Life on Broadway

I had a dream the other night that I had written the next broadway success. Never mind the fact that I know nothing of music nor have I ever penned a manuscript of any kind.  It was so quirky that when I awoke, I  told Andrea about it.  She agreed that it was odd but the idea was genius.  

Why not have on Broadway FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE MUSICAL.

That is where my head is these days, in strange lands.

We are eagerly waiting news on the house we put an offer in on.  The wedding is just around the corner. School is  a huge pressure at the moment, seeing how I did and have not gotten the grading done as I had hoped.  It just keeps adding up.

Anyway My tea is done and Now I am off to school

Perhaps more later......

Autumnal

The Canada Geese have since moved one.

Their V's arching across the sky, trailing the memories of last year's migration.

For a time they would land on the field behind the middle school, mingle in tight groups before the recess bell would ring and middle school students would run after them.  It is in their chasing I could see the mimicry of nature,  the children run with arms outstretched as if they were once again five and hoping, with enough speed, they would take off.  Alas, they were grounded while massive wing's of the geese pumped, until at last they flew in formation, wings spread as far as nature would allow.

And once again I get sick.

Not that there is ever a good time to be sick, I had to get sick on the weekend I was to go see the Sharks play in San Jose.  Albeit, I could have bought tickets at any time, I have wanted to go with a group of people for some time now. This was a great time for it - a great group of people and my fiance - how cold I ask for more?

So..... This was my weekend:

Sleep

Wake up and take some NyQuil

Sleep

Wake up and take some NyQuil

Put in another movie

Sleep

Wake up and fix an English Muffin

Start the stove in prep for some tea

Take some NyQuil

Sleep

Wake up in a panic and stagger to the stove before all water has boiled out of pot.

Prepare another pot

Yeah....you can get the picture from there.  The nice thing about Nyquil during the day on a weekend is it forces you to actually take a load off.  Hits like a tone of bricks and you start to feel better.  I find that I wake up - generally - 4 hours later, just in time for (YOU GUESSED IT!) another set of two green pills.

Forget following the rabbit down the hole - that Sorry Sack of Fur  was still flirting with Alice when I fell in.  

Man... Float like a butterfly sting like a bee...

and now here I am at school today ready go and feeling almost fine. Andrea was home, she had fun, what more could a person want?

Alas...

No Canada Geese, but some pretty tree colors to brighten even the dreariest of autumnal days.

Where the Blue Grass Grows

San Francisco is not a likely place to find myself any given weekend.  While I enjoy the city and the visits I have had, i feign from the large crowds of strangely dressed individuals, the neurotic ideals of being current in fashion and trend.

Every country has their city.  England has London, Ireland has Dublin, Thailand has Bangkok. 

This one just has a city for every geographical local.  S.F. is on the the forefront of liberal front as far as cities go.

I digress.  

Jamie and Sharon, Andrea and myself went to the ever famous Fillmore Music Hall - home of such popular acts as the Doors, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin... the 60's in general - to go see one of my favorite bands.  Old Crow Medicine Show was and continues to be the best performance I have ever seen live.  The more I hear them, the more I see them, the more I realize the special kind of talent.

And why not bluegrass?

I think the good people of the world should travel to where the grass grows blue and stay a while.  A good crop of Blue Grass is good for the soul.  It picks you up, it understands the bad times, rejoices in the good.

The Last Pint

We are now back, having landed in S.F. around nine last night.
Was in bed and asleep by 12:30. The Jet Lag subsiding for a while and allowing my 24 hour sleep deprived body some respit. But come 6:57 this morning, my little peepers decided they were not going to stay closed any longer....
Luckily Andrea was able to sleep in to 9:50 and I being the envious one.
I sat back and reflected on the last few days:
Our last day in Rome we climbed to the top of St. Peters Basilica to look over the whole of the city. Oh my, aside from tight tunnels and stairs to boot - it was so worth it. We then went out for food, took a nap back at the hostel when the rain came down. Some time later we took a bus to the Piazza Navona where we relaxed into our final meal in Italy... watching the street performers and listening to the musician who sounded quite a bit like Bono from U2. Filled to the brim, we walked to the Trevi fountain - and - yup - still crowded. I wanted to see the Collusseum by night and we sat in the shadows reflecting on Italy, the wonderful time it had been.
The next day was reserved for traveling... a slight mishap concerining baggage at the airport left us frazzled... but had a good flight back to Dublin no less. Upon our arrival back in Dublin, Andrea mention that she felt like she had returned home, I could not have agreed more.
The final day in Dublin found us waking and leaving the room by 12. We were staying in a B&B, not wanting to share the one bathroom with 8 other people anymore. Dublin was great, blue sky, a woman asked if we need help finding our location as we struggled with a map. Just grand.
We went to Jameson Distillery on Bow street. I was chosen as a "taster" and was able to live out a 3 year dream of mine. I even have the paper to prove it. Andrea was a good sport with putting up with my whims of the day... For both of us it was nice and mellow. A good way to end it.
That evening, after dinner, we went to Mulligan's Pub. An out of the way place that is nothing fancy - an old world pub, James Joyce had once leaned on the counter and ordred a drink - little has changed since then.
We toasted the last pint, drank quietly listening to those around us. Thinking back on an amazing adventure, happily looking forward to what lay ahead...

driving ammendment...

hi there! andrea here...after reading devin's latest blog...i would just like to clarify...as we were driving through florence (fierenze to the locals) the drivers were not honking at ME...they are just fond of the horn. i like to say...they drive like they've just robbed a bank...and the horn is just their friendly nudge to get out of the way\driving around a bend warning\hello...we're not comletely sure...i did fairly well...not sure what that says about my driving....but...

in any case...we are having a great time...no matter what we do!

A Whole Lot of Nakedness

Yup.. you read this correctly... we were in Florence not to long ago. I wonder how many people in the days of old wandered the streets naked... Really, as we went to see the David and all the other works of art in the Accademia, I wondered to myself - Didn't they get cold at night? Men laying out naked... women drape themselves wearing next to nothing. My, I sure felt sorry for them...
Andrea pointed out that it is nice and warm here so... really... you can. I think I will keep my pants on instead. I thought you might appreciate that Steve...
So... today, we left our place of solitude and peace. No more castle, we are back among the throngs of thousands in the city of Rome, sharing a room with more strangers - strange I know!
I know you wonder what we have done in the meantime... so here it is...
Since the last blog we have been to Florence where everyplace you turn you are greeted by art. Andrea decided that she was cool with driving in and I said that I could try to navigate us through the streets. She is an amazing Italian Driver! Did not flinch once... Meanwhile I was freaking out and yelling at all the drivers honking... I was able to help her out and we parked next to the bus station. Saw Boboli gardens... never knew the creaters of the prebaked pizza dough had a garden but I guess you learn something new everyday...
The next day we went to Arezzo - our car got keyed... that did not stop our four hour drive through the Toscan hills. Backroads all the way! We witnessed rolling fields of sunflowers, wheat, grapes, really old houses - all the things that make up a really good tourist calendar. We wound up at San Gimignano, an old town surrounded by a wall... strictly a walking endevour. it was a page out of a history book, only not as boring. We were in a Toscan Heaven... Beyond all expectations.
On Friday - our final day we went to Pisa. I'll be darned - there really is a leaning tower! With that confirmed we left for the town of Lucca - way cooler! Another walled city, we ate ice cream and walked on the wall. This place was one I could have explored longer... but....
NO TIME! We met some folks from California and had helped them out when they were in a predicament on our initial arrival. Over the course of the week we hung out and on this night we were having a final dinner together.Simply amazing... the owner of the resturant waited on us and then pulled up a chair afterwards and talked with us for an hour. Our day ended at 1:30 in the morning.
I must go.... but for Jamie, before I sign off.... The food is - well - food. I have no problem eating it. One night, Andrea and I ordered the cheese platter - they gave us every cheese known to cause constipation coupled with honey and jam. OH MY GOD - IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!! Who knew that Blue Cheese and honey could be so good??? It is all so simple but each bit so complex! What can I say, I have eaten some of the best food of my life... though as far as lasagna goes, my mother's still reigns champ.
We will be thinking of you all tonight as our drunken roommates stumble in at 3 in th morning. Ah... Rome!
Ciao

The Rolling Hills Of Toscana

Before we begin the next entry I just have to say:
Jamie - I think you have the wrong Ninja Turtle! I don't know much about Leonardo and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican - BUT we did see Michelangelo's depiction of the creation...

Steve - Saw a fish jump in the Tiber River as we walked past - that's about it... Other that that Ireland would be the place for fly fishing - they have towns dedicated to the sport!

So folks, we are back again after a few days of no phones, no internet, no worries. The castle we are staying in is actually an ancient farm village surrounding a castle. The property dates back to the late 900's. We are satying in one of the farm houses... with a view that could bring tears to the eyes. I can't express to you the experience of standing on the threshold of our little house and overlooking the hills of Tuscany. No picture book bought at Barnes and Noble, no movie about a woman who buys a house here, no postcard can do this place justice.
The property itself has a pool that sides up to the edge of the hill and we can swim with the whole of the countryside before our eyes.
We really have yet to leave.
Our first day there we walked into the town of Bargino - a place so small it is not found on our map. The walk was maybe a mile down and then up one of the steepest hills I have seen. We ate a classic dinner in this town, which was REALLY good!
Yesterday, we visited Greve in Chianti, a beautful drive down a one lane road through the heart of this majestic region. We sampled some wine, bought some fruit, drove back home.
I am now sitting in an Internet spot in San Casciano, a small town just north of us and about 35 Kilometers south of Florence - if that much. While the town is not located on any tourist map, it is beautiful. I think we are the only tourists here right now... probably not, but it is fun to pretend.
Andrea is doing great driving, I am doing ok navigating. We now have the experience between the two of us - I drove on the left and she can't understand what the signs say. Quite the team.
We continue to have an amazing time.
We will toast to our family and friends tonight as we pour ourselves a glass of wine and stare out across a star filled Tuscan sky.
Ciao!

Of stone and marble

And the Big Mac! We counted four MacDonald's today, one sitting directly in front of the Pantheon. Yes folks, it is true... you can eat your Big Mac and stare history in the eye. A real example of two worlds colliding. Oh and just so you know - the place was packed.
So down to more important matters - what have Andrea and I been up to? Rome is gigantic, everything about it. From the art to the architecture to size of portions for every meal. My body has given up telling me I am full and has just accepted the fact that, at any given point, during the day, I am going to be eating some kind of food. Because of the heat we have been downing LOTS of gilato, sampling as many flavors as humanly possible. Both of us are also fond of the pizza back home and thus have been muching on the pizza here. The tastes are something that have yet to meet an adjective to describe their awesomeness!
It seems as if along each side street there is some outdoor seating with elegantly dressed waiters wanting (and eagerly 'waiting') to serve you. Those side streets are everywhere you turn, each so picturesqe in their own right. To photo all of them would be to dispose of an entire memory card, yet the desire is so readily available. How else does one show that down every nook and cranny is that quaint Itallian cobbled roadway, hidden amongst the tourist infested and scooter populated roadway?
Everything is just enormous. What haven't we seen? It is all of stone and marble. Human creation is beyond belief... We are still trying to wrap our minds around what we are seeing. It is - in a litteral sense - mind numbing. It feels as if a dream. Turn a corner and there is an old building...
Where?
You know, the one right next to the picture perfect side street.
Oh, you mean that old building (points)
No, I mean the one behind that one - the one with the dome
Oh my, that is cool....

With that said... We are having an amazing time. TONS of pictures... And stories to boot.
To add them all would to be going on to long and I have come to the end...
Ciao!