And we're back

We're back from vacation, and after some mediocre posting stats for September, I hereby vow to do better for October. Granted, "better" is only 3 postings, so this posting means that I am 1/3 of the way toward my goal. Low expectations are much easier to meet than the loftier ones.

Our trip in a nutshell: Fabulous. I was chic in Florence, swooned over canals in Venice, chased windmills (and got sunburned) in Mykonos, saw the effects of plundering in Athens, played Indiana Jones in Corfu, and nearly got blown off a mountain in Split. Some days it was 90 degrees, some days it was 50 degrees, and we had blazing sunshine, pouring rain, and everything in between. I bought more jewelry than even I expected and managed to convince B to buy a few treasures for himself (next time you're over, be sure to admire the woven sheepskin-esque throw).

We passed many an internet cafe in Italy, but I just couldn't break my shopping rhythm and stop in. Plus I didn't carry my passport with me, and you need your passport to access the internet in Italy (post-9/11 security measures). However, I will recap the trip (and provide photos!) in the upcoming days (or, if I can manage only a measly 3 posts per month, perhaps months--by the time I finish it will be time to go away again).

We got back last weekend, and other than unpacking and trying to bring semblance to an unusually disorderly house, here's what we've been up to:

Plotting future vacations.
I've started the Germany/Austria plans in earnest. We had a one-night layover in Frankfurt at the end of the trip and went into town for a few hours. Frankfurt might not be the most historical city in Germany, but it got me excited to go back, and not just because Germany has entire stores devoted to gummi candy. I enjoyed the energy and the language (very excited to pick up some conversational German--I'm going to buy a CD this weekend), and I love traditional German architecture. Plus it will be (nearly) Christmas! I've already told B that we're buying a cuckoo clock while we're over there. Depending on where the dollar goes, it could be a very small cuckoo clock, or perhaps just a cuckoo if we're feeling particularly bearish.

Additionally, we're looking ahead to 2009. Some of our tablemates on our cruise were from San Antonio, Texas, and they raved about the city. I did some investigation when I got home and realized that SAT (I'm a travel nerd and like to refer to cities by their airport codes) has a lot of great-sounding attractions--the Alamo, Riverwalk, several missions, theme parks, historical districts, and more. Did I mention the Tex-Mex food? Bring on the guacamole! We're thinking of heading down for a week or so in April, maybe to see part of their annual Fiesta event.

Hunkering down for winter.
I keep putting of the day of the great closet switch--when I move all of my summer clothes to the bottom rack and all of my winter clothes to the top rack--but it's coming soon. We turned the heat on this weekend, and we've already had our first frost. (Luckily, the newly planted shrubs out front appear to have survived, so far anyway.) I had forgotten how unpleasant it is to scrape frost off my car, probably because B always does it. I have decided that as of this winter, I will no longer warm up my car before leaving (except to turn it on before I scrape), in an effort to save gas/money and to minimize pollution.

Note: I am not a saint, and I will make exceptions on a case-by-case basis, depending on temperature, mood, and warmth of my clothing.

In other non-winter related news, I am preparing to cut off a foot of hair for an excellent cause. I can't wait to be able to dry my hair in less than 45 minutes.