Relaxing in Amsterdam
Having been to this vibrant city multiple times, I planned next to nothing for my time here. I thought I’d relax a little. Hahaha. I walked myself silly, and really enjoyed it.
Food in Italy 🥰
This is just a recap for those who enjoy food. MILAN Il Priscio – a small café on a side street near the Duomo. I had the bruschetta Fresca, water and a glass of wine. Perfect on a scorching hot day. The bruschetta had sauteed turnip tops, stracciatella, and sun dried cherry tomatoes. Le Striatelle di Nonna Mafalda – in Navigli, the canal area of Milan. Great area for aperativos by the canals. So good there is no evidence, except…
Meaningful, magnificent, and completely mental Mugello
MotoGP at either of the Italian tracks (the other being Misano) was always on the wishlist. The Italians are PASSIONATE about their racing, however the races are EXPENSIVE. This race was planned as OUR race. OUR once-in-a-lifetime. OUR bucket list item. As wonderful as the experience was, it was diminished without the Basha. Friday practice and qualifying – this was new. We’d rarely had Friday tickets for past MotoGP events. In all honesty, this day at the track might have…
🎼My Bologna has a first name 🎶
I hate to admit it, but I must. I am, in my heart, both a child and “an American”. I say this because I can’t look at the name Bologna and not hear the Oscar Mayer song. (In a similar way, I giggle about a particular Canadian city. Classless, I know.) Arrived in a torrential thunderstorm. ⛈️ It was lovely all the way from Milan. I even had a comfy window seat on the upper deck of the train! Stepped…
Sola adventure – Milano
No, I haven’t forgotten how to spell. Sola is the feminine form of solo or “alone” in Spanish. Three days in Milano. Three days TOTALLY in charge of every second and every decision to be made. It is exciting, exhausting, and daunting. I won’t lie, I’ve cried more than once. 😢 Duomo tour – The only tour I booked in Milan. It took me up to the roof of the Duomo to the terraces, which used to be open to…
Drinking from the firehose
Milano – My first time here, and navigating in a language I don’t know, without my partner in crime. It wasn’t EASIER with the Basha, but we could take turns with the chaos “adventures”. The flights were easy, once I got to Malpensa things turned challenging. The nice lady from our hotel gave me directions from the airport. I had no idea it would take me 2hours to make the trek! At the airport the challenge was to (1) find…
Whirlwind family tour
Not long after the Basha’s death it became apparent to me that I was going to need a trip to see family. Both for me, and for them. The Basha and I have enjoyed our life, just the two of us. I have always kept close to my family even when I was living thousands of miles away. For me, my family, and all the chaos and craziness therein, is my bedrock. It was a great trip, ranging from New…
Celebrating All the Tiny Wins
This is HARD. I am frequently overwhelmed, stuck, and feel incapable. However I am celebrating the “tiny wins” that I manage, whenever they occur. It seems silly, and it helps me to remember that I lived on my own, responsible for EVERYTHING in my life, for many years. And I can do it again. Bills – I have found most of the login information I need to continue to pay our bills on time. I never really thought about the…
One step closer, but no easier
The death certificate adventures continue. At last update I was in a Catch-22 because the Basha’s middle name was not spelled out on our marriage license. The Mexican government would not accept a middle initial, even if it matches the name. At that point, I channeled the Basha and decided that “the appropriate application of cash” was the best way to solve this conundrum. I hired a lawyer. The lawyer is Mexican, knows how Mexican law and the government work,…
Sunday – not-so-funday
Since the Basha died, Sundays are really hard for me. It had been our 15+ year tradition that Sundays were for jazz, mimosas, and brunch. Sometimes we went out (more when we were back in the States), but over the last 4 years, he made bacon, and I made GF, sourdough, blueberry pancakes. YUM!! Since his death, the habits of Sundays have disappeared. The day becomes chaotic and sad. My answer for this dilemma (for now) is that Sunday is…