Adventure of a Lifetime...

Hi All, really was hoping to do a slide show by now with some of our pics from the trip to the Mediterranean, courtesy of Reggis & Kelly Live (mostly). Just still have not had time.... We took over 800 shots, and have put together a slide show of about 200. Can't seem to get around to uploading it to any on-line format yet. So hopefully will get to that a bit later. After I get through some of my commitments to Landmarks, ATA, the Church, my classes at Bloomfield (school starts in less than 2 weeks)... You can see where I am heading with this I am sure... :) Since Rachelle passed, we are all yet coming to terms with life without her, and the best way to support her children and husband. Needless to say the house has been buzzing with grandchildren every since we returned.

In case you did not here, our oldest daughter Rachelle (who wrote the letter to Reggis & Kelly Live, that won us the cruise in the first place) died suddenly the week before we left. In the midst of all the decisions that had to be made, the children helped us decide take the trip anyway, because she had wanted that for us. So two days after her Celebration of Life Service we were on a plane....

It was a bit surreal, but quite an amazing adventure of 16 days through 8 ports of call, 12 cities, and 4 countries. Of the cruise, Santorini (where Ralph and I are pictured below), and Mykonos were our favorite stops in the Mediterranean. My hand woven shawl (also pictured below) was made there on the blue loom I am standing next to, by a woman from a family of weavers, who have been weaving fabric from nearly a century. After all I am the textile Queen. You would not expect me to return without at least one piece of something right!?

Ralph and Rosalind on top of the island of Santorini, Greece

Me with my shawl made by Ioanna Zouganelli

...It was all so very magical... And then we arrived in Paris for our last 3 days. Of course it began to rain at dust that first day, and Ralph and I ended up touring the City of Lights by light summer's night rain. I mean really - you can't make this stuff up.

The next morning I was way too excited to sleep, so I got up very early to take a little walk. Our hotel was located a block from the Louvre and not far from Notre Dame. I just intended to walk to there and back. Before I knew it I had walked two hours crossing back and forth across the Seine River, taking the most glorious shots of both banks... and had to take a bus back!

... We flew back on one of those humongous Air France air buses (a double-decker so large, (about 1300 passengers) I didn't even know when it left the ground!). Completing the dream like quality of the whole adventure... As I also hardly knew when my feet touched ground again. Alas, however we are certainly back. And the list of must does seems to grow by the day. This week, finally headed to my studio to work on the giant paper snow flakes I have planed for an upcoming exhibit. The mundane of the every day fills my every waking hour just as before. Except. Things will never be the same as before.

Arranging, rearranging, tending to business, adverting disasters, being smitten by exotic delights to the senses, all while negotiating foreign languages and customs have created in me a new awareness of self. I am stronger. Braver. More self assured. The shackles of limitations have fallen from my ankles - I can fly! Coupled with a little common sense all thing are possible... 

...I am already dreaming of the next adventure. Certainly more days in France are among those goals. Thank you Rachelle. What a grand parting gift... 'Au Revoir' (literal translation: "Until Re-seeing" or "until we see each other again").♥