The first night in Rome, the hotel recommended the local restaurant i Clementini. Upon our arrival we were greeted by a friendly wait staff and escorted to a back room. We dined on delicious seafood, fresh baked bread, and bottles of wine. The staff spoke some English, and we ended up having a great time getting to know them. They were very attentive and laughed right along with us.

We have so many fun memories, which often become part of our conversation. I met Ge’ several years ago in Rome, Italy. I knew the moment we were introduced, we would stay connected as friends. We met through a mutual friend, spent a few fun days together with a small group, and haven’t stopped laughing about the adventures since.

We were completely intrigued. I piped up and asked, “Anyone want to try it with me?” One friend immediately answered, “I will.” No sooner did she get the words out of her mouth, another friend loudly declared, “Hell no, not me!” She wanted nothing to do with the treatment.

Happy 2017! This is the first New Year’s Eve I have spent outside the USA. Three friends and I went on an adventure to Cancun, Mexico. The weather was warm, the water was blue, and the drinks were frosty and tropical, at an all-inclusive resort that catered to our every need. 

Earlier this week was a full moon; not just any moon, but a super moon. It was in the news, social media, and people everywhere were talking about it for several days before. This moon was closer to earth than it’s been in almost seventy years.  An event I didn’t want to miss.

Spending time along the coast of California with my family, was a dream come true. It was a chance to spend time together, creating memories and having fun. Amazingly enough, my siblings plus my Mom and Dad were able to make the trip. One of my brother’s daughter, lives and planned her wedding in northern California.

First stop was Pride Mountain Vineyards. The drive alone was spectacular, hills and valleys around every curve. Upon arrival we were greeted by our host, Paul, and within a short time handed each person a glass of wine, then started the tour. There was a couple celebrating their first wedding anniversary, and a woman celebrating her birthday.

I attempted to lift the door but it wouldn’t budge. I thought tackling it from outside might be easier, it was not. I could only get it to raise two inches. I tired again and again, but came up with the same results. I had so much to do that day, including two doctor appointments, a meeting, and a picnic….not to mention the normal workday in between.

Living near two big cities provides ample opportunity to attend major sporting events throughout the year. I usually make it to at least one or two, but for some reason this year was different…..nothing was on the calendar. As luck would have it, I was invited to a baseball game; the Cubs vs the Cardinals. The group of people going were split on who they were rooting for. One thing I knew for certain, half the people driving home would be elated, and the other half would be irritated…..HA!

I have had a lot of things going on in recent weeks that have added stressful moments in my life, and I sent out an S.O.S. I mentioned I needed an in-person meeting and within minutes, it was arranged. To accommodate schedules, we planned meeting later than normal. Even though one girl was out of town, if possible, wanted to join by phone.

Do you ever have those days when you think everything is going smoothly, but later learn, it just wasn’t so? Recently, I spent the day with two girlfriends, and in order to protect their identities from our lapse in judgement, I will refer to them as girlfriends one and two (GF1 and GF2). I am not sure if the outcome of the day was due to a few cocktails or our aging minds….HA!

This week just so happens to be Volunteer Week, and the opportunity I volunteered for was beach clean-up. What made this opportunity more special to me was the lake is located within my community.

I have been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness, and I will never forget how wonderful it made me feel. I was smiling from ear to ear, and my ordinary day suddenly turned to sunshine. I felt excited at the thought of passing it on. Even though I felt special receiving the kindness, I felt even better paying it forward. Simply because, I made someone feel as special as I felt.

The geese fight for prime nesting real estate, and unfortunately several of these areas are near in proximity to the building doors, both front and back. Early in the season, before spots are occupied there is a great deal of honking, flapping and squawking, over which pair will take ownership. During this time, if a human gets in the middle of the battle, chaos ensues.

While entering the theatre, every guest was given a bag of props to use during the movie, and I immediately felt the evening would be entertaining. While rummaging through the prop bag, we examined it’s contents, determining the use for each one. In the background, an elderly man played spirited music on what looked like to be a very old organ.

I put in my $20 and started pushing buttons, but it wasn’t clear to me on what constituted a win. I continued pushing the buttons as I watched my money dwindle……..then all of a sudden I hear a machine that is blaring and practically yelling…..I look up and it’s mine……..it’s so noisy I look around to see if anyone is noticing. It’s loudly announcing I have ten, and then another five free spins. At this point I have no control over the machine.

During my recent trip to Galena, my days were filled with activities and events, and I wanted to include things that would make my trip memorable by experiencing something new. After hearing about an upcoming surprise a bride was giving her groom, I knew that was the adventure for me too….in a hot air balloon.

During my recent solo maiden voyage get-away to Galena, IL., one of the challenges I anticipated facing was eating alone in restaurants.  Friends told me to bring a book, but I thought if I was looking down at the pages of a book, I might miss life.  I decided to face it straight on, without any distractions.