My parents had a firm rule for me whenever we visited Cantigny: touch…nothing. Actually, in my case, this rule was generally applied to all situations (in stores, people’s houses, petting zoos, etc.), but here at the park it was reinforced, especially when it came…to the fountain.
In 2016, I made my first visit to Salt Lake City and to Temple Square. It was a beautiful complex with its architecture and gardens, though I never did mount up the courage to enter any of the buildings there. You could say that I was a little gun shy about Mormonic places of worship, … Continue reading Latter-Day Saints (and Sinners)
“They want us to do what?” I was stunned. Kay consulted her notes again. “They don’t have any counselors for this camp, and the director wants each of us to lead a small group for the next two weeks. “ “We…each get a group?” I could almost feel the blood draining from my face. This … Continue reading A Fish Out of Water
After 15 years of employment, the library continues to provide me with little jewels of humor and insight...Part One was getting pretty lengthy, and so, onto Part Two! A young boy came up to one of my co-workers and requested "The Life of Pi," pronouncing Pi as "Pee." When she tried to correct him, … Continue reading Tales of a Library Wonk, Part Two
Day Fifteen (9/28/18): Home, or, Steve Can't Hold His Liquor I awoke this morning to a spectacular sunrise and accompanying ocean view from my bedroom windows. While Tim decided to go out for an early morning run (clearly the adventure run of a few days ago did not dampen his desire for self-torture), I sat … Continue reading Roundabout: Circling the Emerald Isle, Day Fifteen
Day Fourteen (9/27/18): Howth Your Shepherd's Pie? After a delightful continental breakfast served in our B&B’s dining room, Tim and I took our leave and set out to explore Edinburgh in the daylight. The weather proved to be overcast and windy for much of the day. In addition, our time was limited because of our … Continue reading Roundabout: Circling the Emerald Isle, Day Fourteen
Day Thirteen (9/26/18): Nessie Searching, the Fate of Castle Urquhart, and Traveling “Diagon Alley” Through Edinburgh We left Inverness and headed southward toward the legendary Loch Ness. The morning weather proved to be dreary and wet, with a low-hanging mist hovering over the choppy water, giving the surrounding area a sense of ancient mystery. Although … Continue reading Roundabout: Circling the Emerald Isle, Day Thirteen
Day Twelve (9/25/18): Inverness As had become the custom with us, we got a late start to the day. We had a long lunch at the Hinterland restaurant in Perth’s city center while Tim and I began to tally up our trip expenditures, and just how much we had left in our budget. All the … Continue reading Roundabout: Circling the Emerald Isle, Day Twelve
Day Eleven (9/24/18): Cheers, Ireland! Hi-ya, Scotland! Now that the weekend had ended, it was time to decide what we would do with the remaining days of our vacation. In our pre-trip planning, Tim and I deliberately left our final few days open. However, before we could address our itinerary, there was the matter of … Continue reading Roundabout: Circling the Emerald Isle, Day Eleven
Day Ten (9/23/18): An Ulster Fried Day In the end, no one came to throw us out of our room, and Tim and I passed a comfortable night. We stopped for breakfast at a little Irish restau…okay fine, it was McDonald’s again. Down the street from said restaurant was a church that Tim had previously … Continue reading Roundabout: Circling the Emerald Isle, Day Ten
Dexy's Midnight Ramblings 