Category: Real Personal History
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Her Husband Is Poorly: A First Walk In Yorkshire
[Grassington, Yorkshire.] We’re staying in Grassington, Yorkshire. I saw somewhere it was called the “Swiss Alps of England”. I can get the sense of that. No snow-capped peaks and Matterhorns, but the Dales are pure and English and brimming with grand vistas. There are enough walking paths to satisfy the Swiss Alpine Club, the Sierra…
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The First Full Day In Edinburgh
[The Scott Memorial being evacuated by the police.] I waited while Mariam took her shower and washed her hair. I felt like we were being delayed. We’re travelers, we don’t need showers. Tourists take showers. So, I snuggle deeper into the comforter and went to Spotify. She seemed to take forever to wash her hair…
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An American In Brussels
Trust me. I can say a few words about how this grey-haired man is exhausted from what is only the early days of his European Tour. I was there, every minute…waiting for the train in Bruges and sitting in the hot humid air of Brussels Midi station wondering whether he should jump into a taxi…
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Bruges Makes Me Sad
[Mariam and her husband after dinner at the Market Square.] Occasionally, during your life you arrive at a destination that forces you to hold your breath, for too long, and then exhale with an audible gasp. Your heart can hold off on a beat and then give you an extra pump. And a part of…
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People Watching: Our Final Night In Paris
If you are a frequent reader of my posts, you will probably have noticed that I like to make up stories about people and things I don’t know anything about. The pleasure, for me as a blogger, is that I’m not bound in by only what I read or hear. The type of posts I…
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The “Popcorn” Man
[The Street Vender. Photo is mine.] At first I thought he was selling a popcorn necklace. He would walk up and down the rows of diners, whose tables (here in Paris) always face the streets. And he would peddle his “popcorn” necklaces to those at the tables that were closest to the sidewalk. Yes, I…
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Street Scene In Paris
[Paris is a city of light and charm.] It was our first day in the City of Light. Getting there involved subjecting ourselves to a subtle form of modern torture. We were taking a “red-eye” from JFK to Paris. We flew American Airlines because we’re addicted to air miles. I won’t tell you how many…
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Our Dream Trip: So What’s All The Fuss?
[Photo source: Google search] It began as an ordinary rainy morning in Albany, New York. We stayed over at a Marriott to break the trip a little and to get a fresh start for the final leg. To Manhattan and drop off the Budget rent car, get to our hotel on W. 35th St., and…
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It’s A Girl!
There is this girl who my heart and she calls me Daddy. –Anon. [My Little Cowgirl] I got the call when I was assembling computer components at a bench in Building 18, IBM Endicott, NY. Actually, the manager took the call. He came over to my work place and said that there was a message…
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Late Night Thoughts On Milkweed Pods
[Milkweed seed pod. Photo source: Me] I’m not a collector, really. I do have quite a few paperclips but I wouldn’t call it a collection. My fondness for fountain pens and Moleskin notebooks is legendary, but I practice self-control…most of the time. My grandmother’s barn was filled with a mountain of old tires, but they…
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