Church Ladies on the Loose--Day Two!!!

What could it be??? Remember Close Encounters, the movie about a spaceship landing in Wyoming? This is the place it landed--Devil's Tower. Many years ago, as my family drove from Montana to Nebraska or back, we could sometimes see Devil's Tower in the distance. I was fascinated, but we never had time enough to go there. I finally made it and had a surprise: Probably because I saw it in the distance from the prairie, I assumed it was on flat ground! But, of course, it isn't!

Darn it! I've been working here for an hour and this is the only photo I've been able to load, so I'll post photos on Facebook without clever writing; you'll just have to be witty yourself. I so enjoy blogging on trips, but I need some sleep.

Church Ladies on the Loose--Day One!

Selfie on the plane to Denver---flew away at 6 a.m! All went very well on Day One, very well indeed!

Sarah and Jackie--Church Ladies on the Loose!

Found Aunt Fern and Uncle Roy's new abode in Cheyenne. They're looking great after 70 years of wedded bliss--Ain't love grand?!!! Truly, it is.

This was supposed to be second--our view above the clouds; the beginning of our adventure. It holds such promise, doesn't it!

Cousin Royetta with Fern, Roy, and me. It was grand to see Royetta and husband Cletus Lockhorn--who disappeared before the pictures were taken!

Do you think we're on the wrong road?

We turned around right away! Backtrack time!

Ubiquitous windmills in setting sun---

Pronghorn antelope!!!!

Magnificent sunset: Welcome to Wyoming!!!

Actually we've been here most of the day, but it's a splendid welcome just the same!

Tiny community with water tower

The single stoplight in Lusk, Wyoming, where I'll turn off the light now and snuggle down.

Almost forgot to include Chicken Fried steak for dinner!

Bless, this bread; bless this meat...Let's eat!

Here is the food edition I promised. Certainly not every meal because I mostly ate first and thought about pictures later. Still it's a good sample. Enjoy!

Venice in the heart of the action at Florian's Cafe in St. Mark's Square:

Tea, sandwiches and mint hot chocolate

Venice near apartment

beef with mushrooms

carbonara!!

Both excellent as was the spaghetti I deleted somehow.

Venice, near the Rialto--Spritz Jenn told me to try. We saw them all over the city and a few in Rome as well.

Our second visit to Florian's. I was enjoying a sundae with fresh fruit when Bob and Denise arrived. More tea and sandwiches followed.

Lido, near Venice: awesome veggie pizza with ultra-thin crust!

Assisi: Hotel Giotto

Umbrian wet bread salad with olives and basil sorbet

Zucchini flowers stuffed with mousse of cheeses

Wide tortellini stuffed with wild rabbit

Pork steak on delicate cream of cannellini beans

Which was it? Tagliatelle sauteed with Unbrian black truffle or

Passetelli with Porcini Mushrooms?

Hotel Minerva, Assisi

 tomatoes and fresh mozzarella

gnocchi with something

turkey roll with potatoes

risotto with vegetables

Takeout pizza in Rome. The one on left is potato pizza!

Gelato!!!! in Rome 

Rome: Restaurant Piazza Tritone

roasted lamb

veal saltimbocca

lasagne with truffles

Also in Rome:

 La Fiorentina: Panna Cotta

Rome: final night--deconstructed bruschetta served in beer glass

Now to Paris_

Angelina's for lunch and famous Mont Blanc desserts plus thick, rich hot chocolate

Cafe at Place de Tertre

My usual Parisian breakfast: cafe au lait and quiche lorraine

Lebanese restaurant near Pompidou Centre: cous cous, kebabs, etc.

take-out desserts from Erik Kayser

Paris last hurrah: Les Deux Magots

Pate starter

raspberry macaron dessert

So there you can get an idea of how well I ate in Venice, Assisi, Rome and Paris, and maybe you can understand how difficult it is to return to the straight and narrow menus of daily life!  Aren't you feeling sorry for me?!  No, neither am I, but it was great fun!

Home again! My own bed, my own shower, my own...

I started to write yesterday, Saturday, my first full day home, but each time I attempted, I ran out of words, thoughts were incomplete---frankly unreadable. I managed to shop a very little at the farmers' market and cook a little food, also emptied the suitcase and looked at the mail. That was pretty much it! Today I feel better, even looked at my quilt downstairs--maybe I'll begin work on it today. (What a great idea to leave a simple opening to return to work instead of requiring actual thinking and problem-solving!) The laundry is already on the line

and, as you can see, the yard looks great with Mount Rose smiling over us

and rich purple lavendar blooming in the front.

All is well here.

Coming home was quite a long day:

Up at 3:30 a.m. in Paris

Flight to Frankfurt--what a stress that was! My plane landed FAR from the terminal and I was bussed two or three miles to gate A-something. My gate was Z-69! Before I could begin my rush toward the gate, I had to clear passport inspection. That was fine until the man controlling my line suddenly left! Oh, did I mention that I had about half an hour to catch my flight!??? 

Obviously I did catch the 11.5 hour flight, and some naps, two meals, and three movies later, we landed at LAX. Here is a bit of advice: Book your flight through all the way home, so you don't have to check in again, go through security again, and pay for luggage! After my 4 hour wait, my flight home was on time--hooray! I was met at the airport by Jenn, Jeff, and Sam (who was driving!), and my little dog Lizzie. (Ally was at volleyball practice, and I saw her yesterday.)

It was a fascinating journey! As usual I learned as much about myself as I did about the places I saw; maybe I'll share those thoughts with you sometime, for now they're not entirely articulate.  I am planning one more blog about the food I ate on the trip, should be fun.

Thank you for traveling with me; it was great to have listeners for my tales.