-cHu2vy6wAZuPI-ZmTbLe5-DoNEawboC/s1600/IMG_20220503_092555850.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGWIVqUp7G9AfOPODE_5i0oVXHMwXmqyxs64ZqQafEvV8UovJEoQsDSjzfmsDLhjyMCFVCKU_Uy2pItcPvGa2sMCazGwb0JdVnoV33s0LdnaVnc6JFomUrzihz80NQay1tVPJH5OSGK749veFUJFe1JOKi3GqfdLZm0gNNjlwauiXTaQXGoCouzV4/s320/IMG_20220503_092737031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGWIVqUp7G9AfOPODE_5i0oVXHMwXmqyxs64ZqQafEvV8UovJEoQsDSjzfmsDLhjyMCFVCKU_Uy2pItcPvGa2sMCazGwb0JdVnoV33s0LdnaVnc6JFomUrzihz80NQay1tVPJH5OSGK749veFUJFe1JOKi3GqfdLZm0gNNjlwauiXTaQXGoCouzV4/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_092737031.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qon5zyuk2JDdTii4Sh-Ty5ScwgWkELsytqdxvTTjM7zsHLg7GyfePMRNf3SA5Zc1TsjLnSog0ep1cBrVZCaJP86ppYAciuAeajPK7yla-r-zPXPG82aUFOA2skMFK-s19kW4yd6JTO7AMy6R1m02JN1IgkqXwdMedFYqJxTB5829EyVkBDuJ9rEJ/s320/IMG_20220503_081624639.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qon5zyuk2JDdTii4Sh-Ty5ScwgWkELsytqdxvTTjM7zsHLg7GyfePMRNf3SA5Zc1TsjLnSog0ep1cBrVZCaJP86ppYAciuAeajPK7yla-r-zPXPG82aUFOA2skMFK-s19kW4yd6JTO7AMy6R1m02JN1IgkqXwdMedFYqJxTB5829EyVkBDuJ9rEJ/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_081624639.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uZTdtpwgX4E5Xg-8EVdvSW9iqb9S9CaV0mOX8Cpv6VLb9xajh9zTwsDMyP63MW4y0YmKROmLtgT9bMPQ1CcrvFjHsIEbl-sl8rqYwVTq7vQDREtnf-gyyCojwrfNUEX5leBEnE_8aURC8Sjeda_M6_eIO-3-UtHeP4mtUDJfb5m2EzhDnhvSFISf/s320/IMG_20220503_080759882.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uZTdtpwgX4E5Xg-8EVdvSW9iqb9S9CaV0mOX8Cpv6VLb9xajh9zTwsDMyP63MW4y0YmKROmLtgT9bMPQ1CcrvFjHsIEbl-sl8rqYwVTq7vQDREtnf-gyyCojwrfNUEX5leBEnE_8aURC8Sjeda_M6_eIO-3-UtHeP4mtUDJfb5m2EzhDnhvSFISf/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_080759882.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFg-HgtPJyudAfqxwWWSD6AnznGyUbVlaFU143gCM7eNYtrZFAdGBnpsc1_n5Meo3AgkItRxQJq7sAWIVhoSi0ougT3cKrnnqW0aPRuATcfKJVMW42aDoaTTT78-NU8fLz4fM3kHt_HZb79GQ5VAC8vUHN0akbcHI2PliFjP7et_rlznbtSPyzlnJb/s320/IMG_20220503_081445239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFg-HgtPJyudAfqxwWWSD6AnznGyUbVlaFU143gCM7eNYtrZFAdGBnpsc1_n5Meo3AgkItRxQJq7sAWIVhoSi0ougT3cKrnnqW0aPRuATcfKJVMW42aDoaTTT78-NU8fLz4fM3kHt_HZb79GQ5VAC8vUHN0akbcHI2PliFjP7et_rlznbtSPyzlnJb/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_081445239.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2BqYFRLiVQNZk6fHDQRM59PCaMF1gLxSBVWWrBvEwStFTwCjrVBpECfrKco65WofQFrnxzvt9Yi0ecfhRGCA34D9spPgXSPtGW3tjKehSlEV2ElDqoQVvUtrlK916AsaE4orRl-j3Dn2nqcEKDCnQeMubob_jv-KTU2iORIoZgCRtnAR4eb7Koer/s320/IMG_20220503_080744313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2BqYFRLiVQNZk6fHDQRM59PCaMF1gLxSBVWWrBvEwStFTwCjrVBpECfrKco65WofQFrnxzvt9Yi0ecfhRGCA34D9spPgXSPtGW3tjKehSlEV2ElDqoQVvUtrlK916AsaE4orRl-j3Dn2nqcEKDCnQeMubob_jv-KTU2iORIoZgCRtnAR4eb7Koer/w300-h400/IMG_20220503_080744313.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>For this trip, I asked a friend of mine to make me a real strap for my mandola. I've been using a cheap guitar strap for years and decided for Italy I wanted something special. Elaine came up with a unique strap that I love.</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlOGb2omcQPiiup6Z4XOPyJ4-gn2FbQf5HMxM0S-TfckbHwKNJh5O43_CNp1VEf4E9tLb-nNBL-j8_TqS-4aaBqgpjY8baVkGB85x3YKkPCC3dz7QGEzoszulWCa5OAVk_N29jjxluT08wylwW1BDLwy02ufqqU3R0dRkQ6h9Lp5rlEyY3htM4Qkj/s320/IMG_20220503_080738633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlOGb2omcQPiiup6Z4XOPyJ4-gn2FbQf5HMxM0S-TfckbHwKNJh5O43_CNp1VEf4E9tLb-nNBL-j8_TqS-4aaBqgpjY8baVkGB85x3YKkPCC3dz7QGEzoszulWCa5OAVk_N29jjxluT08wylwW1BDLwy02ufqqU3R0dRkQ6h9Lp5rlEyY3htM4Qkj/w400-h300/IMG_20220503_080738633.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>During rehearsal, someone mentioned that they'd been kayaking in the canals the day before! What an idea. And the place was somewhere in our neighborhood. So that evening my mom and I looked up kayaking, discovered a place that was open very close by, popped over, and it turned out they were leaving with another tour in five minutes and they still had slots open.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_bOmqVtVtB4DKVZpIjfrG8XOxdKNokpJYvRpjfdNb3mJAlYiXk4ikfNcSPmxo8Fim1KIVm3Xl1nNkOVWp1lIoS6DzMLHKykF2C46OrTAPmZAgFwWmKuk50Rxs0s8sZGkPApWYx-ZEIvBGVcRM8GwNb_bBg4ucDXPCFLsVPY8YRpnCGbKzzDp3BjZ/s320/IMG_20220503_120815943.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_bOmqVtVtB4DKVZpIjfrG8XOxdKNokpJYvRpjfdNb3mJAlYiXk4ikfNcSPmxo8Fim1KIVm3Xl1nNkOVWp1lIoS6DzMLHKykF2C46OrTAPmZAgFwWmKuk50Rxs0s8sZGkPApWYx-ZEIvBGVcRM8GwNb_bBg4ucDXPCFLsVPY8YRpnCGbKzzDp3BjZ/s1600/IMG_20220503_120815943.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoazBM7uUvz5jM3-83vvYmiPgQtOWVB5fIUC3VEge6crgGGsConqaRBOlfxks_sNKtd_7crnWTr9S2d_bQ1EiYezqxfg1onDmjzJlJQZiojfSCaaw72HmBDibDCbJFgu7XctlkkENHdsPBpg5DG5GN4Pchz5qCoDlA6_-pp1-vrUKI_JeCiMf7DkDJ/s320/IMG_20220503_114836722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoazBM7uUvz5jM3-83vvYmiPgQtOWVB5fIUC3VEge6crgGGsConqaRBOlfxks_sNKtd_7crnWTr9S2d_bQ1EiYezqxfg1onDmjzJlJQZiojfSCaaw72HmBDibDCbJFgu7XctlkkENHdsPBpg5DG5GN4Pchz5qCoDlA6_-pp1-vrUKI_JeCiMf7DkDJ/s1600/IMG_20220503_114836722.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3uY0So3tnjdIoaeJnW16TXtLzZAqjIyIBuZSDK3fQ6JT7320hnv4WtN0ZGZ3YmgWl5C5aEVcq9pCElGOpvc9If5qIbAEOTan6XYEFNF6dWcuumLNws_a9xHKFhJeoO1ssZfVMnelVVJKuVK76D8PxdPWUgRGZhxp6fLF0lyGSjWEQCnQbrgtDSTQ/s320/IMG_1131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3uY0So3tnjdIoaeJnW16TXtLzZAqjIyIBuZSDK3fQ6JT7320hnv4WtN0ZGZ3YmgWl5C5aEVcq9pCElGOpvc9If5qIbAEOTan6XYEFNF6dWcuumLNws_a9xHKFhJeoO1ssZfVMnelVVJKuVK76D8PxdPWUgRGZhxp6fLF0lyGSjWEQCnQbrgtDSTQ/w300-h400/IMG_1131.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Kayaking in Venice was fascinating. Not only did we get to see things from a completely different vantage point and explore areas we could not have on foot, but we got a sense of what navigating a city of canals means in a practical sense. Our guide explained that kayaks in Venice functioned the way bikes do on city streets. We were asked to keep left, and make way for real traffic. There were a couple of big intersections where we really had to pay attention and move quickly. All my experience with kayaking prior to this was far more random, where you paddle around a lake or estuary as you please. Urban kayaking, even in a place that looks the way Venice does, is different.</p><p>After kayaking, we tried a restaurant on the corner called Osteria DaRioba, which was lovely. (And also had pretty glasses.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0Zu3hB229h_XnJJjF8XeKIs_E_YxQ022l2mqdo2mMswubQ4wa5Hxhe0jqWTjGI-JoBhlNT4uHi4pteFFbDWqRZ0vmMG7jfQDfVjwf3f6yIgCvCfBjiG9-zfjnpadI1cejeD39N80GppezfZOJ4NcfrqT-MhiiHmpGLR0OFIBQ7JGATdedwiNinHa/s320/IMG_20220503_150608940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0Zu3hB229h_XnJJjF8XeKIs_E_YxQ022l2mqdo2mMswubQ4wa5Hxhe0jqWTjGI-JoBhlNT4uHi4pteFFbDWqRZ0vmMG7jfQDfVjwf3f6yIgCvCfBjiG9-zfjnpadI1cejeD39N80GppezfZOJ4NcfrqT-MhiiHmpGLR0OFIBQ7JGATdedwiNinHa/s1600/IMG_20220503_150608940.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeKo9cKTdAHgmEXQ20XIelZFGjNM2Ltjyp_f6xXX3yolQLDZM_AlFKgVAYjBS3fJNp4q_UN6iV_1bUv3ZbsfeUSCepJOolI7VhatJ0lChxQCbNFmOyst2sq6boRML_qUYB2iVzqDnLv6JazHtQm0K3N5ZjhiuYflKY8kJbnDGb9Y_KZ5QlqKhe-mu/s320/IMG_20220503_150119775.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeKo9cKTdAHgmEXQ20XIelZFGjNM2Ltjyp_f6xXX3yolQLDZM_AlFKgVAYjBS3fJNp4q_UN6iV_1bUv3ZbsfeUSCepJOolI7VhatJ0lChxQCbNFmOyst2sq6boRML_qUYB2iVzqDnLv6JazHtQm0K3N5ZjhiuYflKY8kJbnDGb9Y_KZ5QlqKhe-mu/s1600/IMG_20220503_150119775.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69XUmghbFMeYju55MN9pxf3bq7tJcZQqfi-uXKbiUKXpmmi165M-VR1PaxD8Ch1QMGvygOrKADiswtLl-pDM88T6fp94z1h7TiDgy_geWDTVkq45jnN1b9obl2ge4M4Q5aOPF0Q8-HQjIB8gYBPSUIoYs-c8wGQ1-eDmhLqVc58t8tLgOmO0ieMW7/s320/IMG_20220503_150931597.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69XUmghbFMeYju55MN9pxf3bq7tJcZQqfi-uXKbiUKXpmmi165M-VR1PaxD8Ch1QMGvygOrKADiswtLl-pDM88T6fp94z1h7TiDgy_geWDTVkq45jnN1b9obl2ge4M4Q5aOPF0Q8-HQjIB8gYBPSUIoYs-c8wGQ1-eDmhLqVc58t8tLgOmO0ieMW7/s1600/IMG_20220503_150931597.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplYWoB4ci8T7d3A0Yya-3eGn6zty_Su4jC3QUgeTA96QCPx0AlcECMWPwiorFOT0t4y_2b0nDCZy3hcgHS96HXVqCSjgezPcfPgQdIqdKyREoyYhtIzYdA08yVUOKrdiV30qYkWOIQX_LX18Rb8D8DV-L8FPuN3Yer09x0c-rFRJj_Hq2FLCwoYlN/s320/IMG_20220503_154327138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplYWoB4ci8T7d3A0Yya-3eGn6zty_Su4jC3QUgeTA96QCPx0AlcECMWPwiorFOT0t4y_2b0nDCZy3hcgHS96HXVqCSjgezPcfPgQdIqdKyREoyYhtIzYdA08yVUOKrdiV30qYkWOIQX_LX18Rb8D8DV-L8FPuN3Yer09x0c-rFRJj_Hq2FLCwoYlN/s1600/IMG_20220503_154327138.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeddIIkqceHR4GWxlOYcFA5xzzxZXIxH9CUqz6LgDPvn-1vrzWRHCs0u9wVU5xiz3SB6dO-NikfwaambP-qGZvIPji7wSTr3W89V6W5sX2B2Bq7d2HDycM8Jg0gUJL7vp_beAkaBDALrC7IR8r82Yde4lodK6-YOse_k-iJM1tHnyx1Es9bDvKOh8/s320/IMG_20220503_160832040.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeddIIkqceHR4GWxlOYcFA5xzzxZXIxH9CUqz6LgDPvn-1vrzWRHCs0u9wVU5xiz3SB6dO-NikfwaambP-qGZvIPji7wSTr3W89V6W5sX2B2Bq7d2HDycM8Jg0gUJL7vp_beAkaBDALrC7IR8r82Yde4lodK6-YOse_k-iJM1tHnyx1Es9bDvKOh8/w400-h300/IMG_20220503_160832040.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Wednesday morning (the 4th) we had an extra rehearsal. It wasn't on the initial schedule, but it made sense to gather in person one more time and work out some problem spots before we had to perform. I was the only regular mandola player who was able to come from Milwaukee, but I got to play with Tonia and Kristin, both wonderful musicians from out of state who had practiced along with us on Zoom to prepare. (It's the first time I've played in a mandola section where everyone preferred to read in alto clef, so that was fun!)<p></p><p>The rehearsal was in the attic of the place where Rene was staying, very close to the Grand Canal, and a short walk from the fish market and the Rialto Bridge. Space was tight, so my mom wandered on her own for a couple of hours while we practiced.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4x9fSZ8s88M_LGzvGjbnyTFQ4WfY0N-3dCCDii3ZDCzXb23CvIZBYySI-VJCC9f0rBLQAghGq4cJe9mkmU8Rw9UN_5v75W4QLSRV4MkVCChe6sarugIZhcx3Ewl7mC_4TxEOPieuFSsFW8giHhtKq0AlECQiW5t6GH5SrSXJl6QQcVyRhGDFaFrs/s320/IMG_20220504_105255003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4x9fSZ8s88M_LGzvGjbnyTFQ4WfY0N-3dCCDii3ZDCzXb23CvIZBYySI-VJCC9f0rBLQAghGq4cJe9mkmU8Rw9UN_5v75W4QLSRV4MkVCChe6sarugIZhcx3Ewl7mC_4TxEOPieuFSsFW8giHhtKq0AlECQiW5t6GH5SrSXJl6QQcVyRhGDFaFrs/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_105255003.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p><p>(And these are just more random shots from along our walk to the rehearsal because why not? And look at how nice and not crowded Venice can be!)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJqBZy5T_2TiGsB4Bk7Am_KiqVhNtexLdhNHbUYvMC00OEw3MYxP8-63lmUGD-HJkpigopijnYY5_AicsNR_MTM8vRZV2GQUUd-ZMvUlKdbOn1SwKLMiKDKaQ_dmblVIQ5ieNWFo5ktm7Wv_MEYpUbtcYXZcGqC_iSMsrj3uaOv-KeNB-yJMqniwo/s320/IMG_20220504_090914276_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJqBZy5T_2TiGsB4Bk7Am_KiqVhNtexLdhNHbUYvMC00OEw3MYxP8-63lmUGD-HJkpigopijnYY5_AicsNR_MTM8vRZV2GQUUd-ZMvUlKdbOn1SwKLMiKDKaQ_dmblVIQ5ieNWFo5ktm7Wv_MEYpUbtcYXZcGqC_iSMsrj3uaOv-KeNB-yJMqniwo/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_090914276_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OCxtj50H91I9-c5RG0EM40D0nJp4IlxloxgUHbEZFbt0k_xUuMY2ivgco2zQ5bHfVc6mbrkPaQg7hnbWHL-O9kM4vOi6woqGMk-8Kqs32yy1Oqpvle1DSXfkfoV58-l32zCTRtiwAYnPlwzoNoLWGfboXhmUUNqEbpLnRMWxeualAPbltPK70d0x/s320/IMG_20220504_090927991_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OCxtj50H91I9-c5RG0EM40D0nJp4IlxloxgUHbEZFbt0k_xUuMY2ivgco2zQ5bHfVc6mbrkPaQg7hnbWHL-O9kM4vOi6woqGMk-8Kqs32yy1Oqpvle1DSXfkfoV58-l32zCTRtiwAYnPlwzoNoLWGfboXhmUUNqEbpLnRMWxeualAPbltPK70d0x/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_090927991_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5_swEJ2KeaZHfVLxzW-HxFMLUxBFqLr8McMsT7pnbRvl0Lf2uRxvuKtWGiiPVuTvqfCvKgSkBf-RcvKTb0S1IgZmeUU0Xu0JJ51ofqxeGcEqmtY8G2RNZkidhN1au3HKi77R5moddVj1WC9ds-5A__cviZ2K65BC0POTJ_QGUggY68zrmZEG8K_a/s320/IMG_20220504_091554902_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5_swEJ2KeaZHfVLxzW-HxFMLUxBFqLr8McMsT7pnbRvl0Lf2uRxvuKtWGiiPVuTvqfCvKgSkBf-RcvKTb0S1IgZmeUU0Xu0JJ51ofqxeGcEqmtY8G2RNZkidhN1au3HKi77R5moddVj1WC9ds-5A__cviZ2K65BC0POTJ_QGUggY68zrmZEG8K_a/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_091554902_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>It's hard to overstate what an enjoyable group of musicians the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra is to play with. There are plenty of people I would not want to be jammed in an attic with, trying to coordinate music in a cramped space for hours while all the rest of Venice lay outside the walls. But I have fond memories of everyone doing their best to make it work, and laughing our way through the odd circumstances.</p><p>After rehearsal, the rest of the day was ours! We visited the Rialto Bridge because it was there. But it was overwhelmingly crowded with tourists from everywhere, and packed with overpriced and often peculiar souvenirs.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9ANa6QSwFsc4mB26OIAAhGCZjF5UMdN53S1gzV4shynciVcPSs2fQjfz3tmMKCNy2FNgUDVmDt_J8JiU61goBiYIhY9YqZ2BQV8DrmpyABw4VcIGfz0TdKoJ1eNaxSfHdC29B1Xdj3n0nAk34MadxnrMm3Uw08lJPfJ5gyXrMMsmRSL3rKFCP-Zm/s320/IMG_20220504_135729753.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9ANa6QSwFsc4mB26OIAAhGCZjF5UMdN53S1gzV4shynciVcPSs2fQjfz3tmMKCNy2FNgUDVmDt_J8JiU61goBiYIhY9YqZ2BQV8DrmpyABw4VcIGfz0TdKoJ1eNaxSfHdC29B1Xdj3n0nAk34MadxnrMm3Uw08lJPfJ5gyXrMMsmRSL3rKFCP-Zm/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_135729753.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugly painting on an ugly severed foot! Who doesn't want that?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>We did stop for gelato, however, and gelato makes everything better.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIxdsEJCpKBJsiWFCgmpc322qzPRNgsqn6G1ALq5e_7B6etccIArCdypJclEgwlw8SbxzSEyGtc-_oLD4XEDvpPwrZ0Xb_ZRwgCsOeTPcpy2lcsn2KDtRYkLGZciJ_zr2XsPb6rJHXzTQicHFSI7qFTj90o7pb-xvQGzR7cvy__uVx4hXgSlt63PD/s320/IMG_20220504_141045077.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIxdsEJCpKBJsiWFCgmpc322qzPRNgsqn6G1ALq5e_7B6etccIArCdypJclEgwlw8SbxzSEyGtc-_oLD4XEDvpPwrZ0Xb_ZRwgCsOeTPcpy2lcsn2KDtRYkLGZciJ_zr2XsPb6rJHXzTQicHFSI7qFTj90o7pb-xvQGzR7cvy__uVx4hXgSlt63PD/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_141045077.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But after a little while in that tourist heavy section of Venice, we fled past shops full of glass and candy back to our own little neighborhood.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxZZzWVgG5FX9EfwfVlwpZGAY6gEdr79KsyWTHyirHEDgZpZ5nkHYr78B8g3pUlGNatochgeKcK1L-Ha6btLT8RiiuY8t0mBbKlMpT18CvqgCSMnGBNrvxCmeXUBjto1iGasBnWr8KoY2JMwOOVCFpUJON-xR7TDeijW848y08lQGs9RQwXkG8BVu/s320/IMG_20220504_142639293_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxZZzWVgG5FX9EfwfVlwpZGAY6gEdr79KsyWTHyirHEDgZpZ5nkHYr78B8g3pUlGNatochgeKcK1L-Ha6btLT8RiiuY8t0mBbKlMpT18CvqgCSMnGBNrvxCmeXUBjto1iGasBnWr8KoY2JMwOOVCFpUJON-xR7TDeijW848y08lQGs9RQwXkG8BVu/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_142639293_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdkfVVT9xkAKtlA-nXyjfaRXsE6QQp_JRyL_mtdM15haRdh6FmJ6bLeFuzfJUXYIKFJYELf8mPPB5Yzep0itxE7BtJ-y4xHMS1nKdLpFVFUP8VRxwUImo3K6i-TQnqcotOtY5E9koPqiFtEp1oEDxMq1t5om-L41xwMWzaSCh3_9CCBZqgOOY2EvH/s320/IMG_20220504_174728427.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdkfVVT9xkAKtlA-nXyjfaRXsE6QQp_JRyL_mtdM15haRdh6FmJ6bLeFuzfJUXYIKFJYELf8mPPB5Yzep0itxE7BtJ-y4xHMS1nKdLpFVFUP8VRxwUImo3K6i-TQnqcotOtY5E9koPqiFtEp1oEDxMq1t5om-L41xwMWzaSCh3_9CCBZqgOOY2EvH/s1600/IMG_20220504_174728427.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A couple of doors down from where we were staying was a shop of some kind of nautical supplies that had a little dog in the doorway all day. We would see him follow the owner home at closing. (That dog was very cute, but had no interest in being photographed.)<p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Here are more random shots of Venice. Because this is what it just all looks like in general and it's hard not to keep taking photos. Plus I bought sunglasses.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHJPBFhL_0P6tAt_OIYs5QDiU0HwzSO5tYBoFntq_0vkd7h00jtZkABVGPnvgVlZoObuPij8TSyd0PT8gUT24rN_J0tg6xCQoBd1Boj53ZPzSOepj3e0IsA6W_z6e18rKmbkzbgGZxqIyiFp9XLfecgl2uquRD2JAFCzMXgS96Sru1TJ8MQhdcrdS/s320/IMG_20220504_143848902_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHJPBFhL_0P6tAt_OIYs5QDiU0HwzSO5tYBoFntq_0vkd7h00jtZkABVGPnvgVlZoObuPij8TSyd0PT8gUT24rN_J0tg6xCQoBd1Boj53ZPzSOepj3e0IsA6W_z6e18rKmbkzbgGZxqIyiFp9XLfecgl2uquRD2JAFCzMXgS96Sru1TJ8MQhdcrdS/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_143848902_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKeBXxCjuJMnZpC7xMf9AzqA5xKSJfkO71GzYQMQNrmejyYKD_WHuQSQwQTpSbfIxpyFV-WLlwm2o6JsAPfud7oG9J4seCiamR5c1lEiyuUCyex7U6BEvo86VPvseNHojhlS4VKS4ZcrhAM-NtsuE-Vq1EMBhJSkA220qCVoM9TyfqY_d_-_sjjpj/s320/IMG_20220504_145424112_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKeBXxCjuJMnZpC7xMf9AzqA5xKSJfkO71GzYQMQNrmejyYKD_WHuQSQwQTpSbfIxpyFV-WLlwm2o6JsAPfud7oG9J4seCiamR5c1lEiyuUCyex7U6BEvo86VPvseNHojhlS4VKS4ZcrhAM-NtsuE-Vq1EMBhJSkA220qCVoM9TyfqY_d_-_sjjpj/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_145424112_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HVt2Ob808n6IZ0cetIBXPB8Z0BjDYvTnKdDZ5hd6DNOsJUq_3SwULr-4ol4JSJsbocuW8Zu12tdttJbwYtx6BaCSnNQ9y6Wfd_kKNGonwZElZGWmcbwr15fR37yCBA6kd1dQwX4-dZVtzHIlzoaPdDXelPp03uEQRNsQuHl0M55zNQJunl1ASKsp/s320/IMG_20220504_145600842_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HVt2Ob808n6IZ0cetIBXPB8Z0BjDYvTnKdDZ5hd6DNOsJUq_3SwULr-4ol4JSJsbocuW8Zu12tdttJbwYtx6BaCSnNQ9y6Wfd_kKNGonwZElZGWmcbwr15fR37yCBA6kd1dQwX4-dZVtzHIlzoaPdDXelPp03uEQRNsQuHl0M55zNQJunl1ASKsp/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_145600842_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6-RgMnUOzt0A12aB2bwLvtbxywVtJhCoRagqb5JC-lWCbSg6Zh8b7kcHxV1cPvS3xEv6u4j64WDilbSObK_vGa86Af16GgtOR_V69sBdHlJJC9tJ0-Bsjk-yKYy1nixdrjgoY2Tc6iOxMXEUCc6FDtDBLBhe1T8jZ-ygACGwH_ff0eSE4V3bE4yR/s320/IMG_20220504_145716333_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6-RgMnUOzt0A12aB2bwLvtbxywVtJhCoRagqb5JC-lWCbSg6Zh8b7kcHxV1cPvS3xEv6u4j64WDilbSObK_vGa86Af16GgtOR_V69sBdHlJJC9tJ0-Bsjk-yKYy1nixdrjgoY2Tc6iOxMXEUCc6FDtDBLBhe1T8jZ-ygACGwH_ff0eSE4V3bE4yR/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_145716333_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj-WO7ds6PQ11rOS4jElfmQ--maxw21GVuSm6-S_M3Ty4pP69oGTXhY8nkbOqiRM-TebjZlWJ5GNQ8xxaOPy5rMFMgWvfgb11g1QAiMsufgx4ZFX9VWBvri-RrkwZEY0FUVCo8gc5vJe_OrGuxeY6Mif1pW4And3OPiGknRhillXrdd9hAMaBv9dC/s320/IMG_20220504_150157664_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj-WO7ds6PQ11rOS4jElfmQ--maxw21GVuSm6-S_M3Ty4pP69oGTXhY8nkbOqiRM-TebjZlWJ5GNQ8xxaOPy5rMFMgWvfgb11g1QAiMsufgx4ZFX9VWBvri-RrkwZEY0FUVCo8gc5vJe_OrGuxeY6Mif1pW4And3OPiGknRhillXrdd9hAMaBv9dC/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_150157664_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7vfnmBfPBE75KlNkv-7p66e1fnXwU2ThdNuNzIIrOaVcSNbSV7Exq-HbKIoGsZYY0yJN06PLGymKfE2peCQ7Jdl9p86665_awvl-7s_TO1YHnzV6w4S7pcEPT46pI8b7OaGIBJfrolgBxsaqU0jAKUaLi3xTYmQJaa7S8NbyENRhDegHrM5e3Kln/s320/IMG_20220504_150956692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7vfnmBfPBE75KlNkv-7p66e1fnXwU2ThdNuNzIIrOaVcSNbSV7Exq-HbKIoGsZYY0yJN06PLGymKfE2peCQ7Jdl9p86665_awvl-7s_TO1YHnzV6w4S7pcEPT46pI8b7OaGIBJfrolgBxsaqU0jAKUaLi3xTYmQJaa7S8NbyENRhDegHrM5e3Kln/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_150956692.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>We strolled about trying to find a restaurant we'd been to many years ago called Gam Gam, which is a fantastic kosher place there in the old Jewish ghetto section of town. Google Maps failed us spectacularly, and we ended up simply picking up things to go that looked good at a couple of shops and bringing them back to our apartment. All of it was delicious.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1M_aC9IeYq0xwM3Nnxn2BxAcr7TqU2sI8CXd7aJTDvZta4v76jIWFyNT1KpMWZ5wAy6fQWrHpVNNy4vzRwb8wiRtEQ1g7zwfjl7WGtDJ73x-avk69FxZaV9xJRJe-mQST3lwtxJ3O15l2gwHXoY6c4arkd3B_SjvvJn02DJs9yBeMdaLquNAFFwj/s320/IMG_20220504_184814227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1M_aC9IeYq0xwM3Nnxn2BxAcr7TqU2sI8CXd7aJTDvZta4v76jIWFyNT1KpMWZ5wAy6fQWrHpVNNy4vzRwb8wiRtEQ1g7zwfjl7WGtDJ73x-avk69FxZaV9xJRJe-mQST3lwtxJ3O15l2gwHXoY6c4arkd3B_SjvvJn02DJs9yBeMdaLquNAFFwj/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_184814227.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Later that night, we headed out to San Marco Square. Rene wanted us to get a video of us playing somewhere in that space at night, despite it being a slightly dodgey thing to do. The police are quick to shut down anyone performing without a permit in that area, but we weren't doing anything for handouts. We just wanted cool footage of us playing in a cool place. Because we had to gather on the sly, I actually didn't find our group until the last few numbers, but was still able to join in. I'm particularly pleased that I made it in time to play Mandolins In the Moonlight, there in the literal moonlight. The small crowd gathered there loved us. That was all really really fun. <br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qKeR7xyO3RvyEsIhpTEkU3tYdOZ92BsKxpWaB3GOZQjM4HTqLD_Xov1tdnn75xpHipgc76qnzyPjffZjro8h5ES8d_FcZ-yeXQlYyGA9o4od_deImhrlkRImrHemzLD--GCRT1pKPwUmpuaULjRU-ycj0OaJXiWHNp75qX-IHufiN3WePnMwI75p/s320/IMG_20220504_223415373.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qKeR7xyO3RvyEsIhpTEkU3tYdOZ92BsKxpWaB3GOZQjM4HTqLD_Xov1tdnn75xpHipgc76qnzyPjffZjro8h5ES8d_FcZ-yeXQlYyGA9o4od_deImhrlkRImrHemzLD--GCRT1pKPwUmpuaULjRU-ycj0OaJXiWHNp75qX-IHufiN3WePnMwI75p/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_223415373.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mandolas unite!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienF2ibbSlCxmM6tpOOEThzP-egDlyL5NGgmFd9OVy6yuNNcBBpSsiJwlVCKECWuE_4mpoAxXpxTB3dXm9arLHfUAP3WZy_6-kQnZEIjkvmckTjc7fAf0Vfg3vdfzcZq6_cwiFGx5gieuTrMJqqG-Ieqce07u2VRdDL6El9Qyu99OQQtYTUQkfqK_i/s320/IMG_20220504_224259657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienF2ibbSlCxmM6tpOOEThzP-egDlyL5NGgmFd9OVy6yuNNcBBpSsiJwlVCKECWuE_4mpoAxXpxTB3dXm9arLHfUAP3WZy_6-kQnZEIjkvmckTjc7fAf0Vfg3vdfzcZq6_cwiFGx5gieuTrMJqqG-Ieqce07u2VRdDL6El9Qyu99OQQtYTUQkfqK_i/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_224259657.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mmiklzd29045UL6YhN9rdRZxWZ8AarmTL3gcrE2fYUV87pN1BtOg7xS-8gun8GPOUwczBO3W5RbVqCniDam3YqmsdmHueZMx6XGvQi3FWs_YJ1bEnqAsmd1-fDIcyCmLmVNC22Flac5sCC5POKioA4ePGhLshAuhbPvEPldgEseizB7VMQGaHNa9/s320/IMG_20220504_224318596.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mmiklzd29045UL6YhN9rdRZxWZ8AarmTL3gcrE2fYUV87pN1BtOg7xS-8gun8GPOUwczBO3W5RbVqCniDam3YqmsdmHueZMx6XGvQi3FWs_YJ1bEnqAsmd1-fDIcyCmLmVNC22Flac5sCC5POKioA4ePGhLshAuhbPvEPldgEseizB7VMQGaHNa9/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_224318596.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkXwfr5qlwNlcaaXM4zWOvg7k2qF1y8d8I0Jhazznp0cpANsQNAwFKZgN55ZoVQQsXZ4jtgt-mGTP2siJKO7dj9jR4zP9SLtYYc2NIdpC83pSBp1JFjlGbeC2kSkOuf2-GQBoyWauZNyVl-Ba9rlWjqNueYcaKk6wOBf6z-EXqudWadQ_R9CNK5JR/s320/IMG_20220504_224337914.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkXwfr5qlwNlcaaXM4zWOvg7k2qF1y8d8I0Jhazznp0cpANsQNAwFKZgN55ZoVQQsXZ4jtgt-mGTP2siJKO7dj9jR4zP9SLtYYc2NIdpC83pSBp1JFjlGbeC2kSkOuf2-GQBoyWauZNyVl-Ba9rlWjqNueYcaKk6wOBf6z-EXqudWadQ_R9CNK5JR/w400-h300/IMG_20220504_224337914.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And on the midnight walk home, why not more gelato? <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlYLCoyBzVvOO_KvtLbZtqbkfQ35Az4rW4NjEyxCG037_Y-zzq0HZ6td6pZUmFD_1G3aEr6MIDphwCTmxXYiRsc2C36n-pfdskG91adCoFiT-zO2EleuhFh9kUXhb1QJb6ylybguK26YiDlchrjywid8fcCaw4ZJAZk89shIwsh0c55ZaccOflEHJ/s320/IMG_20220504_225225928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlYLCoyBzVvOO_KvtLbZtqbkfQ35Az4rW4NjEyxCG037_Y-zzq0HZ6td6pZUmFD_1G3aEr6MIDphwCTmxXYiRsc2C36n-pfdskG91adCoFiT-zO2EleuhFh9kUXhb1QJb6ylybguK26YiDlchrjywid8fcCaw4ZJAZk89shIwsh0c55ZaccOflEHJ/w300-h400/IMG_20220504_225225928.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Thursday (the 5th) I didn't have any orchestra obligations, so Mom and I did all our own stuff. We saw San Marco in the daylight this time...<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-55mg6dT9d6DsnkHi96dhnnmaV6ccGfyz74xoPp4DFw4Rlb7gbGGbmzo1pU8yhRXL4mGeyc8TJufk593qtiq_2tH-QngLHXTBMV53iMQA1Fof6JVg3FxxNrFo6kxAnD3SNd_FTdiRzfX8C3a_TLvgND9gauj0BtHyswMkMXr_Puk9rozm9whL7NZy/s320/IMG_20220505_132711827_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-55mg6dT9d6DsnkHi96dhnnmaV6ccGfyz74xoPp4DFw4Rlb7gbGGbmzo1pU8yhRXL4mGeyc8TJufk593qtiq_2tH-QngLHXTBMV53iMQA1Fof6JVg3FxxNrFo6kxAnD3SNd_FTdiRzfX8C3a_TLvgND9gauj0BtHyswMkMXr_Puk9rozm9whL7NZy/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_132711827_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5zwSk6mqbRsRsKT5ZcjNyY7ctwnAgh1HiyzS7LvuIBpKkh3XKnyZXq8MVh5iKfLKHsKq5ETjX_zFHhofdYZ8S0q3jdO2HAq9k95gEa_2_F98Bcyo6KFzRxVvqVpVvLvXYxR71b712u90mBRG1HQehpNfTJnXKHtG2PQSMpe3y3xhMdekR81Otpvv/s320/IMG_20220505_132850831_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5zwSk6mqbRsRsKT5ZcjNyY7ctwnAgh1HiyzS7LvuIBpKkh3XKnyZXq8MVh5iKfLKHsKq5ETjX_zFHhofdYZ8S0q3jdO2HAq9k95gEa_2_F98Bcyo6KFzRxVvqVpVvLvXYxR71b712u90mBRG1HQehpNfTJnXKHtG2PQSMpe3y3xhMdekR81Otpvv/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_132850831_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>...and grabbed a boat out to Murano island, which is a place of wall to wall glass shops. I adore the tiny dishes more than I can describe. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwqPIQYLCEf3-bZ-F-2xjtLZ4eEwFqWhl3sgQEP9RIXvRL3wxHr6M45AXmOr3sKSI1FFCCtYz3dcpN1Kg2EoXX0zzz6f2OiHkYzEe4Bihvr9xHx_bhdT8Y-1mBTAw3V5od5gjL4c_XRVEx1O1PBXj58KkBUc1jE_WXH29z5NAh8yEihUFcGztu-sf/s320/IMG_20220505_134233269_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwqPIQYLCEf3-bZ-F-2xjtLZ4eEwFqWhl3sgQEP9RIXvRL3wxHr6M45AXmOr3sKSI1FFCCtYz3dcpN1Kg2EoXX0zzz6f2OiHkYzEe4Bihvr9xHx_bhdT8Y-1mBTAw3V5od5gjL4c_XRVEx1O1PBXj58KkBUc1jE_WXH29z5NAh8yEihUFcGztu-sf/s1600/IMG_20220505_134233269_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwGvCg9xCNioeO560UIImAEgJV71rp95IRbV-N2sgM4aqNZNvo80fwvbSNCwjxDaNNYFR-sKVpe0vFzd1S4X3sK44geYkvsWihL32LsLi_cHdmkJSy2wuxHslX0PO0_s3Pat5zTKnnm4bPDmJOjpN38o4aVlJ8G7N-ZMY6eDFHs-X9NwmNczyqMJg/s320/IMG_20220505_141822186_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwGvCg9xCNioeO560UIImAEgJV71rp95IRbV-N2sgM4aqNZNvo80fwvbSNCwjxDaNNYFR-sKVpe0vFzd1S4X3sK44geYkvsWihL32LsLi_cHdmkJSy2wuxHslX0PO0_s3Pat5zTKnnm4bPDmJOjpN38o4aVlJ8G7N-ZMY6eDFHs-X9NwmNczyqMJg/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_141822186_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipMAQKK9V91ceHIP8hUt7eAW20XT-LpHazm_WKmP9rBIjbu0IITH5HBJbpjLsm4hQSGwpJyhVdFzJvoizI-8Q2ebFYDNB96LB0Ee9YaDKJfXTCG_w_rEAWDAcRnFm3WB4hx00uxinjudcWV-md3AhVE0xMERABYfqRWJAnWNHeQ0QTdhR31aZzjsO/s320/IMG_20220505_152522625_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipMAQKK9V91ceHIP8hUt7eAW20XT-LpHazm_WKmP9rBIjbu0IITH5HBJbpjLsm4hQSGwpJyhVdFzJvoizI-8Q2ebFYDNB96LB0Ee9YaDKJfXTCG_w_rEAWDAcRnFm3WB4hx00uxinjudcWV-md3AhVE0xMERABYfqRWJAnWNHeQ0QTdhR31aZzjsO/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_152522625_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rmRTciEt_hqdYYC3mmmqoAM0d0lvRJCdecg9lz7zSnfAwUe1qDiD2eCCtFpDqckPvSRfmIZqzIT0-SpghJNpKMP7PcIC08f1moEuELEvP4HPpavlzWBeLNrYNa5KUQ_GYHQvGnPfEtD-cKF95GJSohkCdf-LsfFSERih5sBKZVH_-TDyvNDJ732d/s320/IMG_20220505_154916633_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rmRTciEt_hqdYYC3mmmqoAM0d0lvRJCdecg9lz7zSnfAwUe1qDiD2eCCtFpDqckPvSRfmIZqzIT0-SpghJNpKMP7PcIC08f1moEuELEvP4HPpavlzWBeLNrYNa5KUQ_GYHQvGnPfEtD-cKF95GJSohkCdf-LsfFSERih5sBKZVH_-TDyvNDJ732d/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_154916633_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5i-oUzm8XIVpRiNyg6Bqepqu5mzW-dlIdWHJwC3-IgS5gn2dlo687ZYuwzL-MRb3oZW97IUPwhh9Uo6ESeiV8LDqAr_5fcXQX1n8wVBxzT4sbMLJ9shOooOENmqoA1KyLEnpJ8DIL68Ks8WZVri25jiT6ipOzvkM8pPNSKkszhnCKhXxGlsJDtJF/s320/IMG_20220505_154928377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5i-oUzm8XIVpRiNyg6Bqepqu5mzW-dlIdWHJwC3-IgS5gn2dlo687ZYuwzL-MRb3oZW97IUPwhh9Uo6ESeiV8LDqAr_5fcXQX1n8wVBxzT4sbMLJ9shOooOENmqoA1KyLEnpJ8DIL68Ks8WZVri25jiT6ipOzvkM8pPNSKkszhnCKhXxGlsJDtJF/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_154928377.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjs-3IBSxtmCpXLElMh5JRwDl9kgBqZ9g06gv_glGVuDHYLQ8Aj5tbrj2NmkdU_z8_ZRbVtPIGG0a_J7NZpB5WUkYU8HUDZLKvPRD6V8FSlA2ZJ9mN80hftv1TkGDcbDfyyTbzdySBLTG44xJTrNIgq5pofL8lRydFgIV61sGkhVEnFpwoGoPMiOk/s320/IMG_20220505_160108612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjs-3IBSxtmCpXLElMh5JRwDl9kgBqZ9g06gv_glGVuDHYLQ8Aj5tbrj2NmkdU_z8_ZRbVtPIGG0a_J7NZpB5WUkYU8HUDZLKvPRD6V8FSlA2ZJ9mN80hftv1TkGDcbDfyyTbzdySBLTG44xJTrNIgq5pofL8lRydFgIV61sGkhVEnFpwoGoPMiOk/s16000/IMG_20220505_160108612.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZfyWZ8nu-F1q8XYfuzWvWh3d8JsS5kbdfvub9jNGjDK5OIC3uvr-cwV74O0uP7K6dHymO2YuPr4I-Gvv3ZIlq2wlqj2wZUS6BQbR8qEwo8EzFkIRjNRL7jMfcYwttiXgqBfpjfFNg7u6FNBx1WETgGQbengK0Jq4J5ZTLR0ythLxJafBogU_NiDL/s320/IMG_20220505_155122173_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZfyWZ8nu-F1q8XYfuzWvWh3d8JsS5kbdfvub9jNGjDK5OIC3uvr-cwV74O0uP7K6dHymO2YuPr4I-Gvv3ZIlq2wlqj2wZUS6BQbR8qEwo8EzFkIRjNRL7jMfcYwttiXgqBfpjfFNg7u6FNBx1WETgGQbengK0Jq4J5ZTLR0ythLxJafBogU_NiDL/s16000/IMG_20220505_155122173_HDR.jpg" /></a></div>But this time instead of buying one of those tiny dishes, I picked up what I can only describe as a small bar-of-soap-sized piece of glass creation. I love it so much. It serves no purpose other than to delight, and I've kept it on our dining room table since I unpacked it upon my return from Italy, where I stop and hold it briefly nearly every time I walk past.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJRft7xdZQxM1EL4fx-aT3j9_v324to0FXrR9DN68EFZejvz_DjPTbJYa9rHh1Y9CMhYXz6GMNgsLhgJr1cwT8RaI7_Z78UGIUCX0mYT43tSlLVXBt-wm3LvsDV1tg8my8be9DQJ_rVXUvpyjENErshCN5WfsvleaaJPf6o27XBzr6DAZoHlb94pt/s320/IMG_20220912_074848323.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJRft7xdZQxM1EL4fx-aT3j9_v324to0FXrR9DN68EFZejvz_DjPTbJYa9rHh1Y9CMhYXz6GMNgsLhgJr1cwT8RaI7_Z78UGIUCX0mYT43tSlLVXBt-wm3LvsDV1tg8my8be9DQJ_rVXUvpyjENErshCN5WfsvleaaJPf6o27XBzr6DAZoHlb94pt/w400-h300/IMG_20220912_074848323.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>That was a good day for picking up souvenirs in general, including some tiny things for my kids, and a beautiful cup for my mom. (Look how pretty that cup looked in the sunshine back in my mom's dining room!)<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjYJLfuU5UJx6ekvJmxcirriaFjcQ9uxMfCZboacY4Gy33sNHNIXqK89L-lZ1MrSlOPTDp5uVsp0q9nKbIsWIONhRu3QDp0zmU610foBkqMMIav3DBGd-EaTSkPfTDKrjMlYHff-7zptGvVKGV_kY3WwiopHN-DT-XNIyhEHalCT1BBiTfG-TL4cE/s320/IMG_20220509_134430455_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjYJLfuU5UJx6ekvJmxcirriaFjcQ9uxMfCZboacY4Gy33sNHNIXqK89L-lZ1MrSlOPTDp5uVsp0q9nKbIsWIONhRu3QDp0zmU610foBkqMMIav3DBGd-EaTSkPfTDKrjMlYHff-7zptGvVKGV_kY3WwiopHN-DT-XNIyhEHalCT1BBiTfG-TL4cE/w300-h400/IMG_20220509_134430455_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvEo0rIssUJlS-pynQY0_gc_BazhHrw65kfIU_W_hA_C8OgV_STHqZN8eCzaFC-pS28tfjN5QZbk0aVZrLnT6qABCA3UwVD8UdA5h_0V3yPZ0wOOu2KU4OARrYZrikdXg14CKIXzo28RyR_2Hhq-4OiAqUkWKnvUroq76_9ibLyfrCJz1GRrwmxvm/s320/IMG_20220505_173410471.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvEo0rIssUJlS-pynQY0_gc_BazhHrw65kfIU_W_hA_C8OgV_STHqZN8eCzaFC-pS28tfjN5QZbk0aVZrLnT6qABCA3UwVD8UdA5h_0V3yPZ0wOOu2KU4OARrYZrikdXg14CKIXzo28RyR_2Hhq-4OiAqUkWKnvUroq76_9ibLyfrCJz1GRrwmxvm/s1600/IMG_20220505_173410471.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Back in Venice we found a restaurant for dinner right near the opera house, and then saw Griselda by Vivaldi. I was unaware that Vivaldi had even written an opera, but there it was. The staging was peculiar, and there was more simulated rape than I was prepared for, but the music was beautiful. Despite my affordable but obstructed view seat, I was able to see clearly into the pit, which I always find interesting. The conductor played on one of two harpsichords during the performance, there was a guitar/lute player, and a surprising number of players in general for a pit. I think the opera doesn't get performed often because of the number of male parts that are in a high register, but they simply had women play those roles. The story was ridiculous, but then it's hard to find an opera story line that isn't.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHMinYPj6aGjXRp3e3-9gSyKe86WqpeB83QQfOSJWTuXOyssAWpq4aBDiGEbvpJByW-YTW3WWZMv9YkAtI4EuluRp8rviqUneUWtvac35gdwvln487f8v7xys7qoAu6_MMO3JtTQEoDMgMI1t1WH4XJTPmw8SnLlJ7Mk5JQcj14P4-m_pJO2RLRUX/s320/IMG_20220505_183124752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHMinYPj6aGjXRp3e3-9gSyKe86WqpeB83QQfOSJWTuXOyssAWpq4aBDiGEbvpJByW-YTW3WWZMv9YkAtI4EuluRp8rviqUneUWtvac35gdwvln487f8v7xys7qoAu6_MMO3JtTQEoDMgMI1t1WH4XJTPmw8SnLlJ7Mk5JQcj14P4-m_pJO2RLRUX/w300-h400/IMG_20220505_183124752.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD65Plq8Gge7OJ5GsepT9yhNmhkvtG834WOkNgD715Ks3jt3mD0xWRX_rRz2G0r0QDkVpquojgC8PcO3pEDzN8W6KEJ6SkyFvsa8a5anmaWOCU1B-8kxA_t9ZTvCkItcBe8mU44askUT7Is8Aghvm4zSAK9Cg6trKPIqcDlrrd8ofqPZ4KNlBOCiC/s320/IMG_20220505_183840582.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD65Plq8Gge7OJ5GsepT9yhNmhkvtG834WOkNgD715Ks3jt3mD0xWRX_rRz2G0r0QDkVpquojgC8PcO3pEDzN8W6KEJ6SkyFvsa8a5anmaWOCU1B-8kxA_t9ZTvCkItcBe8mU44askUT7Is8Aghvm4zSAK9Cg6trKPIqcDlrrd8ofqPZ4KNlBOCiC/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_183840582.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgMSF7686zu9bGhqOwhMvyt9pQcV8Z4Tz5fK40pMujBSmJT6IEzb9AcCQqKqdn14kk3xIwl6o1WgpkqRhMPLB6nFKJxHdVOURr7hW_8VLa6evdnxRb4Y0Rk6MK9EciDo4khhqfW3Zgctm28jaStG09PGilSkZBFLBKeJmkjixL9Em0VTmk8ppAg3y/s320/IMG_20220505_184141220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgMSF7686zu9bGhqOwhMvyt9pQcV8Z4Tz5fK40pMujBSmJT6IEzb9AcCQqKqdn14kk3xIwl6o1WgpkqRhMPLB6nFKJxHdVOURr7hW_8VLa6evdnxRb4Y0Rk6MK9EciDo4khhqfW3Zgctm28jaStG09PGilSkZBFLBKeJmkjixL9Em0VTmk8ppAg3y/w300-h400/IMG_20220505_184141220.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cirCEt1VGuNjEqAqSdIADvW0HDO3a2B_VqUPaEabwAqVxPN-RY_qSPv5QEcDbRWjJynosaCeZddmroCcmxvHz3wsfM3WLq4OpiP9tq1KiAfv7kw3DXekAZKO1rms4gxplIUPGSwD58vVpsk5vNFGfvqh5dwOyxUfzMn2kyT1EXbUyZQCw1DbrUpp/s320/IMG_20220505_184248536.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cirCEt1VGuNjEqAqSdIADvW0HDO3a2B_VqUPaEabwAqVxPN-RY_qSPv5QEcDbRWjJynosaCeZddmroCcmxvHz3wsfM3WLq4OpiP9tq1KiAfv7kw3DXekAZKO1rms4gxplIUPGSwD58vVpsk5vNFGfvqh5dwOyxUfzMn2kyT1EXbUyZQCw1DbrUpp/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_184248536.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On the walk home it rained lightly. We learned from this that Venice is also beautiful in the rain at night.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicF8NTNuL_VOQ4ft6WMAn-5DFtKROinEigbdWZRiz-MQLSKZ4UWxEaNwZMJUrAU8q05Cwu5xKMJVCXX8gpv78vVkq9eYEq7Rrc5lQ-s1lCRs5MlY-6FYb0TaIndMi5QjJiGVLCrHZ_9hhWYKUtwsljDIzEZi5EpV-mJK2b-xQcTYRLf6Z8TKk25jm5/s320/IMG_20220505_222509211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicF8NTNuL_VOQ4ft6WMAn-5DFtKROinEigbdWZRiz-MQLSKZ4UWxEaNwZMJUrAU8q05Cwu5xKMJVCXX8gpv78vVkq9eYEq7Rrc5lQ-s1lCRs5MlY-6FYb0TaIndMi5QjJiGVLCrHZ_9hhWYKUtwsljDIzEZi5EpV-mJK2b-xQcTYRLf6Z8TKk25jm5/w400-h300/IMG_20220505_222509211.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo5Bo-5o2bb1jZRCZ4Wrci2Eb_8twKqhMYmDl9Deck5ZB9oZJTjuVh6rOYv-XpzsztqSqcJWMR0Fk3RFqgzt608ifmGOQm2Tvpv6IlFjVeB-5IkNeYXjiY4FOHZ6HAkQpZIgn9Jlkilk7yFtOxng8EKm90h0Lhtdy505oYNLZTuDDs55fSL-9zMwQ/s320/IMG_20220506_133748852.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo5Bo-5o2bb1jZRCZ4Wrci2Eb_8twKqhMYmDl9Deck5ZB9oZJTjuVh6rOYv-XpzsztqSqcJWMR0Fk3RFqgzt608ifmGOQm2Tvpv6IlFjVeB-5IkNeYXjiY4FOHZ6HAkQpZIgn9Jlkilk7yFtOxng8EKm90h0Lhtdy505oYNLZTuDDs55fSL-9zMwQ/s1600/IMG_20220506_133748852.jpg" width="240" /></a></p>Friday the 6th was concert day! My mom and I being so close to the venue were among the few to arrive at the church relatively dry on that rainy day. We were able to just relax in the apartment until the last minute.<p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This is the point where I will mention that the organizational element of this mandolin orchestra festival was a mess. A frustrating, frequent-changes-all-at-the-last-minute-all-the-time mess. <br /></p><p>We were told we could do our dress rehearsal at a particular time, and then that got moved back, and then the group rehearsing before us ran very late. And our concert start time moved as well, and we were told we had to be finished promptly to make room for the 5:00 mass. It was honestly rather nerve wracking, because several of our pieces have tricky roadmaps, and the bass player we were borrowing from a different orchestra was seeing them for the first time. We needed all that rehearsal time. To add to the fun, there were no printed bass parts, so Rene had to give up his iPad to lend to the bass player, and then conduct everything from memory. Which of course he did beautifully, but we really didn't need one more thing.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rO-c_OHPenPjlY3NVd1FJh_mtcC8zn4nymuQDepoi55rpd7VqXyT9PbELrVQOjXfUA4e6e93NNjFyMOJ0DItBhv-WHEL1jdH91TQyAbWkE9ZVi-SR4QklCj0bUMSYK7oJP2T9pApkosdi2LFspqmnMnnHKQ50qrklp_KBveyVLhQPcNtEimLxsOD/s320/IMG_20220506_141241153.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rO-c_OHPenPjlY3NVd1FJh_mtcC8zn4nymuQDepoi55rpd7VqXyT9PbELrVQOjXfUA4e6e93NNjFyMOJ0DItBhv-WHEL1jdH91TQyAbWkE9ZVi-SR4QklCj0bUMSYK7oJP2T9pApkosdi2LFspqmnMnnHKQ50qrklp_KBveyVLhQPcNtEimLxsOD/w300-h400/IMG_20220506_141241153.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonia, Kristin, and me in our mandola lineup!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDNWE2NaNQAnMp9lyP08ygWoFXdaR7E3yJPMbSBJjlSlwPSkKGHcysWQ88o5vhhPo-1nXQPqxTZUEq0f7e0NGSh0-qxkl6-aMyD-PtgBD7vCDbPaZC65Ph3jTRdzZYV9d8_W48VuciOolCvjw_HFPzoP79tfMNkO7QH_LKCMGVe_stXhvYZh8oHik/s320/IMG_20220506_152052698.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDNWE2NaNQAnMp9lyP08ygWoFXdaR7E3yJPMbSBJjlSlwPSkKGHcysWQ88o5vhhPo-1nXQPqxTZUEq0f7e0NGSh0-qxkl6-aMyD-PtgBD7vCDbPaZC65Ph3jTRdzZYV9d8_W48VuciOolCvjw_HFPzoP79tfMNkO7QH_LKCMGVe_stXhvYZh8oHik/w300-h400/IMG_20220506_152052698.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bbevqfhFx5KniRdxziqglXLQfpIG1lj8EI7IKTrZxSYfbx0H4QFZU_fqrDaHM_pVz6nsZDBolZ29B--NM1GxhG97M026x7HD68d--CcW-PRCTg8-QA_A-QJmMDG1OAXvFNkoxBCKNbuCMDMeDX_9PjTH_5XMeldjK1RPINtJEGHoOe16pBmPLaKD/s320/IMG_20220506_153010330.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bbevqfhFx5KniRdxziqglXLQfpIG1lj8EI7IKTrZxSYfbx0H4QFZU_fqrDaHM_pVz6nsZDBolZ29B--NM1GxhG97M026x7HD68d--CcW-PRCTg8-QA_A-QJmMDG1OAXvFNkoxBCKNbuCMDMeDX_9PjTH_5XMeldjK1RPINtJEGHoOe16pBmPLaKD/w300-h400/IMG_20220506_153010330.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gZp9atjXL4D1EuJEo-GBEoe6Dm4whMpjmowHHiH-vfy0YKvzaskdxtiVO7X__JKOgnE9a73w5czns7jT4oYi2zA214rvQC8mAHhKAb0WIC5GC4RPG2ZS06Bxdrzw5GWNy5GDxAZ4OBt2APc0RVuS4BtvCyXx2Co3ic6KqsmdYoMyOe1hF5vGYHxx/s320/IMG_20220506_170034770.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gZp9atjXL4D1EuJEo-GBEoe6Dm4whMpjmowHHiH-vfy0YKvzaskdxtiVO7X__JKOgnE9a73w5czns7jT4oYi2zA214rvQC8mAHhKAb0WIC5GC4RPG2ZS06Bxdrzw5GWNy5GDxAZ4OBt2APc0RVuS4BtvCyXx2Co3ic6KqsmdYoMyOe1hF5vGYHxx/w400-h300/IMG_20220506_170034770.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A group from Austria played before us, and while we were gathered in the makeshift green room off to the side, Rene led us in a series of stretching and breathing exercises to get everyone focused. I think it helped.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlBqwMk2gb5a1LUnxYnPO0K_syhpe1ZTY29V8rQDlaE5NBH7vX8aDws9akbEDL4s9kuw6EdlqRllpTE9AkONCFFA8zumPF36dMEEa1HjRbAiQVUkiTg7S03NuHVFit07_VOQkgXh0kyw65INgsTAVz-AU4RPPTLQDq-xCgBcSx-TFswmLh_PpGbGb/s320/IMG_20220506_153521490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlBqwMk2gb5a1LUnxYnPO0K_syhpe1ZTY29V8rQDlaE5NBH7vX8aDws9akbEDL4s9kuw6EdlqRllpTE9AkONCFFA8zumPF36dMEEa1HjRbAiQVUkiTg7S03NuHVFit07_VOQkgXh0kyw65INgsTAVz-AU4RPPTLQDq-xCgBcSx-TFswmLh_PpGbGb/w400-h300/IMG_20220506_153521490.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And then we played really well.<p></p><p>Live concerts are never perfect, and the one piece where we had some hesitations was appropriately enough the Hesitation Waltz, but overall, I don't think we've ever played better. The audience was enthusiastic, and even though we had to cut a piece I had been excited to play due to the unexpected time constraints, it really went very well. My mom was right there in front, and it's a performance moment I will always be proud of. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1FPQxSJ0GHrkgIESO9Arl1X1c7Cmguu-pscz6q5v0CzB3kQ-KALQE-qgivv1ehhLCFpWHw4QjlGZ7ecSNtCX1UFLXWKIDUJQD152cNojRidDyX-1y-cs8_uVENljrEsktFuM-1s37EdbY1UHhMRgwOzJpEm_hWKEj-vT9ETR6Jk8_ZUH5wuh8prx/s320/IMG_20220506_180453657.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1FPQxSJ0GHrkgIESO9Arl1X1c7Cmguu-pscz6q5v0CzB3kQ-KALQE-qgivv1ehhLCFpWHw4QjlGZ7ecSNtCX1UFLXWKIDUJQD152cNojRidDyX-1y-cs8_uVENljrEsktFuM-1s37EdbY1UHhMRgwOzJpEm_hWKEj-vT9ETR6Jk8_ZUH5wuh8prx/w400-h300/IMG_20220506_180453657.jpg" width="400" /></a>Afterward, a pair of mother-daughter musicians joined us for a bit of relaxation in our nearby apartment, and then we all went out for dinner.</p><p> <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Mom and I then spent the evening just wandering some more. Because Venice is a perfect place to simply be.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtVUljBTYvOeBGGHUeFSUM7_9fyW1_b4IuBU17KAO8hDaNxaK88h2gI6DRGriljXy8LeHqGlkSO5rSYz7iGBBnNrYNtoLJ-1j9TsrABrTvBXhlgwF9_Wi6NyqOADIDJEdnVoTknGqC4ykPloRWdVlGBBujZb1FJt6Uuw6iiOj4HiA5tEWSmIX8IyA/s320/IMG_20220506_203351003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtVUljBTYvOeBGGHUeFSUM7_9fyW1_b4IuBU17KAO8hDaNxaK88h2gI6DRGriljXy8LeHqGlkSO5rSYz7iGBBnNrYNtoLJ-1j9TsrABrTvBXhlgwF9_Wi6NyqOADIDJEdnVoTknGqC4ykPloRWdVlGBBujZb1FJt6Uuw6iiOj4HiA5tEWSmIX8IyA/w300-h400/IMG_20220506_203351003.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWA3q2Ix_LfOxa9P7cpoMY-NwfJsmKEAMMg9h1OZFmeM9C1Cn46IhSrEAyhfA7tdJjn9NVVzNJJZqABjAlzAHiPyjVDIR7AiOg-qoKDQ02S0-E_BoQqWIU_R3ccTI5LRHsCmq5Jeudr6D0T2McT-YMwJaNdaXRUSl-2bZ6QEOHbgQK55z0PQO7lTi/s320/IMG_20220506_203416664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWA3q2Ix_LfOxa9P7cpoMY-NwfJsmKEAMMg9h1OZFmeM9C1Cn46IhSrEAyhfA7tdJjn9NVVzNJJZqABjAlzAHiPyjVDIR7AiOg-qoKDQ02S0-E_BoQqWIU_R3ccTI5LRHsCmq5Jeudr6D0T2McT-YMwJaNdaXRUSl-2bZ6QEOHbgQK55z0PQO7lTi/w300-h400/IMG_20220506_203416664.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwQ3X_3hMZdA7lOpXwBOwP9vdK37CHtwumpzmobeggdP2bgycprghEirUQwyoiUkEviUCOsfzGW1XWtmCAD9LVW5NvS_Ken-G0nqIp1tKL4o4BBV1_uRakCszJ4MQftW2Bi8eVCkJ6pQ9XojvLRHuOR9jW6yz3nixdOCrqPQMjSeCa69JqgmGDiki/s320/IMG_20220506_204724559.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwQ3X_3hMZdA7lOpXwBOwP9vdK37CHtwumpzmobeggdP2bgycprghEirUQwyoiUkEviUCOsfzGW1XWtmCAD9LVW5NvS_Ken-G0nqIp1tKL4o4BBV1_uRakCszJ4MQftW2Bi8eVCkJ6pQ9XojvLRHuOR9jW6yz3nixdOCrqPQMjSeCa69JqgmGDiki/w400-h300/IMG_20220506_204724559.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSMpNxi9GqTi7I8oAoihuvLLrr-jQYPQYRKsZE2MCIjmsm_gio2ZejcuDOIX-Xqt7-dT-5Yl9nOLr8s6NfcHMRkZ-C_roRij21n3mPJUMCtjlWV2nH1idMtL4FyWGj46dqCREeiAImFfmNSyRMh6IpKhJSAA6dPMesV_f0FLygSmyU4Q7jD1z99l9/s320/IMG_20220506_225133165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSMpNxi9GqTi7I8oAoihuvLLrr-jQYPQYRKsZE2MCIjmsm_gio2ZejcuDOIX-Xqt7-dT-5Yl9nOLr8s6NfcHMRkZ-C_roRij21n3mPJUMCtjlWV2nH1idMtL4FyWGj46dqCREeiAImFfmNSyRMh6IpKhJSAA6dPMesV_f0FLygSmyU4Q7jD1z99l9/w300-h400/IMG_20220506_225133165.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Our last full day in Venice was Saturday (the 7th). The big event planned for that day was our evening performance in a palace as part of the Gala end to the festival. So Mom and I took it easy in the morning, worked on arranging things for our departure the next morning (lining up a water taxi back to the airport, etc.), and then splurged on a wonderful lunch where we had reservations at a little place we'd passed every day called Vini Da Gigio.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsMi0Rar824sstMZbb80cilqinH9_erpOAQG9JJfbQmCddhGu08DhjjNlMujJIptnqBqgquX9HCYif_Q8dXyB_jOPOG2QKWiej0-w9BMkrTZb3L-Cjn2O1Puuw19IjUGzpXleOTyS9Q9Rr0kody2jRBZL0Hy2l6bCI8NMpzM1p9Ibmg-yXXn77iGL/s320/IMG_20220507_122654132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsMi0Rar824sstMZbb80cilqinH9_erpOAQG9JJfbQmCddhGu08DhjjNlMujJIptnqBqgquX9HCYif_Q8dXyB_jOPOG2QKWiej0-w9BMkrTZb3L-Cjn2O1Puuw19IjUGzpXleOTyS9Q9Rr0kody2jRBZL0Hy2l6bCI8NMpzM1p9Ibmg-yXXn77iGL/s1600/IMG_20220507_122654132.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j-aPUtjxgzTGWPm1HT-yVB_Aps506K-zYGPI6bz0Gyc29NABKintDGauFDGhgnfoIhiwWKrCmQLss-xSRvepb3yXMJm5i67mcMD0YJSN2SxwWOhJYah_VRaZ0Ie-V2DgRUChyQTwwumdRw9-F3ki-pFSvGkq8nKvRBlvXKyWiQvO9Umudm0s9lUp/s320/IMG_20220507_122713143_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j-aPUtjxgzTGWPm1HT-yVB_Aps506K-zYGPI6bz0Gyc29NABKintDGauFDGhgnfoIhiwWKrCmQLss-xSRvepb3yXMJm5i67mcMD0YJSN2SxwWOhJYah_VRaZ0Ie-V2DgRUChyQTwwumdRw9-F3ki-pFSvGkq8nKvRBlvXKyWiQvO9Umudm0s9lUp/s1600/IMG_20220507_122713143_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA_RdtAbfHk2c3SJ7OISm_IFRKDr_Qk0dnnrLHItYXcA4o9586DyzBXezkjMSLxeTm9Fd9a1GEb2wKlOK9IxQPM1-nZXkqsQHDgCJAQcPLFUYsTjd8Gt6DbDERX3cBTByI37E5F3KHIJBnmB9IFs6GSOp9TIg7Ud31gVsYEVkrGMetZrBqtJ3LlLX/s320/IMG_20220507_125332304_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA_RdtAbfHk2c3SJ7OISm_IFRKDr_Qk0dnnrLHItYXcA4o9586DyzBXezkjMSLxeTm9Fd9a1GEb2wKlOK9IxQPM1-nZXkqsQHDgCJAQcPLFUYsTjd8Gt6DbDERX3cBTByI37E5F3KHIJBnmB9IFs6GSOp9TIg7Ud31gVsYEVkrGMetZrBqtJ3LlLX/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_125332304_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-_kdMc2HYRME2RtMtt9BMPvoNAjWDXgNRW4MbkT9xJkDAscW4nKgz04A_5Zhoz0wa_lCnpaQ_2pY2Vg-B3IoyUkpghNjkBJveKVnb2idgQ-IZrOcqVMP5EQ22_349qdj4jeRVExFDrMfx7PpEq-db1s82zjNZFLgVoUEPpNa2xV4xEukXAWHVWkB/s320/IMG_20220507_133620992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-_kdMc2HYRME2RtMtt9BMPvoNAjWDXgNRW4MbkT9xJkDAscW4nKgz04A_5Zhoz0wa_lCnpaQ_2pY2Vg-B3IoyUkpghNjkBJveKVnb2idgQ-IZrOcqVMP5EQ22_349qdj4jeRVExFDrMfx7PpEq-db1s82zjNZFLgVoUEPpNa2xV4xEukXAWHVWkB/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_133620992.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJLYWpfv__B4NMCfNAY55H6WWVYb5yjqHGrUMSiuFJ1t5AcLo0n9LTTY34krNpvjzr1w84o4on7cwgdFIglcG6f0plJMNA_5Foal9BKuieIissV4760G3kOn9kiKW4OJwT5X8tMHquALDma7pmgzUYQGWu-7_tKPrtGkgWx87jLO0w1P6VqHgihn7/s320/IMG_20220507_135348967_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJLYWpfv__B4NMCfNAY55H6WWVYb5yjqHGrUMSiuFJ1t5AcLo0n9LTTY34krNpvjzr1w84o4on7cwgdFIglcG6f0plJMNA_5Foal9BKuieIissV4760G3kOn9kiKW4OJwT5X8tMHquALDma7pmgzUYQGWu-7_tKPrtGkgWx87jLO0w1P6VqHgihn7/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_135348967_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>So good. The best thing I ate the whole trip was their fried artichoke hearts and prosciutto.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifA9xeFNS_hRIHgzVZsHW3rK8VfHJnRppd8T7k7l-yoK0S824d5It8S14Wer-pfvJVeZm-MurV45snn4uJUfoWzNgjNdd--2WROy_jkJ3v2voXifE2saD44E0L0-bX3lH3hDx--fSZwH3sJZYqCdNl6Pc1jr65Braz7KECJzEbvDijJBC04u-Jaxsv/s320/IMG_20220507_124641629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifA9xeFNS_hRIHgzVZsHW3rK8VfHJnRppd8T7k7l-yoK0S824d5It8S14Wer-pfvJVeZm-MurV45snn4uJUfoWzNgjNdd--2WROy_jkJ3v2voXifE2saD44E0L0-bX3lH3hDx--fSZwH3sJZYqCdNl6Pc1jr65Braz7KECJzEbvDijJBC04u-Jaxsv/s1600/IMG_20220507_124641629.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UTbysZki3Z5J4-CKCK6neUhyLXWvCJGnYda4sc0v7f8j36KjYKq1dV-Q8oW8pOfn_HuPE2SGG-GqC6p-El4z1h94FmN6-XW00gHGK1gHqqSfZ8ex9WHyOXBufyZSK_LPbic7X61OEVxBZhQ0UzanqC-R3fCfZ4acvivn4nVfjBLy_SBthtMYOQX1/s320/IMG_20220507_155624348.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UTbysZki3Z5J4-CKCK6neUhyLXWvCJGnYda4sc0v7f8j36KjYKq1dV-Q8oW8pOfn_HuPE2SGG-GqC6p-El4z1h94FmN6-XW00gHGK1gHqqSfZ8ex9WHyOXBufyZSK_LPbic7X61OEVxBZhQ0UzanqC-R3fCfZ4acvivn4nVfjBLy_SBthtMYOQX1/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_155624348.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>After lunch, we went back to the apartment to change, pick up my mandola (and music, and stand) and start walking toward the palace way on the other side of the map.<p></p><p><br /> </p><p>It was a confusing trek, but we left ourselves plenty of time to get lost. Which is good, because somewhere in that last little stretch we got impressively lost, until we spotted other people carrying mandolin cases, and tagged along with them.</p><p> </p><p>The walk took us past grand sights, along a park, and through all sorts of interesting neighborhoods with surprises here and there, including our first glimpse of cars in several days. It's amazing how fast you can get used to not seeing cars. (Less amazing how little you miss them.)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Uie3i1ktUNx-rMZSbyEL4wGh1xo3a3XKZtc0b3AScMyMdmOnv6S8OnxJDKpCMKoZXB0M21J9cP0usAdzcK-VV4dDA59Q7C0e7yUSlxYwJBmYv2qMFzOVovTx7CZc1liZAt2uboDpl3jcCVcA0OgTMZMVxRxIY5Onwoc8u-M5H9SeqZ7FplqIFbZ3/s320/IMG_20220507_164553177_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Uie3i1ktUNx-rMZSbyEL4wGh1xo3a3XKZtc0b3AScMyMdmOnv6S8OnxJDKpCMKoZXB0M21J9cP0usAdzcK-VV4dDA59Q7C0e7yUSlxYwJBmYv2qMFzOVovTx7CZc1liZAt2uboDpl3jcCVcA0OgTMZMVxRxIY5Onwoc8u-M5H9SeqZ7FplqIFbZ3/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_164553177_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWhZCY2A4HoblQ3Ru6tINv5JlYlTFe40PqMYTgY5WjWl8HHrXwsytlxs5TGrtKOJU41ws1GGfYzwufGdqRJSGh3GV0-meQS2nJ-2nZXUxOJvEQJIPL_Fa9HPoHMeZ3kwr8jdj43jefnKsalVw9M4MyWykTji_zQO-aK8cCCEGzbfrc57mUrk4K6E0/s320/IMG_20220507_164605605_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWhZCY2A4HoblQ3Ru6tINv5JlYlTFe40PqMYTgY5WjWl8HHrXwsytlxs5TGrtKOJU41ws1GGfYzwufGdqRJSGh3GV0-meQS2nJ-2nZXUxOJvEQJIPL_Fa9HPoHMeZ3kwr8jdj43jefnKsalVw9M4MyWykTji_zQO-aK8cCCEGzbfrc57mUrk4K6E0/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_164605605_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR8WDyBRQJVYx9xk3X8pEFCcOqWd_4brs73Vh0t8t9aKmw-pqsUuEzy_Rk5lr6vpdbGgUrHMtVWWkIWkq-zNpzJ8shqkN3S9_K32l4kV1DRpQNyTTmJScybvzzbSfwRPEg4uhjbEb1PEdWEFYROSdWLEH8Vs9YR1-k3VEVAuKuUFsjyDqHeTysD1e/s320/IMG_20220507_164858827_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR8WDyBRQJVYx9xk3X8pEFCcOqWd_4brs73Vh0t8t9aKmw-pqsUuEzy_Rk5lr6vpdbGgUrHMtVWWkIWkq-zNpzJ8shqkN3S9_K32l4kV1DRpQNyTTmJScybvzzbSfwRPEg4uhjbEb1PEdWEFYROSdWLEH8Vs9YR1-k3VEVAuKuUFsjyDqHeTysD1e/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_164858827_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kuqSnviUsGEq4c7EYRXtugrTmuz-t2EoHINi7FxrLcflVSyGSl2CpZd6TyHF5piD0jD9kVOeGtEJ0ns2rFTgGjpePIwR88CCV6-YkIrOBhq1AKtHVQcvXxYzsO6CJaoqTekcBC9Vgst67paz0zZ2jcIa_yDCclORq5uHJkJ1lprZ1pzSkTA8GRTM/s320/IMG_20220507_170904747_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kuqSnviUsGEq4c7EYRXtugrTmuz-t2EoHINi7FxrLcflVSyGSl2CpZd6TyHF5piD0jD9kVOeGtEJ0ns2rFTgGjpePIwR88CCV6-YkIrOBhq1AKtHVQcvXxYzsO6CJaoqTekcBC9Vgst67paz0zZ2jcIa_yDCclORq5uHJkJ1lprZ1pzSkTA8GRTM/s1600/IMG_20220507_170904747_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH7WmwRORFmkUOMgKkwUzSJxo6mScUpkbjGctIhpOwoFNDE4SwiQ41fVlGjaV9Xc1o7S0J7dwe6wqVMpgqsKeT6DGiwE5zx9y6A7pwjHwAmgu0B1GgsufGDP-YXYGYmkEZx_rQa7y7q9t3NC6wSHmC_cXXfluM5k6KMd1HFlStsFNWPof2pHVP-CF/s320/IMG_20220507_164925894_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH7WmwRORFmkUOMgKkwUzSJxo6mScUpkbjGctIhpOwoFNDE4SwiQ41fVlGjaV9Xc1o7S0J7dwe6wqVMpgqsKeT6DGiwE5zx9y6A7pwjHwAmgu0B1GgsufGDP-YXYGYmkEZx_rQa7y7q9t3NC6wSHmC_cXXfluM5k6KMd1HFlStsFNWPof2pHVP-CF/s1600/IMG_20220507_164925894_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIpw801fmgOQ5El47E8ET-B0C6YVL6MEertSVS7W-x3muXlq88lRUkDme2mjuvaRZf7bqS0hPUF4EdcpJj3AFQ0mlqoi3L94UQ6tqbz6bhCqAAupjUkGwllbFP3SDNhedfRKjV_BjVhZqdPp1tDVGkNM5nregxpRefJfLE8TH3yuVGqL7t7-gq0vM/s320/IMG_20220507_170203241_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIpw801fmgOQ5El47E8ET-B0C6YVL6MEertSVS7W-x3muXlq88lRUkDme2mjuvaRZf7bqS0hPUF4EdcpJj3AFQ0mlqoi3L94UQ6tqbz6bhCqAAupjUkGwllbFP3SDNhedfRKjV_BjVhZqdPp1tDVGkNM5nregxpRefJfLE8TH3yuVGqL7t7-gq0vM/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_170203241_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PPsvjWZyYTMEQD27BKtr4EUSxYVos11z3KyFFrAjhAkid2c9WASoJjjJDSq1NAiqDe0-i79fHHWdqKWKdpFfZ4gEptQJA3muJjYEBcFGTomf2Ct7-O7IzQ98Np2VJIM_pIwCoLdKysVFXwnqVe-FoWOPEVksRsth-ss377cbECsv2fuwabMiC4Ua/s320/IMG_20220507_173509504.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PPsvjWZyYTMEQD27BKtr4EUSxYVos11z3KyFFrAjhAkid2c9WASoJjjJDSq1NAiqDe0-i79fHHWdqKWKdpFfZ4gEptQJA3muJjYEBcFGTomf2Ct7-O7IzQ98Np2VJIM_pIwCoLdKysVFXwnqVe-FoWOPEVksRsth-ss377cbECsv2fuwabMiC4Ua/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_173509504.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /> <br /><p></p><p>We were asked to keep the palace location and Gala a secret, lest the locals were to crash the event. That sounded bizarre to me, since what are the odds of the average person wanting to randomly hear mandolin orchestras play? But apparently that can happen, because while trying to figure out the location of the secret palace, we asked a random man for help, and he didn't know either, but accompanied us all the way to the venue despite our not needing assistance at that point. And he was there as I was leaving, telling me how great it all was. So apparently that happened.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtg4VDXf2fG7V7gOmbS63D-Fn4chfXsRJfPYgL6mkZeWJLW-csbZvh5dmsj5Mw_1YCfWNDnUSgJ_6wAWvy2-7YtdnRXC13i8cnhIbvyocURGkDcj2VByB98PCtgntT3m9vpSOIjE0j_4W9E3SQ3pI35FNvKfqIS2ys98UzzHYvtoIW2hmauOn7aQ3/s320/IMG_20220507_175501159_HDR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtg4VDXf2fG7V7gOmbS63D-Fn4chfXsRJfPYgL6mkZeWJLW-csbZvh5dmsj5Mw_1YCfWNDnUSgJ_6wAWvy2-7YtdnRXC13i8cnhIbvyocURGkDcj2VByB98PCtgntT3m9vpSOIjE0j_4W9E3SQ3pI35FNvKfqIS2ys98UzzHYvtoIW2hmauOn7aQ3/s1600/IMG_20220507_175501159_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The Gala event was somehow even more poorly planned than the concerts were. The palace couldn't hold all the festival participants, so we were divided into two groups, the first to enter at 6:00, and the second in another round later. So almost no one got to hear all the music, which was really unfortunate. Our group was supposed to include performances of Japanese pieces by the Venice Festival ensemble, duos performed by Rene Izquierdo and Carlo Aonza, and finishing up with the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, where we planned to play the piece cut from our original concert, along with Summertime In Venice and an encore number. We were really excited!<br /><p></p><p>The palace was beautiful. There were costumes on display, and palace dancers on hand to teach people traditional steps at the buffet following the concert.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1il1CL2sOZ32fm_6Fuxz_RG8ubjZPKj6TNkR6iIr9VjNw8ZI9u32F5rFisqsUKaaVu1BmxpgH35w9HOnjwfaKUCWAwJzg9voLzXd6KnGe2HJBbK4Z54DVP2JFCXjpQieOfmARBLWy59MMP7nuqsp64lkYM2MU8Ywmpcvxn8M6MnUcJCIfmTIiW85/s320/IMG_20220507_175713394.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1il1CL2sOZ32fm_6Fuxz_RG8ubjZPKj6TNkR6iIr9VjNw8ZI9u32F5rFisqsUKaaVu1BmxpgH35w9HOnjwfaKUCWAwJzg9voLzXd6KnGe2HJBbK4Z54DVP2JFCXjpQieOfmARBLWy59MMP7nuqsp64lkYM2MU8Ywmpcvxn8M6MnUcJCIfmTIiW85/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_175713394.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxln9KfaeDcG17K75CK8PEH0DoXYXhGZx1S9jJsA5AM2r7nyHb5PaGlPdrscUz2OjsfZgVMRanA8zmhXg0cQ5vqXBRBP4saF28-pGgghc8kJtmfsTXrBJn0RGXROGa2644NToWHaxZXC2FHu9QuzCkBnOKKoVbYjo_D_4jRCp41cVT4VcqDSyt-cd/s320/IMG_20220507_175730724.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxln9KfaeDcG17K75CK8PEH0DoXYXhGZx1S9jJsA5AM2r7nyHb5PaGlPdrscUz2OjsfZgVMRanA8zmhXg0cQ5vqXBRBP4saF28-pGgghc8kJtmfsTXrBJn0RGXROGa2644NToWHaxZXC2FHu9QuzCkBnOKKoVbYjo_D_4jRCp41cVT4VcqDSyt-cd/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_175730724.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRfeOJUrX-vuwhB6rjnTssfjj4PVKOa7gO15j-K5VNxS1G6ppYx-SfvpesYTx6mYKaPFMHEDHqYPBqXdWjNOyRkfu7unlmmnDEZ-DUAzU_lXC4jdWE92Ga_57j8tMCOoO2Lr4dOgsluonUZ26U0rNLWnXZ2kHSL1S-ih4-6YXvyAfMJWwwNuFtQjw/s320/IMG_20220507_175756048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRfeOJUrX-vuwhB6rjnTssfjj4PVKOa7gO15j-K5VNxS1G6ppYx-SfvpesYTx6mYKaPFMHEDHqYPBqXdWjNOyRkfu7unlmmnDEZ-DUAzU_lXC4jdWE92Ga_57j8tMCOoO2Lr4dOgsluonUZ26U0rNLWnXZ2kHSL1S-ih4-6YXvyAfMJWwwNuFtQjw/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_175756048.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOu-HweXb45ZYVloq-Ez1WoSq3--dcSFf6SEVo8bt6JlRt1Ucyja3PtXrh53GhEJBgvq4zLz9qfTLL-jsOAy6RGxOGqvinzAbUDjcc1sVW_-H_p1xKvfqsrCG43X-rSum3klYaH66ahJLPM45Bunw8ndJjv2hJEN0t0nQdTKdrK53QrHIGEnv6iD7W/s320/IMG_20220507_180039339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOu-HweXb45ZYVloq-Ez1WoSq3--dcSFf6SEVo8bt6JlRt1Ucyja3PtXrh53GhEJBgvq4zLz9qfTLL-jsOAy6RGxOGqvinzAbUDjcc1sVW_-H_p1xKvfqsrCG43X-rSum3klYaH66ahJLPM45Bunw8ndJjv2hJEN0t0nQdTKdrK53QrHIGEnv6iD7W/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_180039339.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaRIBM7BCt3kreqBkitcGHWIBzE0K8OlEeHEglG5lYKYtbiVVzpNmxn0qnZ9Yu7D5yR3C6wthMp8p0NH8DNXXMT4m-ZbtZ2xjELWXL5WlWGZlee02xXZPTnppi2BP70Yxj35inmEA8aTVYtwS5HCcOxvvlaQupioIk54oK6BXNFJ0lpQbTUbUfOGy/s320/IMG_20220507_180459681.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaRIBM7BCt3kreqBkitcGHWIBzE0K8OlEeHEglG5lYKYtbiVVzpNmxn0qnZ9Yu7D5yR3C6wthMp8p0NH8DNXXMT4m-ZbtZ2xjELWXL5WlWGZlee02xXZPTnppi2BP70Yxj35inmEA8aTVYtwS5HCcOxvvlaQupioIk54oK6BXNFJ0lpQbTUbUfOGy/s1600/IMG_20220507_180459681.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0frGXkX4xumuqK2v_qhGBkxGuXbd6iHYvEzuWw6z-RzbM2j9tEY8SBzpuAodIPNGTyWK3WPW74VN02AcfPM9yuMfZK5luh0lL7WJD7mA36TWOLT8geIks3sct8fL8qze68hFYIeTGJkzaXQJgyOTcF5Eo-7Th3B3qTDa_JPnc6i71AeIjZvPYB1c/s320/IMG_20220507_194827909.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0frGXkX4xumuqK2v_qhGBkxGuXbd6iHYvEzuWw6z-RzbM2j9tEY8SBzpuAodIPNGTyWK3WPW74VN02AcfPM9yuMfZK5luh0lL7WJD7mA36TWOLT8geIks3sct8fL8qze68hFYIeTGJkzaXQJgyOTcF5Eo-7Th3B3qTDa_JPnc6i71AeIjZvPYB1c/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_194827909.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmck9C5E-xCXLprJV4BSTumFvwCrNxHlsf8wzAU_NujHPdg0YEdOOxPtFEng3LTGqQAYq7HNPnDTowWxB3TpGM8Tz9Sz3bVTJDKhcNSfY4i7AxV0xrK_i-Vhh15-2Hyugzc6PqqZhex8RE2pD-mCx3VsNpV55rpXC9arGzbH90PaOF008n54nNXFfn/s320/280152091_10225727370466006_1976945846008804772_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmck9C5E-xCXLprJV4BSTumFvwCrNxHlsf8wzAU_NujHPdg0YEdOOxPtFEng3LTGqQAYq7HNPnDTowWxB3TpGM8Tz9Sz3bVTJDKhcNSfY4i7AxV0xrK_i-Vhh15-2Hyugzc6PqqZhex8RE2pD-mCx3VsNpV55rpXC9arGzbH90PaOF008n54nNXFfn/s16000/280152091_10225727370466006_1976945846008804772_n.jpg" /></a><br /></div><p>The seating was weird, though, because they needed the chairs from the first several rows in the audience for the orchestra to sit in. It seemed unfair for people who had staked out front row seats early to be suddenly displaced and sent to the back or off to the sides. But then those chairs returned during the duo performance, and those of us looking forward to being closer to the front were now in the middle. It was unnecessarily disruptive.</p><p>The first group played for at least 20 minutes. Then the duo played many things for about 45 minutes. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdG6iELdAM6CaZo2vjJTctzrHqdkvn11DCR1_mdPq-vSox1dH4ohFH5lv9CzP-D57o2B1qMO71ZJUplY_AXiiawdwtSu7mP_YzoliT1zRSARa6QXR41G0HQhyYoq2wCJr-yLRLEjbpRRvtVTsjtyFXY3hpIKI00ADNGikdeSb12ybeXzDObcAaCCiM/s320/IMG_20220507_185918443.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdG6iELdAM6CaZo2vjJTctzrHqdkvn11DCR1_mdPq-vSox1dH4ohFH5lv9CzP-D57o2B1qMO71ZJUplY_AXiiawdwtSu7mP_YzoliT1zRSARa6QXR41G0HQhyYoq2wCJr-yLRLEjbpRRvtVTsjtyFXY3hpIKI00ADNGikdeSb12ybeXzDObcAaCCiM/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_185918443.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></p><p>And at that point, an announcement was made that there would be no time left for the Milwaukee group, please go eat, and promptly leave so the next group could come in.</p><p>We were really confused. At first we couldn't believe we'd been bumped from the Gala, and wondered if we'd been moved to the next group of performances. But no, we were cut entirely! We came all the way to Venice and were then summarily dismissed from the final event!</p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwxNS_87T-RG61OBg6sXpjE9d2PK3RfgzpVqcN8qh4J2_mLclTzlACTTy6KZcyjXOrsFixm7R61mGpb-gL9K-TOYtxH0hIn59HF_JpqCmNXk6ga6fJrYx_7O-LrvMkonpN7XSGDs-JEMdlGvLHdl65e4nVsxAvVBBsV2kDfCjYJQry97SMqg1IGmc/s320/IMG_20220507_200107705.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwxNS_87T-RG61OBg6sXpjE9d2PK3RfgzpVqcN8qh4J2_mLclTzlACTTy6KZcyjXOrsFixm7R61mGpb-gL9K-TOYtxH0hIn59HF_JpqCmNXk6ga6fJrYx_7O-LrvMkonpN7XSGDs-JEMdlGvLHdl65e4nVsxAvVBBsV2kDfCjYJQry97SMqg1IGmc/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_200107705.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p>We went down to the floor with the uninspiring buffet spread, sipped our drinks, and grumbled in disbelief as musicians played background music and accompanied the dancers. We started saying at the very least we could be playing the music during the food and at least get a chance to play in the palace! <p></p><p>My friend Laurie took that to heart and said she would go back upstairs and grab her instrument and would play with anyone who would join her. We decided to run it past Rene to make sure he wouldn't get in trouble, and he gave us our blessing. So off we went, back upstairs to collect our things, and we simply set up at the end of the room, and we made music.</p><p>The festival director was NOT HAPPY. But once we decided to go rogue, we stuck with it. We played Tango of the Roses to much applause, and launched into Summertime In Venice over the director's protests. But what was he going to do? Cut us again? The audience loved it.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm4ojPY--e4XaAwNVwdcHSc5BzJmquG_WG6yZAwggFxAVAtg9PTdE9XhvPoC8lWuZFUqnSvCpCZGYTUyVPzHBP7_HC0ALcz5vfIme9T886Aq978CUhn6ZoGNUKxyo_MPkYvx49bTSyQZcwAKJe1Dyx9JjEW64mNqTnC_GyeLV35f-TCOJZE8beVfB/s320/IMG_6702.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm4ojPY--e4XaAwNVwdcHSc5BzJmquG_WG6yZAwggFxAVAtg9PTdE9XhvPoC8lWuZFUqnSvCpCZGYTUyVPzHBP7_HC0ALcz5vfIme9T886Aq978CUhn6ZoGNUKxyo_MPkYvx49bTSyQZcwAKJe1Dyx9JjEW64mNqTnC_GyeLV35f-TCOJZE8beVfB/w400-h300/IMG_6702.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra goes rogue<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio75ISiItI8l2BRkoGkgFxTnB1P8KDz_LbM05Xwv35ohzUiJt2Qv6cC4w1IVtHZ17uEuwzpXBlWQfVcuL8K2CkJTsg9nZtKM0J1iEXw98pXw1qcK9jqD4tx28hDtvSnhN8oXK_BoNJ6pLxABBhxoCK5QQWx89JNd5RAncl58jyE1ov5xC0TOY6FokG/s320/IMG_20220507_202650148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio75ISiItI8l2BRkoGkgFxTnB1P8KDz_LbM05Xwv35ohzUiJt2Qv6cC4w1IVtHZ17uEuwzpXBlWQfVcuL8K2CkJTsg9nZtKM0J1iEXw98pXw1qcK9jqD4tx28hDtvSnhN8oXK_BoNJ6pLxABBhxoCK5QQWx89JNd5RAncl58jyE1ov5xC0TOY6FokG/w300-h400/IMG_20220507_202650148.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Defiant mandolas!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>We loved it! Best part of the trip, and the closest an old-time mandolin orchestra gets to feeling like a punk band. Much more fun than if we'd actually played our originally scheduled set.</p><p>My mom and I made the lovely walk in the night back to our apartment where we packed up our things for the morning.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0DFWRlmWNI3vkCbg8oVfXWGmrASuSAoUUA2A7So1S6CbPZglwmUtXZFHhUfPPmHiGEQliAysixAg1mxrK22O5ICoqTpoqp2PSCcuXqyuxufYM-0e9wqwkEob4ULYgyPcnprCYcHvcBLkzz0SFIkDb73YpCOb6uVZuMcWqSHGufIGuhI6f54f5nWv/s320/IMG_20220507_205929908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0DFWRlmWNI3vkCbg8oVfXWGmrASuSAoUUA2A7So1S6CbPZglwmUtXZFHhUfPPmHiGEQliAysixAg1mxrK22O5ICoqTpoqp2PSCcuXqyuxufYM-0e9wqwkEob4ULYgyPcnprCYcHvcBLkzz0SFIkDb73YpCOb6uVZuMcWqSHGufIGuhI6f54f5nWv/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_205929908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjQkuhebGXLDz89XoW6LxUJ-sP6s9xiceYELD6Ee7fEtEvpTFHflpVwO9m-a7taOUEhdwlamtrEQ_G6ez0WvVcVQvhQasBlexha7Y9AbuGT9WMz0FPicc0Ai8vIB_mbKY0706109AXhO6GiHOUPH53x78ZJ8aS0GNVYPy4SOBerDgd3QX-pcOWNkc/s320/IMG_20220507_212524990.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjQkuhebGXLDz89XoW6LxUJ-sP6s9xiceYELD6Ee7fEtEvpTFHflpVwO9m-a7taOUEhdwlamtrEQ_G6ez0WvVcVQvhQasBlexha7Y9AbuGT9WMz0FPicc0Ai8vIB_mbKY0706109AXhO6GiHOUPH53x78ZJ8aS0GNVYPy4SOBerDgd3QX-pcOWNkc/w400-h300/IMG_20220507_212524990.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always so much glass!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The water taxi arrived right on time outside our door. We watched Venice get smaller in the distance as we approached the airport. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau98lgeFZ4G2CHszsaC1QksEGzR4QkqIslYXeYhN95-ShHBQKPTkD3OfIEQAaMv0jgnLes7-Q9OU7QgZ4OD8hE9e7SHRPq6ABPMW5_pGvyha_EI7OtxkI451Tkfnm49e7QEZmgTfd_24e_DPviZJ8kvSqwn4acvGoV0tDpIg-N_6tza9jXojXb-fq/s320/IMG_20220508_071719811_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau98lgeFZ4G2CHszsaC1QksEGzR4QkqIslYXeYhN95-ShHBQKPTkD3OfIEQAaMv0jgnLes7-Q9OU7QgZ4OD8hE9e7SHRPq6ABPMW5_pGvyha_EI7OtxkI451Tkfnm49e7QEZmgTfd_24e_DPviZJ8kvSqwn4acvGoV0tDpIg-N_6tza9jXojXb-fq/s1600/IMG_20220508_071719811_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9L3knoy46xf58DyLlLBozbfn1iRGgHnF05ll7Gcx25fJ63-XCt-qHpyWFs1PU-rrkaOCZSNEpwEcEAI72CkypyO_Gc2lRXkQru-O-PPOCklejjH6wAjtlX1imkXEtvhTjElp3j4xtiTqFAydP6hwKAfqVBblD8odusF1Db3VGvZP4ruPA6bRFlfJw/s320/IMG_20220508_072020663_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9L3knoy46xf58DyLlLBozbfn1iRGgHnF05ll7Gcx25fJ63-XCt-qHpyWFs1PU-rrkaOCZSNEpwEcEAI72CkypyO_Gc2lRXkQru-O-PPOCklejjH6wAjtlX1imkXEtvhTjElp3j4xtiTqFAydP6hwKAfqVBblD8odusF1Db3VGvZP4ruPA6bRFlfJw/s1600/IMG_20220508_072020663_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoWtH2ga9rJafQ7kE0WHbqcbspWPBFc45VoA6xe9q_ftuvzD8iaFcPYG__4wzvlZh02z-AdS0__oX5XhNF_48FeLdzDVAUBbT-SOyU4wUJcW7BQIC0Mc1sfExp4q0q4JlNfotASl_QxLCiNpZY8Vnr-Rb2qOdoyePJkPWwKTPU9xhN157a5_qvgyk/s320/IMG_20220508_072842435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoWtH2ga9rJafQ7kE0WHbqcbspWPBFc45VoA6xe9q_ftuvzD8iaFcPYG__4wzvlZh02z-AdS0__oX5XhNF_48FeLdzDVAUBbT-SOyU4wUJcW7BQIC0Mc1sfExp4q0q4JlNfotASl_QxLCiNpZY8Vnr-Rb2qOdoyePJkPWwKTPU9xhN157a5_qvgyk/s1600/IMG_20220508_072842435.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCb3L2M-mcHPwKHlibdONGeq95VZE4QeD4V1FZay4auuL3Wr51d4JXxVA4LxvDfYfTm9YV47kzXmz0ogzmfAzUdoP44rlBt91FUBC8OEmxrDFvNod3EFPxlKiuj_Z81cd98RD-spSrmrqXgcFoUYs82yKCni4H2opp8RkXY20a7ewtWXMXdKwV5up/s320/IMG_20220508_073117183_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCb3L2M-mcHPwKHlibdONGeq95VZE4QeD4V1FZay4auuL3Wr51d4JXxVA4LxvDfYfTm9YV47kzXmz0ogzmfAzUdoP44rlBt91FUBC8OEmxrDFvNod3EFPxlKiuj_Z81cd98RD-spSrmrqXgcFoUYs82yKCni4H2opp8RkXY20a7ewtWXMXdKwV5up/w400-h300/IMG_20220508_073117183_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cbARW2sm58lup2gJQ9Sl_B1dGAnyqnPgs2YxWGFSMZgJdZZha43h1PH4W-zAAiYbMRSzqVuB1bpmgJaXhrHlHw3N72-TvgLMzvwCPEd93hO7-Iovt_O9mBaX1eL4idEF1iC2dPkN2r7acANd_PqJn3HBLKmMTjJN4cmFagCMmuBixNvVP2Q0eP06/s320/IMG_20220508_073759244_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cbARW2sm58lup2gJQ9Sl_B1dGAnyqnPgs2YxWGFSMZgJdZZha43h1PH4W-zAAiYbMRSzqVuB1bpmgJaXhrHlHw3N72-TvgLMzvwCPEd93hO7-Iovt_O9mBaX1eL4idEF1iC2dPkN2r7acANd_PqJn3HBLKmMTjJN4cmFagCMmuBixNvVP2Q0eP06/w300-h400/IMG_20220508_073759244_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_nkegTBKs0dmVRIgj2V_DTE35YAo3Bt3tXBI2CO3AfBZJd05bMhZLke-cu1Q9zpDk_QsQpeiCXQD4rbGg69cgTCASY0G-hLMUNV2p2Baq9Vuw6cASFEW-R5AGt1YzKwNaj82rdalEJMDjIutw9BrCdV_ZE_9EjBaW-P865WFC9AU-ogYEq57Zywb/s320/IMG_20220508_075923302.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_nkegTBKs0dmVRIgj2V_DTE35YAo3Bt3tXBI2CO3AfBZJd05bMhZLke-cu1Q9zpDk_QsQpeiCXQD4rbGg69cgTCASY0G-hLMUNV2p2Baq9Vuw6cASFEW-R5AGt1YzKwNaj82rdalEJMDjIutw9BrCdV_ZE_9EjBaW-P865WFC9AU-ogYEq57Zywb/s1600/IMG_20220508_075923302.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We spent the last of our Euros tipping a man who helped us get to the Covid testing station and wheeled our bags inside.<p></p><p></p><p></p><br /> <p></p><p>All the airport stuff in Italy was efficient and fine. The flight was good, and we watched the excellent documentary "The Conductor" about Maren Alsop, which I can highly recommend. All the airport stuff in Newark was stupid. Lots of confusing lines that looped around pointlessly, and our gate changed FIVE TIMES, never with an announcement. Once we had to find gate 99 only to discover the numbers stopped at 98. I asked a pilot for help, and he pointed us underground for that one. I did get a text from the airline at a random moment saying that we needed to switch gates (two gates ago) and that we should allow 77 minutes to get there. The last little flight to Detroit was blissfully uneventful. A friend picked us up and delivered us home where we slept very well.</p><p>For no real reason, I will share that in the Italian airport were confusingly large Mentos, and this peculiar feminine higeine waste can in the ladies room <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLNslo00doPtw4SGGRKePVqIfIP_Z3rpf3tZ5gYGg7s6ky-cPUESv16KpYy-5HJDS_yDEbKPF1NUEMLnYlo1E3WIvGM3Wg9eyl5kWCGQ_z28PCx_jxHTHg9Pa8LYBFSYFJUMQPudjjcj51aWUv4jh5u6_PGpvsGAMq-Lm90JAfSLUGc8OP20d6HvC/s320/IMG_20220508_092937632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLNslo00doPtw4SGGRKePVqIfIP_Z3rpf3tZ5gYGg7s6ky-cPUESv16KpYy-5HJDS_yDEbKPF1NUEMLnYlo1E3WIvGM3Wg9eyl5kWCGQ_z28PCx_jxHTHg9Pa8LYBFSYFJUMQPudjjcj51aWUv4jh5u6_PGpvsGAMq-Lm90JAfSLUGc8OP20d6HvC/s1600/IMG_20220508_092937632.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNNksUD1ZNSFUwygkoR_V5T_ieNzuZ7ZOfzYqfQibcOwVYlpJ3zeUfCOV71TXcJH6kJIgo8XteipglT5YQoJFcnsjYQ-jG827DWalb7yYvDncpMOTt6bS5uuSJ0V9G9IOGQRJcrdbjvrtze12WcLgF3gKRgrntcQlH6p2K76aBwcn5b2PkkbeNY3e/s320/IMG_20220508_093411170.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNNksUD1ZNSFUwygkoR_V5T_ieNzuZ7ZOfzYqfQibcOwVYlpJ3zeUfCOV71TXcJH6kJIgo8XteipglT5YQoJFcnsjYQ-jG827DWalb7yYvDncpMOTt6bS5uuSJ0V9G9IOGQRJcrdbjvrtze12WcLgF3gKRgrntcQlH6p2K76aBwcn5b2PkkbeNY3e/s1600/IMG_20220508_093411170.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PVY7JK1bjfPahhtP6f6iLOpR_PqWZ0UKWXj0bTlabasrqHohBnV3aWMLePUqEg8vGvPz6B4dsMBa8jcFF_gUwQTkvOERFI7jgcfSyqurheggZ6fVcCYBTk60kFN8ZFfFLA5RFzpF4z4oVkzsdW3wHJbZnYhGnYmUzKEOtlAiIHOWBu96G2T9b2ye/s320/IMG_20220508_191140733.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PVY7JK1bjfPahhtP6f6iLOpR_PqWZ0UKWXj0bTlabasrqHohBnV3aWMLePUqEg8vGvPz6B4dsMBa8jcFF_gUwQTkvOERFI7jgcfSyqurheggZ6fVcCYBTk60kFN8ZFfFLA5RFzpF4z4oVkzsdW3wHJbZnYhGnYmUzKEOtlAiIHOWBu96G2T9b2ye/s1600/IMG_20220508_191140733.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So tired.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWgPVov-24DzX6cxUgcD5H8QaQDxFxA55RltJqac2IJ2NynNDmMc8UZxvuGB_XR7G0RuBBX9iIwEKPcA-jZgoNcwR-XfRdRZvEhqFBPqAPbpDZEZ_z4VEH7rVw4raMDZe6pkCXs4013DI3VcIcGl2cqWrtHwuabsFLTHSpv_JvdsAjHwY0fEfSlxX/s320/IMG_20220508_210322754.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWgPVov-24DzX6cxUgcD5H8QaQDxFxA55RltJqac2IJ2NynNDmMc8UZxvuGB_XR7G0RuBBX9iIwEKPcA-jZgoNcwR-XfRdRZvEhqFBPqAPbpDZEZ_z4VEH7rVw4raMDZe6pkCXs4013DI3VcIcGl2cqWrtHwuabsFLTHSpv_JvdsAjHwY0fEfSlxX/w400-h300/IMG_20220508_210322754.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good to see Detroit again.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>It really was an excellent trip all around. I'm beyond lucky that we got to do it.</p><p>And the Austrian group that got to hear us play? They liked us enough to invite us there next spring. Can't wait to show those pictures! (My mom says she's already got her bag packed!)<br /></p><p>If you got this far, thanks for sticking it out on my recap of my Venice trip. If you ever get the chance to go, do it. (And share pictures!)<br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-66758161967104367662022-08-22T19:58:00.003-05:002022-08-23T09:18:20.469-05:00Rethinking Concert Dress<p>When my daughter came out as trans, we were proud of her, and happy to share the news with those who care about her too. These are troubling times for trans-people and those who love them, but I'm grateful that attitudes have changed enough that she could come out, and not feel trapped in the wrong identity, maneuvering through the world conforming to expectations that do not fit her. I am fully supportive of her, and glad to help her on this journey however I am able.</p><p>The first thing we did to help, was take her shopping for new clothes. That's been fun. But it got me thinking about any moments she didn't have control over her sartorial decisions.</p><p>Most of my kids' clothes have been hand-me-downs from a friend back in Michigan. Whenever her daughter outgrew enough things to fill a box, my friend would pass it along to me. She started passing along her son's clothes, too, by the time we had our third child. But when my youngest took a liking to anything her older sisters had worn, she was certainly welcome to take it once they'd outgrown it. Her favorite shirt for years was a Jonas Brothers shirt I'd bought for my oldest when she requested something purple, and that was the only purple thing we could find at Target. When it no longer fit, her youngest sister snapped it up and wore it for years. She also had a strange pink-camo shirt with a sparkly butterfly on it that her cousin left behind one summer that she wore regularly. She wasn't limited by color or sparkles or anything inside our home or out of it. I didn't police any of my kids' clothes. The only rules were the clothes had to be clean and not have too many holes. (I declared weekends "holey days" in our house where beloved clothes that were coming apart could still be worn, but not to school.) There were many outings to the grocery store or choir rehearsals where one or more of my kids were dressed as kangaroos. My kids could where what they liked.<br /></p><p>The exceptions, however, were: Weddings, funerals, and concerts.</p><p>These are situations where one needs formal clothes. I always think of formal attire as Concert Dress, since those are the events for which I have to dress in an expected manner with the greatest frequency. And unless we want to risk being seen as disrespectful, society dictates what is appropriate, not the individual.<br /></p><p>And I realize, looking back with a certain amount of regret, that for formal occasions throughout my trans-daughter's life, I made her put on dress pants, boys' dress shoes and button up shirts. We even got her a blazer for a student UN event down in Chicago. She had to wear those clothes to one wedding, at least one funeral, a few school pictures, and many concerts.</p><p>In fact, it occurred to me, as I've been reviewing her childhood and what things related to her true identity I wish I could have done differently to spare her discomfort, that not a small part of her resistance to playing in recitals was probably the clothes. Most kids are nervous about playing recitals, but it could not have helped that being made to dress in a way that felt wrong was required for them. I'm sure Concert Dress added unnecessary anxiety.</p><p>This has gotten me thinking about how Concert Dress, and formal attire as a whole, needs to be updated.</p><p>The first place I looked to was my own experience with symphony orchestras. The required "uniform" has always been gendered. Which, by definition, makes them not so uniform. My whole orchestra career, men have been told to wear dark jackets and ties, and women full length black. Sometimes it's white on top, and black on the bottom (which has always made me feel like I'm back to waiting tables). In most situations, women wear whatever they like, it just has to be dressy enough, and black.</p><p>I think it's time to extend that "long black" as the only descriptor to everyone.</p><p>Most string players I know who are required to wear formal jackets find them restrictive. I see nothing wrong with ditching the jackets and ties and saying any simple, decent long-sleeved black top will do. I don't see any reason to dictate skirts vs. pants for anyone. Long black. However you want. Go nuts.</p><p>Because looking down the line at younger players, that's a generation full of people who don't want to be forced to conform to the current binary options that earlier generations simply accepted. I don't want orchestras to lose out on talented players because the dress code doesn't accommodate them. I know plenty of trans, non-binary, and gender-queer kids, for whom being told "Men wear jackets and ties, women wear long black" would put them in an uncomfortable position. For what?</p><p>I only ever got to participate in a marching band once. Back in high school, our orchestra director asked for advanced string players to volunteer to learn parts on mallet instruments to help fill out a complicated piece the marching band was doing that season. I got to play marimba. I also got to wear a band uniform, which was really fun. And it struck me how there was no "boy uniform" and "girl uniform." Everyone in the band matched. It looked good. Same when choirs wear all the same robes, regardless of gender. Maybe it's time for orchestras to follow suit.</p><p>Often private teachers when instructing their young musicians to dress up for a recital tend to request they wear "nice" clothes (no jeans or sneakers), or some version of what people used to call "Sunday best." This still implies to many (like myself) rather gendered options, even if that's not explicitly stated. I think at this point, if I were still teaching, I would tell my students to wear something that makes them the most happy. I remember telling my oldest she had to wear something nice when we went to see The Nutcracker when she was young, and she proudly donned a tie dye shirt she'd made. She was surprised when I told her that it didn't qualify as "formal." She felt that meant she should wear the thing she thought was the most beautiful, and between the colors and the good memories all wrapped up in that t-shirt, it qualified in her mind. I think if I had it to do again, I would allow the tie dye, and add a fancy necklace or something.</p><p>"Formal" shouldn't have to mean only skirts/dresses, or slacks and jackets. Men in particular have very few choices. I think we need to get more creative about what constitutes "formal" so that it can include a neutral option that would work for anyone, regardless of gender identity.</p><p>Because meaningful events like concerts, weddings, funerals, etc., should be about inclusion and coming together. Not allowing outdated ideas of sticking people into overly specific categories to take precedence over more important things, like music and families and life.</p><p>It's time to rethink Concert Dress. It's a relatively small adjustment that could do more good than many realize. It's time to move on to something better that includes everyone who wants to participate. It could have helped my kid, which means it would likely help many other kids. That alone makes it worth doing.<br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-13200743971263713352022-07-17T10:07:00.005-05:002022-07-17T10:07:59.347-05:00Varnish 2022<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGVEd3j294zEriNA9LnBtM9IvyqYtn-lZtyvKTBH2RekknsjQf7xSjHc_cXZJZfP-aXCGF-0NdHFiBVUB7FR2bVmQYRyZ4gRpZRAVDwmn2hbeF3S6mih_U7tu_fjclOfhfHSQ4LzL9OddVj_YhCjgh1UiiF8bGYTT8EyDCzsbBN_FWwxhq0CShddh/s300/IMG_20220425_092451286_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGVEd3j294zEriNA9LnBtM9IvyqYtn-lZtyvKTBH2RekknsjQf7xSjHc_cXZJZfP-aXCGF-0NdHFiBVUB7FR2bVmQYRyZ4gRpZRAVDwmn2hbeF3S6mih_U7tu_fjclOfhfHSQ4LzL9OddVj_YhCjgh1UiiF8bGYTT8EyDCzsbBN_FWwxhq0CShddh/w400-h300/IMG_20220425_092451286_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>After a couple of years of pandemic shut down, the varnish workshop run by Joe Robson (the Varnish Guy) was up and running again this year! It was the last week of April, held once more in the Chicago School of Violin Making in Skokie (which is newly renovated and quite lovely).<br /><br />I wasn’t sure at first if I would be able to attend due to conflicts at either end of the week, but Joe was able to accommodate my truncated work schedule. I missed the first day, and most of the last two, but it was still worth it.<br /><br />The main things I get out of the workshop at this point (since I’m rather comfortable in my varnishing skills, even if it’s an area where one can always improve) are the camaraderie, and the time to focus.<br /><br />The camaraderie is hard to overstate. It’s wonderful to spend full days with people in your field when normally we are rather isolated from one another. I got to catch up with old friends and make new ones (none of whom ever ask, “What kinds of wood are violins made from?”)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfqGig2exCAoShQNS-Hh0VJtTTmaf-7KO1wvglXC2-kEiwkck_UT2FZKEQa0py1XARGl8htCaixqeciQTHBO1ETeuIg2aEXI05pOShmrpXiqpHlaAdCW53gaHhH14tsD9OPlGGMuh88mQ5-wSggBN4Fazz6CIxHPtFjbTs6Gv_J34VIUGqs6haDKn/s300/IMG_20220422_165758294_BURST001.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfqGig2exCAoShQNS-Hh0VJtTTmaf-7KO1wvglXC2-kEiwkck_UT2FZKEQa0py1XARGl8htCaixqeciQTHBO1ETeuIg2aEXI05pOShmrpXiqpHlaAdCW53gaHhH14tsD9OPlGGMuh88mQ5-wSggBN4Fazz6CIxHPtFjbTs6Gv_J34VIUGqs6haDKn/w300-h400/IMG_20220422_165758294_BURST001.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I even got to share my commute this time with the incomparable Jennifer Creadick of <a href="https://www.lutherielab.com/" target="_blank">Lutherie Lab</a> in MN. She made my trip <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/03/spring-catch-up-post-2022.html" target="_blank">in March to Atlanta</a> for the Celebration of Women in Lutherie exhibit possible by sharing her hotel room, so I offered her a place to stay in my home during varnish week, and she took me up on it. She made the drive to Chicago and back delightful every day and I miss her. <p></p><p>(This is us on a whirlwind and chilly tour of Milwaukee making a stop at Bradford Beach on Lake Michigan.)<br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGBAokDv9z0Dt-vwAE1qc8SrSIfXA0TaMUMbvwywYt1CwsEGpwBpuMBb7AHdXrrdtVbYWn-ljCPto8bGT_8Pdz6i0CLC7Ivi-HLG9Zzif79LemsqbZxg3P_59j_-Ez44DIz2CNZes2TFYTK2LtnRLq3Fog11BdE9mPf_4A9s7TYDL_Xh-lQN56UEW/s300/IMG_20220425_131210319_MP.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGBAokDv9z0Dt-vwAE1qc8SrSIfXA0TaMUMbvwywYt1CwsEGpwBpuMBb7AHdXrrdtVbYWn-ljCPto8bGT_8Pdz6i0CLC7Ivi-HLG9Zzif79LemsqbZxg3P_59j_-Ez44DIz2CNZes2TFYTK2LtnRLq3Fog11BdE9mPf_4A9s7TYDL_Xh-lQN56UEW/w320-h240/IMG_20220425_131210319_MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p>This workshop also had the highest number of women in attendance yet! Six out of fourteen, and we even found a seventh to come <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2022/06/why-womens-night-out.html" target="_blank">out to dinner</a> one night for a <a href="http://the-quiet-corner.blogspot.com/2021/11/women-in-lutherie.html" target="_blank">Women In Lutherie</a> evening of fun and sushi. (That evening was really good for the soul and one of the highlights of the week.)</p><br /><p>In terms of focus, I have so much competing for my attention at home that to take a few days to concentrate on nothing but varnish work is both efficient and satisfying. In addition, it never hurts to have knowledgeable people to problem solve with right in the same room.</p><p>One other thing to mention before I get to any actual varnishing, is that we always see extraordinary antique instruments from around Chicago during varnish week. The most amusing part of that this time was the day an Omobono and a Bergonzi arrived. The Bergonzi is on the bench, and the Omobono is in the case.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlF9yfXLOaoV_kbYuyo4I0U3gjvfckQaZgUUlufvLH5vsHCMS_bxOvsGdEe0iQh5HSo3bv19unU3EsjojBM_0c-sbQqv-j4fuxUDGD0xPx2-6tgo3rez9oeULz7kUJ2jF2CsM-gYjARj9GAKvUyJhzvYedp0XM_2FDknm44CUMFfKcxnpCkWQ5lHs/s300/IMG_20220427_113040418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlF9yfXLOaoV_kbYuyo4I0U3gjvfckQaZgUUlufvLH5vsHCMS_bxOvsGdEe0iQh5HSo3bv19unU3EsjojBM_0c-sbQqv-j4fuxUDGD0xPx2-6tgo3rez9oeULz7kUJ2jF2CsM-gYjARj9GAKvUyJhzvYedp0XM_2FDknm44CUMFfKcxnpCkWQ5lHs/w300-h400/IMG_20220427_113040418.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>If you're not a violin history nerd, let me explain: Carlo Bergonzi worked in Antonio Stradivari's shop, and his exquisite instruments are greatly admired among luthiers. He's sort of a violin maker's violin maker. Omobono was one of Stradivari's sons who also worked in the shop, but he was famously maligned by his father, and his name is industry slang for a screw up. It's hard to know how fair that characterization of Omobono is since his father seemed like a harsh and unforgiving man to work for, and the instrument of his we got to see was lovely. But it was hard not to feel for Omobono to watch centuries later, when placed in direct comparison with Bergonzi, he's still left to the side. (Poor Omobono!)<p></p><p>On to actual varnishing!<br /></p><p>The projects I took down to Chicago this year were ambitious in number.
Typically people bring two instruments: One in the white, and one
already grounded. I brought six instruments (all of them at least
grounded, a couple with some varnish already started), and a couple of
days in I brought a seventh on which to learn antiquing methods. That
was. . . a lot. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-SgkelWjexWEwXgGuYqAvsrxaf_s7xZBOIFlY-wmCn4dS6YfuWfRVdxwRr-fPSY1brPoAq_hiNpFHVu5Zp-I-AqOR5OXwfux3Szsgg_cVjOUk20an_8mJvBQQIrpCRsQzzBJax6LvIiEB-x8uXK42rlA2yuYqPt32gg6Nw53vJzYNin468CRFW_R/s300/IMG_20220412_212205454.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-SgkelWjexWEwXgGuYqAvsrxaf_s7xZBOIFlY-wmCn4dS6YfuWfRVdxwRr-fPSY1brPoAq_hiNpFHVu5Zp-I-AqOR5OXwfux3Szsgg_cVjOUk20an_8mJvBQQIrpCRsQzzBJax6LvIiEB-x8uXK42rlA2yuYqPt32gg6Nw53vJzYNin468CRFW_R/w300-h400/IMG_20220412_212205454.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1GbPOP-OuUQxsLysKEBuvyOUU2hPgc-FgSgrPtA3g9KiZhMfwGM7wVx5O1uvEhx36UBB3DWJWAjI0dPk68PBxAzfZh0EoYVaQGRnGrA9Zfk2CH5pvpHyMOm-15xdJ98AqQb7PAU7lGNQLApPr0fZ0mRlQRQiUk7HtGC2jCkvFcTXQ8q07RH_iHBU/s300/IMG_20220429_092503357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1GbPOP-OuUQxsLysKEBuvyOUU2hPgc-FgSgrPtA3g9KiZhMfwGM7wVx5O1uvEhx36UBB3DWJWAjI0dPk68PBxAzfZh0EoYVaQGRnGrA9Zfk2CH5pvpHyMOm-15xdJ98AqQb7PAU7lGNQLApPr0fZ0mRlQRQiUk7HtGC2jCkvFcTXQ8q07RH_iHBU/w400-h300/IMG_20220429_092503357.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I made excellent progress, so I don't regret it, but that much work left less time for socializing. One of the nice things about the varnishing stage of building an instrument is that it comes with built in time constraints. At some point you can't do anything until whatever you've put on the instrument has completely dried, which forces you to take a break and turn your attention to something else. I had enough instruments on my bench that there was always a new one to pick up and work on. Good for accomplishing work goals, less good in terms of enjoying other things in life.<br /><br />So here's what I worked on:<p></p><p>I brought three really beautiful commercial instruments in the white that I purchased back in 2020 to put under a store label for sale at <a href="http://www.korinthianviolins.com/" target="_blank">Korinthian Violins</a>. I prepared each with a balsam ground, but a different choice of aged wood color. That made for a good show-and-tell for the people new to those materials at the beginning of the week, to see (as pictured here from left to right) the gold, red-brown, and grey-green all side by side.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwlAFzqdRBKve5DxrUqfJFvP-x7VP35RSwozeOKTsE4OKnlpVCLA5_bG9vcCU4kALOa9Z-Iow9vDeVqmD2Y-QzOS-x0im2ObPNIuoZ4ZOca1Mo6n8OHVb53v7WKBFz_yjEltSj8qaaWfBoJD_vOhxOnOIG8LGS60VDoYFm13HE6vrL7eELde4--_d/s300/IMG_20220401_230112270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwlAFzqdRBKve5DxrUqfJFvP-x7VP35RSwozeOKTsE4OKnlpVCLA5_bG9vcCU4kALOa9Z-Iow9vDeVqmD2Y-QzOS-x0im2ObPNIuoZ4ZOca1Mo6n8OHVb53v7WKBFz_yjEltSj8qaaWfBoJD_vOhxOnOIG8LGS60VDoYFm13HE6vrL7eELde4--_d/w300-h400/IMG_20220401_230112270.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeZmCghJnCFLZVhu7nHRUyLJiv8KW_Fv0-hgy40Sldx-bXuV2GwO_MiClm7aHRrD_A_BLx8jDkgz-dp6d8YYbhuDfLpdVCE2ixAQWY0DktuRdiS53Tt46uO31gz89GE2-emHHrRjhgYKJUa64Y_b756uGqGgMVAf-JSlwvy2KXakWcsKuzH7pHdUH/s300/IMG_20220312_213552514.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeZmCghJnCFLZVhu7nHRUyLJiv8KW_Fv0-hgy40Sldx-bXuV2GwO_MiClm7aHRrD_A_BLx8jDkgz-dp6d8YYbhuDfLpdVCE2ixAQWY0DktuRdiS53Tt46uO31gz89GE2-emHHrRjhgYKJUa64Y_b756uGqGgMVAf-JSlwvy2KXakWcsKuzH7pHdUH/w300-h400/IMG_20220312_213552514.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EPMP9FSiAEzgmWEBqmkeedzJLNI3OzCnQxG31JzaGChN7YE1DIaNUDgsAcT4_m8u7l2Z6SiB10J2AoKe_SuV7W4iFhyAvkSP9ile8BtxJ0VLdSO4eSR9GCdFw3YpRJLa2YUdIzqO_-rE88Pz6Qe9bULsjhk_OYvtHDXYdjXhTtCaJxqD3gzj1zb6/s300/IMG_20220426_121656175.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LXHlqr_r2yb4iI0P3gdKzlqJszmUgRSKo0VsdnItIUAlYYA7KueORy3-FryfJZyeXmue4lz4Gpq7s5qpRjhoDhbvH596aSYCm5Cis4i_T2AGNTntaZqRKrtDMb7Uw7QMmxue3t59pOkToOzYgwjdoTgixMVQvubLYrNiWlvitoE6Gc8_Hfs9BS-/s300/IMG_20220522_123235426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LXHlqr_r2yb4iI0P3gdKzlqJszmUgRSKo0VsdnItIUAlYYA7KueORy3-FryfJZyeXmue4lz4Gpq7s5qpRjhoDhbvH596aSYCm5Cis4i_T2AGNTntaZqRKrtDMb7Uw7QMmxue3t59pOkToOzYgwjdoTgixMVQvubLYrNiWlvitoE6Gc8_Hfs9BS-/w400-h300/IMG_20220522_123235426.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8V59o49I8-0csmkYFSFZXFBNo0v3pAPZESvjXgpjazXVfdc9SRCZmnl3tMa05-2rfYJWIOrv_dOBCbWY8QYq7BR1STsyGdTeu27LsZJnUyB4CVhGu5MH91MYM0CNxz8vMWilCY9mWms87oBbhRHGkNcxdS51wSuKiKmckbRhII4yJbDxSIBVIDTF/s300/IMG_20220711_154523001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8V59o49I8-0csmkYFSFZXFBNo0v3pAPZESvjXgpjazXVfdc9SRCZmnl3tMa05-2rfYJWIOrv_dOBCbWY8QYq7BR1STsyGdTeu27LsZJnUyB4CVhGu5MH91MYM0CNxz8vMWilCY9mWms87oBbhRHGkNcxdS51wSuKiKmckbRhII4yJbDxSIBVIDTF/w300-h400/IMG_20220711_154523001.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>These instruments were straightforward, and an exercise in efficiency. They didn't all quite go to plan in terms of finished color, but I think they all came out nice, and I hope customers like them. Two are already set up and on the shelf, so I'm looking forward to people trying them out.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmRQd5rQBNsFbJAThwRhvRUQflZVFW9VZargkDz8PCghxA2W9A0rtj728EO57XP3zCNe1c9fHCw7DZdpVoJL46r7CixfkVO4dnkUk07n36-8vAQeaS6ijRR38NxrsB8yCZhK0QZZ0TBxqGbBxhg6LaQ0dSDhxqmrzDL6GAc4BXujtXpaKVWjG2lSV/s300/IMG_20220711_154427525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmRQd5rQBNsFbJAThwRhvRUQflZVFW9VZargkDz8PCghxA2W9A0rtj728EO57XP3zCNe1c9fHCw7DZdpVoJL46r7CixfkVO4dnkUk07n36-8vAQeaS6ijRR38NxrsB8yCZhK0QZZ0TBxqGbBxhg6LaQ0dSDhxqmrzDL6GAc4BXujtXpaKVWjG2lSV/w400-h300/IMG_20220711_154427525.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQR9eJk8VeYw4GiCaDMZ-cYZlYXCPWy2fTukLgoKchpqQBOHgjkS1kffZb7ZozekGQ40qtHEhn2GkPy5kQVJKKbrYtiLD1M6VEcuW7DFuvNlX665iqv1V9lniZq3688mADTAe6VSMGx_2WQk_qLdk4bveQqFNhyqbRzoon0u8vx0NLwB9aBNE4HFUh/s300/IMG_20220713_163915471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQR9eJk8VeYw4GiCaDMZ-cYZlYXCPWy2fTukLgoKchpqQBOHgjkS1kffZb7ZozekGQ40qtHEhn2GkPy5kQVJKKbrYtiLD1M6VEcuW7DFuvNlX665iqv1V9lniZq3688mADTAe6VSMGx_2WQk_qLdk4bveQqFNhyqbRzoon0u8vx0NLwB9aBNE4HFUh/w400-h300/IMG_20220713_163915471.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The other three instruments were all things I built.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jtclHrH3kbEDoPXv8XQqflJps81xg83wnJXT4vfsB4vhtw1tsIR_SqXNhrf01ATWRqO6_nope2wCNNLsyeQ3YTWumnpQhP0oLENsKh7Z6gIGO6fmh1kpNdMXtuM8fUoeLEJld4htzzM13dz5330AsrdA_Fb6hz4SiaoI8ialSu9O2xTOjPvaijkF/s300/IMG_20220711_152332480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jtclHrH3kbEDoPXv8XQqflJps81xg83wnJXT4vfsB4vhtw1tsIR_SqXNhrf01ATWRqO6_nope2wCNNLsyeQ3YTWumnpQhP0oLENsKh7Z6gIGO6fmh1kpNdMXtuM8fUoeLEJld4htzzM13dz5330AsrdA_Fb6hz4SiaoI8ialSu9O2xTOjPvaijkF/w300-h400/IMG_20220711_152332480.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OIIoccqUBPPU7T7LI_PfH32-_ABb7GxlYX6-c0WhApSA0iO0PxRNMAy2xEVOSwq_p1wGlJoX6mhBWS_FoUvGkLldRGcCgsyaC_VGSRAzs25PY7HmjaKjGra75-xaXGkCbYJQG8YtKftzrjXq3w-5IBX--Rz3Dqlhdn7aiLhBTheGh3UqDhJyLr5v/s300/IMG_20220402_192741828.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OIIoccqUBPPU7T7LI_PfH32-_ABb7GxlYX6-c0WhApSA0iO0PxRNMAy2xEVOSwq_p1wGlJoX6mhBWS_FoUvGkLldRGcCgsyaC_VGSRAzs25PY7HmjaKjGra75-xaXGkCbYJQG8YtKftzrjXq3w-5IBX--Rz3Dqlhdn7aiLhBTheGh3UqDhJyLr5v/w300-h400/IMG_20220402_192741828.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>There is this violin that I made for my daughter, Mona. She doesn't play, but I built a violin for her sister who can, and I think it's a good idea for each of my children to own an example of what I do even if they don't appreciate it now. <p></p><p>I associate Mona with the color yellow, and wanted this instrument to
look like pale amber. I used a Strad Varnish (from <a href="http://violinvarnish.com/" target="_blank">Violin Varnish Ltd</a>) base coat for most of it,
with a bit of cochineal tapped directly into some of the stronger flame
lines, and a touch mixed into an all over coat.</p><p>A personalized feature
of this instrument is the bird on the back of the scroll that was
sketched there by Mona's older sister, Aden. </p><p>People often admire how pretty instruments look when they are still in the white--and they are--but I'm always enthralled by the transformation of a piece of maple during the varnish process that brings that piece of wood to life. I find this particular piece of wood dazzling.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ritvXr-E2-9WgFRhhj3E-kLUIhDB6wH_QJ1yi0eN1BqQpIoQMyPSq6DQ7ST09QHIcaW9OehGvRMWYm2hvPHYFrbAJ9KYrsa0cvSDPsB5MUl2Ct_QPSPVn_5I2C0OaBPUyNNy7kKzM2qeIv6jU8wnbgqruF2b9uTdRMrJ1LeTZBf3mpgZ_0x0wgSc/s300/IMG_20210327_204838068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ritvXr-E2-9WgFRhhj3E-kLUIhDB6wH_QJ1yi0eN1BqQpIoQMyPSq6DQ7ST09QHIcaW9OehGvRMWYm2hvPHYFrbAJ9KYrsa0cvSDPsB5MUl2Ct_QPSPVn_5I2C0OaBPUyNNy7kKzM2qeIv6jU8wnbgqruF2b9uTdRMrJ1LeTZBf3mpgZ_0x0wgSc/w400-h300/IMG_20210327_204838068.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN67odby5MLIa7UxsSCOCm_-KiURuPItsCceQNC4tBjzUbRNgrX5JFBcjRBFzg49R5SLxwjtgVuINUanhkYxj6TzYOC-HOw7H4RcVTTbymC15Ofc9zT73ogcRD1f2zKUaH-QcMePeADQrAUDwbTpfhu5WWQUKdGw1dPBcrYgKvmemLWHBwB0ZrnElj/s300/IMG_20220402_194411102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN67odby5MLIa7UxsSCOCm_-KiURuPItsCceQNC4tBjzUbRNgrX5JFBcjRBFzg49R5SLxwjtgVuINUanhkYxj6TzYOC-HOw7H4RcVTTbymC15Ofc9zT73ogcRD1f2zKUaH-QcMePeADQrAUDwbTpfhu5WWQUKdGw1dPBcrYgKvmemLWHBwB0ZrnElj/w300-h400/IMG_20220402_194411102.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmpbNclkLJ-o2hqdjsmxu2MKqrREmFMwArg5Uvg8nLqjpasux_KS_kXRt2BwuG8JenjFf4gsE5G8E07VdZEWoBs2yq0LljSnkkh8sNZgCguQXsQ6lzkKqxkOSJZZeyycDKYVQJNv_B4SFcMIjpBLWJKhLnjxGsJIcnFWx_Ck18kkIv_eVh5hWXnUs/s300/IMG_20220511_090059768.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmpbNclkLJ-o2hqdjsmxu2MKqrREmFMwArg5Uvg8nLqjpasux_KS_kXRt2BwuG8JenjFf4gsE5G8E07VdZEWoBs2yq0LljSnkkh8sNZgCguQXsQ6lzkKqxkOSJZZeyycDKYVQJNv_B4SFcMIjpBLWJKhLnjxGsJIcnFWx_Ck18kkIv_eVh5hWXnUs/w400-h300/IMG_20220511_090059768.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh0n5spxkJ25G3yrhl3dLwpp1HhuDo9U2No4ZIQDZlobEP9fIIDpJjbTbjP6bxHwzYijaMYeJi-NMVuGX1W-o95ShXdIIbZyvKJHYkflhDa2ZrRcM4TKD9gYacONPOQZbnOTmfJ62rz5ggeR3sTVStCvBF2aMj-0YSBSXKUPLMenTAt8LjmUGH8rF/s300/IMG_20220530_205241411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh0n5spxkJ25G3yrhl3dLwpp1HhuDo9U2No4ZIQDZlobEP9fIIDpJjbTbjP6bxHwzYijaMYeJi-NMVuGX1W-o95ShXdIIbZyvKJHYkflhDa2ZrRcM4TKD9gYacONPOQZbnOTmfJ62rz5ggeR3sTVStCvBF2aMj-0YSBSXKUPLMenTAt8LjmUGH8rF/w400-h300/IMG_20220530_205241411.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbiJ6eEeV3PKVxH5lXVirRB3Uc7Notn7C6SjMyVtmxSNBnnUYWdZuGDTR5RGvbLVcJ4BI5CbV_tGX7OMvDCx--IyO67R1XXke5LOFcleA1qkdqlmshZs2fYNuYVRxGnsPmHdW7t6zz9IvdN69VaQ1ydbTeHvEQhtQzRvZHJbPEDqJZyOJ4EIr4S9r-/s300/IMG_20220711_151736531_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbiJ6eEeV3PKVxH5lXVirRB3Uc7Notn7C6SjMyVtmxSNBnnUYWdZuGDTR5RGvbLVcJ4BI5CbV_tGX7OMvDCx--IyO67R1XXke5LOFcleA1qkdqlmshZs2fYNuYVRxGnsPmHdW7t6zz9IvdN69VaQ1ydbTeHvEQhtQzRvZHJbPEDqJZyOJ4EIr4S9r-/w400-h300/IMG_20220711_151736531_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I was able to do most of the varnishing on this instrument in the workshop, with one additional coat at home before polishing it all out. I recently set it up and was able to play it, and I'm pleased with how it sounds (which is always a relief!).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZA0gTD6nNeAmxXath3lL43Wthfvgmh-GgqXMea8HodbwcGpG_Id-F-gbqnI3Y982MLing1gftFV9FDTXiegvCqZtdOT6Z1I-BicBcSN2yQ2IBsT42i3c7cIGODCL7-qc8lFfU-WuYk64TtW7rsGnj-KcRClbUmSrsRY9SZhUadhxOHz1hfkg6lo5V/s300/IMG_20220709_142136537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZA0gTD6nNeAmxXath3lL43Wthfvgmh-GgqXMea8HodbwcGpG_Id-F-gbqnI3Y982MLing1gftFV9FDTXiegvCqZtdOT6Z1I-BicBcSN2yQ2IBsT42i3c7cIGODCL7-qc8lFfU-WuYk64TtW7rsGnj-KcRClbUmSrsRY9SZhUadhxOHz1hfkg6lo5V/w300-h400/IMG_20220709_142136537.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Part of what keeps varnishing interesting is all the variation possible. Mona's violin I wanted rather light, which is an interesting contrast the other one I worked on.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXa02gEcwco0QUs2SSW-ERQfQpeFMC7PjdHgyITwogMdWhx-UOTyIVY_JHjojzuyhnI-oU7q4NsVu_T83owgFSjh2zi9KdS2qz2mZu6jnQEHJ88MAysjkg2kz-0-nTVE7LdlubNYjDogyo3kE5r_8x8LzqRmvXG9S4kKnpv9VPMOICcmbtN5GHzM1/s300/IMG_20220403_152254128.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXa02gEcwco0QUs2SSW-ERQfQpeFMC7PjdHgyITwogMdWhx-UOTyIVY_JHjojzuyhnI-oU7q4NsVu_T83owgFSjh2zi9KdS2qz2mZu6jnQEHJ88MAysjkg2kz-0-nTVE7LdlubNYjDogyo3kE5r_8x8LzqRmvXG9S4kKnpv9VPMOICcmbtN5GHzM1/w300-h400/IMG_20220403_152254128.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>The next violin is a commission for a client in the Milwaukee area who wanted something to honor her grandparents. It has their names inside, and a Star of David on the back of the scroll.<p></p><p>The varnishing challenge on this violin was she wanted it very dark. Much darker than I usually go with my varnish, and I ended up combining bone black, lamp black, and cosmic black, along with some deep reds and browns to reach the color she wanted. It's not what I would have done on my own, but it's quite striking. I just strung it up the other day, and it needs to settle and be adjusted before I pass it on to the client, but I think she's going to love it.</p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWG2IH7Q_eBIoEoKBMzDOwVpRsBdr7KSBrBq9BOyMis42UP3PyHtEN3iRAYgOCe-NTF3wqf85avC1ba6N25ZWAvBcL2Zq5e_AYOyzYG7D-WekLTdg-AhsmSMYMY56COXok5UTVGStiWn1zhvoINEztG9Gi6A3g0eOhFWPououvFZm-I2VYwg1jUfQ/s300/IMG_20220403_205517986.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWG2IH7Q_eBIoEoKBMzDOwVpRsBdr7KSBrBq9BOyMis42UP3PyHtEN3iRAYgOCe-NTF3wqf85avC1ba6N25ZWAvBcL2Zq5e_AYOyzYG7D-WekLTdg-AhsmSMYMY56COXok5UTVGStiWn1zhvoINEztG9Gi6A3g0eOhFWPououvFZm-I2VYwg1jUfQ/w300-h400/IMG_20220403_205517986.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUCWzGrd4tiPC_p4LzLR2Zy_ILBqIyGc39GYs7AHn4TpvVbdjmttovlj3n3gcCZPS6Dza3-ABbveqcOY0lG6LwTw1o33PgWHodAzIZTb8dYZgYSooH4RQA5L3gO1ENEuu6K4_UIifmkITaLcVUnLRqtyKSsSeDU3INqsbEax1cdggzsDr0oEAIFaY/s300/IMG_20220427_151141882.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUCWzGrd4tiPC_p4LzLR2Zy_ILBqIyGc39GYs7AHn4TpvVbdjmttovlj3n3gcCZPS6Dza3-ABbveqcOY0lG6LwTw1o33PgWHodAzIZTb8dYZgYSooH4RQA5L3gO1ENEuu6K4_UIifmkITaLcVUnLRqtyKSsSeDU3INqsbEax1cdggzsDr0oEAIFaY/w300-h400/IMG_20220427_151141882.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mX6ia1X0Lc56xWCZLVBhBc_8p1av8Q5igSrwi0VA07fuoBBy38dMk6VrSy21cFFrXPRxi7swEHBecxVhRLAvk2hcFqoD_uoj8Rr_zm4YxXSEeN8jESzKMarkRcYrAe6RzXFRh8HSKnkayTuMXsbqnfop4OyhwtrOZERtqiHLdqsdHbo3irGNljwB/s300/IMG_20220522_234451831.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mX6ia1X0Lc56xWCZLVBhBc_8p1av8Q5igSrwi0VA07fuoBBy38dMk6VrSy21cFFrXPRxi7swEHBecxVhRLAvk2hcFqoD_uoj8Rr_zm4YxXSEeN8jESzKMarkRcYrAe6RzXFRh8HSKnkayTuMXsbqnfop4OyhwtrOZERtqiHLdqsdHbo3irGNljwB/w300-h400/IMG_20220522_234451831.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoYYNFHbijHgAZ_p4B5UHvUHWn_ZdKuv27KEHTSiiXVPCHz8bpA0nMZ-6LnkW9h32zYjUX3pkdOXrvPt8W0TdsCBD66ePz3w9u5pv5h6C8BOSIPA1ESnLOrKm-RCyGLAJ84w1XZJqkK8KyYJBJpQIT0k-PTLzRJFzGZPFGtwlDjhATgrDPP05Fy4j/s300/IMG_20220529_204957187.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoYYNFHbijHgAZ_p4B5UHvUHWn_ZdKuv27KEHTSiiXVPCHz8bpA0nMZ-6LnkW9h32zYjUX3pkdOXrvPt8W0TdsCBD66ePz3w9u5pv5h6C8BOSIPA1ESnLOrKm-RCyGLAJ84w1XZJqkK8KyYJBJpQIT0k-PTLzRJFzGZPFGtwlDjhATgrDPP05Fy4j/w400-h300/IMG_20220529_204957187.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrdjmykfYpFXjVqyOuIQmsZ4UxdD494_RXODYxJmNT_jiGka5KfPU4TPHIzIFFv_v1LteVA8RNwOE3lI5Vq4Oq1uFAn7hJJKJsGdYffNDdBNShk8NDaNk3bBuWaGeH3A7LA_L9NxfowhGTz5IqYlhkT41Y8MEl0-aHiCCGJR5fmZXj22M_BRKZJfn/s300/IMG_20220530_091318071.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrdjmykfYpFXjVqyOuIQmsZ4UxdD494_RXODYxJmNT_jiGka5KfPU4TPHIzIFFv_v1LteVA8RNwOE3lI5Vq4Oq1uFAn7hJJKJsGdYffNDdBNShk8NDaNk3bBuWaGeH3A7LA_L9NxfowhGTz5IqYlhkT41Y8MEl0-aHiCCGJR5fmZXj22M_BRKZJfn/w300-h400/IMG_20220530_091318071.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvxCbOLxKhHRin_CfO2ShbfCIWgi8c4uSBwb6pSNu9at8yzV-eXGgFaN2OqVb3qwSD2-cbtNZPpfDU7gnPXDkO23eb4f6en3iFPiubkXxwoWJtRqqmyTixs-18VmggZE1YW0K-IYrrE3_cL6PhqLu1E1YKfylvfzLu8ntzsPUKnhkG2wfsHZoxrpw/s300/IMG_20220711_151958834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvxCbOLxKhHRin_CfO2ShbfCIWgi8c4uSBwb6pSNu9at8yzV-eXGgFaN2OqVb3qwSD2-cbtNZPpfDU7gnPXDkO23eb4f6en3iFPiubkXxwoWJtRqqmyTixs-18VmggZE1YW0K-IYrrE3_cL6PhqLu1E1YKfylvfzLu8ntzsPUKnhkG2wfsHZoxrpw/s1600/IMG_20220711_151958834.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28HKlm8Dr0zdxGzizLF-lwEEHTbOtqL3Uk3ZP3KvNdEh5eq79CksoWnIpelyNQsfnP96_Gb28HIpMaywC3ldmGn9VLza5tTES7a5_ir_vzzYg1Rbgch0hxPfP4dikCAl15vhVJdQ4wIN-CLDDFGsEwwV2dvioay-2p8h717mmi3K6_RQdse0Zmn8w/s300/IMG_20220711_152030004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28HKlm8Dr0zdxGzizLF-lwEEHTbOtqL3Uk3ZP3KvNdEh5eq79CksoWnIpelyNQsfnP96_Gb28HIpMaywC3ldmGn9VLza5tTES7a5_ir_vzzYg1Rbgch0hxPfP4dikCAl15vhVJdQ4wIN-CLDDFGsEwwV2dvioay-2p8h717mmi3K6_RQdse0Zmn8w/s1600/IMG_20220711_152030004.jpg" width="225" /></a></div></div>I can't wait for her to be able to play this instrument for her grandmother.<br /><p>The final thing I brought that I built is this viola. It's for a client who wanted it to match a violin I built for his daughter a few years ago. That instrument I also varnished in the Chicago workshop, and I still had all my notes about how I achieved that particular color. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuq1k6wYDAZEtKSh8jjHGRseYvg7LdoIWcC9LgioI415FcrN0SLC7HY0KxlV72RlEFE2BZ-fl5IijoFKcJTuD7WnBL0TEGThjiIowWLF8hR7VtDoXhRx3NI8dQoQaKzGSZQysJvIAcH-gHjk2uhoLd9JMaIZTl3JzyXlGAINLYGogCb2lnq-Hz6Ohm/s300/IMG_20220408_003515878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuq1k6wYDAZEtKSh8jjHGRseYvg7LdoIWcC9LgioI415FcrN0SLC7HY0KxlV72RlEFE2BZ-fl5IijoFKcJTuD7WnBL0TEGThjiIowWLF8hR7VtDoXhRx3NI8dQoQaKzGSZQysJvIAcH-gHjk2uhoLd9JMaIZTl3JzyXlGAINLYGogCb2lnq-Hz6Ohm/w400-h300/IMG_20220408_003515878.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kPJtjfIFI72h9UJ_Q8MIYjFu5qc-tR1f6zd4yB_E1Efmfz_aN_SBmxvb1bILMwemChbrHc2LlEUBCKY-gRI8IU_poFreEB8krV0Z9Syt3Ty-9hzQmroQj7pohxElZzd7xugUliCHXH7D_WQgF3zek8pWkgCgXVQds4-2mOT8p4Kt18URyqqpFpDR/s300/IMG_20220408_225106350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kPJtjfIFI72h9UJ_Q8MIYjFu5qc-tR1f6zd4yB_E1Efmfz_aN_SBmxvb1bILMwemChbrHc2LlEUBCKY-gRI8IU_poFreEB8krV0Z9Syt3Ty-9hzQmroQj7pohxElZzd7xugUliCHXH7D_WQgF3zek8pWkgCgXVQds4-2mOT8p4Kt18URyqqpFpDR/w400-h300/IMG_20220408_225106350.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9a3ZqL4XDp3NjToE7es7Y7Kj3lLOKXjp1dkHuVhK0VL_XLsAGXLA8NhPO0XqFM2C5oWeUaiqJhuwf0Dnn33CjNsfmlxtRdy3JnZLp92kBNMyYsbJaekyQ0JeMxywdCzCJ7AdFEyUO-JBAcHXqmZBSzws6xcH2-JuJHJZA436uN5vkYB9JEgRieHlH/s300/IMG_20220420_215515773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9a3ZqL4XDp3NjToE7es7Y7Kj3lLOKXjp1dkHuVhK0VL_XLsAGXLA8NhPO0XqFM2C5oWeUaiqJhuwf0Dnn33CjNsfmlxtRdy3JnZLp92kBNMyYsbJaekyQ0JeMxywdCzCJ7AdFEyUO-JBAcHXqmZBSzws6xcH2-JuJHJZA436uN5vkYB9JEgRieHlH/w400-h300/IMG_20220420_215515773.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgHVDSPUH0reEmNFfXxN9PaVGKI37bGsAtBlwUlRUiZfBB69PSIZX0T-k7ci743hCFPNAjW9S-F9dboWqKvo8MXv0EecLa2-x2IJAGN2LeJBOaveyL608nEmmjEHgYODDJPb7eAip6fhc8iJFkJbmSj9t7XwLM_5q7OLoMHT7VW6fvjLAFGIw0d4H/s300/IMG_20220526_184010852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgHVDSPUH0reEmNFfXxN9PaVGKI37bGsAtBlwUlRUiZfBB69PSIZX0T-k7ci743hCFPNAjW9S-F9dboWqKvo8MXv0EecLa2-x2IJAGN2LeJBOaveyL608nEmmjEHgYODDJPb7eAip6fhc8iJFkJbmSj9t7XwLM_5q7OLoMHT7VW6fvjLAFGIw0d4H/w400-h300/IMG_20220526_184010852.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It was interesting to chart out step by step what I did before and see if I could replicate it. I think I did it, but I can't wait to see the two instruments side by side one day and see how close I got. I love how this viola came out, but I still have a few tiny things to do here and there before I can finally set it up and hear how it sounds. I can't wait!<p></p><p>The final project is still hanging in my shop waiting for some free time to magically show up so I can complete it. I experimented with a quicker approach to varnishing at a workshop a few years ago, and was never happy with the results I got on this viola. I also wasn't completely happy with the construction on this instrument when it arrived from the supplier in the white, so I figured it was a perfect candidate for antiquing.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajbtT1pkBuT7OLt2nUiGvb0BiPbMwE-u4JWI8ZT0uLubTt0a-X158YZUa1GdYvfXWM94a5Z6o4-7wMoyyNQ-SD--1tLUYdAnrqh1G4SkIZvVnHermmjBozjao9k5OZlS0ij35m9EJZtxvRI9AHfEEEmYE0NXZX92-XR8eA_EoPibS32VWgloLskrL/s300/IMG_20220429_123322832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajbtT1pkBuT7OLt2nUiGvb0BiPbMwE-u4JWI8ZT0uLubTt0a-X158YZUa1GdYvfXWM94a5Z6o4-7wMoyyNQ-SD--1tLUYdAnrqh1G4SkIZvVnHermmjBozjao9k5OZlS0ij35m9EJZtxvRI9AHfEEEmYE0NXZX92-XR8eA_EoPibS32VWgloLskrL/w300-h400/IMG_20220429_123322832.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHjX8GbMzQiSpuJAq_7ahhT-TwNh-FJHnp8zdgex9LuLWgSJxJz1KAeLf9ObTAMWvk_uOwsZ6JzY7Jf-9pNXU77dYukboTbUG3vFSZ_Lz2NCaKxsosv3vP7_CVKMkzuLT2o9VDltSrZZPOMRGbvjh9ALUtEk24DszbyJ42iQ5wzSVs4yS16eJ7kZA/s300/IMG_20220429_131436536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHjX8GbMzQiSpuJAq_7ahhT-TwNh-FJHnp8zdgex9LuLWgSJxJz1KAeLf9ObTAMWvk_uOwsZ6JzY7Jf-9pNXU77dYukboTbUG3vFSZ_Lz2NCaKxsosv3vP7_CVKMkzuLT2o9VDltSrZZPOMRGbvjh9ALUtEk24DszbyJ42iQ5wzSVs4yS16eJ7kZA/w300-h400/IMG_20220429_131436536.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Antiquing is a process of artificially aging the varnish wear on an instrument to make it look older, which is what a lot of players want, even in a new instrument. I normally don't do it, since I figure my instruments will get worn enough just out in the world on their own without me hastening the process. But when the talented <a href="http://www.itzelavila.com/" target="_blank">Itzel Avila</a>, antiquing master, gave a demonstration at the workshop and mentioned how much easier it is emotionally to antique something she didn't make herself, I was inspired! Why not pull out that viola that I was planning to strip and do over anyway and try some of these techniques? That was really enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to finishing it someday.<p></p><p>I also managed to leave the workshop with more things than I brought, since I purchased a viola that Joe varnished for my inventory. That one needed a couple more coats of varnish on just the top and the ribs, and I was flattered that Joe trusted me to finish that work on my own. But this was the lineup of things to complete after a week in Chicago:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzjlg-iMC1Tb7hd9dSk9IniLlkraupxGnCjHAD_1xklv0XvgSfEo1ixTb5QzsJNEq-JOUYHsVjJRO40YsQ22DW6GXzL1hSbDT1znUWBgjc5mIR8ibVdSKdnVUMSqzkor1ia7Xhmd541xQjMzeucJUMLtFh6S9ppYIYzzvXqEt3NnE5CVNn-XEk5Ip/s300/IMG_20220510_110223294.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzjlg-iMC1Tb7hd9dSk9IniLlkraupxGnCjHAD_1xklv0XvgSfEo1ixTb5QzsJNEq-JOUYHsVjJRO40YsQ22DW6GXzL1hSbDT1znUWBgjc5mIR8ibVdSKdnVUMSqzkor1ia7Xhmd541xQjMzeucJUMLtFh6S9ppYIYzzvXqEt3NnE5CVNn-XEk5Ip/w400-h300/IMG_20220510_110223294.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It's a happy sight.</p><p>And it was a wonderful week! I hope everyone this year gets to do something as fulfilling as I got to do in my varnish workshop.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaZUZbo7UF4pGYfwrX-Dv5xxWxcn_5F7ijWks1MaAO3vIkr59LbUnf_HqQ8TkmkSxWT25fhI1LzBF4Aiw0XWZD5EeVnYTOSu50n2vW93SmtDD6XEks_YHpWvBiSf8vZNTdLT0RdVupPNXLIg42MqYfVTdXlionlJoS2GCL8wq-2QsgcNvcgNQWvpW/s300/IMG_20220427_150145652.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaZUZbo7UF4pGYfwrX-Dv5xxWxcn_5F7ijWks1MaAO3vIkr59LbUnf_HqQ8TkmkSxWT25fhI1LzBF4Aiw0XWZD5EeVnYTOSu50n2vW93SmtDD6XEks_YHpWvBiSf8vZNTdLT0RdVupPNXLIg42MqYfVTdXlionlJoS2GCL8wq-2QsgcNvcgNQWvpW/w300-h400/IMG_20220427_150145652.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-71665447541998293862022-06-19T22:35:00.011-05:002022-06-19T22:44:01.744-05:00Dear Dad, 2022<p>Dear Dad,<br /><br />Wow, what a year. We’re in this weird phase of moving out of the pandemic, while the pandemic is also still here. The beauty of being vaccinated, though, is hospitalization and death seem off the table. Long Covid is still a concern (I know too many people suffering with that to take it lightly), but the fear has lifted. Now it’s just an annoyance. I’m tired of masks. I’m tired of takeout rather than eating in restaurants. I’m tired of the social stress of people behaving without care for others and the divisions it causes. (Someone actually stuck a flyer on the door of the violin shop by the sign saying we require masks condemning our “virtue signaling.” That was just cowardly and rude.)<br /><br />But the exciting thing about life getting back to something closer to normal is we get to do stuff again! There are concerts to play, and people to see.<br /><br />The event where I thought about you most was when Mom and I went to Venice. Dad, we went back to Venice! But this time I got to play a concert there with my mandolin orchestra. I wish you could have heard us. You’d have loved it. We played against a backdrop of Tintoretto paintings. It was wonderful to have a chance to travel with just Mom for a week in Italy like that, but you would have loved it so much. The food, the canals, the gelato, the art, the endless places to wander. . . You wouldn’t have kayaked with us, though. Mom and I would have waved to you as we paddled and you stayed in your suit and tie on a nice civilized path alongside the water. But oh, Dad, you would have loved all of it.<br /><br />The garden back in Detroit is looking amazing. I don’t know how Mom does it. Our yard is such mess! Literally, right now, because we had a new deck put in, and the old pile of deck garbage is still here. The new fence doesn’t go up for another week or so. But it’s so nice to be in the backyard! I’m sitting on the new deck right now in the shade of the beech tree, perfect temperature, nice breeze, no fear of rotting boards giving way underneath me and sending me to my doom. We even strung some lights from the garage to the terrace above the new deck the way I always meant to and never did. We might repaint the mural on the garage wall from a dozen years ago. Quinn in particular feels it's time to paint something much better. Mona has ideas.<br /><br />I got to do the varnish workshop again, finally. I still had those three instruments in the white I bought to use in 2020 before the pandemic shut everything down. And I had three instruments of my own to varnish, so that was fun. (I don’t think I’ll build three instruments at the same time anymore. Two is plenty. Three gets overwhelming.) I built a violin for Mona that she doesn’t want, but I’m glad I did it anyway. The little bird Aden drew on the back of the scroll came out cute. The violin sounds nice! I still need to make one with simpler wood for mom to paint. That’s one of the many projects that never quite seems to happen, but I do want to make a violin in the white for mom to decorate. That would be cool. I wish I could have done that with you, too! I’m trying to picture how fast you would get that done. It would be funny, because my part, building the instrument would take months, and then you would paint something amazing in under ten minutes and that would be the only thing anyone would comment on or praise. (And that would have been fine.)<br /><br />Which reminds me, I did an internet search not long ago for your ties. I think often about all those ties you painted in that sweatshop in Brooklyn and there have to be some of those still out there in the world. I feel certain I would recognize your work if I saw one, but who knows? Mona and I went through a portfolio of Mom’s old prints from early in your marriage and before, and it’s fascinating to see what elements of her style have persisted, and what things are hard to recognize as her hand. Maybe those ties of yours don’t resemble what I think of as your work. Maybe I’ve passed one on the street and didn’t know.<br /><br />Writing is weirdly stalled. I need to buckle down for one more edit on my latest novel, and figure out what I’m doing. I feel if I play the numbers game, I have a shot at a traditional publisher. But maybe I’d like the control better of staying indie and just investing in real marketing for a change. Or maybe creative control but with some support from a hybrid publisher is the way to go. I don’t know. All the non-writing bits of writing gets really discouraging and frustrating. But I like the new book. It’s fun. (And wouldn’t make you weep like the first one did!)<br /><br />I think the oddest thing at the moment that I wish I had you here to talk about is the transition away from having kids in the house. We spent so many years where everything was centered around the needs of our kids, and scheduling things based on school calendars, or having to base so many meals adjusted to boring palates. . . And now they are essentially all grown up and it’s wonderful in new ways, but very different. Ian and I actually have to figure out what we want to do. We’ve spent a long time tag teaming to get things done, but now we can do things together again. So there are good things which are exciting, but it’s also a bit sad. I’m looking back on all their childhoods and wondering if it was okay. I don’t get a do-over. Maybe it wasn’t enough. I tried, though. I really did try.<br /><br />I keep thinking there will be some relief at least in not being responsible for all of them in front of me all the time, but then I think about that lunch at your house where Alit was over. She’d just had her first child, and she said she had been experiencing nightmares where she was scared for the baby or didn’t know where she was and was panicked, and you looked at her sadly and said, “That never goes away.” So I’ve thought ever since that I should be prepared for that to be the case.<br /><br />Luckily, though, at the moment it doesn’t seem to be. Aden finally got to leave for her first year of college, and when I don't hear from her, it means she's happy and busy. At the moment, Aden’s off being a camp counselor to six and seven-year-olds. She loves it. She found the job herself, and she’s teaching little kids art, and seems to be really enjoying everything. She loved her first year of college. There were a couple of complications, but you know what? She handled it all herself and did fine. She loves UW Stout. She’s made good friends. She’s adorable and sweet and making beautiful things. Aden’s even in a print club where they did some giant woodcut pieces that they printed on fabric using a steamroller! How fun is that? Anyway, she’s amazing. She’s still magical. All blue eyes and happy laughs and funny and kind. Just like the tiny girl you remember, only taller. I really miss her. I was supposed to have a week with her between college and camp, but then Ian’s mother died, and she agreed to go with her dad to Portland to help him sort out the house and the estate stuff. I don’t know if she was helpful in a practical sense, but the emotional support she gave Ian was invaluable. With a little luck she’ll be home for a week or two at the end of the summer, but that seems like a long time away. We have lots of Star Trek to binge together whenever she gets back.<br /><br />Speaking of Ian, he’s doing okay. I think he’s still in a bit of shock after losing his mother so unexpectedly. The stress of managing the house in probate, etc., is a bit much. I’m trying to help where I can. But I know what it’s like to lose a parent, and there’s really only so much anyone can do. That’s just a hole in your life that never gets filled. You learn to walk around the hole or face away from it sometimes, but it’s always there. I feel like the yard that is my life has a few big holes at this point, and maybe when there’s nowhere left to walk that’s how you know it’s time to go.<br /><br />I wish you were here to talk with Mona. She finished high school a semester early, and graduated 6th in her class! You’d have been so proud, but you wouldn’t have had a ceremony to watch. She tried a semester of college online through UWM, however it was awful and turned her off of college entirely. I keep telling her that that wasn’t college, that was sitting at our dining room table watching assigned YouTube videos, and she should do a real semester of art school somewhere in person before she makes up her mind if that’s of any value or not. I feel like she might have listened to you. She did apply to Pratt based on the idea that you thought she should go there when she was only 11. You loved college so much (14 years of it? Am I remembering that right?) and you would have had lots to tell her about why she should give it a go. She’s not really listening to me, so nothing I say gets through. If you were still around, I would find a way to send the two of you off to Paris for a bit, and you could give her the tour you once gave the St Paul School boys, and you could draw together and see all the museums, and I would be satisfied that that was enough of an education if she still didn’t want to do school. She is focusing in on jobs and putting together a resume. The most enticing plan of the moment is to set her up in Nancy’s house in Portland and let her get a fresh start in a new state, but with housing and transportation covered so there is a cushion while being far from home. We’ll see. I know she will be fine. It’s just hard to see her so anxious while she’s living in a time of unknowns. But damn I wish you could see her work. She’s so good. She won the Racine Art Museum Peep contest this year with her Peepzilla, so her sculpture abilities are as strong as ever, but her ink drawings are mind blowing. I would give anything for you could see.<br /><br />Quinn came out as trans recently. She surprised us with a cake that was the trans-pride flag inside. Not that the news was a surprise, just the cake. Remember all those conversations we had when she was only two and insisted she was a girl? Changed her name and everything for a couple of years? I know you thought I was being overindulgent and not helping her in the world by going along with it at the time. But now I’m wishing I’d advocated more for her earlier. It’s so hard to know. She needed to come into herself in her own way and her own time, so maybe an official coming out did have to wait until now. I don’t know. But I’m really proud of her for being so courageous. This country is so cruel to trans-people, and the rhetoric is so nasty, that I’m already fearful about places she can’t go and be safe. As if anyone has anything to fear from someone as sweet as Quinn! I wonder how you would have handled her coming out? I suspect it might have taken some adjustment (heck, I will be stumbling over pronouns for a while out of habit), but I also picture you doing some amazing drawing full of rainbows and weird birds to send her in celebration. I know your love would never have wavered. There’s nothing not to love about Quinn. I’m hoping the fact that her entire family is in her corner will help what will likely be a complicated path. I’m going to smooth it as best I’m able.<br /><br />Well, the lights above the new deck have switched on in the dusk, and the bugs are far too interested in my laptop screen. Time to wrap this up.<br /><br />I love you, Dad. That never changes. I hate that you didn’t get to go with Ellora on her tour of colleges (I can’t imagine anything that could have made you happier!), or that we can’t really tell you she got into Berkeley. I hate that you don’t get to see how little Rivyn (not so little now at seven!) is a bundle of creative energy like his father and such a pure delight. You would be amazed at the beautiful work Mom is doing lately. She told me she misses how she always counted on you to look at a piece and be able to tell her when it was done. It feels unfair that life goes on and you’re missing some wonderful things. But life isn’t fair.<br /><br />I love you. Happy Father’s Day. I will try to make you proud even though you can’t see.<br /><br />Love, Kory<br /><span class="tojvnm2t a6sixzi8 abs2jz4q a8s20v7p t1p8iaqh k5wvi7nf q3lfd5jv pk4s997a bipmatt0 cebpdrjk qowsmv63 owwhemhu dp1hu0rb dhp61c6y iyyx5f41"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hn33EcRXf2mZ7S2cupv8-Lj2ddnoIEmej9MryDLqDkY1lTJE40ZXoDgDmWlMtGv3rPY3mDukr0T1ZDKMjsFEWdpeMtvBAGR2hEtIGM91ftfcIqqrGvk3kpFYbSnuhrdfQZqb1B68KTuSnetoebonIN7gi4AMVJuoFsF1N9iocLwl5hPNtxVbGuUC/s4096/IMG_20220618_221516763.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hn33EcRXf2mZ7S2cupv8-Lj2ddnoIEmej9MryDLqDkY1lTJE40ZXoDgDmWlMtGv3rPY3mDukr0T1ZDKMjsFEWdpeMtvBAGR2hEtIGM91ftfcIqqrGvk3kpFYbSnuhrdfQZqb1B68KTuSnetoebonIN7gi4AMVJuoFsF1N9iocLwl5hPNtxVbGuUC/w300-h400/IMG_20220618_221516763.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-83641324826439437742022-06-09T09:51:00.001-05:002022-06-09T09:51:56.462-05:00Why A Women's Night Out<p>I started this post in a side note about my recent varnish workshop, and it was getting pretty long and off topic, so it made sense to simply get it all off my chest in its own place.</p><p>Until the creation of the Women In Lutherie group, I felt rather alone. Working in a male-dominated field is tricky. There are some wonderful, humble, supportive men out there, but they are not as vocal as the ones who feel the need to posture, or make everything some sort of competition where they must win. The number of men (particularly in online violin maker groups) who can't wait to tell you you are wrong is staggering. </p><p>But the Women In Lutherie group is not like that. It's empowering and friendly. And as of this moment, it has more than 600 members. Now I don't feel so alone. These women have helped my confidence, my techniques, and my sense of belonging in this field. It's wonderful.</p><p>So of course at the latest varnish workshop in Chicago, which had the largest number of women yet in attendance (out of 14 people, six of us were women), we wanted one night out together to relax and talk among ourselves.<br /></p><p>A few of the men
at the workshop expressed disappointment at being "excluded" from the
Women In Lutherie dinner. None of us want
to make anyone feel bad, but we're also tired of being made to feel we have to justify ourselves. We simply said, "Go do your own thing! We'll meet up together tomorrow!" It was not forever. It was for one dinner.<br /></p><p>On any given night when a bunch of luthiers
get together, it's nearly always a men's night out. They get that by
default often enough. When it came up again that "how would we have felt if they'd gone off and had a men's night," one of my friends finally blurted out in
frustration: "Every night is men's night!" But the thing I wanted to
say, and didn't find the opportunity in that context, was this:</p><p>Our experience is different. It just is. And sometimes it's a relief to be with others who understand, and whom you don't have to explain any of that to. It's nice to be among luthiers who never ask "what wood are violins made from?" It's nice to be with fellow musicians sometimes who get what that means. It's nice to hang out with friends who went to your same school and shared certain experiences. There are lots of different ways to feel a sense of belonging and comfort. And sometimes also safety, and shared frustration.<br /></p><p>When women get together, do we talk about men who make our lives complicated? Sometimes. And if that makes any man nervous, he should ask himself why. (Because the men who are not nervous, know we're not discussing them in any bad light.) </p><p>In what way is the experience of a woman luthier different? Here's one example:<br /></p><p>Any
of those men in the workshop, if they were seated behind a bench in any
violin shop in the world, and a new customer walked in, would not only
be assumed by that client to be the luthier, but probably given the
benefit of the doubt that they were experts in their field.</p><p>I am not
granted that. No woman I know is granted that.</p><p>My name is on the window,
I wear an apron, I sit at a workbench with tools in my hands, and still
people address my husband if he's behind his computer at the other
desk. I have to explain I am the luthier, then prove myself worthy. It's exhausting. And demoralizing.</p><p>I recently spent half
an hour with an older man, explaining what work his violin needed, and I thought by the time he agreed to all of it that I had earned his respect. But
when I was writing up his work ticket, he looked past me to my husband and said, "How often do you have to bite your tongue to keep from
interrupting her?"</p><p>To his credit, my husband didn't miss a beat and replied, "Never. She's the luthier."</p><p>I know the man thought he was being cute or funny. But would it ever occur to him to say that if it were the other way around? Would he ever assume the woman was the luthier in the room? Men are assumed to have knowledge about tools. The default about women is ignorance. </p><p>I have two major thoughts about that incident. The first is, for the occasional person who says something like this, how many are simply thinking it? That's a hard idea to shake when working with people.<br /></p><p>The second is, many of us in this (and other) fields suffer a certain amount of imposter syndrome. We all harbor doubts about our abilities and worthiness, because there is always someone better, someone more talented and successful, and to find the balance of humility and confidence that allows us to function can be tricky from day to day. Men in lutherie tend to at least be granted a level of trust that they must know what they are doing. If they are feeling insecure, they can feel somewhat assuaged by those who walk into their shops starting from a level of belief in the abilities of the luthier before them. The average person tends to bolster their confidence.<br /></p><p>Women, by comparison, tend to feel undermined. When your own doubts are subtly (or not so subtly) reflected back at you regularly, it makes the work harder.</p><p>This hurts everyone, frankly. Not just for women who aren't given enough opportunities or encouragement, but I've met men who are not as good as they think they are, who do damage because they overstepped their abilities since their egos were not in check. Women don't want to make mistakes, men don't want to be wrong. Both things feed into how we are perceived overall.</p><p>Maybe men don't want to believe my experiences as a luthier are different. That doesn't change the truth of it for me, and other women I know. And there are times I don't have the energy to explain it.<br /></p><p>The dinner out with the women during the workshop was illuminating and delightful. The dinners out with everyone were also fun. Just different. </p><p>Would it be nice if the world functioned in a way that a women's only dinner (or group) felt unnecessary?</p><p>YES! YES IT WOULD! Let's work toward that! Let's hope for that! I would love to feel as welcomed and understood and supported and included in the world of lutherie as a whole that a Women In Lutherie group could be cast off as a curiosity.</p><p>But that's not the world we are in at the moment. I don't just like this group, I need this group. I am better because of this group.</p><p>And for men who don't want to feel left out, you need to change your end of things. That's not our job. You need to help make the general space welcoming enough that we don't want to occasionally retreat from it. That's a good goal, and not just for lutherie.<br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-5965835221765214782022-05-20T08:35:00.001-05:002022-05-20T10:19:12.967-05:00Death Of My Mother-In-Law<p>My husband's mother recently passed away. We're not exactly sure when. Ian called her on Mother's Day, and she didn't pick up, which wasn't unusual for her. A couple of days later he got a call from her doctor's office saying she didn't appear for a post-surgery followup. He called a neighbor to check on her. The neighbor found Nancy dead in bed.</p><p>It was sad breaking the news to the kids. They called her "Oma," which was the name she picked for herself when she became a grandmother as a means of differentiating herself from my mother. Aden and Quinn were at home, so they were told in person. Mona had just left that morning for a summer job in a different county, and we had to tell her over a bad phone connection. They were all somber. But Oma has always been a somewhat remote figure in their lives living all the way on the West Coast, so I don't know if they really knew how to feel. I'm not exactly sure how to feel, because it hasn't really sunk in for me yet that she's gone.</p><p>Nancy was many things. She was generous. She was curious. She was adventurous in that she traveled to more places than anyone else I know, but then also led a predictable and simple life at home. She managed to get a good city job in the planning department in an era when I don't imagine that was easy to come by for a single mother. She was a teacher, at one time in a one-room schoolhouse in California, and until recently a tutor in English as a second language. She was thoughtful. I never heard her raise her voice or say anything mean about anyone (short of a few politicians). She was practical, preferring often to eat out of reusable food containers than regular dishes. She liked heating her house with a wood stove when possible. She seemed unconcerned about other people's judgement, wearing what she liked, and was unapologetic about her tastes and interests. She loved colorful things, clever woodworking from the Saturday Market, shiny souvenirs, Hawaiian pizza, dangly earrings, maps, Jeopardy, and skiing. She drove a stick shift most of her life and always named her car. (In the last several years she drove a Prius.) Most importantly to me, she did an excellent job of raising her only son into the man I love. Her example taught him self-reliance, and respect for women as equals.<br /></p><p>The thing Nancy prized over all else was her independence. Her childhood home was not pleasant. She didn't associate family with joy, and the responsibilities that family can impose she did her best to see as her choice rather than as an obligation. She was incredibly good to her brother, nieces, and nephew. She was certainly good to us.</p><p>However, Nancy seemed most satisfied with doing things apart from family. She had friends, and activities, and routines, but we were only allowed to know about them superficially. She reminded me very much of the way teenagers only give one word answers to their parents so as to keep their private lives private. The kinds of questions I might ask my own family felt more like prying with her. She preferred we didn't intrude, so we had to be content with some things being left unanswered. I don't believe it was anything against us, but a pleasure she took in being owner of her life. </p><p>I did have the opportunity to get to know her a bit better on a road trip she joined me and Ian on back in the late 90s when I needed to deliver a viola I'd made to a player out in New York. When Ian's not driving, he tends to sleep on long car trips, so Nancy and I had many hours together just to talk for a change. I learned a lot that explained why the two of us navigated family events and interactions so differently. I find my family a source of inspiration and peace. Growing up, she found hers something to overcome. She told me once of a pivotal moment when she was 18 and had graduated from high school, and while driving her car came to a literal fork in the road where she could go back to a home she disliked, or pick a new road and create a different life. She picked the new road and never looked back. That was Nancy.</p><p>The fact that when she found herself pregnant she was able to make all the sacrifices it took to create a settled life for a baby is impressive to me, since raising a child is the opposite of freedom. But she did it. She kicked out the man whose unreliable behavior could not be tolerated around an impressionable child. Ian's dad died when Ian was only three. Nancy was a single mom in the 1970s and somehow managed everything on her own. No support from family. No resources except what she could find by herself. She raised her son to be capable and independent, as well as ethical and kind. (Although, having enjoyed much of the hippy culture of the 60s, I don't think she ever knew what to make of Ian's decision to join ROTC. Teenage rebellion takes many forms.)<br /></p><p>Nancy worked for decades as a city planner in Portland OR. It wasn't a coincidence that when light rail was installed, there was a convenient stop near her house. She was incredibly smart about her finances so that she could provide for her little family of two. To say her home was modest is an understatement. But she provided as many opportunities for her son as she was able, including getting him into an expensive Montessori school with a scholarship.</p><p>The only place she splurged when she could was travel. Reading of her adventures in every Christmas letter was always surprising.</p><p>We wished more of her travels had led her here while her grandchildren were growing up, but we did manage a family trip out to Portland a summer before the pandemic hit. We'd taken the kids out there once before when they were small, so this was the first time we were able to really show them around. I'm glad we did, since we had no idea it would be our last opportunity for such a visit. Nancy somehow found space for all of us in her tiny home and our kids got a sense of where their dad grew up, and got to know their Oma a little better in person instead of from afar.</p><p>Nancy was one of the few people to read all three rough drafts of my novels when I first wrote them long ago. That's a lot to ask of anyone, and I appreciated it more than I think she knew.</p><p>I can't think of anyone who lived a life somehow so completely on their own terms and yet unselfishly the way my mother-in-law did. She never neglected a birthday or forgot to send things for the kids to open under the tree every year. She used a lot of her time volunteering at the art museum and the science center after she retired, and I wish I knew just how many adults she helped learn to speak and read English. She lived the life she wanted while also helping many. Not enough of us can say that.<br /></p><p>Literally in the end, she went the way she wanted to go. Her health and cognitive function were starting to slip into a state where her independence was threatened. As much as she loved her son (and there's no doubt she loved her son), the last thing she wanted was for him (or anyone) to be involved in her care or decision making. She always intended to die as she lived: On her own terms. Her spiraling health concerns simply brought her down more rapidly than we were expecting, but maybe not earlier than she was ready for.<br /></p><p>So as sad as it was to learn that she died in her sleep at home, it also wasn't tragic. The "when" was too soon. The "how" was exactly what she would have preferred.</p><p>Nancy was unique. I hope she enjoyed her life. She will be missed.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8654887465201994138.post-76966467105408655152022-04-29T06:54:00.002-05:002022-04-30T07:41:39.875-05:00Peeps! 2022<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjgw1hiAZKUhsNLa2ciBRXTk6pz8HZgdQgxC91DDXA23EVkMDLXWPrSgZydFdr3J_YtxZu3nhzaX96XKqCBqCa6tDH65Z3gXkykSfloDVLWz3ljxrwXThY5f8-Ua6VBYhHuUEQgvQ2jEtJMetubmhJiTPBll4XpXTVlkpJkjGL0wZDXR904q0Nc9r/s300/IMG_20220326_132441809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjgw1hiAZKUhsNLa2ciBRXTk6pz8HZgdQgxC91DDXA23EVkMDLXWPrSgZydFdr3J_YtxZu3nhzaX96XKqCBqCa6tDH65Z3gXkykSfloDVLWz3ljxrwXThY5f8-Ua6VBYhHuUEQgvQ2jEtJMetubmhJiTPBll4XpXTVlkpJkjGL0wZDXR904q0Nc9r/w300-h400/IMG_20220326_132441809.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>It was a good year for Peep art in our house! At this year's Peeps art show at the Racine Art Museum, Mona took first place in the adult individual category with her fantastic Peepzilla sculpture, and Aden and Quinn and I placed second in the group category with our giant Sparkle Peep.</p><p>Mona definitely had a vision for her Peep sculpture this year, but the rest of us didn't have any specific ideas, so we just decided to go big! And sparkly!</p><p>I built a basic bunny Peep from foam board, paper, and tape. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74qVFyU1D3EUYU-2mLdZYxobIbxs6BGIBLYjW7rADIxeRM2jfpd9ZMkzxD-DF06zp3jgEGRMYMOXDpXyPVZqaQjylYzEHS_HR9KS1Gs_tUC8hALX8YnQ8M81IYsiSvuB-ikvq-Mtcgr2AC0mTY-Bd3E8V2sp3Lu9KmNr57SYr0jk9F6FbW86N999b/s300/IMG_20220313_204744994.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74qVFyU1D3EUYU-2mLdZYxobIbxs6BGIBLYjW7rADIxeRM2jfpd9ZMkzxD-DF06zp3jgEGRMYMOXDpXyPVZqaQjylYzEHS_HR9KS1Gs_tUC8hALX8YnQ8M81IYsiSvuB-ikvq-Mtcgr2AC0mTY-Bd3E8V2sp3Lu9KmNr57SYr0jk9F6FbW86N999b/s1600/IMG_20220313_204744994.jpg" width="225" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74qVFyU1D3EUYU-2mLdZYxobIbxs6BGIBLYjW7rADIxeRM2jfpd9ZMkzxD-DF06zp3jgEGRMYMOXDpXyPVZqaQjylYzEHS_HR9KS1Gs_tUC8hALX8YnQ8M81IYsiSvuB-ikvq-Mtcgr2AC0mTY-Bd3E8V2sp3Lu9KmNr57SYr0jk9F6FbW86N999b/s300/IMG_20220313_204744994.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuxC7I5zKEHBiREJo5aIoE6f-wiVaDS38xUBpqWck97NHNBh92-CZti7O-8m3jSOGBHCY9hDcJc0P01pzZlQwXCIIzuFmdL6csca9Z0aDLNkirWVeiYlkgs3ebj7cc7bQKcDcScPgcwFj0UMm_oVZwHWLoBLizUwDqmFCDlV5jOXAL9FYTDTEY9dg/s300/IMG_20220313_212054708.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuxC7I5zKEHBiREJo5aIoE6f-wiVaDS38xUBpqWck97NHNBh92-CZti7O-8m3jSOGBHCY9hDcJc0P01pzZlQwXCIIzuFmdL6csca9Z0aDLNkirWVeiYlkgs3ebj7cc7bQKcDcScPgcwFj0UMm_oVZwHWLoBLizUwDqmFCDlV5jOXAL9FYTDTEY9dg/s1600/IMG_20220313_212054708.jpg" width="225" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSwp4bT82OoQItVufXleileChEnqBUlsZZ6-Arpf4RAg_C94xiD_oViQLcMzSkTD0puN7YVTgYMh2zB5c1_oOwiVA2TtnKTw6tjLNVlOoDIjgrZRpvFcK4RwDrOY-_FLvlqE0ieveZK1wQK6ljipF9Q1d_4-rnjKPosq3zMi4L1btkiPS858xaINw/s300/IMG_20220313_220536202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSwp4bT82OoQItVufXleileChEnqBUlsZZ6-Arpf4RAg_C94xiD_oViQLcMzSkTD0puN7YVTgYMh2zB5c1_oOwiVA2TtnKTw6tjLNVlOoDIjgrZRpvFcK4RwDrOY-_FLvlqE0ieveZK1wQK6ljipF9Q1d_4-rnjKPosq3zMi4L1btkiPS858xaINw/w300-h400/IMG_20220313_220536202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Then we just started gluing on acrylic gems. Lots and lots and lots of acrylic gems. Aden started in one area while she was home over break, then Quinn and I took over after she left. It wasn't hard, but it took a while, and by the time we got to the back there was no time to sort colors or be fussy if we were going to make the deadline, so it was simply random. The end result definitely looked like a group project. But it <i>was</i> a group project, so we'll just call that a bonus.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d5VT7U8rV06jOh9EA5sINxXIHFvISHD-4uScMuu76zAqEtJxLNEgPZnqCNxGaPXdZNAH06HqRIr3OuWFcnx3uG2NNIYy4s4ZU7nKEXGBqMB2AyKDclqTkarTxlMxtJw_zs3P3pEW2QTQ1OfeQwa5AJ5WhMkbbgBx_hCfG9HK8R5qp_r1MgVY6UiD/s300/IMG_20220322_182858967.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d5VT7U8rV06jOh9EA5sINxXIHFvISHD-4uScMuu76zAqEtJxLNEgPZnqCNxGaPXdZNAH06HqRIr3OuWFcnx3uG2NNIYy4s4ZU7nKEXGBqMB2AyKDclqTkarTxlMxtJw_zs3P3pEW2QTQ1OfeQwa5AJ5WhMkbbgBx_hCfG9HK8R5qp_r1MgVY6UiD/w300-h400/IMG_20220322_182858967.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbwUO3XEffNsidIC9YByyt2PBG28BgqpsE3RRjaMfwREZeMNfG4L33wwtXMUw5l9qs5zSqsud8pcd1oaVRgdnVrrrAD8vOtik9mi1dth-2Kb32TvxwdhLETTZkoU_6sFKyyAA0JR6ktn6XpFlz--ugyol3kH-K501_oPxHSOlC3w0QOyM9EhVOSnWs/s300/IMG_20220324_165112256.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbwUO3XEffNsidIC9YByyt2PBG28BgqpsE3RRjaMfwREZeMNfG4L33wwtXMUw5l9qs5zSqsud8pcd1oaVRgdnVrrrAD8vOtik9mi1dth-2Kb32TvxwdhLETTZkoU_6sFKyyAA0JR6ktn6XpFlz--ugyol3kH-K501_oPxHSOlC3w0QOyM9EhVOSnWs/w400-h300/IMG_20220324_165112256.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7-aHzilXUhvd8w-kJ0hZ9DjS-d9ni4dDeacnNisfa5eK2sOoheAk7EkFibSskuGUdh2Mc1OCYncQ3xgfRYCLIkZWBAa9FJTJ1ZyMRRiH9qpqNU7uQFw0rREq_w9mZafOrRuEKDodaIsDRe0bqpx5JUvMf45jwgZsp0DRrnDeCH9kk-H9VsOt0X-_/s300/IMG_20220324_212534499.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7-aHzilXUhvd8w-kJ0hZ9DjS-d9ni4dDeacnNisfa5eK2sOoheAk7EkFibSskuGUdh2Mc1OCYncQ3xgfRYCLIkZWBAa9FJTJ1ZyMRRiH9qpqNU7uQFw0rREq_w9mZafOrRuEKDodaIsDRe0bqpx5JUvMf45jwgZsp0DRrnDeCH9kk-H9VsOt0X-_/w300-h400/IMG_20220324_212534499.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Sparkle Peep looks especially pretty in the sun! It will have a home in our violin shop window when we get it back (near its inspiration, the Sparkle Cello).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWTqWZ9fDL3shKjXDXTt0ZXdD5f5BckVF12tjWoRhgcLSVC09zTejz6TC0FEZ4a9u7I_ItgJbcrf3z-ZkZtmm0u7uIuDKupP73E_vyX4oU9WN1Z_2vbmGEJ9iuF69uWpdURj5-lX2rLxtzGQEt0Td9N-H71-eLa3BT_K9u4ybIyCc5dKFG-eegwpW/s300/IMG_20220325_090348301_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWTqWZ9fDL3shKjXDXTt0ZXdD5f5BckVF12tjWoRhgcLSVC09zTejz6TC0FEZ4a9u7I_ItgJbcrf3z-ZkZtmm0u7uIuDKupP73E_vyX4oU9WN1Z_2vbmGEJ9iuF69uWpdURj5-lX2rLxtzGQEt0Td9N-H71-eLa3BT_K9u4ybIyCc5dKFG-eegwpW/w300-h400/IMG_20220325_090348301_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQkEvL0b3-R9JJMyrVvLRVRyjzv48bwLq2zCQY0T8HIrHSp-VK3Ox4rlPvmz5VhYKTQ1W2uJq2QKifBid7ImQQIY6XA47f7p4mH6_sijCv9leD09N_fpK640tvVz8gave6qWbHq3PlS1DFytP1_n5WaxJnbdFogGP_Y4pnFs_2feI_h49EQll1dY3/s300/IMG_20220325_090409401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQkEvL0b3-R9JJMyrVvLRVRyjzv48bwLq2zCQY0T8HIrHSp-VK3Ox4rlPvmz5VhYKTQ1W2uJq2QKifBid7ImQQIY6XA47f7p4mH6_sijCv9leD09N_fpK640tvVz8gave6qWbHq3PlS1DFytP1_n5WaxJnbdFogGP_Y4pnFs_2feI_h49EQll1dY3/w300-h400/IMG_20220325_090409401.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I originally ordered what I thought would be an appropriate quantity of acrylic gems online, but I apparently misunderstood the sizes listed, because the boxes that arrives contained very very tiny jewels. We had to go to a craft store to get bigger ones. I can't begin to imagine how long it would have taken to cover that entire Peep with these little things.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyExrGI9OpwmVO52bi5Nb2fP5rwhJrvYK7Opsri9JEjTJhDpc_b90Ry0voB4YUR1zjxnGhr1ya3X1kEzr7jQzWukkejE8RzZ7v5oANQG9TgP30XMCwTYIcVlYtSIHNK7W50jh7y9aoCWCyA2csEStlnk3XoYohd19qMdp569_D8j_pAqfD_JkVz81/s300/IMG_20220325_092545148.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyExrGI9OpwmVO52bi5Nb2fP5rwhJrvYK7Opsri9JEjTJhDpc_b90Ry0voB4YUR1zjxnGhr1ya3X1kEzr7jQzWukkejE8RzZ7v5oANQG9TgP30XMCwTYIcVlYtSIHNK7W50jh7y9aoCWCyA2csEStlnk3XoYohd19qMdp569_D8j_pAqfD_JkVz81/w300-h400/IMG_20220325_092545148.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>After gluing on a bajillion gems, I coated the whole thing with Mod Podge so they wouldn't start shedding. (I did the same with the Sparkle Cello, so I know it works and dries clear.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_mUT0AfLIvDm43B--mK6ddVqiRgcU1KFPu2D28pKJ071w8-94GLd4No8PTZtBeiyXRMseaSIvfOr-mXN0U1Bf1u6YgSd5P2oyzWhukGpXAQHDVIXQb3WH2Axj_0vwD1JJ4kiVZfVPiYWXzxTaFAyAbRM20bcfIkGVlsWoVY6AugVLMFRT-c_Ii8D/s300/IMG_20220325_095023663.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_mUT0AfLIvDm43B--mK6ddVqiRgcU1KFPu2D28pKJ071w8-94GLd4No8PTZtBeiyXRMseaSIvfOr-mXN0U1Bf1u6YgSd5P2oyzWhukGpXAQHDVIXQb3WH2Axj_0vwD1JJ4kiVZfVPiYWXzxTaFAyAbRM20bcfIkGVlsWoVY6AugVLMFRT-c_Ii8D/w300-h400/IMG_20220325_095023663.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOI6lLWBImLJk3_2FoLxbRGsh_xSY-vNalrAvp7N5W1NVzieuUP2emPukn1lRgK5tfSD5OSpKvl66izKPOA5qC6xbyIWO1Z5tfWxHiru_dsRsHJuVOFz3pu9VKQLSZOunSXBClm2OySJYc3tY3Jil4NseqQhpgZpSIT438zlcchHss4a_vXLC7Y7o/s300/IMG_20220325_102217747.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOI6lLWBImLJk3_2FoLxbRGsh_xSY-vNalrAvp7N5W1NVzieuUP2emPukn1lRgK5tfSD5OSpKvl66izKPOA5qC6xbyIWO1Z5tfWxHiru_dsRsHJuVOFz3pu9VKQLSZOunSXBClm2OySJYc3tY3Jil4NseqQhpgZpSIT438zlcchHss4a_vXLC7Y7o/w300-h400/IMG_20220325_102217747.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Finished Sparkle Peep!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LJ2rN6PpmLQbqzKFta9QlarWW5UwIxV9LMOdT0BheN2auB-pT_h5w4IRQWgkclSTs61cTRhHAPfSHdRIwom1Hze6dtZpEKWFCoased0FSEo0nFvMvk5jozs4xzgkjlzm8lnQP4Moc2_S6bXxWfBRCaWjI6Bcmjm8bNux59zWwlDdgQkvuxhil3fJ/s300/IMG_20220326_130715883.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LJ2rN6PpmLQbqzKFta9QlarWW5UwIxV9LMOdT0BheN2auB-pT_h5w4IRQWgkclSTs61cTRhHAPfSHdRIwom1Hze6dtZpEKWFCoased0FSEo0nFvMvk5jozs4xzgkjlzm8lnQP4Moc2_S6bXxWfBRCaWjI6Bcmjm8bNux59zWwlDdgQkvuxhil3fJ/w300-h400/IMG_20220326_130715883.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Now, there is a strict size requirement at the museum for this show. I built a box to test our things in, so even though Sparkle Peep was impressive for its size, it definitely fit within the dimension limits. <br /><br />Peepzilla did too. . . Until the Peeps got added to the tail. At first we thought we were going to have to simply take Peepzilla home, but Mona finally agreed to snip off the ears of two of the offending bunny Peeps in order for the sculpture to fit in the box. I was proud of Mona for doing it, because I know how painful it is to be forced to alter your work when you don't want to. And Peepzilla is spectacular, so I'm glad people got to see and enjoy it.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxeufKAc4IW4joJ6JRNPQYgbwCiJleiYh3RP1zy4cbrj7qBqV7MrKdOqUVrXDVN3TmdXGjDdMQOa88FOCOSDCnGVTBV33n1Gt6tn_yQdvoGFxh6l5LnKTLqi3mtiABEqp89O_d9ICSrX7rOOxWr9fv7YVbd4ax8T2iU8PxLuo03dYBYjFg8pxVhvi/s300/IMG_20220326_142800501.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxeufKAc4IW4joJ6JRNPQYgbwCiJleiYh3RP1zy4cbrj7qBqV7MrKdOqUVrXDVN3TmdXGjDdMQOa88FOCOSDCnGVTBV33n1Gt6tn_yQdvoGFxh6l5LnKTLqi3mtiABEqp89O_d9ICSrX7rOOxWr9fv7YVbd4ax8T2iU8PxLuo03dYBYjFg8pxVhvi/w300-h400/IMG_20220326_142800501.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Pre-pandemic, the Racine Art Museum held a opening night event for all the artists in the show. There was food, and the first public viewing of the works on display, along with the announcement of the prizes. There are three major categories: Adult Individual, Group, and Young People's. There is also the coveted "Peeple's Choice" award that is voted on by the public and announced after the show comes down. We just got news the other day that Peepzilla also won that prize!<br /><br />Anyway, this year we thought the tickets they gave us when we submitted our pieces were for an in-person opening again. Last year (when I won for my Peep-A-Rama), it was all online. We drove all the way to Racine before realizing this year was virtual too! This was an excellent lesson that as fans of The Amazing Race we should have known already, which is "Always read the clue." Said right on the tickets: "Virtual awards ceremony." Oops.<br /><br />We drove back home in time to catch the announcement of the big award of the night, the Adult Individual category: Peepzilla.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMxsem5v4Ig6DRnRgx0uF7xhp2qu-S9LV2Gx_eerMPlmPUhrjWrgc_XBPWpylsb4L43KY4VtO2nnV4y6zX2tNfpTlAMkPg4uySuwj_q4tEvPssnlJhHHnceOvsZCU5uqR2nAtgdTkUV7UW1NCv2J9shofrGW2VtLW4mEU1WMqXq2-iSXL98jiPuF5/s300/IMG_20220406_181335086.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMxsem5v4Ig6DRnRgx0uF7xhp2qu-S9LV2Gx_eerMPlmPUhrjWrgc_XBPWpylsb4L43KY4VtO2nnV4y6zX2tNfpTlAMkPg4uySuwj_q4tEvPssnlJhHHnceOvsZCU5uqR2nAtgdTkUV7UW1NCv2J9shofrGW2VtLW4mEU1WMqXq2-iSXL98jiPuF5/w400-h300/IMG_20220406_181335086.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I can't describe how much I love that Mona's thing, and our group thing, are arranged in such a way that they are the first things people really see when they walk into the exhibit.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRmUoNX1bhueYcTBVGGuG9Zp8WTuzM6bhqueOqOuQOB0ZQjcB2AQH2YlV3i9JKisM0AfzArwcqdmHYbbcZ3A3fhwlgTPLO_fMgM_97BqTtrGGR53SQFczlAWwV19ehyQSU_DAaCZTEGiiIn1YLd3v7JgoD0ezM5hnjBKKVs1RhyCEJwhZJUm6Wvad/s300/IMG_20220415_140504126.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRmUoNX1bhueYcTBVGGuG9Zp8WTuzM6bhqueOqOuQOB0ZQjcB2AQH2YlV3i9JKisM0AfzArwcqdmHYbbcZ3A3fhwlgTPLO_fMgM_97BqTtrGGR53SQFczlAWwV19ehyQSU_DAaCZTEGiiIn1YLd3v7JgoD0ezM5hnjBKKVs1RhyCEJwhZJUm6Wvad/w300-h400/IMG_20220415_140504126.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Mona dismisses any praise from me as simply "Mom stuff," but seriously, Peepzilla is excellent. It deserved the Golden Peep. (As well as the second Golden Peep it earned for Peeple's Choice.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXxoUNYOMcJI5T3k-04zIkS4_Ega-S1fzcY77yZl95WFm5qyVBjSg7JQztRJNG-ZYdEcskP-K6Khc-gpTdzcuqwrhJYSZQ6OzoL5SOHjSQTK8A18458N5NeX_n3IBPoXhI9vxeA_KsUXrsDjxci89ULuh1ZL93ImGUdwPL7VE4bRXrTWjlqGz9dfs/s300/IMG_20220415_140551087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXxoUNYOMcJI5T3k-04zIkS4_Ega-S1fzcY77yZl95WFm5qyVBjSg7JQztRJNG-ZYdEcskP-K6Khc-gpTdzcuqwrhJYSZQ6OzoL5SOHjSQTK8A18458N5NeX_n3IBPoXhI9vxeA_KsUXrsDjxci89ULuh1ZL93ImGUdwPL7VE4bRXrTWjlqGz9dfs/s1600/IMG_20220415_140551087.jpg" width="225" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXxoUNYOMcJI5T3k-04zIkS4_Ega-S1fzcY77yZl95WFm5qyVBjSg7JQztRJNG-ZYdEcskP-K6Khc-gpTdzcuqwrhJYSZQ6OzoL5SOHjSQTK8A18458N5NeX_n3IBPoXhI9vxeA_KsUXrsDjxci89ULuh1ZL93ImGUdwPL7VE4bRXrTWjlqGz9dfs/s300/IMG_20220415_140551087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQsV9V9VkFJ2rEIt5vLLa4yo2GjGnHDMeicO_C8oFJ_Q03jxSRULHZoZPzDNtUbbMnXcFVuTGM9ZKi8iaz7LQvcH7Cc4BcUchY68ICxACQfsLIBcMHFe4_NGxulDQnXc5AOpOTTc49L2Y7koQpGrJuO9TOuoM5vKyhm3KX6Vq8pQ9llxZPN5Ye4I8/s300/IMG_20220415_140614709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQsV9V9VkFJ2rEIt5vLLa4yo2GjGnHDMeicO_C8oFJ_Q03jxSRULHZoZPzDNtUbbMnXcFVuTGM9ZKi8iaz7LQvcH7Cc4BcUchY68ICxACQfsLIBcMHFe4_NGxulDQnXc5AOpOTTc49L2Y7koQpGrJuO9TOuoM5vKyhm3KX6Vq8pQ9llxZPN5Ye4I8/s1600/IMG_20220415_140614709.jpg" width="225" /></a></div></div><br />And Sparkle Peep looks so BIG. Which is what we were going for, so yay!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmLxqrju_6etKgGCuR6atsuUCGy-fHIw5-RLT6ttXojnKXzBEUlBdnzLucs7QhyX5eK1Tezi_C6p1GY0dDaSc3rUif0r6fajXww9ao2rm5ugDEQnbCw3eiLa03kHrsCOSYN2R1J6AIYvVnSd3Y-b5AHQ1oVyuYHd8ZDtwBV25-bpMnKRf8bRQNo3L/s300/IMG_20220415_142318805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmLxqrju_6etKgGCuR6atsuUCGy-fHIw5-RLT6ttXojnKXzBEUlBdnzLucs7QhyX5eK1Tezi_C6p1GY0dDaSc3rUif0r6fajXww9ao2rm5ugDEQnbCw3eiLa03kHrsCOSYN2R1J6AIYvVnSd3Y-b5AHQ1oVyuYHd8ZDtwBV25-bpMnKRf8bRQNo3L/s1600/IMG_20220415_142318805.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1CFnQmy1h3nDhZqSTKMviHaOQn8dIQn23rwUUK4558mni9pq4g8HUM7OPUYeDm5l1y0n2HyjKSFHj1ay7DaLLye0Ot1wlP9EEc7apcSjMExZfkwilEu3i_5XdKiUraewOLUXobUiaqHoc35Nn8Z-2eEQy0divLR4mVhU4fvLavJPFglQm_ZR3Iye/s300/IMG_20220415_140622385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1CFnQmy1h3nDhZqSTKMviHaOQn8dIQn23rwUUK4558mni9pq4g8HUM7OPUYeDm5l1y0n2HyjKSFHj1ay7DaLLye0Ot1wlP9EEc7apcSjMExZfkwilEu3i_5XdKiUraewOLUXobUiaqHoc35Nn8Z-2eEQy0divLR4mVhU4fvLavJPFglQm_ZR3Iye/s1600/IMG_20220415_140622385.jpg" width="225" /></a></div></div>The line for the exhibit on the afternoon we went was long enough Ian had to go put another hour on the meter. But it was great to see so many clever things on display.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4c-4GiY6WULhmKvQu38AsAvwIn6TZ5us2yrbKqAcsv9uuu1y8Jf8B1mfBYoKtE-USaqBdKg3HYEiT323XjSCaLGCWcSTENxoXkDsrDZdnXxwOJmNKNTvlrLobHxSAJ_mhITn_tw83S7IGbId-plCJer-SIp5Mz76n0LGBYony9snqiX_yTr1VkoI/s300/IMG_20220415_142324159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4c-4GiY6WULhmKvQu38AsAvwIn6TZ5us2yrbKqAcsv9uuu1y8Jf8B1mfBYoKtE-USaqBdKg3HYEiT323XjSCaLGCWcSTENxoXkDsrDZdnXxwOJmNKNTvlrLobHxSAJ_mhITn_tw83S7IGbId-plCJer-SIp5Mz76n0LGBYony9snqiX_yTr1VkoI/w400-h300/IMG_20220415_142324159.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And as far as trophies go? I don't think there are any awards cuter that these Peep art awards. They are hand blown glass by a local artist and they are adorable. (The first one here is Aden's from a few years ago, the tall one in the middle is mine from last year, and the last one is Mona's. I can't wait to see the second one she gets when she goes back down to the museum.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBE4FK04ypIdwiU55gkks35RmX6sz0DezL7OfAEEBDlCbllaVp7morwrxUpFaC8Jdd-cnKPwD7hlEZt8cueRrM_EQDxZE8EveifS7kP2yxZG0R2xqZETEE9FAY6Mjq_NF6yzMt5Zj-g0cIK_-mZ3ci_BXyyWiQ6zi5oiQgMUTN7tATOtMUsG_jNDCl/s300/IMG_20220415_200227985.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBE4FK04ypIdwiU55gkks35RmX6sz0DezL7OfAEEBDlCbllaVp7morwrxUpFaC8Jdd-cnKPwD7hlEZt8cueRrM_EQDxZE8EveifS7kP2yxZG0R2xqZETEE9FAY6Mjq_NF6yzMt5Zj-g0cIK_-mZ3ci_BXyyWiQ6zi5oiQgMUTN7tATOtMUsG_jNDCl/s1600/IMG_20220415_200227985.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><p>The Racine Art Museum always offers to keep winning sculptures for their permanent collection, and Mona is leaning toward letting them hang onto Peepzilla. I think that's a good idea, because they would store it more safely than we could, plus it sounds more impressive on an art resume to say something you made resides in a museum than in our house.</p><p>Sparkle Peep, however, will have a proud and glittery place in the violin store window for passersby to enjoy. Does it make sense for a violin shop to have a giant Peep covered in jewels on display? I think only at ours.</p><p>Happy Spring!<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-ZSMha7rMRSzVy9kNujSKj-yI-8cLQI4XQCxxzyfy_3bRYTbaZL64vWvwobDpOq7CZFrg3p5SH8SwO09va2-cMdXPraecB85-OQb_OwMj8MZHPfm-w1niG4tSzuga8hfYUstHJ6s1YJ6zvCgp3NMKnttUbhcUOMGwNyyCTanfRpGsrzfESaQFfRv/s300/IMG_20220326_132349719.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-ZSMha7rMRSzVy9kNujSKj-yI-8cLQI4XQCxxzyfy_3bRYTbaZL64vWvwobDpOq7CZFrg3p5SH8SwO09va2-cMdXPraecB85-OQb_OwMj8MZHPfm-w1niG4tSzuga8hfYUstHJ6s1YJ6zvCgp3NMKnttUbhcUOMGwNyyCTanfRpGsrzfESaQFfRv/w300-h400/IMG_20220326_132349719.jpg" width="300" /></a></p>Korinthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15580286551375780490noreply@blogger.com0