Turning summer dreams into reality

Ciao, tutti!

Summer is winding down, and I'm not particularly happy about it at all. I have just 4 more days to enjoy my mornings at the beach. During the months of August and September I've been able to spend most mornings over on the Lido enjoying some sun, sand and surf. Time to just do nothing, relax, read, swim, think, dream.  Zen time. I needed it.

BTW- the photo above is the view from my beach chair each morning. 

For some time now I've been wanting to write about our travels more, but I couldn't bring myself to. This blog has always been about Venice, and I haven't wanted to change that. Mike and I have had incredible trips since we've been living in Italy,  but I haven't been sharing any of that. 

My morning beach time has given me the opportunity to do some dreaming about how to make that happen. It's time for me to turn that dream into a reality. The other day I received an email inviting me to participate in a blog challenge program designed to help you find the path to the lifestyle you wish to live. It seemed like exactly what I needed at just the right time. I signed up. 

And so, this blog post is in response to Natalie's 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 1. The challenge for today is to write about 2 or 3 challenges that keep you from obtaining your goals. My list exceeded 3, but for the sake of keeping you poor readers from running for the hills, I'm going to stop at 2. 

#1  - I am the Queen of Procrastination. I'll find every excuse in the book to waste time. And my best excuse is always "It's nap time!"  If I didn't just twitter (NO- not that kind of Twitter) away a good portion of every day I can't even imagine the things I could accomplish. I want to create a new blog just for travel writing, and that is going to take work on my part. I need to buckle down and just do it. 

#2 - I second guess myself all the time, and end up convincing myself that I can't do things I want to. That I'm not good enough.  I don't want to talk myself out of giving travel writing/blogging every bit of energy so that I do it, and do it well. 

Whew. I got that down on paper.  I've completed the challenge for today. To think about and write down the challenges that keep me from accomplishing my goals. It's a bit intimidating to bare my flaws in front of you. Please don't think too poorly of me! (I'm not too thrilled with myself as I read what I've written.)

Today I also tackled another task that I've been sitting on for the last few weeks. I actually have made a little bit of progress on the new blog.  I had started one, attempted to learn the dreaded WordPress, hit my head against the wall a few times with it, and left the blog sitting in it's infancy state.  To get the features I wanted I was going to have to move the blog to a self-hosting site. That got done today!  I'm one small step closer to getting this new blog up and running.  With some luck, and more than a little hard work, www.HendersonsOnTheRoad.com will be launched in the coming weeks. I'll plan a kick-off party.   

In the meantime, I've got 9 more days to this exciting 10 day Blog Challenge to get through, and a WordPress class to complete! 

Can't wait to see what tomorrow's challenge assignment will be. Stay tuned!

Two old broads and a boat

Ciao, tutti!

We're officially into summer, and while everyone in Venice is making fast exit plans to head for either the mountains or the beaches for the next 2 months, I'm staying here. Besides my Italian lessons, writing courses, my English student and the usual "stuff" of life, I've picked up a new project. 

 Since even my rowing group The Lionesses will be away, I have been looking for some other opportunities to row for the next few months. My wishes were granted, with one  little, teensy tiny  caveat. The boat offered to me has to be finished being built before it can get in the water. 

So instead of heading off to the beach, I head to the old salt warehouses to go to work. (Think salt mines). Currently we are sanding.

 The salt warehouses are cavernous old storehouses where Venice kept its inventory of salt beginning as far back as the 1400's. Venice was a trading center in those days, and had built up a considerable spice trade selling salt.

 I'm working at the very back of warehouse #5, where it's nice and dark. We turn work lights on so we can see what we're up to back there. Walking into the warehouses is a bit of an eery feeling, but despite the spookiness, I love being in there. Makes me wonder about what went on in there all those years ago. Oh if only these walls could talk!!

I had hoped to try my hand at rowing a canottaggio, what in English we would refer to as crew or skull rowing  The boat we're working on, a whitehall ( caiccio in Italian), has seats for two rowers very similar to the skull boats but is bigger.  According to wikipedia, the whitehall is "considered one of the most refined rowboats of the 19th century". The whitehall, first built in New York City at the foot of Whitehall Street, was used to ferry goods and sailors on and off boats in the New York harbor.  

 For more info on the Whitehall, click here

 Our whitehall,  constructed mostly of mahogany, was built by Marco, an elderly member of the Bucintoro rowing club which is housed in several of the salt warehouses. Isn't she a beauty?

My partner in crime on this project  is Paula, originally a Canadian who spent 30 some years working in Rome and has now transplanted to Venice. She rows Voga Veneto style (standing up just like the gondoliers do) and sails. When she asked if I would like to row the whitehall with her, I didn't think twice. My hand was up in a second. Yes, even if there was some work involved.

I've sanded two afternoons this week. I also rowed one day. My shoulders are currently killing me.  We thought we'd be on to the varnishing by now, however, Sebastiano, the guy who maintains all of Bucintoro's boats, has declared that he wants more sanding done. Sebastiano can be very, hmm, what's the word....demanding?   And so we sand. By hand. With little bits of fine sandpaper. I now have some pretty nicked up knuckles!

In the meantime, Paula and I are making grand plans (in our heads) for early evening rows over to Lido and Malamocco. With some luck, and perhaps a few bribes to Sebastiano so we can speed up and get to the varnishing,  it won't be too long before I will be able to write "two old broads IN a boat".

Oh, to actually be in that boat on the water. Dreaming!!

Photos will be forthcoming as the work progresses. Stay tuned.

(P.S. It's not all work and no play this summer. I'm still sneaking off to the beach for a bit a few mornings each week. )

Ferragosto !!!!

Today, August 15, is officially Ferragosto.  This Italian holiday started centuries ago by Emperor Augustus when he declared the whole month, named after himself,  as a holiday filled with all sorts of merriment to celebrate the summer harvest.  Later, August 15 became a religious holiday celebrating the assumption of Mary into heaven.

Italians celebate Ferrogosto in a big way- they close shops and restaurants the end of July and head off to the beaches and the mountains for the month. Great way to escape the heat!

As an American living in Italy, I've had some difficulty wrapping my head around how the whole country can take the whole month off when it is the height of tourist season. Isn't there money to be made??  Who cares, it's vacation time.

This week, I imposed my own Ferragosto and took off for the Lido each day. Surprised even myself- I seem to be a little more Italian this summer! Finally, I get it.

Here's a view from my chaise lounge at B.each on the Lido.  In a few minutes, my beach bag and I will be headed to Piazzale Roma to catch the #6 boat to Lido.  Upon arriving, I'll make the walk down S.M. Elisabetta, past all the shops selling beach necessities along with all the other beach goers and take up my spot on the sand for the day.

Happy Ferrogosto, tutti!