I sorry for your and Gerhard's loss, but glad to hear your eye surgeries went well. With this and your broken arm last year, you've really been in the wars recently. Wishing you much better health over the next months and years!
So sorry for your and Gerhard's loss, Clarice. A lot happened in a relatively short amount of time! If not for your eye surgeries, you guys may not have been able to see Gerhard's mother before she passed, so good that you were there. On another note, hotel/apartment dramas can really be irksome. This one had a very fortunate ending! Thank goodness. I'm sure it's fantastic to be home, and able to relax again and also write.
You are so right on all of the points that you made, Jeanine! I feel very grateful that all of the challenges turned out well in the end. And this afternoon we are enjoying bright, beautiful sun with temperatures close to 70 (my ideal), so all is right with the world.
You share the fortunate and unfortunate aspects of your life so gracefully here, Clarice, that I’m at a loss to understand why any reader would feel anything other than empathy and admiration. I know as a writer here on Substack how difficult it is to decide how much to share of our private lives and struggles while also talking about other subjects close to your heart and keeping readers engaged. You do it all so well.
I’m glad you and Gerhard had successful eye surgeries and are on the mend. So very sorry for the loss of your mother-in-law. The pictures from the gravesite are beautiful.
Thank you for all of your comments, Ruth. I really appreciate them. It is difficult to know how much personal information to share. In most of the posts I write I try to focus on information about culture, nature and travel features (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that I really like and think that others would like too--rather than on myself. Sometimes I find personal information interesting, though, because it helps readers understand more about who you are. (I really like how you and Jeanine Kitchel balance these issues, by the way.)
Thanks for this response and for the compliment, Clarice. I think you navigate the private and public realms beautifully. I’m also a fan of Jeanine Kitchel’s writing. It’s interesting how engaged we can become in the lives and welfare of those who write so well about their experiences, thoughts, memories, challenges, etc. It’s really a testament to the power of good storytelling and writing.
Wow! Such a beautiful and touching little essay. Side note, my wife and I spent a month in Venice a year ago, renting a VRBO apartment. The man (Cristiano) who met us at the train station and brought us to the apartment was very nice and helpful, but he gave us only one set of keys for the old & slightly tricky doors. He said that he could find us another set of keys, but we turned that down, thinking it wouldn't be necessary. We never had a problem, but in reality we should have asked for the second set, because I (at least) walked around Venice slightly nervous about the situation all month, regularly jiggling the keys in my pocket to make sure I had 'em. I told myself, "if we have any issue, we can call Cristiano and probably get another set of keys within a couple hours", but of course this might not have been easy late at night or under some other circumstance when he wasn't easily available. Next time (next April) we ask for the second set!
I'm glad you liked the essay, Doug. And I highly recommend two sets of keys for all of the reasons you and I have mentioned! It is very unlikely that you and your wife will be together constantly, and it just gives you more security, too.
What an amazing experience you both had this trip to Vienna! Many highs and lows that all magically worked out in the end. I'm glad you are fineally home and enjoying the first signs of spring.
Thank you, Janice. We are really happy to be home again, where all the plants are starting to come alive and it looks like the coming days will be beautiful!
Vielen Dank, Gabi. Es ist mir wichtig was du denkst von der Post. Ich verstehe auch wie schwerig es ist auf eine fremde Sprache zu schreiben. (Als du deutlich sehen kannst!)
Thank you for sharing. I understand how difficult it is, as a writer, to deal with these interruptions in our plans, the loss and pain we feel at times, and knowing how much and when to explain the inevitable interruptions in our writing schedules with our lovely families of readers. When I did the same thing this week I immediately lost some subscribers. Don’t fret if you do too. Those weren’t your people anyway. Best wishes for a continued recovery. Lovely spring flowers, by the way. They look like strawberries!
Thank you for your encouraging comments, David, I really appreciate them. (I've already lost one subscriber!) And it is lovely to think that we are finding "our people" here on Substack. That's what really matters, isn't it?
I sorry for your and Gerhard's loss, but glad to hear your eye surgeries went well. With this and your broken arm last year, you've really been in the wars recently. Wishing you much better health over the next months and years!
Thank you, Mikey. I am looking forward to glowing health now!
So sorry for your and Gerhard's loss, Clarice. A lot happened in a relatively short amount of time! If not for your eye surgeries, you guys may not have been able to see Gerhard's mother before she passed, so good that you were there. On another note, hotel/apartment dramas can really be irksome. This one had a very fortunate ending! Thank goodness. I'm sure it's fantastic to be home, and able to relax again and also write.
You are so right on all of the points that you made, Jeanine! I feel very grateful that all of the challenges turned out well in the end. And this afternoon we are enjoying bright, beautiful sun with temperatures close to 70 (my ideal), so all is right with the world.
Glad to hear it Clarice!!
You share the fortunate and unfortunate aspects of your life so gracefully here, Clarice, that I’m at a loss to understand why any reader would feel anything other than empathy and admiration. I know as a writer here on Substack how difficult it is to decide how much to share of our private lives and struggles while also talking about other subjects close to your heart and keeping readers engaged. You do it all so well.
I’m glad you and Gerhard had successful eye surgeries and are on the mend. So very sorry for the loss of your mother-in-law. The pictures from the gravesite are beautiful.
Thank you for all of your comments, Ruth. I really appreciate them. It is difficult to know how much personal information to share. In most of the posts I write I try to focus on information about culture, nature and travel features (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that I really like and think that others would like too--rather than on myself. Sometimes I find personal information interesting, though, because it helps readers understand more about who you are. (I really like how you and Jeanine Kitchel balance these issues, by the way.)
Thanks for this response and for the compliment, Clarice. I think you navigate the private and public realms beautifully. I’m also a fan of Jeanine Kitchel’s writing. It’s interesting how engaged we can become in the lives and welfare of those who write so well about their experiences, thoughts, memories, challenges, etc. It’s really a testament to the power of good storytelling and writing.
Glad to hear from you, our deep condolences to Gerhard. All the best!
Thank you, Petra. I will let Gerhard know.
Wow! Such a beautiful and touching little essay. Side note, my wife and I spent a month in Venice a year ago, renting a VRBO apartment. The man (Cristiano) who met us at the train station and brought us to the apartment was very nice and helpful, but he gave us only one set of keys for the old & slightly tricky doors. He said that he could find us another set of keys, but we turned that down, thinking it wouldn't be necessary. We never had a problem, but in reality we should have asked for the second set, because I (at least) walked around Venice slightly nervous about the situation all month, regularly jiggling the keys in my pocket to make sure I had 'em. I told myself, "if we have any issue, we can call Cristiano and probably get another set of keys within a couple hours", but of course this might not have been easy late at night or under some other circumstance when he wasn't easily available. Next time (next April) we ask for the second set!
I'm glad you liked the essay, Doug. And I highly recommend two sets of keys for all of the reasons you and I have mentioned! It is very unlikely that you and your wife will be together constantly, and it just gives you more security, too.
These apartment keys are getting trickier and trickier. Sending warm thoughts from Naples.
Are they? This is the first time we've experienced this, and I hope it is the last!
Thank you Clarice, you are amazing!
What an amazing experience you both had this trip to Vienna! Many highs and lows that all magically worked out in the end. I'm glad you are fineally home and enjoying the first signs of spring.
Thank you, Janice. We are really happy to be home again, where all the plants are starting to come alive and it looks like the coming days will be beautiful!
Du hast die Ereignisse wunderschön beschrieben und trotzdem diskret beschrieben. Vielen Dank dafür!
Liebe Grüße, Gabi
PS: Lesen geht auf Englisch irgendwie, aber selbst einen Text zu schreiben, ist noch schwierig 😉 Ich übe fleißig weiter!
Vielen Dank, Gabi. Es ist mir wichtig was du denkst von der Post. Ich verstehe auch wie schwerig es ist auf eine fremde Sprache zu schreiben. (Als du deutlich sehen kannst!)
Thank you for sharing. I understand how difficult it is, as a writer, to deal with these interruptions in our plans, the loss and pain we feel at times, and knowing how much and when to explain the inevitable interruptions in our writing schedules with our lovely families of readers. When I did the same thing this week I immediately lost some subscribers. Don’t fret if you do too. Those weren’t your people anyway. Best wishes for a continued recovery. Lovely spring flowers, by the way. They look like strawberries!
Thank you for your encouraging comments, David, I really appreciate them. (I've already lost one subscriber!) And it is lovely to think that we are finding "our people" here on Substack. That's what really matters, isn't it?
Absolutely!