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Fly Away
We have a screened lanai off our living room. Occasionally I will look out and see several butterflies trapped inside the screen, fluttering desperately, trying to get out of their cage. Some will stay within a short radius and try the same spots over and over. Others will fly from one end of the lanai to the other resting only for a second before they try again. Having broken out of their cocoon somewhere inside the pool cage they know there is more just beyond the screen. I open both doors to the lanai and place a plate of flowers sprinkled with sugar water on a table hoping to…
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Accessible Barcelona
We took our first trip to Europe in 2007. I was determined to show my daughter, Arielle, that being in a wheelchair should not stop her from pursuing her dreams or traveling abroad. When we returned home, I wrote about our experiences. Compassion in Action was my first online article. The Reeve Foundation posted it on their site and added pictures, you can see it here.Thanks, Rob. During that trip, we did run into some accessibility problems, but every time people were willing to lend a helping hand. When I made our plans for our vacation to Barcelona, I expected to have many of the same issues we encountered four years ago. I was…
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Pictures of Spain
Today is our last full day in Spain. While we are looking forward to seeing our friends at home and getting back to our routines we are all a little sad that our adventure is coming to an end. This trip has been one we will never forget. I was going through some of our pictures and trying to figure out which I should put on the blog and as I went through them I kept thinking they weren’t good enough. They weren’t capturing my love for Barcelona or the experience we have shared. My pictures are simply images but behind the camera the emotions are much stronger. It is those emotions as well that…
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Futbol!
Right now I’m attempting to wash some towels in our Barcelona washing machine. So far I don’t see any bubbles so I think I may have put the detergent in the wrong place. Sure would be great if I could read Spanish. I’ll think of it as a science experiment. What will happen if I put the soap in this place and turn this knob? Kinda fun. Last night we went to see Barcelona FC play At. Madrid. Wow! What an experience. First we bought the shirts to show our Barcelona spirit. We bought our shirts at El Poble which is a short walk from our apartment. Look at what else…
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Chocolate Lollipops!
When the kids were little we created the tradition of making chocolate lollipops on their birthdays and holidays. Instead of cupcakes they brought lollipops to school to celebrate. Over the years I collected molds with everything from Minnie Mouse and Pokemon to Harry Potter, footballs, dolphins and mustaches. Not be confused with dolphins with mustaches although that would make an interesting lollipop. Since North High had a Senior Kingdom themed pep rally on Arielle’s birthday I thought what better way to celebrate than with chocolate lollipops. They’re easy to make and who doesn’t love chocolate at seven in the morning? Step 1: Choose the color and flavor of your chocolate. I’ve always used…
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18 and Smiling!
Welcome to my new and improved blog! If you would like to subscribe and receive emails with new posts… look to your right. Simply click and add your email address. And thank you for allowing my posts into your inbox. I am very grateful. Look to the right again. See my new translation feature? You can read this blog in many different languages. I can practice my Spanish. I’m sure after a week in Barcelona I’ll be fluent. Today is a special day because my baby girl is 18! Happy Birthday, Arielle. I’ve been reminiscing through old photo albums wondering how it is that my little girl is eighteen already. I’ve discovered…
