Comment from Elizabeth Emerald

Excellent

Off to an exciting start. Playing catch-up--I read the other first. Joy's cheapskate husband is a dick. Did she divorce him? Sad reminiscences about Diana.

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 13-Dec-2022

Thank again Liz. Yes she did divorce him but she should have done it before she finally did. When she found out he was fixing his will where she wouldn't be left with hardly anything, it was the final straw.

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

I'm so glad that you got to go on this trip with Joy. How wonderful that you had a little break and could see the art you studied in person. I liked that you got such good packing advice ahead of time!

The flight to Rome in the Bowing 747 (Boeing)

 Comment Written 12-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 13-Dec-2022

Thank you, Helen. I was surprised to see your review with so much going on in your life but it easy to get behind. I'm glad I went on there there will be others but only one more to Europe.
Beth

Comment from Jannypan (Jan)

Excellent

I enjoyed your chapter, Beth. I liked reading about YOU. The trip
to Italy sounded awesome. Wow, three thousand dollars a day is
no small change. I know you worried about those at home, but
there would be so much to see and do--esp since it was before
the more terroristic attacks. Your children still kept you on your toes,
but you seemed to handle that well, too. I look forward to hearing
more about your trip.
Thanks for sharing, Jan

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you Jan. I'm glad you liked this. The trip was awesome. Actually it was the coins were 3,000 pounds but I didn't know how to make the English Pound sign. I think the pound was more than the dollar. I guess it would euros now.

Comment from Spitfire

Excellent

This brought back memories of the many times Frank and I went on similar excursions to Italy and other European states. I enjoyed reading your step by step account.
Kimberly sounds like a brat-- a highchair out of date! But we are so afraid of alienating our children, we give them and their spouses what they want, no questions asked.

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you for the review. I imagine many other have visited there. I hope they want find it boring. Yes Kimberly could be quite anoying. We don't like to get on the bad side of our inlaws.
Beth

Comment from Rosemary Everson1

Excellent

Interesting trip which reunited you with your cousin on a European bus tour. It must have been fun to visit another country with someone you knew from your past days. Like your story.

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you Rosemary. It was nice to reconnect with this friend from my past.
Beth

Comment from Ulla

Exceptional

Beth, I love it. Yes, Europe is old and so are the buildings. I loved the way you described this and took it all on board, jet-lagged as you were.
You're right Diane's death was one of those moments where we all knew were we were. I was in bed deep asleep when my daughter rushed in to our bedroom at six in the morning to deliver the news. I lived outside London at the time. Ullaxx

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you Ulla, Having been worked as a flight attendant, you are a world traveler. I bet there aren't many places you haven't been.
Beth

reply by Ulla on 12-Dec-2022

I have been lucky to see so much of the world. Some years back, my daughter asked me to make a list of he countries I've visited. 169 was the grand total. Can you imagine? I hardly couldn't. Travelling runs in the family and genes I suppose. xx

Comment from Sarah Das Gupta

Excellent

I enjoyed your continuation! I was hoping you would go to Rome- you deserved a break! Rome is a wonderful city. I was surprised by the amount of money thrown into the Trevi fountain!

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you Sarah. I appreciate the review and comments. Yes, Rome is an amazing city. I wished we'd had longer there. The age of buildings really shocked me. I understand their concrete is nothing like ours which clumbles in time. There is way that it waw made early on that causes it last practically forever. Of course they deal with more earthquakes than we have here.

Comment from Brett Matthew West

Excellent

The paparazzi always was nothing but harassing.

"marble building" should be marble buildings.

There is always so much to see and do in Rome. Sure that was quite an experience for you to enjoy.

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you Brett. I hadn't realized Italy would be such a facinating place. It was an amazing country. I fell in love with it.
Beth

Comment from barbara.wilkey

Excellent

Thank you for sharing this memoir with us. I always enjoyed traveling through Europe when we were stationed in Germany. Yes, the building are old.

The incident would dominate the news for weeks. (They still discuss it.)

Joy had an aisle seat and I sat next to her. (sat beside me)

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you Barbara. It is good you traveled while you had that opportunity. I had a few friends stationed there who never seemed to leave the base.

Comment from JoannaN

Excellent

I like this story, and it feels personal and heartfelt. The reference to Princess Diana is a good starting point, as it invokes a lot of memories. I hope you are going to elaborate on this part (visit to Rome) in your next texts.

 Comment Written 11-Dec-2022

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reply by the author on 11-Dec-2022

Thank you for the review. We did so much in Rome I hope I don't make to lengthy. It is such an interesting place to visit.
Beth