Sunday, July 31, 2016
Friday, July 29, 2016
I haven't dried or straightened my hair in over a week. Natural curls are starting to return. By Sunday it's going to be a tangled frizzy mess. There's a reason I straighten my hair each day. But due to current heat and humidity, I'm going to keep not straightening it for a few more days. #curlyhairdontcare #badhairday
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Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Tour Life and Coming Home Again
95% of my life is spent alone. I live alone. I work solo. I'm single. I really am alone nearly all the time. I wish it weren't always that way. I'm not a loner, but circumstances have made me that way to some extent. 3 weeks of close proximity with 44 people is a big change for almost everyone, but an especially overwhelming one for me. (So many people in my space! So little control over my surroundings!)
It's a challenge, but one that I enjoy 95% of the time. (See "Serbians After Midnight" for the other 5%.) I'm grateful to be home and getting back into my routine. But missing my big, funny, tour family. And daydreaming about next year already. (Germany! Netherlands! Belgium! Ireland!)
It's a strange adjustment going back to solitary living. So quiet! I look forward to the day where I get to live in a nice happy medium.
It's a challenge, but one that I enjoy 95% of the time. (See "Serbians After Midnight" for the other 5%.) I'm grateful to be home and getting back into my routine. But missing my big, funny, tour family. And daydreaming about next year already. (Germany! Netherlands! Belgium! Ireland!)
It's a strange adjustment going back to solitary living. So quiet! I look forward to the day where I get to live in a nice happy medium.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Friday, July 22, 2016
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Monday, July 18, 2016
Tonight's dinner has reached new levels of questionable taste. First round was rice (slightly crunchy), with tomato sauce, and bread. Also they offered some crazy hot peppers. Next course was/is cold eggs and French fries. We don't get it. We really don't. #erintakesitaly #noteatingmywaythrougheuropeverywell #catour2016 #greenvegetablesareagoodthing #clogamericatakesitaly #whydotheylikecoldeggs??
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Sunday, July 17, 2016
Pranzo! Chicken parm. And the first green vegetable since the ratatouille. I didn't know I loved vegetables so much. Oh and this is the second and third courses. First was crusty bread. We assume a fourth is coming. There was also white wine on the table (which I spilled on all of us) but we traded it with Mexico for water. Wine into water! #erintakesitaly #eatingmywaythrougheurope2016edition #catour2016 #greenvegetablesareagoodthing
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Saturday, July 16, 2016
Friday, July 15, 2016
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Dejeuner! Lunch! Mangez! Ratatouille, pommes-de-terre (roasted potatoes with garlic), Olive tampanade, allongees (roasted red peppers that aren't like American peppers), and regional special hen (sounds like Cornish hen), and French bread (mais out)! #erintakesfrance #myhostmotherisbetterthanyours #eatingmywaythrougheurope2016edition #eatingmywaythroughfrance #frenchfood #garlicbreath #catour2016
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Monday, July 11, 2016
Sunday, July 10, 2016
I know you've all been anxiously waiting to see what I had for dinner. To be completely honest, I'm not really sure. The watermelon and apple tart were obvious. There are 4 types of cheese on my plate- all delicious. A pork chop? Rice pilaf (not awesome). And then there is that thing in the top left. A ham, fat, bread thing. (It's on my fork too.) Few things trigger my gag reflex. This was one of them. NOT good. #clogamericatakesfrance #erintakesfrance #eatingmywaythrougheurope2016edition #cheesegloriouscheese
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Saturday, July 09, 2016
Tuesday, July 05, 2016
Au Revoir, Mes Amis
In just about 24 hours I'll be in a plane bound for Europe. It's a much-needed trip to get away for awhile.
I've had all this free time to work and be creative lately, but my head has been too full of drama from the past to really be able to let go and let my creative side take over. I hate having all this free time and not putting it to good use writing! I have let my creative side out a bit with painting and refurbishing furniture. I've redone 5 tables in the past 3 weeks. I think my neighbors will strangle me if they hear me fire up my orbital sander one more time. I've loved doing something creative and different from my usual routine. It's good to exercise the design and aesthetic muscle from time to time. I've been trying my hand at sewing again as well. (I'm taking several small crafting projects with me to Europe to give to an orphanage.) I think it's in everyone's best interest if I put the sewing machine away and stop watching "Project Runway." I can't sew a straight line to save my life.
But back to Europe, and all that chocolate and cheese that's just waiting for me! I've lost 30 lbs since January 1. And I don't care if I put back on every single pound by eating chocolate, cheese, and pasta. Did I mention I'm headed to France and Italy? Yeah. Good food awaits!
And so does creative freedom. This trip is coming at just the right time for me to shake off the past, clear my head, and reboot life a little bit better. Time for a new outlook. Time for new Italian shoes. Time to visit with old friends and make some new ones. And time to twirl in the Alps and put my toes in the Mediterranean Sea. All things that will definitely be happening!
Here's a funny thought for you- this is my first trip in about 10 years that I will be able to drink the water where I'm going. I always seem to be heading off to another less developed country where I have to get shots and take medications. This will be a whole new adventure for me to be in a place where the dollar isn't high-valued, and the water is clean.
Granted, I'm traveling with Clog America again, so it's not like we'll be staying in hotels or resorts. (We're staying in hostels, a dorm, and with host families this time.) But bring it on! I'm ready for some new sights and sounds! And to listen to the sound of little clogging feet, fiddles, and banjos every night. (Not looking as forward to all of the Eastern European dances as much. But still, I love them too.) Ooh and this year there will be teams from Africa and Asia performing as well. That should bring a fun new element into the mix.
I'm trying to force myself to stay awake another 33 minutes so I can book my seats and check in online. My flight has a layover in Istanbul, and due to the bombings there last week it's guaranteed to be a jam-packed flight. (Also it's the end of Eid in Muslim countries, so a lot of families are traveling that direction.) I don't want a middle seat!!!
So look forward to lots of pictures of food, cloggers, and pretty scenes over the next few weeks! And be sure to follow our adventures at clog-america.blogspot.com.
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