Blog Article Archives

Last night before bedtime I had one final chore which was to secure some drinking water. Yes, we have indoor plumbing but the water coming out of our faucets tastes, well, a bit flat and a bit off. Rome is known for its water, having long ago secured fresh water for...

It has been another interesting day in the Eternal City. Besides what has now become the routine of making a morning walk for coffee and a pastry, I spent much of the morning reading and getting prepared for the afternoon at the Borghese Gallery. There are two books I...

I am a bit late getting today's blog in (actually it is 7:30 AM in the next day, 1:30 AM EST). Quite frankly, I was too pooped last night to even think about what I needed to write down. I think my haphazard sleep patterns, stress of getting lost everyday in the city...

Today is a national holiday and I was quickly reminded of this when I took my morning stroll and was intending to pick up a few grocery items for breakfast and lunch. Every little shop was closed with the exception of one bar. Let me explain what a bar is in Italy: it...

We are now in our second week in Rome have more or less entered into a routine of keeping house, catching the bus to the city center, and walking - lots and lots of walking. We walk to the grocery store, to museums, through museums, to churches and to pizzerias. I...

It is hard to believe a week has passed since leaving Augusta. Tomorrow starts our second week in Rome. Our day began fast and furious with a wake-up call (annoying alarm clock) at 6 am. While I think I got the full eight hours of sleep Clark and Aaron said they were...

Due to what I assume are the lingering affects of jet lag, I am having enormous trouble getting to sleep at night. We sleep with our windows open and although it is a fairly quiet neighborhood, we can still hear neighbors talking, babies crying, dogs barking, etc.....

It has been another beautiful day in the Eternal City. The local forecasters called for rain and it has remained sunny all day - some things, like predicting the weather, are international. Since today is Saturday there was not a scheduled class, but Michael Schwartz...

The day began like all other days since arriving in Rome; gentle sunshine and mild temperatures. In fact, I do not think it has gone above the mid-70s in temperature. Since everyone else in our flat was asleep I decided to stretch my legs out a bit and of for a walk,...

I have an apartment full of sleepy-heads - but then again they may think Dad is an insomniac. I, however, slept well and there was ready to go pretty early. Amy and I let the boys sleep a bit while we walked a few blocks to grocery shop. I am not sure how clear I have...

What a day! Well I should actually begin by saying our night was a restful one with a solid 8 hours from most of us. Aaron slept, as near as I could calculate, about 20. I was up around 7 AM and took a walk around our neighborhood to snoop and site see. It is...

The flight was happily uneventful and we arrived safe and sound in Rome this morning around 8:15. The good news is that we have the whole day before us. The challenge, of course, is staying awake so that we can have a better chance at a good night's rest. Let me tell...

As of this writing I have two teenagers that are eagerly counting down the days until the last day of school. Now that I think about it, I suppose there are teachers, administrators, and parents doing the same thing. Even though the approaching last day of school does...

...Plenty, if the first name is Erik. I admit that for most of us Erik Weihenmayer is not exactly a household name like Elvis Presley or Lewis Grizzard. Erik's face was on the cover of newspapers and magazines about ten years ago. He became the first man ever to...

I wish. MoonPies are tasty and good for you...well, they are tasty. I would proudly tout their product. Alas, the makers of the MoonPie have not come calling and besides this space is not for sale. A few years ago in a New York Times article the focus was on the...

A denomination (not Baptist) has as their slogan:  “God is still speaking.” That is certainly Biblical when you consider the many times God breaks into the scene and because of this people begin to imagine new possibilities of living and relating. All week long I have...

What is the “face” of a church? Bearded? Bespectacled? Steepled? Bricked? Anglo? African-American? Young? Old? Formal? Casual? Traditional? Modern? American? Latino? You and I know that there is no one face to the church which the Bible refers to as the body of...

Second to The Masters tournament itself, Tiger Woods has been the center of attention this past week. It should be stated from the outset that many, many are pleased in Phil Mickelson’s win. He seems to be a fine man, devoted to his wife, and humble in character....

Remember when you were a child and you made your first friend in school? Our earliest memories remind us of the importance of friendships. Everyone needs a friend and so good friends are a gift. Amy and are blessed to call on several as our dear friends. Each summer...

Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer (well, slightly warmer anyway), my mind has been wandering to the back yard. Specifically I have been glancing towards my raised vegetable bed. Currently I still have a mess or two of collards left...