Fall. It's here in Glen Ellyn. This week I noticed the first colored leaves in our yard and in our neighborhood. Leaves are on the grund and blowing about. I now have to get used to the fact that summer is over and will have to relish any warm sunshine that I can find.

The warmth of the summer sun has been a big help in chemo recovery. My body can still get too cold too fast and I have a hard time getting warm again. Thus I not not looking forward to cold weather again but I will have to deal with it.

So far behind!

I have not finished my reports on France and Spain and here it is September and I have just returned from a 4800 mile odessy to Redmond Oregon and back in my Miata. Bear with me. I WILL get up to speed and up to date.

Tuesday May 17

It is such a pleasure to stay with Katie and Jorge in Sitges. They are great friends, the piso is comfortable, Sitges is pretty, and everything slows down.

Since last year a small Moka Express coffee maker has appeared in the kitchen. This and some Cuban espresso was the first order of business when I got up. Ahhhh! Next on the agenda were showers and then around the corner to Cafe Bar Roy cafe con leche, suisse, flauta con jamon serano, an wifi. The suisse is Sharon's favorite and she has come close to recreating it at home. It is basically chocolate ganache thinned enough for drinking. The flauta is a bocadillo and I don't know why they don't called it a bocadillo. Whatever it is called, it makes a tasty little breakfast.

After the cafe we strolled through town and to the beach with Katie and Aliza. We eventually ended up at the local liquor store to stock up on red and rose wines, cava, Armagnac, and some Mandarin Napoleon. The last three ingredients were to experiment with a recreation of the Champagne cocktail we had at Leo Le Lion. Lunch was at Tambucho - Pica Pica!! We toasted Beth and Dave and were sorry they were not with us this year.

Later I went to the Tabac to score some Habanos. I got a Partagas petite corona, a Hoyo de Monterrey and a Romeo e Julietta White Short Churchill. The Partagas and the Hoyo were nothing special but the Romeo e Julietta was really nice - and should be at almost 10€.

At around 7:00pm Sharon and I went our to photograph for Jorge. He wanted black and white photos in a square format of the church and other symbolos of Sitges. Four of these ended up on the wall in the second floor piso. Good thing I shot color and b&w. Jorge ended up liking a selection of color photos.

I've got a new favorite cocktail. Use a champagne flute. Add 1/2 oz orange liqueur - I used Mandarine Napoleon, 1 oz Armagnac, and top it with Champagne or Cava. Garnish with an orange twist. Ummmmm. I need a name. How about Colby Royale? Lion Royale? It did come from Leo Le Lion in Paris.

We finished that day with a dinner of wine, olives, cheese, and meats around the table in the piso. A nice finish to a nice day. 

A break in my retelling of our vacation. This is for bitching! My fingers and feet hurt and I am tired of it. Last week I felt an improvement - my fingers hurt less and my feet felt pretyy good. Now I feel I'm going the wrong way and it is frustrating.

OK, I'm done. No more bitching - today.

Monday May 16

A travel day!

We were up at 8:00am and packed and out of the hotel by 9:00. I was feeling fine - dehydration was my biggest issue left over from last night. We went to Cafe Madeline for cafe au lait and viennoise and croissants. Then off to the train station for our 10:45 TGV to Paris Est. First Class again because it was cheaper than coach.

The TGV left on time but stopped short of Paris and sat for 40 minutes. There was an announcement with an explanation that seemed to include something about security. That is all we knew - but we finally got going again and arrived at Paris Est. We headed for the Metro, and as Sharon was in line buying tickets I watched bunches of young people jumping the turnstiles and going through them two at a time. We got on the normal way, changed at Opera and got off at Invalides where we would catch the Air France bus to Orly.

We found the closest lunch option right next to the National Assembly building. We both had salade chevre chaud - this one was quite different and tasty with a poached egg on top! The salads and a two glasses of rose was pricy at 44.80 euro. It was the location and entertainment - watching the police reacting to a little protest and observing people. I am sure we were on camera and under observation while we were there!

After lunch we went back to the bus stop and had a short wait for our bus back to Orly. The flight to Madrid was delayed but uneventful and comfortable. Oddly, when we boarded the gate attendant had a duplicate boarding pass for me for the Madrid to Barcelon flight. I pulled my boarding pass out of my bag and it matched. Odd.

We arrived in Madrid late and tried to board what we thought was our Barcelona flight. Turned out it was not our flight - but leaving at the same time as ours. Off to Iberia customer service! They wrote a new flight number on our boarding passes and sent us to gate J50. There was nothing happening at J50, so we went to the closest flight board - and waited. There was not gate or time associated with our flight. While waiting Sharon started talking to an Italian who was also waiting. He said that Iberia did this all the time, but if we stayed close to J50-54, that is where all the Barcelona flights boarded. He also said that Iberia did not post flight delay times because that would be an admission that they had a problem. We finally boarded - about an hour late. They changed my seat at the gate - one row back. On this flight the seating was tight!

We arrived in Barcelona late and had to walk forever to get our bags - this is a big airport and the baggage area is big - ours came in on the carousel in the far corner. Then we had to walk halfway back through the terminal to locate the buses. We considered taking a taxi, but after checking the monobus schedule we found that we could catch one to Sitges. Taxi - 60 euro. Bus 7 euro.

We made it to Sitges and Katie and Jorge's piso a bit after 11:00, we drank wine, ate olives, cheeses and bread and then went to bed - a very comfortable bed. IT had been a long day.

May 15, Sunday

Bon Jour!

We slept late and did not get going until about 11am. It was raining and we borrowed an umbrella from the hotel. We strolled to the cool looking, art deco patisserie - Waida where we had pan chocolate, cafe au lait, cafe au chocolate, and gathered our wits and made plans. Today we may do a museum, may do another Champagne house, may sit and read. We shall see!



We did not make it to another Champagne house - my feet gave up at the bus stop. The museum was closed. Instead we went for lunch at Le Grande Cafe. Started with glasses of Champagne, then a pichet of rose. Sharon had Cassoulet de la Mer - shrimp, moules, scallops, mushrooms, mire poix, cream. Yummy. Colby had Moules Catalan - moules, jambon, calamari, chorizo, cream, and a side of frites.

Time for a nap! We rested a while and went for a walk to a square dedicated to victims of the gestapo. They were nasty people.

We then came upon an interesting building - in a bit of disrepair, but at one time quite an attractive art deco theatre.

Shortly after, I felt  a gurgling in my belly - and ignored it. We sat down at a cafe for an aperitif and within moments I said I needed to go back to the hotel. The wonderful moules wanted to be purged. From 6pm to 9pm I had to stay close to le toilette. Sharon went out and bought rice, salad, pizza, and coca cola to go. Our last night in Reims was spent in our hotel room.

Saturday May 14

We are at Mumm as I write this. Today we got out around 10am, had cafe au lait and chocolate then walked about a bit to find a pâtisserie. We found a very nice one and got a couple of palmiers. Then we strolled about the pedestrian area of Reims and watched traditional dancers as we nibbled.



We made it to the Mars Gate and then to Casanova Champagne - no tours until 3pm and it was 11ish. I was bad and left our map in the hotel room. We saw a sign for the Musee de la Reddition. By following signs for cars we went WAY out of our way to find the museum. By the time we arrived it was 12:15 and the museum closed at noon. I took a picture for Lee!

We headed back toward the hotel and ended up at Grand Cafe where we had an enjoyable lunch and a friendly waiter. Six oysters for me, Cesar salads for each of us, a strawberry tarte for dessert and a bottle of rose to wash it all down.

After lunch we walked to Mumm and took the tour which lasted about an hour and then was followed by a tasting of Cordon Rouge and Millesime 2002. It was a nice tour though very typical of a sparkling wine producer. We had a very interesting late addition to our tour, a young Asian women who asked lots of questions. It seemed that she wanted to learn as much as she could about Champagne production. she said she wanted to sell Champagne in China.

After the tour we walked back to the city center. We passed a building that did not appear to be in use. There were mosaics that seemed to indicate it was related to champagne production. A little research later and it turns out this was a building Mumm built around 1900. I was remiss and did not photograph it - I suppose I was tired. Here is a link to a photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruamps/4061558616/in/photostream/

We came upon a wedding at the Hotel de Ville and took some pics of the bridal party and the bride tossing her bouquet. An interesting diversion. We then went to Galleries Lafayette. Colby got socks and Sharon got a hot pink sweater - very attractive. After a couple of kirs went went to relax in our room. I went for a walk with a Cuban cigar and then we dressed for dinner at Brasserie Martin. We each had entrecote with frites and salad along with a bottle of a Medoc and then finished with regional cheeses for Colby and a coupe cafe llegeois for Sharon. Back to our room at 11:45 and a Skype call with Kathy.

Bon Nuit!

Friday May 13

We were up and packed and out of the hotel before 10:00am. We went to the cafe we visited yesterday because they made a nice café viennois to make Sharon happy. Rather than the cute, friendly boy waiter we had yesterday we had a somewhat surly female. Yesterday we got our cafe, buttered baguette toast, and juice for 14 €. Not today! She was not accommodating. It seems our only negative server issues were in the a.m. Yesterday we got up and left Cafe du Marche because we could not get the server to even look at us.

Our dinner last night was exceptional. Di Felicie Ristorante Italiano. Wonderful food, good servers, and a birthday celebration at the next table - a French family who spent a year in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Sharon had aubergine, with tomato sauce and Parmesan - sort of a lasagna without pasta. I started with rocket, artichokes, and sliced Parmesan. I had veal Madeira with a wonderful sauce and a side of long pasta. Dessert was chocolate chip ice cream with fresh strawberries and whipped cream and finally I had a well made espresso.

Back to Friday! We took the Metro to Gare d'Est - a very nice, easily navigated train station. We were there early with about a 1 1/2 hour wait, but we had comfortable seats and could watch people, read, and relax.

We boarded the TGV at about 12:40, easily found our first class car and seats, and were on the way on time at 12:57 . It was a comfortable 45 minute ride to Reims.

The Reims Gare is lovely, quaint, and open. We walked out and saw a Touriste info building, stopped and got a couple of maps and confirmed the location of our hotel just a block or so away.

The Hotel Crystal was quite nice, large bright room and friendly staff.

Thursday May 12

Dining is an event for us - any meal allows us to be entertained by food. Last night at Leo Le Lion was an event - as was today's lunch at Les Relais d'Alsace and yesterday's lunch at Pere et Fils. We enjoy the flavors, the sharing, talking about food. Dining is entertainment.

Today Sharon had moules frites and I enjoyed salade chevre chaud. Today's chevre chaud was chevre chaud on toast, tomatoes, and cooked apples all on a bed of greens. Yesterday's chevre chaud was served with sliced jambon and tomato. Each was unique and both were tasty.

Why can't I get salade chevre chaud at home? I've not seen it except at our house. It is easy to make and delicious.

Wednesday May 11

We slept late - about 10:30, but hey, we're on vacation! We headed to Tribeca down the street on Rue Cler for cafe, chocolat and croissants. A good Paris breakfast. Then it was off to the Metro for a cook's tour of Paris - on tap were stores that cater to cooks. We found a bookstore with all their books relating to cooking. Almost all were in French, and we did buy three. We visited D.Hellerin, Simon, MORA, and Bovida and then took a break for lunch at Pre and Fils in Quatier Pietons. We both had Salade Provencales - chevre chaud, jamon, tomatoes, and greens. We washed it down with a pichet of rosé.

After lunch we wandered toward the Louvre, through a park at the Palais Royale, then through La Tuleries and then back on the Metro at Concorde and back to Rue Cler for Kir and Pastis at Cafe du Marche.

We had an outstanding dinner at Leo Le Lion. We split a starter of white asparagus with two sauces. We went on to the salmon stuffed with leeks and crabmeat and poached turbot with seasonal vegetables both were outstanding. We finished with a cheese plate for me and chocolate cake for my wife. We will certainly return and will recommend to friends. 

May 9 and 10....

On May 9 we left for Paris flying on Iberia through Madrid. Because we left late from Chicago and arrived late in Madrid we missed our connection to Paris and had to wait a couple of hours for the next flight.

Once at Orly in Paris we caught the Air France bus to Invalides, walked to our hotel, checked in, and went for a walk, a Kir, and back to the hotel for a short nap. The late arrival in Paris really wiped out a big hunk of our day. After our nap we strolled a bit and headed for dinner around 8:00. At 10:00 we were at the Eiffel Tower for the nightly light show, then off to bed!

I have recently busied myself in final preparations for our trip to Paris, Reims, and Sitges. I've reconfirmed our hotel reservations - and in the process almost made additional reservations in Reims! I've bought TGV tickets from Paris to Reims and back. Interestingly, First Class to Reims was $2 more than Economy - let's go First Class. And on the return, First Class was a lower fare. It was cheaper to get to Reims than to return to Paris. I've made plans from the bus from Orly to Invalides where we can walk to our hotel. I've got the metro routes figured from the Paris hotel to Gare d'Est. Gare d'Est to Orly is still in the air - have not planned that one yet. Getting from Barcelona to Sitges - we may have to take a taxi - at 50 or 60 euros because we are getting in too late for a bus. We will have to do a taxi from Sitges to the airport when we leave because that is an early flight. I think about all of these things because I like to have everything planned. And then I am concerned that I have forgotten something!

I've signed us up for a Skype phone number so we can use Skype to make and return calls while we are there for far less than AT&T will charge. The number is 630-984-5588. We can send text message from Skype also - but not receive them. I also signed us up for Boingo Mobile. With this $7.95 subscription we get WiFi at O'Hare, Madrid, Barcelona, and Orly - plus any other Boingo hotspots, and there are loads of them. Seemed like a good deal.

The iPhone is loaded with all the apps and information I think we can use on the trip. I've printed tickets and copies of passports and itineraries. I've got the addresses and phone numbers of hotels. I've got lists of places to see in Paris - but I am lacking on Reims. I am thinking we might to a day trip from Reims to Epernay, but I have not delved into that yet. We need to visit some Champagne houses. Oh, and there are now trams in Reims that I have not researched yet. I suppose we can do that when we get there.

I've got all the electronics such as charges and adapters organized. Cameras, and memory cards, and readers are sorted out. I've got enough gigabytes for perhaps two or three thousand photos. That should be enough don't you think? I'll do my best to upload photos to Picassa as we travel. I don't plan on doing as much on Facebook as I have in the past. Blogger and Picassa should do it - so watch them for updates. You can subscribe or become a follower of this blog. I will access everything from my iPad and iPhone. It is an Apple trip!

With most of the planning behind me I can enjoy the trip. Sharon and I are both in need of this vacation. This will be my first travel since last spring and the first since my cancer diagnosis and chemo. I am looking forward to taking it easy while seeing places I want to see and visit. The only firm plans are the cities we are visiting and the travel between them. The rest will be somewhat serendipitous. We both are looking forward to new discoveries as they happen.

I did make it out of the house today and spent some time at the Arboretum. Visit my Picasa page for more pictures. Here is a teaser.

How does this happen? I am cleaning up two bedrooms because we have guests coming in tonight.  As I pick up in these rooms I am tossing odds and ends into the trash, recycling other items, and covering the dining room table with all sorts of STUFF! Where does it all come from? Why do I have to deal with it, keep it, file it, or find a new place for it. We have too much stuff.

I am getting help from Shelby. He is sitting on an open corner of the dining room table and watching me as I type this. Oh, and typing is a diversion from dealing with stuff. If I type or surf, or read e-mail, I don't have to deal with the pile of STUFF on the dining room table!

No pictures to go with this post. You don't want to see my STUFF.

Kevin is off on a job so Kathy and Brady came to visit this week. Brady is a wonderful baby and Kathy is a wonderful mom. We've had a nice visit and they will join us at the Gramas home for a traditional Greek Easter dinner. Fun for everyone!

Susanne Gramas came over on Friday and with Sharon prepared Baklava and Tres Leche Cake for Easter dessert. Sharon is now working on Galaktoboureko and Mount Pelion Cheesebread. The former is made with pastry cream and phylo and the Mount Pelion is bread with feta inside. Both are delicious and we are in for a wonderful dinner. We have bottles of Greek Rosé wine, Retsina, and a couple of bottles of Rosé Cava chilled and ready to go. Rosés and especially Greek Rosés seem to be the appropriate Greek Easter wines. Did you know that Greek Easter is not always on the same Sunday as Western Easter? Different calendars.

Spring continues to happen in our yard. Hostas are sprouting, dandelions are coming up, birds are singing, and the gold fish are swimming. We have a huge crop of maple trees sprouting all over the yard so there is plenty of cleanup to do. Since I am starting my part time schedule at Binny's this week perhaps the weather will hold and I can spend some time in the yard. If not, there is plenty to do inside the house. Hmmm, Ginger, Cathy, and Audra will be here Wednesday night on their way from the Univversity of Michigan to St. Paul. We've got to get a couple of bedrooms ready to go. In our house rooms not in use seem to fill up with everything from the rooms in use. The back bedroom now has the bed covered with items from the back room that had to be moved to make room for the new bookshelves that Lee built and installed.

Oh, before I forget, last week when the iPad and my fingers made my update vanish, I was writing about Whiskey Fest. Sharon gave me two tickets for my birthday. Larry and I drove down their together and Sharon met us and drove us home. Whiskey Fest was a lot of fun and we both tried a number of new and old Bourbons and Scotches. We also tried some whiskies that we would not ordinarily taste because of their high price. We ran into and visited with distillers, vendors, customers, and people we used to work with. Thank you Sharon.

Last week I attempted to update this and my iPad ate my update. I blame it on neuropathy - I'm typing along and have a couple of paragraphs down and then the screen is blank. I don't do this on a regular keyboard, only the iPad keyboard. I suspect the difference is that on the iPad there is no tactile feedback whereas on a regular keyboard there is. I have thought of getting a bluetooth keyboard for the iPad but then, the iPad is just another laptop.

Random pedantic thoughts. Stop signs. The law states that you stop at stop signs. Most of us have somehow forgotten the meaning of stop. The law says when you stop at a stop sign, the fron of your car should be even with the stop sign or the white line painted on the pavement. Most people seem to stop with their back wheels even with the stop sign or their back wheels on the white line. Damn the pedestrians!

Health update. My hair continues to grow. I believe that my facial hair grows faster than it used to. The neuropathy continues to be an issue in my hands and feet. I can still feel issues with the site of the cath port, but it is no longer painful. My Oncologist has not called to give me the results of my blood and urine tests for....whatever it was he was looking for. I had my second monthly B-12 shot this week. I can't say I feel any different after these injections. Good news - I can now usually button my left cuff and my collar buttons.

Tasting Spirits. At Binny's we have a number of bottles of liquor open for tasting. As I have observed people tasting I have noticed that there are very few who know how to taste a spirit. Most people simply drink it down - no nosing, no "chewing", no savoring, just drinking. And, if they are trying more than one, unless I pour only one at a time, people do not consider which spirit should be tried first.

This week a customer asked to try a Laphroaig 19 year old and a Brackla 12 year old. Very different Scotches with VERY different character. I did not know nothing about the Brackla and nosed it after I poured it. I set the Brackla down next to the Laphroaig in front of the customer and recommended that he try the Brackla first because it was likely a Speyside or Lowland and the Islay Laphrooaig would overwhelm it. He commenced to down the Laphroaig and then immediately the Brackla. He had no idea what he was doing.

Unless you take a moment to smell what you are drinking and consider what and how you are drinking it, you cannot fully appreciate it.

Tomorrow night is Whiskeyfest Chicago. Needless to say I am looking forward to this and I will be nosing and tasting spirits and paying attention to what I am tasting.

I don't have it in stock yet.

" I live in Ft. Wayne. I'm only here once a month and I want it."

We don't have it and I don't know when it will come in.

"But I want it now!"

I have no control over when it comes in.

The above are the highlights of a conversation in the store about Knob Creek Single Barrel.

Sent from my iPhone

Our house as recorded by the Pinwide pinhole lens. This is a fun little lens that makes pinhole photography easy. In the past I have made pinhole cameras out of boxes, oatmeal cartons, and even a refrigerator box. I made a very nice one out of wood and used a 4x5 film back as the film holder. Sadly I lent this to a fellow COD student several years ago and that was the last of that!

With film pinhole cameras you exposed the film, guessing about the exposure and the composition. It wasn't until you got into the darkroom and developed your film, mostly regular photo paper, that you discovered what you have created. Using a digital camera changes all that! I can now see my composition as I set it up, and then as soon as I have exposed the image, I can see the results. This frees me do do lots of pinhole experimentation. No darkroom time - just look at the camera back and then later on the computer screen. Very satisfying!

Above are wine bottles at Binny's - also shot with the Pinwide. Quite a different look from this:



Which was shot using the EP-2 and 14-42mm lens. While using the glass lens provides more sharpness, it has a much shorted depth of field and give the image a very different feel. There are some subjects that will work well with the Pinwide and some that will not. I am looking forward to shooting in Paris with the Pinwide. I can see the Eiffel Tower now as I will photograph it in May.

Oh, I let the cat out of the bag? No, I think I mentioned Europe in May in an earlier blog. Yes, we are going to Paris, Riems, Barcelona, Sitges. We will a week with Katie, Jorge, Aliza, and Jason in Sitges. Good fun with good friends. And, besides wonderful food and wine, I will have many opportunities for great photographs.

Kathy and Kevin and Brady came for the weekend - well they were here and gone and here and gone and here and gone, but we did have a nice visit. I got the opportunity for some Brady photos on Sunday after her first Wolves game. I suppose since Kathy and Kevin are both Wolves fans that Brady does not have an option! I will do my best to ensure this child is well documented with well composed, lit, and focused photographs. This proves that I don't always photograph cats.

This is an unintentional self portrait. Look at L.C.'s eyes and you can see the photographer at work. Cool! I took lots of pictures today using the new Pinwide lens and both the wide angle and telephoto zooms. Even though it was cold outside, the sun made it feel much warmer than the low 30s. I was able to comfortably shoot our blooming crocus and other things out doors. I also took the time to smoke a cigar and drink a beer (Spaten Optimater) - also outside of course.

Other than this Sharon and I have not been terribly productive today, mostly hanging inside taking it easy. We have both been surfing the Web and generallly up to no productive good. I did look at the AT&T site to inquire about upgrading to iPhones. It looks like $199 - whether you are a new AT&T customer or an old one. That just sucks! Then, try to figure out their data plans. Can they make it more complicated? Too many options and not enough answers.

Of course more kitty pictures! Shelby and L.C. napping on our bed. They do a lot of that.

This week was doctor visits and tests. Monday with the pulmonologist she expressed some concerns over my last x-ray, but after looking at the CT scan from last week she says I am OK but should let her know if I have any chest issues. Bottom line, the pneumonia from January is gone.

Tuesday I went to Elmhurst Hospital for a blood test and B12 shot. Also, I talked to my oncologist who reports the CT scan was clear and I have no signs of cancer. I see him again in three months and can plan on a CT scan in six months. My only concerns now are getting beyond all of the residual chemo side effects. My blog can now focus on life and living post chemo and post cancer.

Kathy and Kevin and Brady are here for the weekend. Surely there will be more Brady pictures posted here shortly. Aliza is here too! She has an interview tomorrow and asked if she could stay with us this evening. Of course!

This week I got a new pinhole lens for the Olympus EP-2 camera. As someone who has enjoyed pinhole photography in the past, it is pretty cool to have one for a digital camera. I've only shot a few images in the kitchen so far. I hope to get it out this Sunday. Here is one of the first shots. Pinhole lenses have very small openings and thus very high f-stops. This results in long exposure times and almost infinite depth of field. It will be fun to learn to use this lens. I also got a telephoto lens for the camera and I am now ready for most any photo situation on our travels and at home.

Today is the first day of spring and there are spring signs in our yard. The fish are waking up and the crocus or croci, or crocuses are coming up. With this I think it may be time to get the new blog up and going.

I have imported all of the old posts. This is now the place to come for all of ColbyJ's Ramblings - now up and running.

I have been out in the yard with the EP-2 and having fun photographing springs eruption. Sharon has been in the kitchen baking and we both have been sharing Champagne. I'd put this down as a good day so far!

Last weekend we went to Davenport to visit Kath, Kevin, and Brady. We had a very nice visit and certainly enjoyed meeting Brady! I had fun photographing the Knox Bunch and have posted most of the results on the Picasa page. Go visit!

I am still fighting neuropathy, tender nails, sore body, and such. I had a CT scan last week and am waiting on the results. My new oncologist reports some concern from my last blood test indicating monoclonal gamopathy and I will have more blood tests on Tuesday relating to that. I also start monthly B12 shots on Tuesday. Fun, fun fun!