Getting ready for the journey

Right now I am in Panera's in Strongsville where Matt and Shannon are helping me to learn how to connect to the internet in all kinds of places so when I go on the trip I can hopefully communicate anywhere there is an internet.

Last week I went to visit Mom and Dad in Florida as well as attend the wedding of cousin Pam to Will Gammon. It was a busy and fun time. It was a little cold for Florida weather, though.

This week I will be trying to get as many things done as possible before I leave. Like with the help of cousin Dave Gaino, I got the Joe's estate taxes organized and I will try to organize the federal, state and city taxes before I leave as I won't be back until near the end of March.

This is in addition to trying to pack and get ready for the trip down under. Last Friday, I went to Lisa Timoteo's house to have dinner with the gals (Mary, Janet, Mary Beth (Lovey) and Ellen). Besides eating healthy, we drank Australian wine and Ellen brought her poster that she made in 3rd grade about Australian facts to share!!!

Joey came home this weekend to do his wash and see Grandma and Grandpa Solarz. It is always such a joy to see my baby boy!!

My sister-in-law Martha called to invite me to go with her to the Broadway show "In the Heights" about the life and times of a Latino neighborhood in New York City. Great show with upbeat music and rapping, great choreography and dancing and an excellent script. One of the older characters tried to pass along the words of wisdom given to her by her mother whenever anyone in the play asked what they should do. She would just say, "Patience and faith."

So that is what this journey is about...that my traveling partner, Elaine, will have alot of patience with me and that I will have faith that I can get use to this blogging thing in reporting all the fun things that happen along my journey to all of you.