It is time for my annual list of favorite places. I have done this list every year since we retired and started traveling. It is a review for Tom and me and a way to relish our memories of places together. You can read previous lists from 2017, 2016, and 2015. You can also see …
From December 2018
Three Christmases and a Happy New Year
While we were in Ohio we had not one, not two but THREE Christmases! We haven’t had that many Christmases since we were first married and had to hit all the family gatherings. The first of our three Christmases was with John and Jackie on the same day as the cantata at Lewis Center. Because …
Berardis Family Kitchen in Sandusky, Ohio
We ate at so many new restaurants during our time in Ohio that I need to talk about at least one of them every week. Several friends assured me that my restaurant reviews give them ideas of places to try. One of our new favorites, and certain to get a return trip, is Berardis Family …
Piano Guys Christmas Together Concert
One of my favorite groups is “The Piano Guys.” They say that they are “four dorky dads from Utah.” The group consists of four men: a marketing genius that does video, a studio engineer that writes music, a pianist that had a successful solo career, and a cellist that does pretty much everything. These four …
Christmas Past, Present, and Future
A classic Christmas, remade many times in the movies, is Charles Dickens‘ “A Christmas Carol.” Just in case you have never heard of it, “A Christmas Carol” tells the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a miserable miser. He is visited by three ghosts, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost …
Christmas Songs Go On and On
I started listening to Christmas songs on December 1, which is late for me. I usually start listening to Christmas music on Thanksgiving after dinner. But this year I just couldn’t get started listening to Christmas music, and I found myself bored with it after just a few weeks. Very unusual for me and I …
Cantata at Lewis Center United Methodist
For the first time since 2014, I got to sing in a Christmas Cantata. As I mentioned earlier, we have been attending the Lewis Center United Methodist Church when we are here in Ohio. In reading through the bulletin at the beginning of November, I noticed an invitation to sing with the choir for the …
Papas Gondola Italian Restaurant
After our full adventure day visiting River Raisin and Fallen Timbers, we arrived back in the Mansfield area just in time for supper. My dad eagerly suggested going to Papas Gondola Italian Restaurant and we were happy to comply. Papas Gondola Italian Restaurant has been a Mansfield staple since 1973. Pasquale and Mary La Susa, …
Fallen Timbers Battlefield National Historic Site
On the same day we visited River Raisin, we stopped at the Fallen Timbers Battlefield and Fort Miamis National Historic Site. A really long name for a National Park site! But the long name is appropriate because this site is a partnership between the National Park Service, the Ohio Historical Society, and the Toledo Metroparks. …
River Raisin National Battlefield
Adventure days with my parents are lots of fun and we decided to visit a couple of National Park sites in November before it got too cold. Ha! Of course we picked the coldest day in November! But it was clear and sunny and we had a very interesting visit to River Raisin National Battlefield …