Me & Mine

So we're in a rental car...

...until our car is repaired.  Our car has been towed to a "Nationwide Insurance Approved" body shop in Asheville, where we'll hear more about its disposition in a day or two.  In the meantime, we're enjoying our not-quite-so-luxurious smaller car that we traded down to today until our I-like-it-better Sebring is back home.

In addition, in a move that has thrilled me more than I can say, we found a local office supply store .  I have a strong love of office supplies, and though we've always ordered ours online, I'm pleased to report that we've found a local source with prices +/- 10% of what we'd pay online - and no shipping!  PLUS I can wander the store and find little doodads that I now know I can't live without.  Like the $.39 binder clips that were on sale.

Woot!

Things I've neglected to post, and newer things too...

We went to LEAF - the teens were, not surprisingly, cute as heck.   I think I put up some other photos of this earlier, but I found this one today and it deserved being seen as well.

Live with it.

(Now some links: custom business suits for less than $200, including delivery; Joost ; how to make a bangle bracelet - a movie ; Fraud Beat - like Tiger Beat , only fraud.)

We headed off on a Thursday night to join the crew from Scrutiny Hooligans for a bout of Drinking Liberally at a local pub.  We'd thought it was the pub with the movie house, but we were wrong, which meant Marc spent the night in the car playing with his Game Boy (or as he puts it, "taking one for the team") while Milo and I enjoyed chatting in butterfly-face with the other liberal hooligans.  (The make-up is explained easily enough as the result of our having dinner where a face painter was doing the kids faces - and of course we had to have it done too!)

And then on Thursday, as we headed home from work, a teen-age driver pulled through a stop sight to attempt to turn in front of us (there was no room, she just didn't realize we were there), causing an accident.  Ugh.

NO ONE WAS HURT - but boy, the inconvenience and expense are something we're not sure how to support at this time.  The adjuster told Marc he'd look at the car on "Monday, maybe Tuesday" which means I have to call when they open on Monday for (a) get him to look ASAP and (b) get them to start paying for our car rental.

Friday night was the "Anti-Prom" - an even Milo organized for homeschoolers across NC, to take place in Asheville.  We started with pizza, and moved to the drum circle that takes place every Friday night at Pritchard park in Asheville's downtown.  Much fun was had by all!

Saturday we spent wandering downtown with friends (I wasn't up for it at all; still aching and depressed from our accident - overwhelmed really).  Milo and Trevor hate parting, and we hate parting them, but we did come home in the evening to a surprised Marc who hadn't realized we'd be gone all day.  /whoops

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - Going Home

We left the Athens airport at 1 pm or so local time.  We arrived in NYC - JFK airport - around 4 in the afternoon.  Our flight to Orlando was due to leave at 7, but in fact due to first weather, then the crew being over hours and having to leave, we didn't take off until nearly 3 am!!  We arrived in Orlando near dawn, rented our car, and headed home. 

/whew

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - At Sea

Today was our last sea day.  We spent it packing, playing Bingo (all told our group of four won more than $600 over the course of the trip), and enjoying our last show of the trip.  Here you can see the folks who sat with us at dinner every night:  Chuck and Freda at the front, Marc, Me, Bill and Lydia at the back.  We enjoyed several after dinner shows together as a group, always in these great seats at the center back of the show room, right in front of the bar where the very reliable Urbano provided Marc and I with our nightly cocktail (always something frozen and yummy).

/sniff

We were sad to be done with our trip but every so glad we got the chance to go.

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - Istanbul

We started our private tour of Istanbul - all four of us in a minivan, with a driver and guide - at the Hippodrome of Constantinople looking at the obelisks brought there by sea (including one whose bottom half was sunk during the crossing, leaving us with half-an-obelisk now).  Next we moved to the "Blue Mosque" (Sultan Ahmet) where we wandered inside and saw how the profusion of blue tiles helped this mosque to become known by its blue color.

This was followed by a stop at the Pudding Shop , the underground cistern  (not the one in the link, but similar).  The cistern had been emptied in order that walkways might be built a decade or so ago.  When empty, two Medusa heads were revealed as part of the scavenged materials used to build the cistern.  We then moved on to the Covered Bazaar where we did some shopping (t-shirts, jewelry and amusement were the order of the day).

We ended our tour with a ride up the Bosporus to see Robert College , where my father taught when he was a student while his father was stationed in Turkey (he taught physics labs in exchange for room and board in a student dormitory).

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - Canakkale

So why do you suppose ships dock in the very industrial port town of Canakkale (pronounced "cha-NAH-ka-lee")?

Troy.

As if the picture of the wooden horse didn't give it away!

We spent the day - all four of us - in Troy.  The archaeological site covers quite a bit of time as different "versions" of Troy were built, one atop the others, over the centuries.  Marc and Dad walked the entirety of the ruins with our guide; Mom and I walked them in reverse until the terrain meant it was too hard going with the wheelchair.  We all got to see quite a bit here.  Marc noted that at one point you could see the remains of two walls, centuries apart from each other, and note how the construction techniques differed. 

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - Santorini

When we cruise again, I want to cruise the Greek Isles.  The day we spent in Santorini was the absolute definition of charming, relaxing and breath-taking. 

Dad, Marc and I all went on a tour that included a winery (with amazing views), Oia (pronounced like EEEEE-ah) - a coastal town with cave homes (homes built in to the cliff walls) and Fira, the town that houses the port. 

We started in the winery with a video showing us a bit about the history of wine on Santorini, as well as a bit about how their local collective makes wines for the shop.  The views were spectacular from the property. 

We moved next to Oia, which is the picture of charming.  I could have wandered the streets there for days and days.  Dad said he could imagine getting a hotel room there for a week of just relaxing on the balcony and in the cafes.

We ended in Fira where Marc lit a candle for Patrick in a local church.

We rode the (scary!) cable car back to our ship and were on our way to Turkey.

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - Malta

Today was Malta.  We'd never even considered going to Malta, but we'd go back in a heart beat!

The buildings are all locally quarried stone - even the gas stations are bleached yellow and white stones.  It was beyond stunningly beautiful. 

Mom and dad wandered the city - Valletta - while Marc and I took off on a tour of sorts.

I mean, it was a tour, but it didn't turn out to be the tour we thought it would be from the name:  Caves and Temples.  We saw one cave, one temple, and two shopping spots.  The second temple we didn't have time to see because, well, we detoured for "fabulous" shopping.  Argh.

On the other hand, I did get this great picture of Marc near the Maltese jewelry store (I do wonder what sort of kick back the tour guide got).   The jewelry store was in the cute little town but we were all told to "stay together, okay?"  Mostly people wandered off but only a little bit down the road to see the coastal sights.  It was truly a charming town (there was a restaurant selling rabbit spaghetti as well).

Oh, and here's one of the single temple we did manage to squeeze in between our shopping stops.

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - At Sea - Stromboli

This is Stromboli - a volcanic island near the coast of Italy.  We sailed around it on our first "at sea" day.

And we were lucky enough to see it go "puff" while we sailed on by.

Neat, huh?

Otherwise our at sea days consisted of good food, bingo, and napping.  /yawn  I get tired just thinking of it!

2007 Mediterranean Cruise - Sorrento

Today we split up:  Mom stayed on the boat, Dad went to see the Blue Grotto on Capri, and Marc and I went to Pompei.

Let me start by saying: Pompei is HUGE.  Its so much bigger than I'd imagined.  I mean, its the size of a small town (go figure).  We wandered up and down streets, looking at the shopping district, inside of houses (the photo here is of what remained of a tiled floor inside a multiroom home on one of the main roads in Pompei).

Of particular note were the market (with frescos still on the wall, signs of what was for sale there) and the "house of ill-repute" which was marked by this etched penis on the cobblestones.

Pompei is of course also known for the plaster injected remains of those who didn't flee the city in time to save themselves.  In addition, there are many vessels, sculptures, altars and more than have survived the centuries.

The day was far too overcast unfortunately to get a view of Mt. Etna - the volcano whose eruption spelled the end for Pompei.  It did clear up enough that we could tell where it was - in faint outline against the skyline.  Marc commented that he could understand why someone living in Pompei might not immediately worry when Etna began to sputter - it seemed so far away!

Dad's day began with a boat ride to Capri, followed by a rowboat ride (duck!) into the cave to see the amazing lighted waters of the Blue Grotto. 

The next day we spent at sea.  Bingo, relaxation, fine dining.  Yay!