This photo was taken with the PEN E-PL1 which Olympus has loaned me, of course! ©2010 Suburban Scrawl
-
-
Three Magic Words
You *may* have heard that we are headed to Munich later this summer. The idea for the trip was actually about four and a half years ago, when the older boy was just getting started with his German I class. Having enjoyed the heck out of five years of German class (8th-12th grade) and having spent one month in Germany as a teenager, I knew that I wanted to get this kid over there, to reinforce what he was learning and to make it real. There’s something about traveling to a place whose language you’re learning that solidifies so much in your mind. Anyway, when the older boy was getting…
-
Dinner Date.
Last week I received an e-mail out of the blue from my friend Rob in Liverpool. Rob and his wife Louise, who I met while on that fabulous trip to Europe with Kate and Scott nearly four years ago, were going to be in Chicago for a couple of days and wanted to know if I would be able to meet them at some point during their stay. Hell yes, I would! I was really, really excited to see them again. The hospitality they (and Rob’s parents, too!) showed me in the United Kingdom back in 2006 was unparalleled, and the four days I spent in their home area made…
-
Aaaaand…This Is How It Begins.
I did it. I “broke the seal”, so to speak. I like to do many things, but planning and list-making are definitely up there at the top, that is, if I were to prioritize (by making a list, of course!) my most favorite activities. After all, I make lists for everything, and I sometimes put the most simple of tasks–non-listworthy ones, for sure–just so I can cross them off when I complete them. The act of striking through something or checking a box makes me insanely happy. If I can combine list-making and planning for a trip? WOW, Mama like. And the results are usually pretty good. I planned my…
-
I Wonder If She Misses Me As Much As I Miss Her*.
When most people are asked where they would go for a dream vacation, common answers given are exotic locations like Hawaii, ski destinations like Whistler, or luxury-type trips like Alaskan cruises. Those destinations are great and I certainly wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to visit any of them, but they’re not at the top of my list. I have lots of “favorite places”, but one international location stands out above the rest in my mind: Germany. I know I’m not the only non-German who adores that country, but by and large, Germany is not typically on the top of anybody’s list for a vacation. Other places in Europe make the…