100 Days and counting !

Piazza San Marco at sundown

Now we have 100 days to make all of our final plans, for our trip to Italy. We have looked at several options for side day trips, that we can do by train. One is to Padua, and another to Varona. Someone told my sister about a canal trip leaving from Venice, on the Brenta Canal to Padua. We are thinking about taking this and spending the night in Padua. This canal ride is supposed to be an absolutely beautiful ride past very large estates , most were built in the eighteenth century and some having as many as 100 rooms. These were the summer homes of the aristocrats of Venice. The boat stops at 2 or 3 of them to be able to visit and see a few of the rooms and the gardens. If we spend the night in Padua, then we are thinking of then taking the train early the next morning on to Verona and returning the next morning to Venice. We are lucky, that we have Rick Steves' ( from PBS travel shows) headquarters in the same town where my sister lives, so we are going to make an appointment with one of their counselors to see just how easy this will all be. Then the big decision, is we may decide to extend our trip for another week, we have not decided yet, but once we get thinking of all the places we want to see, this is what happens. All of a sudden, the time to leave is going very fast.

Oh what a week this has been!

I had no idea, when I signed up for One World One Heart, that I would get any where near as many responses as I have so far, since this is my first year and this is only the first week!! I am so overwhelmed and at the same time so excited. I have tried to visit those of you that have left me comments, but so far, I am only 1/2 way down the list, and then I am back at work for three days, doing 12 hours, which leaves me no time to blog on those days. At the same time, I have started back on weight watchers, Ugh !!! as I want to loose about 2o pounds before I leave on my trip, that is fast approaching, Yikes!! This is only day 2 and so I am struggling to stay on task, but I am bound and determined to continue. I am walking stairs for more exercise too.

My other excitement is I am so happy to have 22 new followers since last Monday !! After this big 3 weeks is over, I plan to visit each one of you, so I can get to know you and your blog, to show you I really appreciate the fact that you signed up to follow my blog. I hope you like it well enough to stay awhile, and leave a comment when ever the mood strikes you. I really hope to be blogging from Italy during our trip, I just have to get that figured out. I have been looking at the netbooks, they are very light weight , and pretty reasonable in price, and a place to download my pictures too. Does any one of you have a netbook, and if so, what do you have and how do you like it. I am open to suggestions.

One more day of work, then it is back to trying to answer more of my comments, keep them comming!! I cannot thank Lisa Swifka enough for have the courage and insight 4 years ago to start One World One Heart. If only all the leaders in the world could learn from this one example, how wonderful life could be.

I am so happy and blessed to be a part of a very special group of world wide friends, the bloggers. Through blogging, this world has become smaller and smaller, and richer and richer, with true friends, most of whom, we will probably never meet face to face. Yet, they are there for us when we need them.

Thank you,

Sandra,

One World One Heart 2010

Ride the magic carpet, and listen to Michael Buble !!

To all my dear readers, and to all my new friends I look forward to meeting!! I am so excited to be a part of One World One Heart, 2010 this year. My friend Laurie was instrumental in my joining this year. I have struggled with what I wanted to have as my give a way. I thought about doing one of my photographs from Italy, but just ran out time to purchase a frame and have it done by Jan 25th. So another of my passions, besides photography and Italy, is music.

So sit back,with a glass of wine or a cup of tea, and let your magic carpet take you on a magical ride, as you listen to the wonderful voice of Michael Buble, as he soothes all your cares away for just awhile! Yes, my give away, is the latest Michael Buble CD.!!


Now, for some rules !!! Please have an active blog, after all, that is what this is all about, so that we can all meet and make new friends! ( and who couldn't use more new friends!!) You must make a comment here on my blog, and be sure to leave your email, or have a link back to your blog, so that if you are the winner, I will be able to reach you. If you become a follower, and I would love it,if you do, I will enter your name 3 times. I sure hope you come back and visit more than just this once, I would love to have the chance to get to know you better, ok?

So, please do not forget to leave your email address, because, I will need it, to reach you, to tell you, you have won.!! Don't you just love to win, I know I sure do, so don't forget !! I know,can hardly wait.

Oh yes, I will cut off the time on Feb 14 at 5PM Pacific time, so that I can make sure I have the time to process the entries and have a winner on Monday, Feb 15th. I will be using random number generator to pick a winner. I work both days, so I will need the extra time. I think that is about it. If you have any question, do not hesitate to drop me a line, or follow the link to the web site on the button in this post, also, use this link to take you back to the home web site, so you can visit all of the other bloggers taking part in this great give a way. Last year, They had over 900 bloggers taking part and from countries all over the world.

(The music selections playing by Michael Buble are not from the giveaway CD, those songs were not available yet on that player website, but you can at least hear what his voice is like, if you have never heard him!!)

Good luck, and have fun!!

** There has been such a great response to my first giveaway, that I am adding another chance to win the CD, Michael Buble's " Crazy Love" So now there will be two winners not just one, at least for now :).

Photo Hunt ~ Balanced ~

Statues on the Walk of Infinity, Ravello, Italy

Visit all the other "photo hunters" to see some great variety on this weeks challenge.

Oh what to do

We have been planning a return trip to Venice, Italy for well over a year and now we have 120 days before we depart!! My big dilemma, is do I really want to take my big, heavy SLR camera. It requires a large bag to carry it all day, which I carried on my last trip to Italy. We were there for 4 weeks , in September, and it was hot, and the strap around my neck was hot, even though it was a very nice padded one. I have been looking for several months for a small camera, one that would be good in low light, (as that is one thing, that the small camera's are usually not good at) I do like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 .

I have that one at home right now, trying it out. The store where I purchased it, has given me 10 days, then I can return it, if I decide not to keep it. I am impressed with it so far. The weather here has been raining, so I have not been able to get outside, to take any shots. I am hoping, that sometime this week I will have a chance to take as many pictures as possible, to help me make a decision.

What kind of camera are any of you using? I would love to hear from you.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.......

Its about learning to dance in the rain!

Hello to my dear readers

What you do is a blessing. Extending it to others is a gift.
Unknown


It has been some time, since I have sat down to write on my blog. I took some time off, over the holidays, for several reasons. One, just the busy time of Christmas, and I think I needed some time away from my blog. Do not get me wrong, I still came on here and and visited many of my favorite blogs, to keep up with what was going on with them, and I really do miss the interaction I receive from you, when you leave me comments from one my posts. I feel I have made some wonderful friends on here, and I hope that 2010 will bring many more new friends. One of those new friends, Laurie, has encouraged me to join in the One World, One Heart (OWOH) Blog Party,
sign up begin on Jan 25th, I must decide soon, on this !! She has said it is a lot of fun, you also meet so many new bloggers, from all over the world.

Also, my sister and I are coming up fast on our trip to Venice, Italy. I can not believe it! We leave the middle of May, so not that long now!! We were there 3 years ago, for just 2 1/2 days, and this time we will be there for 2 weeks. We have rented an apt, on a canal, so we can watch the gondolas float by,as we enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, after a day of walking,now how nice is that?

Please let me know what is new with you, do you have any special plans for the year? I would love to hear all about them.