5 November 2024: We are at Le Palme delle Dune in Porto Cesareo, Puglia, Italy for a few days. The beach is just four doors down from our unit, and this is the Ionian Sea. Additionally, and best of all, my cousin Paola Carzoli lives in Porto Cesareo, so after two attempts, we are finally Continue reading

3 November 2024–Mass at “Il Cubo” and Road Trip to Siena: Sunday Mass this morning was within walking distance from our B&B in Foligno. In fact, it was right next to the Hospital in which John found himself for a few days. “Il Cubo” is not the Church’s real name, but it is called such Continue reading

4 November 2024: Driving Day from Foligno, Umbria, to Porto Cesareo, Puglia—This was a long driving day for John/Dad. For most of the day, however, it was beautiful weather, i.e., about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. As we got closer to Porto Cesareo, it became partly sunny. Then, again, Porto Cesareo is on the Ionian Continue reading

5 November 2024: We are at Le Palme delle Dune in Porto Cesareo, Puglia, Italy for a few days. The beach is just four doors down from our unit, and this is the Ionian Sea. Additionally, and best of all, my cousin Paola Carzoli lives in Porto Cesareo, so after two attempts, we are finally Continue reading

1 November 2024–Today is All Saints’ Day, a holy day of obligation in the Catholic religion, and a National Holiday for Italy. In Italy, it is also considered to be people’s saint name (onomastica) day, especially.those who do not know of a named saint officially declared in the Catholic Church after whom they have been Continue reading

2 November 2024–Dad Has Been Sprung! Today began with a little bit of apprehension, lots of hope, acceptance, and commitment. After a National Holliday yesterday, doctors were back on duty today at the Nuovo Ospedale di San Giovanni Battista in Foligno, Umbria, Italy. We hoped that John would be discharged today, because we knew that Continue reading

29 October 2024–A day of rest, still exploring the hospital in Italy: We met with a doctor this morning in the hospital’s gastro unit, who explained the procedures, tests they had done, results they had received, results still forthcoming, and projected time to discharge. We were told that it would take at least one or Continue reading

31 October 2024–Halloween and Transition: Happy Fun and Safe Halloween to all who celebrate today! Around us today, I saw no masks and costumes, nor did I see nor hear about anyone going door-to-door trick-or-treating. Some do celebrate, I hear, but it’s not a big deal here, only because they (the people I’ve asked) do Continue reading

30 October 2024–Nuova Ospedale di San Giovanni Battista, Foligno, Umbria, Italy: John is still in the hospital. He is feeling much better. The culture results are not yet all in, so we must wait in order to identify the proper treatment for his symptoms. However, we do know that it is not a virus and Continue reading

28 October 2024–Assisi, and Tour at an Unexpected Place: We visited Assisi already, you say! Yes, we did. Last Saturday. AND…after we had already returned, we learned about things at Assisi that we had not known about and therefore not seen. Thus, we set off on an extremely beautiful fall day in Umbria to see Continue reading