I have started this post about 6 a.m Florence time, midnight in Florida. In less than two hours, we will be on our way to the airport in Florence. We fly to Zurich and then to Miami after a little less than a two-hour layover. I expect to send this post just before taking off from Zurich. Most people are more adversely affected by the time change flying east. Barbara is one. I have more trouble adjusting flying west. Sunday night in Florida I will be dragging.
We left Florida November 6. Neither of us have watched television, not even for a minute, during the entire trip. We never had to get behind the wheel to drive. With the exception of one taxi driver in Paris, we were never treated discourteously in any respect. I am still paying for Paris on the scale, but coming back to Florida about 7 pounds less than when I arrived.
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December is an expensive month just because of birthdays. Besides Barbara’s, three grandchildren and one child all have birthdays with a week. Then, there are lots of other gifts, including Chanukah and Christmas, and, at this point, way too many charitable donations. At some point, I will need to cut down somewhere but have never been able to figure out where.
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Lots of exciting things on the horizon even though down to last two weeks of the year, and, generally, things slow down at this time. Trump’s tax returns will probably be made public or they will get lost once we have a new Congress.
It looks as if criminal referrals will be sent to the Justice Department by the January 6 Committee. They, for sure, will get lost, if not done now.
It looks like a real battle could take place for the position of Speaker. I will love every second of it.
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As I have written many times, if you can afford not to fly coach, particularly in Europe, do so.
Arriving at Florence Airport, the line to check in coach was two hours. It was so crowded that Barbara, who is little, could not get through the lines to our check-in counter. I had to leave the bags I had and go back to retrieve her.
Many flights were oversold in coach and I heard the person behind the desk tell people they would not get out today, that they would be furnished a place to stay, but not in Florence because every hotel is sold out.
Right now I am writing waiting to take off to Zurich. So far, we are on time, but sitting on the ground in the plane is different that taking off! In Italy anything can happen. If the pilot’s morning espresso was cold, there could be a strike. Not the entire airline, just the crew. If you think I am exaggerating, you are wrong.
Landed in Zurich ten minutes early. Lots of snow on the ground. So far, so good. Now settled in our seats from Zurich to Miami.
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If one can believe what one reads, Trump’s digital trading cards sold out in a day, raising $4.5 million. It appears that our supply of super schmucks is incredible.
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On January 1, Croatia joins the Schengen Zone. For us, that means another country in which we can only spend 90 out of every 180 days, unless we have a visa, in one more country.
Croatia is a really great place and not that far from Italy. However, travel from Florence to Dubrovnik is not that easy.
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Today is grandson Holden’s birthday. He's named for my Mother Hortense Ruth Fox and born on her birthday. The first time I heard “Is that Hortense?”, I thought, “No, I think she is relaxed”. I was about 10 and got very upset.
I started writing these blogs almost three years ago and talked a lot about my Mother. Hardly, a day goes by that I do not think of her. When I choose to answer the question, “If you could have dinner with anyone alive or deceased, who would it be?” I always name my Mother. My second choice? Satchmo. Third? Churchill. Fourth, I am sure a surprise, but my best friend in college who suddenly died at age 33, David Wishnick. Top five rounded out with Lincoln although I am tempted to group everyone who wrote our Constitution so they could tell these conservative assholes in Washington that they are full of shit.
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A little delayed taking off from Zurich, but guess what? Despite my adoring all my family and wanting to see Bobby, I am not in a hurry to get home. I detest Miami Airport and 95 at rush hour. I also miss my dog, but he died 25 years ago.
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Go Ukraine.
