Where in the World?

happy spa-li-days (to me!)

2012-02-02T20:02:00.001-05:00

I had planned to start the new year off right ... relaxed & refreshed with a visit to the spa sometime in January. But the month got busy and slipped away from me, and here it is February already!

During the holidays, I noticed that the Seagate Spa was having a giftcard promotion, including a free beach tote in one of my favorite colors (lime green!), so I made that a "from-me-to-me" Christmas gift ... a gift card to use "someday". And who can't use a new beach tote? ;-) It's a fairly new spa here in Delray Beach, and I've driven by it several times thinking "I'll give it a try someday".

So today was "someday"! I took the day off, got up really early to catch-up on some work, and then spent today at the spa. I chose the Rain Massage ... 80 minutes of B-L-I-S-S !! It starts with a full-body exfoliation using sugar cane and coconut oil. This really gets the blood pumping, and leaves your skin so soft, smooth. Next came a tension-relieving massage performed while a rain shower of warm water cascaded down onto me. I added on a soothing scalp massage, too. They use frangipani oil, it smells sooooo good! Geez, I'm relaxing all over again as I write this, LOL !!

Also spent some time lounging in their eucalyptus-infused steam room and in the outdoor heated pool (even tho today The Sunshine State ... wasn't). Took a break for lunch and savored this DELISH tomato soup !!
Overall, a nice spahhhh day!

I just love going to the spa, it's like pushing life's "reset button".

ok, NOW I'm ready for 2012 ......

Live from B&N, it's Saturday night!

2012-01-28T20:15:00.002-05:00

Enjoying a night out with Sal at one of my (our) fave places .... always so inspiring to be surrounded by so many great books, so much knowledge! Hope you're enjoying the weekend too!

it's Girl Scout cookie time!

2012-01-22T20:09:00.002-05:00

And I stocked-up today! ... Thin Mints, Tag-a-longs, Samoas, and the new lemony Savannah Smiles (to celebrate the Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary). YUM !!!

This is a test post....

2012-01-20T23:22:00.001-05:00

(I'm posting from my iPhone using the Blogger app)

Loving all of the sneak peeks of new products from Heidi Swapp!

(It worked, yay!)

this is my 550th post !!

2012-01-13T21:49:00.000-05:00

Today is my "blog-a-versary" ... 4 years ago today I began sharing my thoughts, happenings & travels here at Where In The World? !!

Just wanted to send a big "thank you" to all of you who routinely stop by ... I love it!

Looking forward to sharing Year 5 with you! :-)

Enjoy the weekend,

Where In The World?: 2012 edition

2012-01-12T14:14:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to finally share our 2012 travel destination! ta da!

This summer, Sal and I will head west, journeying through Wyoming and Montana to explore 3 of our country's amazing national parks ...

Grand Teton National Park:

Yellowstone National Park:

and Glacier National Park:

{photos courtesy of National Geographic Society}

Sal and I love traveling around the world ...exploring new countries and cultures ... but this year we've opted to travel domestically and explore some of the USA's treasures.

We're so looking forward to soaking-in all of the natural beauty, wildlife, geology, crisp mountain air, and hiking trails that await us! If you've been to these parks, I'd love to hear about your experiences (and any tips)! Please leave a comment here on WITW, or shoot me an e-mail.

Can't wait to pack my new Pan Am bag! ;-)

"appy" holidays

2012-01-08T12:15:00.002-05:00

Whew, we're already a week into 2012 !! Before we get too far into the new year I'd thought I share a few scenes of our Christmas festivities....

Sal and I had some fun with fellow faculty, staff, and grad students at the FAU Chemistry Dept's holiday party:

Santa brought iPhone 4s's to my parents, woo hoo! We all had fun downloading apps and stuff over the holidays ... I got them addicted to the Word Warp game, LOL:Buddy & Aruba had a blast opening their gifts!

Thank you, Grandma! :-)

Hope 2012 is off to a great start for you!

it's my Dad's special day!

2012-01-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to my Dad! He lives in Seminole, Florida.

We wish you a special & memorable day, Daddy! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

happy new year!

2012-01-01T00:25:00.002-05:00

Welcome 2012 !!

Sal and I began this new year as we always do, with a group hug with Buddy & Aruba at midnight. It's the best!

I (sadly) took down our 2011 Greece calendar ... loved that trip! But I already have my 2012 calendar hung ... you might recall that I always choose a calendar theme based on the destination(s) that we'll be visiting that upcoming year. And Where In The World? is our 2012 destination? ... TBA ! (soon!) {planning in progress... I'm waiting and hoping that airfares will come down, LOL}

Wishing you all the best in 2012 ... my hope is that all suffering around the world --- both human and animal --- will somehow be replaced by joyful living.

it's Dana's special day!

2011-12-29T07:54:00.005-05:00

Happy 7th birthday today to our niece, Dana! She lives in Philadelphia, PA.

We wish you a FUN day full of SMILES, Dana! :-)

Love,

Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

Christmas McCheer

2011-12-20T21:14:00.002-05:00

Tonight it was time to enjoy our little family holiday tradition ... the 4 of us go for a drive looking at Christmas lights, Florida style -- with the sunroof open (don't hate me, but yes it's in the 70s here!). Buddy & Aruba get so excited, and Sal and I look forward to this every year! We play our favorite holiday music ... Mannheim Steamroller, John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together ... while sipping on McD's holiday drinks that have too many calories, LOL. ;-)

Aruba "donned her gay apparel" ... an adorable jingle bell collar. I love to hear her jingling all around the house, it's so precious!

Hope you're enjoying all the holiday festivities this week ... happy Hanukkah & Merry Christmas!

Susie snowflake

2011-12-18T21:12:00.001-05:00

I've had the Silhouette Cameo electronic cutting tool on my wishlist for a while ... and on Black Friday, I found a totally irresistible deal and now one has a home in my scrapbooking studio! It's the latest & greatest version, enhanced with the capability to cut up to 12"-wide designs and to cut... FABRIC !!! :-)

I decided that my first Sil project would be for Sal. I programmed the Silhouette to cut an intricate, 3D snowflake that I thought would be perfect to hang in his office, especially for the holiday season. I'm still getting the hang of the blade depth settings, but it came out great I think! And of course, I coated it in glitter ... a snowflake must glisten!

I have a myriad of "white" glitters (LOL), so I let Sal choose the one he liked best ... he went with Martha Stewart crystal tinsel glitter. A perfect choice for the snowflake since the "tinsel" texture of the semi-opaque glitter mimics a frosty look. I added a festive red ribbon and it's ready for hanging ... enjoy, sweetheart !!

bling on the holidays!

2011-12-13T07:24:00.001-05:00

This year, I felt inspired to make some Christmas cards! I had fun cranking them out while listening to Mannheim Steamroller ... love their Christmas music!

I handmade only "some" because I just didn't have time to make enough for everyone on our holiday card list. Sorry if you didn't get one, but I sent handmade cards mainly to my sb'ing peeps.

And thank you for your compliments of my cards! I've gotten some questions about the supplies/techniques I used, so here's a summary of how I made them:

Cut 8.5x11" ivory, untextured cardstock sheets into four equal pieces (4.25"x5.5" each); these will be the "front" of the card, the main design. I chose ivory paper because I thought white was too bright. Also, cut 8.5x11" Bazzill "Candy Apple" red textured cardstock in half (across the 8.5" dimension) and fold these pieces in half to create the card "base", creasing with a bone folder:

Next comes the tedious step:
Ink the Tim Holtz Season's Silhouettes words stamp with his distress inks (I used Peeled Paint for the green, and Festive Berries for the red):

[note: I didn't stamp the "25" because I glittered it (later step)]

At first, I was irritated that the colors would bleed together a little if I didn't apply the ink just right, but then I decided that it actually looks kinda cool: Align the stamped image in the coordinating embossing folder:

Note: as Tim has mentioned on his blog, I too found that to keep it aligned during the embossing process, the image needs to be shifted down a smidge (about 1/8") in the folder:

[I've since learned that it might be better to tape the stamped image to the embossing folder to keep it in place during embossing.]

Roll it through your embossing machine (I use a Cuttlebug): This creates a nice "raised" effect: Spray entire image with Marshmallow glimmer mist ... gotta have SPARKLE!

(note: the Marshmallow shade of glimmer mist has been discontinued, but is available a few places online --- grab some if you want it!)

I do my spraying in a box to protect the furniture, floor, etc from the mist:

And of course a Christmas card should have even more BLING! Apply Martha Stewart "white gold" glitter to the embossed "25" image. To do this, I used a small paint brush to precisely apply glue (I used Tombow Mono Multiple liquid glue; it goes on white but dries clear) to only the numbers: Remove stray glue with a toothpick. Liberally sprinkle glitter over the wet glue, shake off excess, and brush stray glitter away:

Adhere card design (front) to card base:

Done!

I've appreciated all the kind words about my holiday card design, thanks!

need a holiday gift idea?

2011-12-12T00:11:00.001-05:00

How about adopting a manatee for that special someone?

It's a perfect gift for those who have "everything" ... for those who are difficult to shop for ... to introduce a child to animal welfare and environmental stewardship ... or for those who hate the clutter of physical gifts, LOL! And it's all for such a worthy cause ... helping support the welfare and habitat of these precious (and threatened) marine creatures. It costs only $25 and supports the wonderful work of the Save The Manatee Club (SMC). Your gift recipient will get an adoption certificate, color photo and biography of his/her manatee, and routine updates about the manatees. (Adopt at the $35 level and get a FREE 2012 manatee wall calendar too!)

My adopted manatee is Lily (that's her in the banner photo above). Sadly, most manatees are identified by their distinctive scars from gashes inflicted by boat propellers. I've been her adoptive "parent" for about 17 years! She spends winters here in Florida, at Blue Spring State Park. I feel a special bond with her ... my name Susan means "lily". You can choose from several manatees available for adoption, by name and location.

Sal and I have been longtime supporters of manatee protection. We're even featured on the SMC's website!! ... I was beyond thrilled when they contacted me a few years ago for my thoughts about, and a photo of, our day spent kayaking among the manatees (this eco-activity is not disruptive to manatees and is approved and sponsored by the SMC).

On behalf of Lily ... and all manatees, thank you!

it's Ruth's special day!

2011-12-11T08:45:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to our sister-in-law, Ruth! She lives in Philadelphia, PA.

We wish you a FUN & FABULOUS day, Ruth! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

XOXO

2011-12-08T20:25:00.002-05:00

My "Salentine" and I already have {{romantic}} plans for Valentine's Day! awww....

Andrea Bocelli will be performing his mesmerizing Italian love songs RIGHT HERE in SoFla (of all places!) that night, and we've managed to score tickets! Our seats aren't exactly front-row (even the nosebleed tix are expen$ive, ouch!), but it'll still be such a special date night! Love you, Sal !!

I often have his Con Te Partiro cranked-up on my iPod. Good stuff!

minty & bright

2011-11-28T21:03:00.000-05:00

bff = Black Friday fun !!

2011-11-25T22:21:00.003-05:00

So who among you was brave enough to get up in the middle of the night to snag some Black Friday deals?? I'd love to hear all about the loot you scored !

It saddens me tho to see many stores now open on Thanksgiving day ... I wish the employees could have uninterrupted time with their families, to relax and enjoy the holiday.

I slept in today ... no 3:00 AM shopping jaunts for me, no way! I did take advantage of some cyber door-busters yesterday tho. But today I made the rounds to some of my FAVE stores ... at a reasonable hour. First stop ... my local scrapbook store, Everything Scrapbook & Stamps, of course! The timing was perfect ... they just stocked a new collection that I've been waiting for: Tropical Travelogue by Graphic 45. The colors and designs are absolutely stunning (and have me craving a trip to Tahiti, LOL)!

Then I met my sweetheart Sal for lunch al fresco at The Olive Garden (yum!) before heading off to Joann Fabric & Crafts. My next stop was Pier 1 Imports to pick up this fun holiday candle that caught my eye in their BF ad (soon I'll post a pic of how I "candlescape" it --- I have what I *think* will be a cute idea!). Wow oh wow is their store filled with holiday SPARKLE ... I saw glitter & bling at every turn !! I swear I could just move into that store! And I love Pier 1's clever slogan for this year's holiday season:

The final place on my BF itinerary was Barnes & Noble ... I joined Sal there to cap-off a fun day, relaxing with a chai latte and book browsing.

Hmm, where to next? I hope to stop in another 2 of my fave stores -- Michaels and Crate & Barrel -- sometime during the weekend. Let the fun continue! :-)

Happy shopping,

so very THANKFUL for .....

2011-11-24T15:21:00.000-05:00

My sweet & precious little family!

Celebrating Thanksgiving, Florida style ... at the beach!

Ginormous newspapers overflowing with Black Friday ads!

Sal and I couldn't schedule in a trip to be with family this holiday ... too many big research proposal deadlines next week. {sigh} But, we're making the best of a working weekend .... and took today OFF to relax (toes in sand!), and to be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

it's Theresa's special day!

2011-11-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to my sister, Theresa! She lives in Clearwater, Florida.

Enjoy your day, Terry! :-)

Love,
Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

that other "Where In The World?"

2011-11-04T09:55:00.006-04:00

UPDATED*:
*click destination name for more info & video clips

Day 1 = Namibia, Africa
Day 2 = Madrid, Spain
Day 3 = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Day 4 = Jungfraujoch, Switzerland
Day 5 = Barbados

Finally ... it's back!

It's time once again for the Where In The World is Matt Lauer? annual travel adventure on The Today Show. Love the series, and the name! {wink} It was on hiatus for a while because of the sour economy. The producers felt that no one was in the mood to see him globe-trotting from one exotic destination to another. I was disappointed tho, because we can still dream, right?

Anyway... he'll visit 5 places, all kept secret until they're individually revealed on the day of the show. The day prior to each live episode from a new locale, Matt gives a clue about where he'll be the next day, and they're usually doozies ... so difficult! As a travel connoisseur, I consider myself fairly good at geography, but his clues are cryptic, obscure. I can figure only some of them out!

This morning Matt gave the first clue since the series starts on Monday, 11/7. It's the 10th anniversary of WITW, so I bet he has some special surprises for us. Can't wait!

So ... Where In The World? would YOU like to go? Sorry, I'm not Oprah and I'm not giving away a trip. Just thought it would be fun for us to dream BIG !! Let me know ... leave a comment on this post (remember, no account or sign-in is required to comment! just choose the "name/URL" option and input your name, initials, or whatever... the URL is optional). Or, I know that some of my readers don't like to leave comments, and prefer to e-mail me instead ... and that's OK! Would love to hear what your dream destinations are!

Some of the places on my travel wishlist? The Galapagos Islands, Africa (safari), Tahiti, Easter Island, Spain, Peru, India, Bermuda, Japan, Iceland, Morocco ... OK, I can't stop! Soon I'll be revealing Where In The World? Sal and I will be exploring in 2012 !! {the planning (and budgeting) is in progress!} Maybe I'll post some cryptic clues before the reveal, LOL !!

Enjoy the weekend (and that extra hour!),

have fun today!

2011-10-31T06:51:00.000-04:00

penguins with close-knit friends

2011-10-29T16:31:00.001-04:00

There was recently an oil spill off the coast of New Zealand and, as usual, the wildlife really suffered. Including penguins ... the oil not only makes their body temperature too cold, but they ingest the toxic oil when they preen themselves.

So, in an effort to help them, a NZ yarn store put out a call for their customers to knit sweaters (or "jumpers", as the Kiwis call them) to protect the penguins.And what a response they received! Word spread and more than enough sweaters poured in to their shop from around the world. What a gesture! So now the oil-soaked penguins will have the warmth they need until they can be painstakingly cleaned of the crude. And after they're clean, they still need to wear the sweaters for a bit until their natural oils re-coat their feathers.

If you're a knitter and would like to help these precious birds, the sweater pattern and mailing address are posted HERE (although they have received enough for now, they're saving all the surplus sweaters for future disasters).

And aren't they just so ADORABLE sporting those little sweaters ?!?!?

Hope you're enjoying the weekend,

now boarding! a great new TV show!

2011-10-26T07:40:00.001-04:00

As I wind down from the weekend every Sunday evening, I'm usually disappointed by what's on TV. Nothing particularly entertaining.... until now! About a month ago, a new show took off on Sunday nights: Pan Am. And I love it! Have you seen it?
It has the intrigue of travel, fairly good dialogue and plot, and a vintage vibe with culture/fashion/music throwbacks to the '60s Jet Age when getting from Point A to Point B was something passengers dressed-up for.
And then I saw the online Pan Am store. What?!? A Pan Am ... store? Must. Check. It. Out.

I heard angels sing when I caught a glimpse of great travel accessories emblazoned with the iconic Pan Am globe logo. And when I saw the Orion, "the bag that started it all", one of them somehow fell into my shopping cart, LOL. It's so popular that it's on back-order until December, but that's OK. I'm willing to go on stand-by for this cool bag! (OK, I'll stow the flight puns, LOL)
The Orion is a facsimile of the bag that the stewardesses were issued with their uniforms ... I chose the traditional "Pan Am blue" color, and it even has a fabric lining with a fun print of little airplanes, the Pan Am logo, people carrying suitcases, etc. Lots of nifty details, even down to the zipper pulls!
Simply irresistible I tell you! And the airline gave these bags as gifts to first-class passengers flying to Europe. Really??

I'll admit that I had mixed feelings about the show when it premiered ... after all, the way stewardesses ('60s vernacular for "flight attendants") were treated was disturbingly sexist ... they had to have a certain "look", submit to pre-flight weigh-ins, and weren't allowed to get married. Why would I want to watch that? I mean, forget that, women can be PILOTS now! But I gave the show a chance and found that it doesn't focus too much on that aspect, instead dwelling on the glamour of the Jet Age, and great destinations.

Although flying has changed a lot in 50 years, with intense security checks, airline fees galore, flight delays, pretzels instead of 3-course meals, and that sinking feeling of "is this really all the legroom I'm gonna have for the next 10 hours?" when I get in my seat, I love flying and being at the airport! To me, it's the appetizer on the travel menu, with that "getting there is half the fun" concept whetting my appetite for the adventures awaiting me in a new & exciting locale.

Now I can bring a bit of the Jet Age with me in my chic new (non-leather!) bag. And maybe I'll even dress-up a bit for my next flight....

birthday fun!

2011-10-25T11:51:00.001-04:00

Hello! I must begin with a BIG thanks to everyone for making my birthday yesterday so special !! I appreciate all of your cards, gifts, e-mails, calls. I have a long shelf lined with cards, I absolutely love getting such nice things in the mail! I had a nice day (entire weekend, actually) of celebration as I bid farewell to "42". And thank you to my sweet Sal for treating me like a princess!

But now I'd like to share the special MILESTONE birthday that we celebrated in my family recently ... my Grandma's 90th! Several family members traveled to southern (Ontario) Canada to surprise her! We had a fun time ... here are some highlights ...

My Grandma is a volunteer (6 days a week!) at a local nursing home, where she basically runs the little gift/sundry shop... we stopped in for a visit during her "shift" ... from left, Aunt Lois, Grandma, my Dad, Uncle Richard, my Mom, me:

Sal has known my Grandma for 23 years!

We gathered for a party to celebrate my Grandma's incredible 90 years!

Sal hangin' with my cousin Phil (like me, he suffers from a severe case of wanderlust, LOL --- I loved chatting about travel with you, Phil!), his wife Renee, and my Aunt Lois (who makes beautiful greeting cards with scrapbook supplies!):

And a big surprise for my Grandma ... my Uncle's singing group (that's my Uncle Phil in the middle) showed up during her party to sing songs chosen especially for her, mostly from her era ... they sounded great, so much talent!

Here's a video clip (sorry, it's probably not compatible with mobile devices, you'll need to watch it on a PC):

My Grandma likes to wear funky socks!

Pink roses for Rosemary!

Make a wish!

We stayed at the family cottage in Cedar Beach, on Lake Erie:

And my Grandma had to chuckle when I took her picture with my iPhone! I was demonstrating all the cool things my "phone" can do ... maps, e-mail, music, news, weather, and of course access my blog! Can you imagine what technology will allow us to do by the time we're 90 ?!?

And I'd like to send a BIG thanks to my Aunt Lois & Uncle Phil for their warm hospitality! You're so much fun!

Here's to birthdays!

Susan

yesterday was my lucky day!

2011-10-18T11:57:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry that I've been MIA lately, but on top of the "stuff of life", I've been a busy, busy Dog Mom ... Buddy has needed a lot of care, poor angel ... lots of meds, dr appts, etc. The first 2 weeks after he came home from the hospital were spent recovering ... he wouldn't eat unless hand fed, he had trouble sleeping at night, etc. But I'm happy to report that he's doing WELL and is getting STRONGER! Along with premiere heart medications, he's getting everything he needs ... his doctor recommended additional protein (known to be good for canine heart patients), so he's getting organic tofu mixed into his meals. And she said that Omega-3 would be beneficial too, but instead of traditional fish oil (it's not animal-friendly!), we sprinkle organic flaxseed oil on his kibbles, a great alternative source of Omega-3. So good for him! We've noticed a return to his old self over the past 10 days or so, including his mischievous side LOL, and it has been so wonderful! So thankful! He had a check-up yesterday at the doggie cardiologist and she was pleased -- amazed actually! -- at his progress! So much so that she didn't see the need to do more bloodwork or X-rays for now, just an exam and Rx refills. Yay for Buddy, our precious furbaby !!!

And the great news continued yesterday when I checked my e-mail to find a message with the subject line "today's your lucky day!". OK! Well, unless it's one of those pesky spam messages, who wouldn't want to read that, right? I opened it to find that I had been invited to attend Inspiration Unlimited 2012, yay!!! :-) I've been on the IU waiting list for some time and, as of August, I was way down at # 41. I wasn't sure how quickly I'd make it up the list, or if I'd get the opportunity to attend at all. The demand is high, and I'm so glad that I can go! It's a Creative Escape-esque scrapbooking event that's held every September in Nevada. Near Vegas, but not in it ... and I'm glad because I'm just not into the whole "Sin City" vibe. Once again, I'll be enjoying a pampering event that includes lots of my favorite things ... travel, friends, scrapbooking, shopping, staying at a resort (with a spa, LOL). Already so excited for September! And 11 months of fun anticipation, and filling the Creative Escape void.

I'll be back soon with pics from a very special (milestone) birthday that we celebrated in my family recently. Trying to get caught-up on everything!

Hope you're having a "lucky day" today!

Susan

Buddy's home!

2011-09-27T18:25:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone and thank you for all of your concern, thoughts, prayers for Buddy!

I'm happy to report that he's home from the hospital and is recovering well !! :-)

We're all so happy to be together again! Aruba missed him so much. It's precious to see how gentle she is with him.

I took Buddy for a follow-up appt with the cardiologist today ... we had lots to cover ... an exam, more chest X-rays, bloodwork, and more meds. She's very encouraged by his progress though, and he's taking premiere heart medications that will help him get and stay strong. Today it was sweet to see the nurses and vet techs at the cardio office responding to Buddy's recovery --- with hugs and kisses! Buddy is just so lovable!

Now he's home getting lots of TLC and a calm, comfortable environment to recuperate. We love you, Buddy!

Susan

Buddy's getting better !!

2011-09-22T12:07:00.000-04:00

adorable patient

2011-09-21T09:01:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone ~ they were able to take Buddy off oxygen late last night, and he remained stable through the night. That's great news!

Here are some scenes from our visits with him yesterday.....

Buddy has to wear a protective "cone" because he's a naughty (yet adorable!) patient and swipes his paws at the oxygen tubes and tries to remove his catheters:

He delightfully devoured the carrots (his favorite snack) that we brought:

The hospital has a "family room", complete with an oxygen hook-up in the wall, where we can visit Buddy in a more comfortable setting, rather than an exam room:

Again, thanks for all of your e-mails, thoughts, prayers. They're so appreciated!

Susan

broken hearts

2011-09-20T09:09:00.000-04:00

Buddy was checked by his oncologist last week, and his lungs were fine thankfully, but the X-rays showed an enlarging heart.

So I took him to a veterinary cardiologist yesterday to follow-up on that ... and you can see that he was comfortable on the ride there:

But literally within the afternoon hours his health began to deteriorate before our eyes! He was barely strong enough for the heart doctor to do an echocardiogram, but it helped her diagnose him with acute congestive heart failure. OMG !! We were stunned, shocked, totally devastated. :-(

He needed 24-hour supportive care (oxygen, diuretics, etc), but wasn't healthy enough to travel far to get it. Even a moderate length car ride would be too stressful for him. So we rushed him from the cardiologist's office to an excellent emergency hospital ... just down the street, thankfully!! It's the same facility where Buddy had lung cancer surgery, so the staff knows and remembers our sweet Buddy (he's so popular!). It's a top-notch place with state-of-the-art facilities and highly-trained, specialized veterinary staff. So he's in really good hands, but it was touch-and-go through the night for him.

Overnight and this morning the ER doctors told me that Buddy is resting comfortably, and even ate! Today they'll be weaning him off oxygen, and depending how that goes, he could be released in a day or two. Buddy's such a strong dog! But, he's a heart disease patient now, so he'll have a lot of heart meds to take. But they will help his heart compensate for what it can't on its own anymore, truly a miracle of medicine.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers for Buddy. It's so sad that a pup who has endured lung cancer now has a failing heart.

My heart hurts, too.

Susan

a note from Buddy

2011-09-15T10:47:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! It's me, Buddy!

I know that you've been waiting to hear about my mommy's trips to Creative Escape and Greece, and she can't wait to share all about them, but she has been busy. Part of it is because of me. I can tell that my mommy is really sad because I've been coughing more and something seems to be wrong with my lungs, even though my lung X-rays were clear in July. She sat up with me most of last night, and it made me feel better. She spoke with my oncologist's office this morning, and is taking me to the cancer clinic soon. So hopefully we can find out what's wrong. Maybe I just have a cold or something? But my mommy is worried about my lungs. I hope that my cancer hasn't come back, and that I don't have to go on chemo again. :-(

I'm sure my mommy will be back here soon with an update, but I wanted to help her with things today, so I'm blogging for her.

p.s. ~ today is my Grandma's birthday! Happy birthday Grandma, from me & Aruba!

Woof,
Buddy

who doesn't like a little sparkle?

2011-09-03T20:01:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone!

I'm (still) sorting/editing my photos from Creative Escape, so I'll be posting about my fab experience soon! But I at least have a little CE teaser to post today.... some fun CE news to share!

During CE, I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca Cross; she's the founder, owner, and creative director of Pink Paislee, a company that designs very popular scrapbooking products. Apparently the flowers that I custom-made to wear at CE had caught her eye ... they were in CE colors (aqua and red) and sprinkled with -- what else? -- GLITTER ! I wore them in my hair and/or attached to my nametag lanyard throughout the event. Turns out the ready-to-alter (plain muslin) flowers that I customized are made by her company! So she asked me for a photo of them so that she could post my design on Pink Paislee's blog, WOW !! Well, not only are they showcased on their blog today (along with my how-to), they're also on their Twitter and Facebook page! I'm thrilled, honored, and truth be told ... a little giddy.

I'm enjoying my 15 minutes of "celebrity", LOL. You can read her post and compare the "before" and "after" photos of my flowers HERE.

I am ... tickled PINK !! ;-)

Hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend,

Susan

go away, Irene!

2011-08-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

This is so NOT what I wanted to wake up to the day before I leave for Creative Escape! :-(

Sal is insisting that I go to the event despite the impending hurricane, and has sweetly offered to take care of things here ... even thought it will mean putting up the hurricane shutters by himself (it's a big job, and I always help him!).

I'm so excited about CE, have been anticipating it for a year, but will be worried about Sal, Buddy & Aruba back home. :-(

Wishing safety to everyone in Irene's path,

Susan

21 years ago today....

2011-08-11T06:28:00.001-04:00

....I married my best friend & the love of my life!

Happy 21st anniversary to Sal, my endless love !!

I love you so much, sweetheart!

XOXO,
Susan

hot under the (dog) collar

2011-07-29T08:38:00.001-04:00

In my previous post, I was giddy about the joys of summer. But summer's not joyful if you're an animal with an irresponsible or naive pet parent. We've all seen it .... animals left in hot cars! This is CRUELTY, a tragedy that can be avoided.... I'm not sure why people feel that it's OK to leave their animals (usually dogs) in a scorching, baking car while they run into a store, or whatever? But the windows are cracked open? Doesn't help! Think the dog can just pant to keep cool? Not true!

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recently published an article (below) outlining what you can do if you see an animal unattended in a car. For the sake of the voiceless animal, PLEASE do something! Please speak up, take the time, have the courage, to help that living creature avoid suffering ... or a painful death. Remember, WE ARE THEIR VOICE !! On behalf of animals, thank you.....

You Can Help Pets in Hot Cars

Rayne Nolte was in the parking lot of a Mankato, Minnesota, mall last week when she spotted Roxie, a Yorkie mix, trapped in a car. The temperature was 88 degrees with a heat index of 103, and the car's owner was gone.

You may have found yourself in Rayne’s situation before. Many pet parents believe that cracking a window is enough to keep their dogs cool in the car while they make a quick pit stop—but they couldn’t be more wrong. "Automobile temperatures can very quickly rise to dangerous levels; the average temperature increase in a parked car is 40 degrees, and the majority of this increase occurs in the first 15 to 30 minutes," says Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. When it’s 80 degrees outside, your car will be a staggering 114 degrees after 30 minutes!

Worse still, dogs can’t cool themselves down as easily as people, and once they overheat, they can suffer extensive organ damage or die. Luckily, Rayne made all the right moves. Follow her lead by taking these simple steps.

Step 1: Try to Locate the Pet Parent
Roxie’s people were nowhere in sight, so Rayne called mall security, who tried to find Roxie’s family through the loudspeaker. (You can ask most stores to do this.)

Step 2: Educate
Rayne couldn’t find Roxie’s pet parents, but if you do, explain the dangers of leaving a pet in a hot car. Make sure the pet gets out of the car as soon as possible.

Step 3: Call 911
Fourteen states have enacted specific laws that protect dogs in hot cars, as have many municipalities—but even in places lacking such a law, leaving an animal in a hot car may constitute cruelty.

Rayne and the mall security officers dialed 911. When the police pulled Roxie from the steamy vehicle, she was very ill but soon on the road to recovery.

Step 4: Pat Yourself on the Back
Pets are counting on people like you to save their lives. Rayne rescued Roxie just in time, and she made a full recovery! And according to the Mankato Free Press, the pet-sitter who left Roxie in the car was charged with a petty misdemeanor.

summer in Florida ... life is good

2011-07-27T10:01:00.005-04:00

After Buddy's (wonderful!) appointment at the clinic (see my previous post), I had lab work to do ... so I didn't have time for our traditional celebratory visit to Sonic. Instead, I stopped at a McD's drive-thru to grab one of these yummies:

Have you tried their smoothies? They're pretty awesome (better than I've had at some smoothie shops!), especially at only $2.50 for a small. The mango-pineapple flavor actually rivals the smoothies I enjoyed in Hawaii, yes they're that good! One of summer's simple pleasures....

I hope that you're enjoying summer. The sometimes oppressive heat aside, I love summer here in Florida! ... the water's nice & warm for swimming (I'm a whimp when it comes to water that's colder than 80 degrees F!), the days are longer, the sun's even brighter, the scent of fresh-cut grass wafts in the air, daily late afternoon thunderstorms are "like clockwork", and it means getting some new sandals (found these sparkly beauties at Target on clearance, and they're 100% non-leather (you know my policy!) ... what a find!):

Sal and I have been spending a lot of time outdoors, savoring summer. Last week, we went for a nighttime nature walk led by a naturalist at Green Cay Nature Center. They hold them only once a month, and they book-up immediately, so I was lucky to finally get us in! Before the stroll through the wetlands, she gave a mini-lecture on the ecosystem there, and introduced us to the cutest little owl named Oliver. We got to meet him up close (this photo was not zoomed, yes I was that close to him!):

(Owls blink very often, so I was glad to get a shot with his eyes open ... apparently he caters to the paparazzi, LOL). He's only about 4 or 5 inches tall, and was rescued and rehabilitated after being hit by a car (he needed a wing amputated, poor thing). Now, he calls the GC Nature Center home. So precious!

We enjoyed a lovely nature walk along the wetlands boardwalk and saw birds roosting for the night, and used flashlights to capture the "eye shine" of various other creatures....their eyes shine in the dark! Alligators have a red eye shine; I kept scanning the water surface with my flashlight and spotted a couple gators lurking in the pitch black night. Eerie, but very cool !!

And of course, what's summer without trips to the BEACH ?! It's one of my favorite places to enjoy some of my favorite things ... sun, sand, surf, swimming & Sal. {wink} Our beach has a sign that's updated daily by the lifeguards... they post the ocean temp, swimming conditions, etc. And last weekend, they added a note, "life is good" (lower right). Made me smile! :-)

Hope you're enjoying summer and that "life is good"! :-)

Susan

a great day for Buddy !!

2011-07-26T21:53:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Buddy had an important visit to the cancer clinic. Sal and I were nervous; I had a stomach ache from worry. It was time for his oncologist to evaluate if he could indeed stop chemotherapy treatment, and also to take X-rays of his lungs and lymph nodes to verify that they're cancer-free.

And the answers were all GREAT news !! Buddy is DONE with chemo, his lung X-rays were CLEAR, and his bloodwork and other tests came back with GOOD results!

We are SO thankful, and relieved for Buddy. He's happy and seems to feel very good, playful and mischievous ... despite having arthritis and cataracts.

We love our Buddy, and he is a survivor, a MIRACLE !! Yay Buddy!

He goes to the clinic every 2 months, but never forgets exactly where they keep their GIANT treat bowl, and he's transfixed by it ... so cute! ;-)

Gee, I wish my doctor would have treats waiting for me when I go for an appointment, LOL !! How about a tray of cupcakes at the reception desk? Or a candy jar in the exam room? mmm......

Susan

the Class of 1986

2011-07-23T23:12:00.000-04:00

Hey there & happy weekend!

Hope you're staying cool ... whew, baby it's HOT outside! I've been cooling off in one of my favorite places on earth ... my pool !! I love summer! :-)

So we got back from Greece and I was swamped with catching-up on everything.... a month's worth of mail, work at the lab, B&A's vet appts, etc etc ... PLUS ...I had to get ready for my 25th high school reunion! I hadn't decided to attend until during our trip, which meant that when I got home I had only ONE WEEK to buy a new dress (and of course dangly bling-y sparkly earrings to go with it!), get my hair done, and all that. Yikes, no pressure right?!? Ladies - you understand! But, with the help of my Mom (thanks!), I found the perfect "little black dress" and gorgeous earrings. My dress was styled with layers of black lace, very sophisticated ... with the perfect smattering of shiny beads and sequins, for sparkle. And I added some whimsical sparkle with glitter toes...of course!

I loved wearing my new dress and felt so pretty all evening! Sal was my "date" ... and looked so handsome, dapper. How wonderful to walk in with him on my arm! I had a really fun time, meeting up with old friends, reminiscing, seeing my old school colors of orange & green....and hearing my maiden name again, it had been a while!

me & Kay:

Amy, me, Jill & Jody:

me & Eric:

Amy, Eric, me & Valerie:

me & Jeff (who was working in the jewelry store where we bought my engagement ring ... back in 1989):

some of us gals dancing the night away:

Our group photo... unfortunately, this isn't quite everyone who attended...I later realized that not everyone joined in the group photo for some reason??? (that's me third from the right, front row):

The attendance was a kinda low, not sure why? perhaps because of the economy? It was no doubt an expense...the tickets, new attire, travel...but worth it, especially since I didn't attend my 20th. The event was held at a pretty hotel and was spread over 2 evenings; the first was a meet-and-greet with casual dress and snacks. The second evening was formal, with a sit-down dinner, cocktail attire, and dancing (all 80's music... oh, the memories!).

And speaking of music....Lionel Richie was a huge star while I was in high school, and I still love his songs. His duet Endless Love is extra special, it was the song that Sal and I danced to at our wedding. Because the DJ was playing some Lionel already, he snuck in Endless Love and said that it was by "special request" from guess who? Yep, Sal ... MY endless love. We had the dance floor all to ourselves for it. {romantic} and it elicited a huge awwww from the people around us.....

Overall, a lovely & memorable evening ... already looking forward to my 30th HS reunion!

Enjoy the weekend,

Susan

it's Leah's special day!

2011-07-19T08:06:00.001-04:00

Happy 11th birthday today to our niece, Leah !! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

We wish you a day full of FUN & SMILES, Leah! :-)

Love,
Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

terrific news for B & A !!

2011-07-16T11:27:00.003-04:00

Whew, my head has been spinning since we got back home ... lots to catch-up on at home and in the lab... still trying to catch my breath!

But I wanted to stop and share what a WONDERFUL week Buddy & Aruba had !! On Thursday, Buddy took his FINAL dose of chemo! YAY for Buddy! We all hugged and celebrated. He's doing so well, and we're SO thankful. Later this month, his oncologist will take lung X-rays to continue monitoring him ... always such a scary time, but we're hopeful.

And this week we took Aruba for some follow-up with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. She has a nodule in her spleen, poor thing, and we're monitoring it ... however, the specialist did another ultrasound and is not concerned because it doesn't appear to be enlarging appreciably, does not appear diseased, and Aruba has no symptoms. She's as playful and energetic as ever, sweet angel !! And the antioxidants that she's taking for her liver seem to really be helping. Again, we're SO thankful !!

Here's Aruba peeking out the back car window on the way to the vet: For their safety, we don't ride around with the windows down ... but we were stopped at a light and I could tell that she wanted to peek outside, so I lowered the window and then caught a cute view of her from my car's side mirror.

I'll be back soon with pics and details of my 25th high school reunion (it was FUN ... and another reason that I've been busy!) ... oh, and Greece too, promise! I haven't forgotten! Thank you everyone for asking to see the pics and for being so excited. Love my blog readers! :-)

Enjoy the weekend,

happy birthday America!

2011-07-04T19:20:00.001-04:00

We're at the beach ... gorgeous night here in Delray Beach ... the barge is getting ready for fireworks! Love this tradition !!

Happy 4th,

Susan
Sent from my iPhone

Greek yummies

2011-06-30T09:57:00.000-04:00

I guess Sal can tell that I'm missing Greece!

He went grocery shopping yesterday and surprised me with these Greek delights... thanks sweetie!

I remember after the first time we got home from Hawaii, he had a fresh yellow plumeria lei (my favorite!) shipped home to me from the islands. Sal is always so thoughtful.....

Susan

back to reality....

2011-06-29T07:58:00.000-04:00

Hi there! A quick mid-week post ... we're back home, back to campus, and back to reality after our fabulous whirlwind trip! We miss Greece, but it's great to be home too. We had a great visit with my parents when we got back to Florida, and it was so terrific to be reunited with Buddy & Aruba too, we missed our precious angels. They had such fun at "Camp Grandma & Grandpa" and didn't want to leave !!

Back home, we see the problems in Greece festering on live TV news feeds. Sal and I walked and rode in taxis along this street many times while in Athens (that's the Parliament Bldg in the upper right): The country does have economic problems, some were clearly visible... vacant storefronts and abandoned businesses everywhere, never-completed construction projects, hotels struggling to fill rooms, protests, rallies, strikes, 20% unemployment. Very sad. The country is in my thoughts as they try to cope with these difficult issues. The Greek people were so warm and welcoming to us, and we wish them a bright future. If you're considering a visit to Greece, please do not let the unrest there discourage you. Simply avoid spending a lot of time in Athens, where most of the commotion occurs. And while strikes can be disruptive and sometimes affect operations (ferries, banks, etc) country-wide, they generally last only a day or two. You can work around them (we did). Greece is too wonderful to miss! Hopefully, our euros helped stimulate their economy in some small way (I did my best by shopping, LOL)!

I'll be back soon with pics and details of our journey ... after I get caught-up at home/work, and yes, sorting thru 1,000+ photos! I'm also getting ready to attend my 25th high school reunion (where did the time go?) ... thankfully, I already found a perfect new "little black dress" to wear! Thanks Mom!

Susan

"yassas" to Greece....

2011-06-23T17:04:00.000-04:00

Just a quickie post from here in Athens on our final night in Greece. Heading back to Florida, saying good-bye (yassas) to Greece ... for now! Sal and I have loved it here, and we'll definitely be back!

Things are relatively calm in Athens tonight, protest-wise, so we spent our final evening enjoying a relaxing Greek dinner on a rooftop taverna looking up at the Parthenon, all while listening to live (and lively!) Greek music. Opa! Such a treat! It was the same taverna where we had our very first meal in Greece.... we came full-circle. Then we took a stroll back to our hotel through our "neighborhood", The Plaka (the most ancient part of Athens), to enjoy this night-time view of the Acropolis/Parthenon from our hotel's rooftop terrace:

Such a lovely way to wrap-up our stay in fabulous Greece! I will miss it here.....

Lots of pics and details of our journey coming soon....as always, thanks for joining me along the way!

Time to pack !!

Enjoy the weekend,
Susan

heavenly Greece

2011-06-20T23:00:00.001-04:00

Our time in beautiful Greece is winding down ... my guidebook is tattered and worn, and my Grecian blue pedicure needs refreshing from all the walking, hiking, swimming, shopping (LOL). Signs of another exciting destination well-explored!

Next, we're heading to northern Greece for our final adventure, visiting The Meteora. Can't wait to see the up-in-the-air monasteries amidst the spectacular geology....

More soon,

Susan

congratulations to Sal !!!

2011-06-19T17:02:00.000-04:00

Hello (yassas!) from the island of Hydra, Greece! Our hotel room opens onto this pretty garden terrace:

We've been so on-the-go that I haven't had a chance to share some wonderful news ... effective in August, Sal has been informed by the President of FAU that he will be promoted to the highest rank of professorship! From "Associate Professor" to "Full Professor", often abbreviated as simply "Professor". CONGRATULATIONS, sweetheart !!! :-) I'm so proud of you !!!

This honor is so well-deserved ... Sal is such a dedicated, hard-working, and talented chemistry professor and researcher!

So nice to be able to celebrate this incredible achievement while here in beautiful Greece.....

Susan

you go girls !!

2011-06-18T17:24:00.003-04:00

Saudi Women Defy Driving Ban

So proud of their incredible COURAGE !!

Grecian blue toes!

2011-06-17T11:29:00.000-04:00

sweet !!

2011-06-17T03:31:00.000-04:00

Enjoyed a totally yummy Greek treat last night ... loukoumades! ... piping hot, deep-fried dough pastry. The traditional Greek topping for them is honey + walnuts, or even sesame seeds (a Greek fave), but I opted for powdered sugar. I'll be getting more of these sweet orbs of delight today for sure !!!

Susan

strike 2 !

2011-06-15T01:44:00.001-04:00

Hello from lovely Nafplion, Greece!

As you can see from my previous post, I can blog directly from my iPhone, which is great for sharing glimpses and snippets of our journey until I have a chance to prepare full blog posts.

Today Greece is largely on strike :-(
The Parliament is passing economic austerity measures and the people are upset. While most of the commotion is in Athens, the effects are country-wide ... no ferry service, and archeological sites are closed for 24 hours. There was also supposed to be an air-traffic controller strike, but that was called-off. Good thing for everyone flying into, out of, and within Greece!

This is the 2nd strike since we arrived. We had ferry tickets booked to go to Santorini, but because of a reported dock workers strike, I bought last-minute flights to get to the island instead. Wonder if I can get my ferry $$$ back?

Strikes are all part of the Greek travel experience, I suppose....

More soon,

Susan
Sent from my iPhone

Greece is the word

2011-06-13T19:11:00.000-04:00

Sal and I are having an amazing time in Greece, we love it here! Just trying to dodge a bit of protests and strikes tho. :-(

The Acropolis & Parthenon in Athens were amazing, so glad to finally see them in person.

Visited Santorini and savored every minute on that stunning island...the view from our hotel room's veranda left me speechless!

Now we're back on the mainland, in the charming town of Nafplion... luscious bougainvillea everywhere, providing shade to tables at quaint tavernas.

Thanks for stopping by ... more pics & details soon as we continue our journey through Greece....

Susan
Sent from my iPhone

Eat. Pray. Love to Travel.....

2011-06-06T18:04:00.002-04:00

"You don't speak Italian with your mouth, you speak it with your hands."
---from Eat Pray Love

Well, finally.... hello! Or make that yassas! since we've now arrived in incredible Athens! Already caught our first glimpse of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis... spectacular!

But first ... we made a couple of stops on our way here, so I'll post a bit about those. I plan to blog from the road as we continue our odyssey through Greece tho. I think the frequency will depend more on my energy level than on my internet connectivity, LOL. So far, we've had great WiFi access, but as much as I enjoy sharing, most nights I'm just too wiped. And please forgive typos or any photos that aren't 100% edited....

Anyway ... our journey began with a few days in Philadelphia ... the City of Brotherly Love was just that! Sal and his brother Paul got a chance to visit and catch-up. And Paul's sweet family, his wife Ruth and daughters Gina & Dana, were such hospitable and generous hosts. Ruth even put together a "goodie bag" for me containing my favorite snacks and some travel-themed scrapbooking supplies, OMG! how thoughtful was that??? Thank you so much, Ruth, I'm enjoying some of those Skittles right now! They sure showed us a good time, including a stop at their neighborhood Philly pretzel store ... OMG, so authentic and yum yum yum!

I went with Sal, Paul, and Maria (Sal's cousin) on a day-trip to New York City, we had a blast! Maria & I bought tickets 6 months ago to see Mamma Mia! on Broadway, it was spectacular! The Winter Garden Theater was so elegant. Our seats were on the orchestra level, 2nd row, center....awesome!Maria & I both loved the movie (which we also saw together back when it was in the theater), but the live show was so full of energy, very entertaining.

And of course we had to indulge in some NYC pizza....

We purposely planned to be in Philly for the Memorial Day weekend so that we could attend the annual Lepore Family picnic/reunion. So Sal got to see lots and lots of la famiglia, all at once!Sal and his cousin, Gioelle:

Sal's Aunt Mary & Uncle Roy:

Sal's Uncle Samuele playing the accordion while his Aunts Tina, Lidia, and Michelle sang Italian songs:

Sal and his cousin Danny ... don't they look alike? they both have such strikingly beautiful eyes!

Me with Sal's cousin Claudia (she's perhaps the most faithful reader of Where In The World? !!):

Sal's cousin Susan and her husband, Wayne (she's the owner of Susan's Decorated Sweets!):

Sal and his cousins enjoyed a friendly game of horseshoes:

Our nieces Gina & Dana:

And Gina's fun patriotic feet!I'd like to send a belated Memorial Day "thank you" to our military and their families, for their sacrifices past and present. They make our freedoms possible, including my ability to travel the world, which I so appreciate!

......A Rome With a View......

Then came the tough good-byes to everyone in Philly ...and we were off to Rome, Italy. Sal gave a seminar and met with research collaborators at the University of Rome's Chemistry Department. He had such a successful and productive visit, and his host professor invited me to join them for lunch. That's so like the Italians ... even in business: include the family and take time to get to know one another over a meal.

Our hotel (actually a charming guest house) was Relais Maddalena and our big window opened onto the quaint Piazza Maddalena. Here's a quickie video tour of the piazza from our window:

And if you loved the Eat Pray Love book and/or movie, you'll be interested to know that the author's favorite gelato shop, Il Gelato di San Crispino, was right outside our window! Apparently, EPL fans show up there clutching copies of the book, wanting to check it out. And our hotel owner remembers seeing Julia Roberts and the film crew in Rome. And like Julia's character in the movie, my jeans were starting to feel a bit tight from all the Italian treats. {wink}

Some more glimpses of Italian gastronomic delights:

(that's raspberry gelato I'm eating ... OK, I also had lemon, mango, banana....who can resist?)

We had some time to stroll around the city too. This was our 3rd visit to Rome, so we've been to all the famous "biggies" already ... the Vatican, the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, etc. With work to do at the University, we didn't have much time for sightseeing, and that was OK ... we just enjoyed taking in the vibe of daily Roman life. We did, however, make a point of re-visiting one of our favorite places in Rome, the Trevi Fountain.It's a spectacular work of art; the incredibly detailed sculpture appears to be oozing from the hulking mass of marble. When you visit Rome, be sure to visit La Fontana di Trevi in both the daytime and at night....it's lit up beautifully and is so romantic! And don't forget to toss a coin over your shoulder to assure that you'll come back to Rome...we did!

A few more glimpses of Rome:

Hangin' with Rome's finest....

Dinner with local Romans:

The Spanish Steps:

Since gas is the equivalent of $8 (U.S.) per gallon in Italy, there are scooters galore!...(that's the Pantheon in the background):

I really gave my Italian language skills (if you want to call them that?) a workout this visit! I'm getting better, I can feel myself improving since our first visit to Italy back in 2000. Sal is fluent, but I summoned the courage to order our meals, buy postage stamps, even hold short conversations. A taxi driver even complimented my Italian, I was beyond thrilled! But at times, I'd start a conversation and the Italian resident would reply SO rapidly, or with an accent that I'm not accustomed to, and I was a total deer-in-the-headlights. A blank stare ... Non capisco, mi dispiace. I've got some more learning to do! Or maybe I just need to wave my hands around more when I talk ??

Whenever I travel, I really make an effort to become a "temporary local", to open my mind to new ways of thinking and living. But I have to admit that in Italy, and elsewhere in Europe, I really miss having a COLD beverage! OMG, they never use ice! They serve soda, sparkling water, etc. ever-so-slightly chilled or even at room temperature. I just can't get used to it !!(I've heard Italians complain that when they visit the U.S., the restaurants put so much ice in drinks ... so I guess it's whatever you're used to). But after a long, often hot day here, I really crave throwing back a cold Coke. So, my polite requests for ice (vorrei un Coca-Cola con molto ghiaccio, per piacere) were often met with a waiter's curious wince (why do you want that?)...to say that Italians are expressive is an understatement! Then he'd go off somewhere (not sure why, but sometimes it takes a while to locate some ice --- perhaps they're chipping it out of a freezer that needs defrosting? LOL)...finally returning with my cubes of frozen delight "presented" in a pretty bowl with a spoon. As if it's a dessert! Makes me chuckle every time .......

We saw a scary incident while in Rome...it began to rain, the cobblestone streets were slippery, and a woman fell off her scooter while turning a corner. We ran over and Sal lifted the scooter off of her and I moved it out of the road while he helped her get up. She seemed OK, her ankle was sore though. A waiter from a nearby restaurant came running out with an ICE pack for her ankle ... go figure! I'm still wondering where they found that ice so quickly ??? ....kinda funny!

Not sure that I've ever mentioned how I love to wear what I call my "travel jewelry" ... my dual timezone watch (that I bought in Venice 11 years ago, LOVE it!). With a quick glance, I can see what time it is wherever in the world I am, and back in Florida. And my lira coin charm bracelet (the lira is no longer the currency of Italy; instead, they're using the euro, so my bracelet is quite a conversation piece):

I'm missing Buddy & Aruba terribly ... but I know that they're having fun at "Camp Grandma & Grandpa", LOL. I hear that their fur got a nice brushing this morning. XOXO to them!

While in Athens, Sal gave another seminar and discussed his research with the chemistry professors at the University of Athens. Tonight we talked all about his wildly successful day on campus while lingering over a delicious Greek dinner. Before we arrived at the restaurant, I looked-up how to say "ice" in Greek....

Ciao,

Susan

Mother's Day

2011-05-16T09:07:00.002-04:00

OMG, I'm so behind on EVERYTHING ... including posting about our Mother's Day celebration, which was more than a week ago now. Lately, I just don't know how time keeps slipping away from me?!?

Anyway ... Sal and I and Buddy and Aruba spent an extended weekend with our Moms to celebrate their special day! And since I'm a "Dog Mom", even I got special treatment! My Mom made me her fabulous cocoa logs, my favorite cookies EVAH !! And Buddy & Aruba "wrote" a sweet card to me (thanks Sal, *wink*). Woof!

We treated my Mom to a dozen gourmet cookies, custom-made by Sal's cousin, who owns Susan's Decorated Sweets. They were gorgeous ... and delicious! And we all went to a park on the water to enjoy Mother's Day breakfast together and watch dolphins play.

Sal cooked his Mom a special pasta lunch (it was yummy!), and the 3 of us enjoyed it together. She's a Dog Mom too, to cute little Noel.
Hope all the Moms out there enjoyed a special day!

And now another whirlwind week begins ... including preparing for our next big adventure! Stay tuned to see Where In The World we are! I'll be posting pics taken with our new camera --- I'm finally stepping into the world of digital SLR! Just got myself a Canon Rebel XS, supposedly a great camera for SLR newbies ... I've gotta get practicing with it! Over the years, I've taken some great shots with our point-and-shoot, and even my iPhone camera, but I'm excited at the new possibilities, and taking my photography to the next level.

Have a great week ahead,

it's Paul's special day!

2011-04-27T08:25:00.000-04:00

Happy birthday today to Sal's brother, Paul ! He lives in Philadelphia, PA.

We wish you a day of fun, smiles, and happy memories Paul !! :-)

Love,
Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

congratulations, Sal !!!!

2011-04-26T09:46:00.001-04:00

Last week, Sal and I attended a ceremony where he was presented with an award ... he is the 2011 FAU College of Science's Associate Professor "Researcher of the Year" !!!! The Dean of the College of Science presented him with a plaque (and a check!).Congratulations, sweetheart! He's such a dedicated and hard-working professor and researcher, so this is very well-deserved honor! Love you, Sal !! :-)

And more good news ... (most) of Aruba's cytology report came back from the pathologist and is looking positive! We are relieved, and so happy! Neither her liver nor the nodule in her spleen appear to be cancerous. Her liver, however, is somewhat abnormal with inflammation. She is now taking a powerful liver antioxidant that her veterinarians believe will help heal her liver substantially. We'll have more bloodwork done in a month to monitor the health of her liver. Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and concern for our precious Aruba!

Aruba update

2011-04-15T08:24:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone and thank you SO much for your thoughts and prayers for Aruba! So appreciated!

We were able to quickly get an appointment with an Internal Medicine veterinary specialist yesterday. She evaluated all of the many blood tests Aruba has had, examined her, and did an ultrasound. The news is a bit mixed, but is more positive than negative ... as best that she can tell, Aruba's pancreas is HEALTHY !!! It's her liver and possibly spleen that appear to have some complications, to what degree it's still uncertain. I say "as best that she can tell" because the pancreas is very difficult to see in an ultrasound, I guess it's buried behind other organs/tissue??... but she said that she and another specialist took a close look and since the tissue, fat, etc. that surrounds the pancrease is not inflamed or anything, then the pancreas itself must be fine. Apparently, if the pancreas were diseased, the surrounding area would be, too.

During the ultrasound, she noticed that Aruba's liver looks a bit abnormal, and that her spleen has a nodule in it. So, she took cell samples from both (through a tiny, fine needle) and sent them to a pathologist. Hopefully, everything is benign. {more waiting}

Apparently the organs in the digestive system --- liver, pancreas, spleen, intestines --- are all so interconnected in their function, that when one is abnormal, it can actually show up in blood tests that another organ is instead (or too). The vet admitted that it's a frustrating and challenging part of her specialty.

Overall, she said Aruba seems quite healthy, and that maybe her liver needs support with antioxidant supplements and monitoring. We'll also be watching that nodule in her spleen. We're relieved, but cautiously optimistic until the analyses of the cell samples come in....

On a lighter note, Aruba was such a trooper ... I'm sure she didn't like having her belly shaved ... and she apparently wasn't willing to lay still for the ultrasound, so they gave her a sedative. She looked adorably "stoned" afterwards! It made her more goofy than usual, LOL! She's so precious.

Enjoy the weekend,

Aruba

2011-04-13T10:06:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a difficult day....

Over the past 3 months, our sweet Aruba has had a series of blood tests, each more specialized than the last, trying to get to the bottom of why some of her digestive system values are elevated. And yesterday more definitive results came in, and her veterinarian diagnosed her with pancreatitis!

We are so heartbroken. :-(

What's most confusing is why she has it? We just don't know... I guess as with anything medical, it's complicated. Typically, it occurs in dogs who are fed "cheap" dog food full of junky filler ingredients. But this has not at all been Aruba's diet! She and Buddy have always eaten a high-quality, premium, organic, vegetarian dog food. And no table scraps. And only low-calorie, nutritious veggie treats. It could be that it's a metabolic or biochemical cause. Hopefully, we'll get more answers as we dig deeper into this.

Thankfully, she has no symptoms so hopefully we've caught it early. What's so scary though is the vet's assessment that it's "chronic", and that pancreatitis can often flare-up seemingly overnight into a terribly painful and dangerous medical condition.

We're hoping that with careful management, we can conquer this disease! We've already made an appointment with an Internal Medicine veterinary specialist (actually, she's at the same clinic where Buddy had his cancer surgery --- they have TONS of specialty veterinary expertise there!). We'll also have a veterinary nutritionist evaluate how to appropriately modify Aruba's diet. Apparently, pancreatitis patients need to be on an extremely low-fat diet.

I was up crying most of the night. Now BOTH of my precious angels have been stricken by disease, it's overwhelming. I love them so much!

nature's eye candy

2011-04-11T15:01:00.002-04:00

Hi there, happy Monday ... hope you enjoyed the weekend?

Mine was OK, aside from my totally FRAYED nerves from the endless hours of noise blaring from my neighbor's too-loud radio ... this wasn't the first time by far, so we spoke to him about it ... I'm sure hoping that it won't continue! So incredibly inconsiderate ... I guess some people really don't care that others want to enjoy their weekends off, too??

To unwind, Sal and I took a nature walk yesterday evening at Green Cay Wetlands. It's one of our favorite ways to relax, savoring the tranquility and Florida's natural beauty. Saw some baby wildlife too ... spring has sprung! And Mother Nature treated us to this spectacular sunset!

What a nice way to bid farewell to a day.....

Have a great (and peaceful) week,

sweet !!

2011-04-04T10:22:00.003-04:00

Do you love cookies? (and who doesn't ?!)

Want some gorgeous, delicious custom-made cookies?

Look no further! (and prepare to be tempted!)

Sal's cousin (also a "Susan") in southern New Jersey (near Philadelphia), can make your cookie dreams come true with her Susan's Decorated Sweets biz. Just e-mail her at wseaton@comcast.net, or call or text her at 609.634.7487 and specify what color, shape, quantity you'd like and voila! ... the gourmet works of sugar-y art will be delivered or shipped.

Susan's a Wilton Method Cake Instructor, plus she worked in her parents' Italian & Swiss bakery, so she has had top-notch training!

Her cookies were recently featured at a local boutique's Vera Bradley summer product launch & display... they coordinated with the floral patterns on the new VB purses ... check out Susan's adorable purse cookies for this event!

Cookies are a fun & festive addition to any occasion or party or event ... think upcoming holidays ... Easter, springtime garden parties, christenings, Mother's Day, graduations, birthdays, bridal showers. Or maybe just because you have a sweet tooth! Or even if you're addicted to your iPhone !

OMG how cute are those ??!!! There's no app for that, LOL !!

I've already placed an order!

Congratulations, Susan! I know you will have lots of sweet success! :-)

family ties

2011-04-02T14:52:00.003-04:00

Hi there and happy April, happy weekend!

First a BIG 'thank you' to everyone who e-mailed and called me asking about Buddy's recent check-up at the cancer clinic --- thank you so much for your concern and thoughts! He is doing so well, and we are so thankful !!! Our precious angel! His oncologist has cut back his chemo dosage even more ... to every 4 days now, yay! He's contending with some normal aging issues tho, a heart murmur and cataracts. And arthritis, but ironically it's greatly eased by the anti-inflammatory meds he takes along with his chemo (apparently cancer "needs" inflammation in order to grow, so oncologists prescribe anti-inflammatories). Plus, he takes a joint supplement (and gets backrubs!), so overall he's comfortable and has a lot of mobility, still jumps on and off the sofa. And as best we can tell, he suffers little or no pain from the arthritis.

Sal and I had a nice weekend visit with my parents ... we enjoyed a lovely breakfast at an outdoor cafe at the Don CeSar Beach Resort, that magnificent "pink palace" on St. Pete Beach. Love it there! My Mom and I both ordered this delish tropical fruit plate with banana-macadamia nut bread (I loved that coconut-covered banana!):

Afterwards, we enjoyed a walk along the spectacular beach together under the Florida sun. Another nice family memory!

congrats T&H !!

2011-03-30T10:26:00.000-04:00

Happy 11th anniversary today to my sister Theresa and her husband Heince!

We wish you a fun & romantic day! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

it's Heince's special day!

2011-03-29T08:05:00.003-04:00

Happy birthday today to my sister's husband, Heince! He lives in Clearwater, Florida.

We wish you a day of happiness & smiles, Heince! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

a mixed-emotions-Monday

2011-03-21T07:57:00.001-04:00

I got up early today (as usual) ... but this time I popped the TV on right away so that I could catch the debut of my fave scrapbooking designer, Heidi Swapp, on HSN !!

What fun ... Heidi was presenting one of her most gorgeous collections, Parisian Anthology. Didn't order it --- I already own it, LOL !!!

This is just the kind of happy distraction that I needed this morning because later today Buddy has a check-up at the cancer clinic. Always such a nervous time, my stomach is in knots! We're hoping and praying that he's still doing well.....

you had me at aloha

2011-03-20T00:03:00.000-04:00

Time and life have just been flying by lately, what is going on? Days go by so fast that sometimes my head is spinning! But I'm back to (finally) blog some more about our Hawaiian journey a few months back, the middle third of our trip ... in Honolulu on the island of Oahu.

But first I want to send my thoughts and prayers to the people (and animals!) of Japan ... the suffering caused by the triple tragedies of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear threat is unimaginable!! I was able to reach my friend Kyoko, in Tokyo, shortly after the earthquake, and she and her family are thankfully safe. But she tells me of the ongoing trauma there, including numerous daily aftershocks, and the emotional impact that the disaster is having on the residents of her country. Please know that so many of us around the world are sending our best to you, Japan!

Now to somehow transition to thoughts of paradise....

We began our visit to Hawaii on Maui (my February 3 post), then headed to Oahu for Sal to present his research at Pacifichem 2010 in Honolulu. It's a huge conference attended by about 12,000 chemists (!!!) from all over the Pacific Rim ... Japan, China, Korea, Fiji, Thailand, and many other countries ... it was very exciting and professionally rewarding for him!

And, with the conference being held in paradise, we of course got to enjoy the Land of Aloha all the while. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village ... it is indeed a "village", complete with restaurants & shops (like the adorable Blue Ginger boutique, where I loved browsing):

It's almost a little city within Honolulu, and is very "flip-flop-friendly" being right on a beautiful stretch of Waikiki Beach. Our room was way up on the 27th floor of the Rainbow Tower, with a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean and the Diamond Head volcano from our balcony:

Knowing that I'm in love with wearing leis while in Hawaii, Sal surprised me with a "lei-a-day" delivery to our room while we were in Honolulu! How sweet is that??? OMG, it was such a TREAT !!! Each morning, another of Sal's gorgeous "flower hugs" arrived, wrapped in a matching ribbon. I was such a HAPPY girl !!!!! And oh the scents ... fragrant plumeria, orchids, tuberose ... I wish my blog had a scratch-n-sniff option, LOL !!! No need for perfume when you're wearing a lei, that's for sure !! The final lei was red, green, and white since it was so close to Christmas Day. Thank you, sweetheart, for this extra special memory! I love you!

We didn't really go far from the resort, just did some walking around the city when Sal wasn't busy attending conference sessions. We've been to Oahu before, and on past visits we drove all around the island, enjoyed its stunning coastlines, visited the somber Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, and saw the famous giant waves on the North Shore. So this time, we just enjoyed the beach and the resort amenities, relaxing. I found it comical to sometimes see chemists heading to the beach instead of toward the conference center ... I could tell because they were using their Pacifichem tote as a beach bag, LOL! ;-)

I had some fun with resort activities, like a lei-making class, where I learned to make a traditional lei, plus a gorgeous flower and fern wristlet (called a haku lei).

We made sure to enjoy breakfast at our favorite beachside restaurant in Honolulu, the Hau Tree Lanai. It's nestled beneath its namesake tree, and is literally at the edge of the sand. It's a special place for us ... it was the first place we dined the night we arrived in Hawaii for the first time back in 1998, and it was magical !! This time, I had coconut-mango pancakes (yum!) and (very fresh) pineapple, of course!

I didn't blog much while in Hawaii, in part because I wasn't feeling my best, fighting a cough the whole time, such a shame! This became my constant companion throughout Hawaii.....
So, as a coping mechanism (wink, wink), I booked an appointment at the Spa Halekulani just down the beach from our hotel. They had something on their treatment menu that seemed tailor-made for someone in my condition, Polynesian Steam Therapy ... a massage of the upper back/respiratory area that was accompanied by light steam to fight congestion. Ahhh...finally, some relief! Perfect Polynesian pampering in paradise! I remember feeling SO much better afterwards ... and walked back to our hotel along the beach under the Waikiki sun. But I cringed as I walked past the surfing lessons that I had planned to sign-up for, but was just too weak.....oh well, next time!

Another really fun thing about our resort was that they had LOTS of talented, live Hawaiian entertainment ... especially at night in the bars, but during the day, since it was the holiday season, they had kids from local schools putting on shows in the beautiful open-air lobby. I just had to share a clip (38 seconds) with you:

I absolutely love hula, it's one of my favorite types of dance to watch. Such an expressive and beautiful part of the Hawaiian culture! We enjoyed more hula during an evening show at the resort ... and Sal indulged me (again) by wearing our matching aloha wear for our evening out!

I'll be back soon to share the final leg of our Hawaiian journey, the Big Island of Hawaii.

Thanks for stopping by!

happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T07:54:00.000-04:00

May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.
----Irish blessing

Have a LUCKY day! :-)

it's Angie's special day!

2011-03-14T15:13:00.000-04:00

Happy 15th birthday today to our niece, Angie! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

Wishing you a day full of fun & happy memories, Angie! :-)

Love,

Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

Atlanta was just peachy!

2011-03-10T18:32:00.000-05:00

Hi all ~

Sal and I are back from a fun visit to Atlanta! Actually, we got back to FL over the weekend, but spent some time visiting with our families this week (since it's FAU's Spring Break!) before heading home. My Mom & I got to spend some time fabric shopping together (she sews & quilts wonderfully)!

I was so glad that Sal and I could travel to Atlanta together ... while he was presenting his incredible research at prestigious Emory University, I spent time with my friend Susan (yep, a pair of scrapbooking Susans!). She invited me up to Atlanta to attend classes by scrapbooking designer Teresa Collins and they were so fab! Each one was a mini-album, packed with her just-released collections ... they are stunning! Had a blast! :-) Here are some glimpses of the fun:

Teresa is all about bling (and you know that I am too!), and our project kits were chock full of her chic line of new "blingage" (love that name!). Even her stapler is blinged-out!

Several of my pals from past Creative Escape events were there too! It was great that Sal finally got to meet them, since he doesn't go to Arizona with me when I attend CE.....from left, Lisa, Sandra, Teresa (teacher), Cheryl, Susan & me:

After landing in ATL and before heading to our lovely hotel (the Wingate), the first thing Sal and I did was take a tour of CNN's world headquarters in downtown Atlanta. I love, love current events, so it was cool to see "behind-the-scenes" of news coverage, and to watch live TV in progress. It's a big, busy place with lots going on! TV monitors were hung everywhere in the building, even the food court, and were tuned to --- what else? --- CNN.

Sal and I had fun being a CNN "news anchor team", complete with mock "copy" to read:

And before our classes got underway, Susan took me to the famous Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world with 8 million gallons of water! I especially loved learning more about their research, rehabilitation, and conservation efforts on behalf of animals.

(That's my Anna Griffin tote ... Anna's a southern girl from Atlanta and I love her sb'ing designs, so I just had to use HER bag while in Atlanta! (it was a perfect all-in-one: purse / airplane carry-on / scrapbook supply tote)

Susan and I also did our part to stimulate the Atlanta economy (LOL) by browsing sb stores that I don't have at home ... always fun! Archiver's, Hobby Lobby, and her local store, EMI Scrapbooking.

Susan ~ you were a terrific & gracious host and I had such a fun time with you, thanks again for your hospitality !! :-)

And what would a trip to Atlanta be without some Georgia peaches for breakfast, right? Yum!

Enjoy the weekend,

Georgia on my mind

2011-02-28T08:03:00.000-05:00

Hi there, hope your week is off to a great start?

I'm heading to Atlanta soon to join my friend Susan for some fab scrapbooking classes! Her local sb'ing store (owned by another Susan - so that makes 3 of us!) is hosting scrapbooking designer extraordinaire Teresa Collins for a 2-day special event filled with classes & fun! TC will be teaching 3 mini-album workshops, all with her brand-new, just-released collections, "Timeless" , "On The Edge" and "Notations"! From this pic that Teresa blogged, it looks like we have project kits filled with lots of goodies awaiting us! :-)

Susan and I have some other fun things planned too....the Georgia Aquarium, shopping, lunch....yay!

See you soon, Susan!

my big fat Greek trip!

2011-02-26T13:01:00.002-05:00

Whew, the month of February has been a total BLUR !!! So much going on.....busy, busy and some stressful days..... but some fun stuff too!

And that's part of the reason I (still) haven't blogged about the rest of our Hawaii trip ... because when I'm not working, I've been busy researching and planning our next adventure, LOL. I hinted at it in my January 13 post, and my friend Kyoko (in Japan) guessed it right away --- GREECE !!! (I was channeling my inner Homer when I gave that "odyssey" hint, LOL) Gotta dust off my passport, it's time to visit the "cradle of Western civilization"!

I must say that this has probably been one of the most challenging trips I've planned ... a real PITA (pun intended, LOL)... Greece travel websites aren't always up-to-date, some are only in Greek, etc. But I've got a grip on it now, only a bit more to plan.

Actually, it will be part of a whirlwind summer trip, starting with a huge annual Lepore family reunion picnic in Philadelphia, then we'll travel to Italy ... Sal has some business at the University of Rome. From there, we'll head to Greece where Sal will meet with research collaborators at the University of Athens. And of course, we're NOT leaving Greece until we've toured the country! So I've got lots on our itinerary for when Sal's done with his work ..... from the classic ancient sites like Delphi to the breathtaking Greek islands. OMG I am giddy!!!

(photo courtesy of Santorini.com)

And to celebrate, Sal and I are heading to a Greek Festival this weekend! Perfect timing, right? A local Greek Orthodox Church is putting on quite a shindig, complete with Greek taverna food, live Greek music, Greek dancers, the works. I hope to chat about Greece with some folks there!

See you back here soon....

Opa!

Enjoy the weekend,

it's Angela's special day!

2011-02-25T07:02:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to Sal's Mom, Angela! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

We wish you a day full of smiles & sunshine, Mom! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

XOXO

2011-02-14T00:02:00.002-05:00

Love you, Sal !!!

tire(d)

2011-02-07T08:46:00.002-05:00

Hey there, how was your weekend?

With the exception of a scary incident, we had a great one celebrating Sal's birthday! He spent time relaxing and enjoying his day (no work!). We went out for dinner at Buca di Beppo, one of our fave restaurants. Sal indulged in some delicious cannoli as a birthday treat! Doesn't he look happy??? ;-)

Then ... we were driving home on the Florida Turnpike, having a delightful conversation, when BHAM !!! at 65 mph we hit a big truck tire laying in the middle of our lane, OMG !!! It was a shock, I was stunned and shaken-up ... but kept ahold of the steering wheel and maintained control of the car. It was a dark stretch of highway, and the tire was black, on black pavement, so I didn't see it until we were practically on top of it.

We were near a toll booth, so I pulled up to let the attendant know about the tire and to get someone out there to remove it. Apparently tho, we were the 3rd car to hit it, so we pulled over with the others (and the truck that shed the tire) and called the Florida Highway Patrol. And then a 4th damaged car pulled up behind us......

Long story short ... after a couple of hours on the side of the Turnpike, FHP documented the incident and we were able to drive home. And now the fun begins ... dealing with insurance and the body shop. We're hoping there's no damage to our (practically new) car's undercarriage. BUT, annoyance aside, we are so THANKFUL that no one was hurt, it could have been a really serious accident!

So, that wasn't exactly the birthday that I had planned for my sweetheart, but all is well. Love you, Sal !!

On a more trivial note....did you watch the Super Bowl? Great game! The ads? Not so great, IMO. Most of them were lame, vapid, even morbid (I mean, using Doritos to turn grandpa's ashes back into grandpa ... really?) But I did have a couple of faves ... VW's pint-sized Darth Vader ad ("The Force" --- cute!) and Bridgestone's beaver ad (what goes around, comes around, right?).

I'll be back soon with more about Hawaii ....

Have a great week,

it's Deborah's special day!

2011-02-06T08:47:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to Sal's sister, Deborah! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

We wish you a SUPER day, Deborah! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

it's Sal's special day!

2011-02-05T08:08:00.000-05:00

Happy happy happy birthday today to my darling husband Sal !! :-)

We'll have fun celebrating the day together! I wish you a new year full of joy, smiles & happiness! You are the love of my life!

Love you,

Susan

Maui is wowee!

2011-02-03T00:49:00.000-05:00

"...Hawaii is the most sought-after postal route of them all ... where the air is so dewy sweet you don't even have to lick the stamps...."

----postal worker "Newman" on Seinfeld

Ah, finally, I'm here to share our Hawaiian journey ... hard to believe that we've been back for over a month! But with the holidays, lots of veterinary appointments, and work/stuff of life, I guess it took me this long to sort through our photos and start typing. And since I have lots to "show & tell", I'll be posting it island-by-island. Today ... our first stop ... Maui !!

Oh, and viewer discretion advised: I apologize in advance to those of you in the midst of the winter blahs! The following images of tropical paradise may offend some viewers. {wink}

We left Florida after scurrying to get everything done, like holiday gift shopping and Sal wrapping-up his fall semester. Such a dedicated professor ... he spent part of our 11+ hours in the air grading final exams! He found that more appealing than watching the in-flight chick-flick they were showing ... Eat, Pray, Love ... LOL ... I was thrilled tho!

We arrived on Maui tired, but excited! This was our third visit ... and this time we did something different -- NO exploring! I know, so unlike me and Sal, right? But we've been around the island twice before, so this time we planted ourselves at the gorgeous Four Seasons Wailea Resort and celebrated our 20th anniversary with lots of down-time and pampering! The service there is impeccable, we felt like CELEBRITIES for 6 days! One thing that I really liked about this resort is how it was posh without being "snooty". It was laid-back, casual. I don't carry a purse by designer so-and-so.....and my bathing suit is from Sears! And so what?

We were greeted in the lobby with leis, a cool drink, and happy anniversary wishes. And then got to our room and found a rose, an anniversary card, and chilled bubbly cider awaiting us in the fridge!

My fave breakfast in Hawaii -- sweet juicy pineapple, OMG so good !!!

But, our first day on Maui was, frankly, disappointing weather-wise ... lots of rain and clouds all day, ugh! The Wailea part of Maui hardly gets any rain, but I guess it waited for us to arrive? So what was a girl to do? An indoor activity ... hmmm.... the spa, of course! Lemons-to-lemonade, I say! And the Four Seasons had a SPA-some facility, no surprise!

I savored a Thai herbal massage in an oceanside "hale" (a traditional Hawaiian thatched-roof hut) ... and I must say that hearing the rain sprinkling was a nice complement to the sound of the ocean surf! ... BLISS .... I was apparently in a very relaxed stupor as I left the spa because when I met up with Sal, he pointed out that I had my shirt on inside-out!! LOL

With the rain did come some disappointment tho... we had planned a day-trip from Maui to the nearby island of Lanai (we had never been there). It was to be a beautiful sunrise ferry ride and day of island exploration in a jeep! But, it was not to be ... the rain had made Lanai's volcanic clay a total muddy mess! (it's a relatively undeveloped island, pristine ... accessible mainly via dirt roads, which became impassable, even in a jeep). Oh well, next time!

But the rain let up, and we enjoyed the rest of our stay under blue skies and the Maui sun. I even left my pool chair for a water aerobics class (that's me on the right, pretending that I'm limber):

Other than that activity, I think I may have definitely proven a law of Physics while in Maui: "a body at rest tends to stay at rest", LOL.

Every evening, there was live entertainment in the open-air lobby lounge. It was one of the things I love most about Hawaii ... hula! A solo dancer, so graceful ... and we got hooked on the nuts-and-olives snacks they served there! Such a relaxing way to unwind after a day of...um ...unwinding!

I loved walking around the resort, admiring all the tropical eye-candy! The floral arrangements, the lush landscaping, the sparkling pools, the ocean view in every direction.

The Four Seasons pays LOTS of attention to detail, and offers so many nice luxuries ... we felt SPOILED! Even the toiletries ... all kinds of big bottles of L'Occitane products (ladies -- you get it, right? French goodies? ... they have that je ne sais quoi! ... Sal didn't understand my enthusiasm ... something about them being just some soap and lotion, whatever ... LOL).

Oh, and there was nightly turn-down service....and Hawaiian music piped into our opulent marble bathroom..... OK, not sure if I can continue ... I'm tempting myself to book another trip....uh oh!

Stepping out to enjoy the resort meant more pampering! We spent a lot of time at the "Serenity Pool". Not a misnomer folks!It's a tranquil pool that's meant for quiet relaxation ... no screaming kids, no music, no cell phone conversations allowed ... nothing but peace and this ocean view! HEAVEN!

I always love to see Sal relaxing!

I couldn't get enough of the pool's "bubblers" ... not a hot tub, just a shallow "shelf" within the pool with jets shooting up ... unique! ... and a nice way to read my daily copy of The Maui News! I love perusing a local paper ... a travel journalist whose writing I love, Daisann McLane, once wrote that "...newspapers are the heartbeat of a place...". Agreed!

We indulged in some delish snacks poolside ... more olives! I sure miss those daily mango-pineapple smoothies too....

(yes, everything in Hawaii is served with a beautiful orchid!)

Poolside pampering ... may I offer you a chilled towel Mr. and Mrs. Lepore?

But wait, there's more! ... they came around the Serentity Pool with ice water, chilled pineapple, popsicles, and cleaned our sunglasses!

We celebrated our anniversary with a ROMANTIC oceanside, sunset Italian dinner at Ferraro's Ristorante...after dark, it was fabulous to eat by candlelight under the stars!

(yep, that's matching "aloha wear" that we're wearing!)

My handsome husband ... love you Sal !!!

OK, so we didn't lay around by the pool the entire time ... we got up early one morning to go out for an outrigger canoe lesson, learning to launch and how to paddle in synch....went out in the beautiful ocean for about an hour, peering into the clear water at coral and fish. We could see all the way to the bottom (about 20 feet)!
When we got back to the beach, the crew had a cooler full of -- what else? -- chilled pineapple for us!

I'll be back soon with pics of our visit to 2 other islands...."mahalo" for stopping by!

Aloha,

YAY for Buddy !!!

2011-01-26T00:02:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, it was time for our precious Buddy to get lung X-rays. So scary! ... they're looking for any cancer that has spread, or new tumors.

I'm happy to report that Buddy's X-rays were 100% CLEAR !!!

We're SO thankful !!! His bloodwork and other tests were also fine.

He's now nearly 2 years cancer-free! His oncologist is gradually reducing the amount of chemo he's on, and she anticipates that later this year he'll be able to stop chemo totally! For the first time, he's in "complete remission". OMG !!!

We dropped Sal off at campus, and then, of course, Buddy and I celebrated with a stop at Sonic on the way home, LOL! (This Dog Mom needed some junk food !!) Terry ~ thanks again for the Sonic giftcard!

Whew, it was an emotional and tiring visit to the clinic, and Buddy (and I) needed a nap afterwards:

Thanks for sharing our joy!

it's Maria's special day!

2011-01-25T08:04:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to Sal's cousin, Maria! She lives near Philadelphia, PA.

Enjoy your day, Maria! We miss you and can't wait to see you in May! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

glittery goodness

2011-01-23T09:10:00.003-05:00

Twice a year -- in January & July -- new scrapbooking products hit the marketplace and it's SO exciting ... scrapbookers are always gaga for all the new goodies!!

Yesterday I stopped in Cherry Blossom Studio and scooped up the 9 YUMMY new colors of Stickles (glitter glue), an obsession (ahem, I mean staple) in any scrapbooker's supply stash:

And with names like Tropical Tangerine, Paprika, Lagoon, and Thistle, who can resist this bling-in-a-bottle ?!?

it's Jen's special day!

2011-01-23T08:04:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday today to our sister-in-law, Jen! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

Enjoy a day full of SMILES and FUN, Jen!

:-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

it's my Grandma's special day!

2011-01-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

Happy 89th birthday today to my Grandma! She lives in Ontario, Canada.

We wish you a wonderful day and great new year ahead, Grandma! :-)

We miss you!

With love,
Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

honoring Dr. King

2011-01-17T07:37:00.001-05:00

"....I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character...."

--- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)

Today is a special and important holiday here in the United States. It's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, celebrating the ideals of equality that he fought (and so many suffered) for.

You can read the full, exact text of his famous and moving "I Have A Dream" speech HERE.

it's Tricia's special day!

2011-01-14T08:57:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to Sal's sister, Tricia! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

We wish you a day full of SMILES and happy memories, Tricia! :-)

Love,

Susan & Sal

three years ago today ....

2011-01-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

.... I published my first post here at Where In The World? !! And now today, 472 posts later, I'm celebrating my 3rd blog-a-versary!

Thanks to all of you for meeting me here so often, so faithfully! This has been an AMAZING way to stay in touch with friends/family, and to "meet" new friends around the globe. Keep those comments and e-mails coming, I love 'em!

I hope you'll keep stopping by to join me as I chat about my everyday happenings, and continue sharing my journey around the world. Speaking of ... here's a sneak peek of where in the world I'll be exploring next, or should I say where my next "odyssey" will be:

Hmm... where is that ??? ;-)

Looking forward to Year 4 with you,

Christmas fun!

2011-01-09T19:51:00.001-05:00

With memories of Hawaiian paradise fresh in my mind, it was back to the grind, back to reality, last week. You know, the (sometimes) mundane stuff of life ... taking my car for an oil change, grocery shopping, etc. What? No more nightly hula dances? No more daily mango-pineapple smoothies brought to me poolside? LOL. (Not that I'm complaining, because I have a great life to come back to here at home!) I swear tho, for the first few days after getting back I was looking for a lei to wear (a hard Hawaiian habit to break!).

We had a bit of a scare last week too ... took Aruba to the vet for "routine maintenance" (vaccinations, wellness exam, bloodwork). btw, she loves to go for rides in the car and jumps right into the driver's seat!
The vet said that one of the levels in her blood is high, and it has to do with her liver, so we need to monitor it. She said not to panic, that we'll re-check it in a few weeks. So, since Aruba has no symptoms and seems to be feeling fine, we're hoping that it's not a major health concern. Still, I'm a Dog Mom, and she's 12 ... I worry.... she's so precious to us! Here she is in her "jingle bell collar" --- it sounded so cute jingling around the house during the holidays! (and, of course, as usual, she won't look at the camera!):

So since we're already more than a week into 2011, I thought I'd get busy and post some Christmas pics ... before it's Valentine's Day!

Sal and I flew back from Hawaii on an overnight flight, arriving on Christmas Eve. Look at the message that I saw at one of the airport gates ... cute!

We enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner prepared by my Mom and sister ... Sal and I brought fresh pineapples back from Hawaii, a yummy addition to the feast.

Buddy loves to get in on the gift-opening fun too! We have to keep an eye on him ... he thinks all the gifts are for him! He'll go over to the Christmas tree and help himself and will just start ripping all the gifts open on his own!

Sal and my Mom and I have a fun Christmas tradition of going for a drive to look at Christmas lights. The neighborhood where we go every year goes all out ... nearly every house participates and has elaborate decorations. And best of all, they collect donations to support the local Hospice. How terrific is that? Even this adorable manatee mailbox got in on the fun:
My Dad had a birthday right after New Year's, so the excitement and festivity continued.

I'll be back soon to share more about our visit to Hawaii. You know how bad I am about unpacking and, yep, the suitcases are still sitting in the living room. Gotta tackle that first!

Have a great week,

Susan

it's my Dad's special day!

2011-01-02T09:48:00.002-05:00

Happy birthday today to my Dad! He lives in Seminole, Florida.

We wish you a day of SMILES and a great new year ahead, Daddy!

p.s. from B&A ~ happy birthday, Grandpa! :-)

Love,
Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

happy 2011 !!!

2011-01-01T09:36:00.001-05:00

Ah, a new year, a fresh start... we traditionally begin the new year at midnight with a "group hug". Me, Sal, Buddy, Aruba. My sweet little family!

Now it's time to hang up a new calendar ... every year I choose our wall calendar with a theme of - what else? - where we're going that year! I love to let the stunning photography of a place inspire me both before and after the journey. For 2010, we had a "hula" calendar, because it's one of my fave things about Hawaii.

So where in the world are Susan & Sal heading in 2011? Hint: this time, a passport is required, LOL. Stay tuned!

And what could be better than this? Check out this fortuitous fortune in a cookie from New Year's Eve:

So here's to a great 2011... health. happiness. fulfillment. peace. And more worldwide compassion toward animals and their vulnerable plight.

Best,

it's Dana's special day!

2010-12-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

Happy 6th birthday today to our niece, Dana! She lives in Philadelphia, PA.

We wish you a FUN day full of SMILES, Dana !! :-)

Love,

Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

2010-12-23T20:31:00.000-05:00

Well, just a handful of hours left in Hawaii now ... we're heading back to Florida on an overnight flight. And to help deal with the 11+ hours in the air, and to hopefully get some peaceful sleep, I finally bought a pair of these (I've been meaning to for a while, and Sal encouraged me to take the plunge while we were out shopping in Honolulu). I call them the "anti-coach", LOL !!

Now it's time to celebrate Christmas! Just like this fun surfin' Santa, dressed in his Hawaiian holiday finery -- an Aloha shirt and a lei ... cute!

Finally got rid of my cough after fighting it for nearly the entire trip, ugh! But, for the most part, I was able to enjoy our Hawaiian journey.

Now that I'm feeling better, there'll be lots of pics and details to come!

Mele Kelikimaka to you, which is "Merry Christmas" in Hawaiian, of course!

Aloha,

Susan

a room with a view

2010-12-17T21:23:00.000-05:00

ALOHA !!

Forgive me for not posting sooner ... we've been in Hawaii for over a week, but ... I've been SICK for part of the time! Yes, such a bummer! {sigh} It seems that the leftover cough & congestion from my pre-Hawaii flu just won't let go of me. I'm sure that the 11-hour plane ride here didn't help either.....but I'm soldiering on with most of our plans because I love it here and want to savor it!

So, just today, I have a bit of energy to blog and finally begin to share our Hawaiian journey with you. I'll have to give all the details and pics later on when I'm feeling better, but for now ... we had a memorable and romantic belated 20th anniversary celebration at the Four Seasons Resort in Maui. Sal, you're the love of my life and my best friend !!!

And now we're in Honolulu (on Oahu) for Sal's chemistry conference.

He's attending Pacifichem 2010 and will be presenting his amazing research to chemists attending from all the Pacific Rim countries ... Japan, Korea, Fiji, Thailand, China, Malaysia, and many more. Congratulations, Sal !

Doesn't that look cool (and complicated, whew!)?

And here's the view from our room, on the 27th floor of the Rainbow Tower, way up in the Waikiki sky, here at the Hilton Hawaiian Village:

Pretty stunning, right? There's no App for this, LOL. And I LOVE the beauty combined with the sound of the ocean waves (yes, the sound carries way up here! ... so does the live music, but hey I can't complain). It all sure makes up for the disappointment of being sick while visiting one of my favorite places on the planet!

I'm missing Buddy & Aruba like crazy, but I'm hearing that they're being pampered (spoiled?) by Grandma & Grandpa! ;-)

I'm off to attend a hula show tonight while Sal attends conference sessions.

Thanks for stopping by.....

More soon,

it's Ruth's special day!

2010-12-11T00:02:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to our sister-in-law, Ruth! She lives in Philadelphia, PA.

We wish you a FUN and MEMORABLE day, Ruth! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

island girl

2010-12-09T05:36:00.000-05:00

I must really love Hawaii because I didn't at all mind taking a 4:00 AM airport shuttle! {yawn} But Hawaii is oh SO worth it! I'm indulging in a Starbucks peppermint mocha (yum) ... hoping the espresso in it will help wake me up!

I miss Buddy & Aruba already !! Sweet angels.... it's so hard to say good-bye to those precious faces. It's my least favorite part of travel, for sure. But they'll be having fun at their "resort" --- Grandma & Grandpa's house! Thanks Mom & Dad for all the TLC you give them!

Just wanted to share that right now I'm giddy ... I feel like a kid waiting to go to Disney World, LOL. :-)

Bring on Hawaii !!!

Aloha,
Susan

Where In The World ... have I been?

2010-12-04T19:45:00.000-05:00

Wow, have I been M.I.A. from my blog lately, or what? I've missed blogging!

November was such a BLUR for me ... so busy with work, etc. ... it was so hard to keep up with everything because Sal and I were both fighting a nasty flu for several weeks! Neither of us could shake it! Thankfully, we're both (nearly) 100% recovered and the timing couldn't be better ... because we're off to The Land of Aloha soon!

I'm busting with excitement, I absolutely LOVE Hawaii !!! I've been anticipating this trip for months. Sal is attending a chemistry conference in Honolulu to present his incredible research. And we're extending the trip to celebrate our 20th anniversary (again) on Maui. We spent our actual anniversary day (back in August) on Amelia Island, but we want to celebrate this BIG occasion in a BIG (and super romantic) way!

Hope you'll join me here at Where In The World? as I share our journey across 4 of the magical Hawaiian islands.

Aloha,

it's Theresa's special day !

2010-11-15T07:25:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday today to my sister, Theresa! She lives in Clearwater, Florida.

We wish you a day full of smiles and happy memories, Theresa! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

Election Day!

2010-11-02T07:04:00.000-04:00

Well, the day has finally arrived ... time to cast our votes! (and an end to all those back-to-back political ads, right?)

Sal and I have a tradition of going out for breakfast after we vote. Love that!

Please be sure to head to the polls today, make your voice heard. It's a right that I treasure!

trick or treat !!!

2010-10-31T00:03:00.000-04:00

an escape worth remembering.....

2010-10-28T21:22:00.003-04:00

Whoa, I have super FUN and EXCITING news to share!

I've registered for Creative Escape 2011 !!! {insert happy dancing here}

True, it's not until August, but I wanted to secure my seat, especially since this will be the FINAL Creative Escape event {boo hoo}.

So I'm a mix of SAD and GIDDY ... sad to see this incredible event end; after all, it is the "ultimate scrapbooking indulgence" and incorporates so many things that I enjoy (scrapbooking, friends, a fancy resort, spa time!, shopping, travel, non-stop fun and surprises) ... and I'm extra GIDDY because they said they'll be "pulling out all the stops" for this last CE, and I can't wait to see what that means!?!? The CE '11 theme is "worth remembering", and I'm sure that it will be!

And to my scrapbooking pals ===> see you in Arizona !! :-)

... 42 ...

2010-10-25T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hey there! Hope you enjoyed the weekend?

I spent mine relaxing, enjoying my birthday! Seems like not long ago I was at my 40th birthday party, and now I'm a gal "in my forties", oh well. So I took an afternoon off to go to the spa ... I tried a new one ... and although I didn't love the spa facility itself (too noisy, not "tranquil" enough!), the massage was enjoyable. And although Sal has been sick with the flu (bummer!), we were able to spend some time together and celebrate a little bit.

And last week, the students who I work with in Sal's research lab thoughtfully surprised me with flowers, a balloon, and this DECADENT cake!

it's Sarah's special day!

2010-10-06T08:32:00.000-04:00

Happy 7th birthday today to our niece, Sarah! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

Have a FUN day, Sarah! :-)

Love,
Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

World Animal Week

2010-10-04T08:31:00.000-04:00

Hey there & happy Monday!

It's a new week, and an important one ... it's World Animal Week, an event celebrating the beauty of animals and bringing attention to worldwide animal suffering and the need for compassion.

Please take a moment this week to (re)consider the plight of animals in your life ... the companion animals in your home, the wild critters in your backyard, the abandoned awaiting homes at shelters, and those on your dinner plate.

And speaking of animals ... a member of the Save The Manatee Club (Terry Duncan) snapped this photo of a manatee "scratching" his back in shallow water! How precious is this? She has seen manatees in her area (near Daytona Beach, Florida) doing this from time to time. Who doesn't love a good back scratch, right? ;-)

Have a great week,

YAY for Buddy !!!

2010-09-30T18:41:00.000-04:00

Fabulous news to share!

I took Buddy for a check-up at the cancer clinic today. Everything is FINE, he is doing so well !!! We are THRILLED and so THANKFUL !!!

His doctor and the staff were glad to see Buddy so happy, active, playful. So are we!

Buddy is an inspiration to others at the clinic ... today in the waiting room we met a Dog Mom and her pooch, who was just diagnosed with leukemia, and she was beginning treatments today. She was so encouraged for her dog after hearing Buddy's story of beating cancer, and was clearly touched.

We gleefully got our seatbelts on in the car (yep, Buddy wears one too!) and went home to CELEBRATE with Aruba & Sal !! Buddy & I were so emotionally exhausted from the stress, we both needed a nap.

And this was cool ... on the way to the clinic, I was behind a car sporting this message:

LOVE IT !!!