Buongiorno from Sorrento

Happy Sunday from beautiful Sorrento, Italy! We've been here since Tuesday and the weather has been spectacular, sunny and very hot. Today was a tad humid but the sea breeze made it cooler.

Our time in Sorrento has been wonderful. It may be a small town, but there is lots to see and do.  We've walked a lot, along narrow and winding streets. The scenery is simply stunning. We've had some good food, although, surprisingly enough, we haven't had a lot of pasta so far, mostly fish. So tonight, we're on a mission to have a good bowl of pasta.

Yesterday, we went to Capri. Thanks to our good friends H&P, they suggested the semi-private boat tour which took us around the island of Capri and close to the grottos. Wow, what a cruise that was, fun and on very choppy waters. The boat was small, about 23 feet, with an Italian captain who seem to take pleasure in riding the sea waves and showing off his sea skills. Capri is a beautiful island and there is lots to see. We didn't spend as much time as we would have liked so we may go back this week. We'll see.

We have been spending some good quality time at the beach. We can access the beach by lift or by crossing the roman pedestrian passageway carved out in the caves. Quite a cool thing to do. The sea water is so refreshing!

Tomorrow we go to Positano and Ravello. It will be a full day and we look forward to it.

It's been a great Italian vacation so far. We go back to Rome on Thursday for the night and fly back to Toronto Friday. We will pick up our pooches on Sunday. We miss them a whole lot and we know they are also having the time of their lives. By the way, Sorrento, and Italy as a whole, is totally dog friendly. It's been delightful to watch and get to pet so many dogs.

Although in Italy, and having a wonderful time, my thoughts on this day are with my dad who passed away suddenly six months ago today. We will raise a glass to him tonight. Russell may even have my dad's favourite pasta, spaghetti carbonara.

I leave you with some random photos taken the past few days. As you can imagine, Russell has been taking lots of photos but he hasn't had a chance to download them all. Too much to do, too little time.

Have a great week everyone! I may do a mid-week blog, otherwise it will be when we return home, next Monday.

The view dock side of our room...top floor second from the
right.

Boarding the boat for a "3 Hour Cruise" to Capri.

Our dock at Bellevue Syrene for sun and sea access.

Two of the billions of dollars of yachts moored
in and around Capri

The crystal clean waters surrounding Capri...
this is in the green grotto.

My new pink hat...gazing out to sea while waiting for lunch.

One of the many benches around the pristine property
of Bellevue Syrene

Sorrento so dog friendly...with dog friendly green spaces. 

A nightcap on the terrace overlooking the sea at
Bellevue Syrene.

Our new favorite white wine...
"Tears of Christ" from Mt. Vesuvius region.

Cooper and Spicy on guard at Camp Talemaker..
having the time of their lives...till we return.

La Dolce Vita

Greetings from Rome! Another hot and sunny day on the way. It's Monday, the day after I entered this new decade of my life.  I feel the same, look the same, it's all good.

Yesterday was a magical day. We started our day with a nice breakfast at the roof top restaurant of our hotel then went for a long walk to explore the city.  We made our way to the Piazza Del Popolo. We sat for a while in one of the churches. Aside from the beauty and the architecture of those churches, there is something special about just sitting in a pew for a while and taking it all in. A time for tranquility, peacefulness and reflection. We eventually made our way back towards the Pantheon and found a nice restaurant for lunch, Fortunato Al Pantheon. We had a light meal in a shaded area of the patio. Russell had tuna tartare and I had burrata and tomatoes. Fresh, light, and Italian.

My birthday dinner was at our hotel. We discovered the Grand Hotel De La Minerve many years ago when I came to Rome on business. Russell was able to join me then and we both fell in love with the place. There is something about this hotel that is special. We thought it would be fitting to return for my 60th. So, back to the dinner. Russell made all the arrangements: he chose the perfect table, with the perfect view, ordered beautiful flowers and arranged for us to have a tasting menu, paired with Italian wines. After dinner, we were ushered to the bar area where, to my surprise, a table was reserved for the two of us in front of the grand piano. Roberto Torchia, the pianist, was waiting for us. You can imagine the rest....first he played "Happy Birthday", then he went on to serenade us for the rest of the evening. We danced the night away, and to our delight, other couples joined us. Roberto asked if I had any special requests...I only had one, "Stand By Me".  Thank you Russell for always being by my side. It was a magical night, with lots of tears, laughter and love. Oh, I also got a cute birthday card from Cooper & Spicy!

Today is our last day in Rome. We spent the past few days walking the city, visiting places such as the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and other areas of interest. We went to the Vatican and Colosseum years ago so didn't feel the need to return. We noticed this time around how much more police presence there is at almost every few blocks. Either police officers or army soldiers with machine guns. I suppose this is the world we live in now. Having said this, we feel totally safe in this city.

Tomorrow morning, we leave for Sorrento, where we will spend 9 nights. We plan on visiting places such as Positano, Ravello, Capri and any other gems that may be of interest. We will also set aside a few days to go to the beach. We are so looking forward to going to the Amalfi Coast for the very first time.

That's my blog for today, July 23. I leave you with a few photos taken the past few days. Have a great week everyone!

A Roman sunset with the Pantheon to the right, as seen from
the roof-top restaurant of the Hotel Grand Minerva

The piazza in front of the Grand Hotel Minerva and the
Pantheon in the middle.

Football fans celebrating the birthday of their team
in the Piazza de la Minerve while we ate dinner al fresco.

My birthday flowers with Russell and a wonderful view of
Rome.

Making a wish with my birthday cake.

My birthday cards....Russell, Cooper and Spicy are the best.

It's another hot one!

Happy Sunday everyone! A beautiful, sunny but very hot day. We're out on the deck, feeling a tiny breeze from time to time but it's a hot one for sure. We need rain so badly. Our grass is fried, literally. Some of the grass in the backyard is so dry and straw like that our pooches either hop over those spots or walk around them.  I don't recall ever having such a dry Summer. Our perennials that get the morning sun are thriving. The daisies are four feet tall now and our daylilies are almost as high. Those that get the afternoon glaring sun are begging for water. I have been watering but it's hard to keep up. Oh well, it is what it is.

This past week was good and busy with all sorts of appointments. Russell had his physical and got a clean bill of health. His hemochromatosis condition is under control now after five phlebotomies. His doctor was impressed. He did get an MRI on Friday for his knee. Despite getting osteopathy treatments, which help, Russell and his doctor felt that it was best to find out once and for all what is really wrong with the knee. We now wait for the results.

My jaw is improving. My mouth opening is still not where it should be but I have to be patient. I continue to see my osteopath on a regular basis. She is really good.  I may have said this before, but I  am now a true believer in osteopathy for improving my overall well being.

Cooper & Spicy are doing good and look forward to their upcoming visit at Talemaker Camp.  Russell and I are getting ready to go to Italy later this week. We haven't packed yet but everything is laid out on the guest bed. The weather in Rome and Sorrento will be very hot but not humid. We expect lots and lots of sunshine. We are looking forward to this trip. It will be a special one.

Today was the World Cup. We didn't watch it but I am glad that France won. That's what my mom would have wanted and that's good enough for me. Mom was a sports fanatic. No doubt she watched the game, with dad, on a huge TV screen set up somewhere in heaven.

That's it for this week's blog. The next one will be from Italy, most likely next Monday. We will spend the rest of the day doing nothing. I have a cold chicken pasta ready for dinner, nice and refreshing on a hot Summer day. Cooper & Spicy are in the house, chilling. As soon as I post this blog, I will make us a "Spritz",  an Italian cocktail, just to get in the mood. Have a great week everyone, stay cool. Look for some pics of Italy in the next few blogs.

Daylilies poking up over the 4 foot tall daisies
by the back deck!

Single daylily thriving in a less direct sunspot in the backyard.

Daisies are over four feet tall and growing
like weeds.

Spicy in all her glory...smiling as always

Cooper knows he should not beg...but it is a dog's
world and we love them both so, beg away.

A Migrant Hawker dragonfly...sunning on the
back-wall in the morning sun.

My friend Linda posted this on Facebook last week, love it!

Celebrating our loved ones

Happy Sunday everyone! What a beautiful day it is, and what a wonderful day it's been so far. The four of us, along with my brother, sister and James,  just got back from attending the first "Live Butterfly Release",  benefiting the West Island Palliative Residence, in memory of our loved ones.

This fundraiser, the first of its kind, took place at Centennial Park. A while ago, Russell and I sponsored four butterflies to be released in the names of my parents and Russell's parents. The butterflies have been bred by Monsieur Rene Boutin, otherwise known as Monsieur Papillon. He lives in Chambly. The little creatures were delivered in specially tailored packages in order to keep them in a comfortable, resting condition until their release today. Once the package is open, the natural heat and light awakens these sleeping beauties and inspires them to take flight.

We were able to witness the majesty of the Painted Lady and the Monarch as they took their first dance in flight to the delight of all participants. It was truly a special moment.

So, today was a day to celebrate mom and dad and Russell's parents. I can't think of a better way to do it, while benefiting the West Island Palliative Residence.

This past week was good but incredibly hot. I don't think I need to expand on that topic. I had a few appointments for my jaw, which continues to improve. My opening is now at 31 mm, versus 27 mm two weeks ago. I'm a happy camper although I still have my doubt that I will ever regain full mouth opening. But that's OK, this is the new norm for me, I'm used to it and can adapt accordingly. The pain is still there though, not constant but after chewing or any jaw movement. That will pass I suppose.

On Wednesday, I had lunch with Diane and Lise, friends and former co-workers. The three of us are joining the Sixties Club this year. It was a great celebratory lunch, filled with stories and laughter.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that our thoughts are with those young soccer players in Thailand, trapped in the caves. This morning, we were glued to CNN and watched the beginning of the rescue. It is comforting to know that four boys have been rescued. I truly hope that the remaining young boys and their coach will also be rescued and that no other lives will be lost.  Time and mother nature are working against them but we can only hope that they will be rescued in time.

That's it for my blog today. Gotta go feed Cooper & Spicy. By the way, they were the delight of the crowd at the event today. Have a great everyone!

Butterflies in their protective boxes warming up just before
handover for release!

Russell releasing his butterfly as Francois and James look on.
Spicy and Cooper took it all in stride.

My butterfly is released and I made a special wish which
the butterfly will make come true.

Me collecting our 4 butterflies.

Me, Lynn and Francois getting the instructions on how to
release our butterflies.

Me and James releasing our butterflies.

Spicy and Cooper are dreaming of cooler days to go for
a walk during the recent heat wave.

The 60's Club. Me with Lise and Diane, a great lunch
filled with stories and laughter.

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you are having a nice Canada Day celebration. Our weather is, shall I say, sweltering, just like Ontario and perhaps other parts of this beautiful country that we live in. Just think, six months from today will be New Year's Day....no doubt it will be a tad colder. It is 37 Celsius right now, with a Humidex value of 46.

Despite the heat, I am writing my blog outside, in the shade of course. At this time of day, the sun is in the front of our house, so not above the deck. Our two patio umbrellas are made with Sunbrella fabric, which reduces the UV rays by 98%. We are comfortable. Cooper and Spicy are on the deck for now but are smart enough to tell us when they want to go in. We keep adding ice cubes to their water bowl.  It's all good.

This heat wave will last until Friday and break by the weekend....a forecasted cool 28 degrees on Saturday. Needless to say we haven't been on any walks for a few days. This morning, early, we thought about going to the grassy park in Pointe-Claire but decided against it.

Other than the heat wave, it's rather quiet for us. My jaw is progressively, as in slowly, getting back to normal. I had my first physio treatment last Thursday. The therapist measured my jaw opening: it was at 27 mm and should be between 38-40 mm. Having said this, half way through the treatment, I had gained 2 mm of opening. Those small gains make me happy. There is still lots of food that I can't chew but I will get there. Worst case, if I can't ever chew a piece of steak again,  no big deal.

The silver lining in my jaw problem is that I am much more aware of what tension and stress can do to my body. I also have gained a full appreciation for what an osteopath can do to help the body heal, to the extent it can be done. As such, once my jaw is back to normal, I plan on seeing my osteopath once a month, just for "maintenance". She is very good....and "Russell approved". He went to see her for his knee and was impressed by her holistic approach to treatment. It's all good.

Today, we start a brand new month.....my birthday month. Oh my, I will enter the sixties club in a few weeks.  The silver lining, again, is that I will be in Rome when that happens. Can't think of many better places to celebrate such an important milestone. Until then, I will have an early celebration with two friends on Wednesday at a restaurant in Montreal. The three of us are turning 60 this year (well, one of them has already beat us to it), so we are getting together for lunch. I look forward to it. Look for a pic in next week's blog!

That's it for my blog. I'm starting to sweat a little....Cooper & Spicy are in the house now. Have a great week! Stay cool and hydrated!

Spicy and Cooper want to wish all their friends
a super Happy Canada Day!

Cooper's eye...he stayed still while Russell practiced with
his new Fujifilm X100F.

Spicy equalled Cooper in the eye pose down....she is
such a cutie and poser!

Daylilies in bloom in the backyard...lovely.

Daisies make the world a better place!

How do you spell HOT...37C or 98F with a Humidex of...
46C or 114F...toasty.