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Last Stop: Hot Amsterdam

Last post on the series of Europe 50th Birthday celebration trip. The final stop is Amsterdam!  We disembarked our comfortable Viking Cruise adventure in a very hot, very crowded Amsterdam. As you know from our 2024 trip here, it is not my favorite city (see this post) but I was determined to do this right and change my opinion of this city.  Amsterdam  Starting with the hotel. We stayed at the Amsterdam Renaissance hotel in the northern part of the city, near Central Station. Super big, comfortable, updated, beautiful with a coffee bar in the lobby. It's at the top of the Red Light District (so be aware where you walk). But near quieter canals, shops and restaurants. NOT near the museum district, which was a bummer, but we figured out the tram system so it wasn't a big deal. That morning, once we got settled into the hotel, it was early so Dave went to the gym and I did a tour of the Royal Palace in the middle of town. At 10am, this city is very manageable. But after ...
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Viking Cruise: Rhine Getaway

 Part 3 of the epic European vacation Dave and I took to celebrate our 50th birthdays! Let's pick up the story in Basel!  We drove in on Friday, returned the car and stayed the night at the Art House Hotel . A beautiful boutique hotel on the end of a pedestrian street full of restaurants, bars and shops. And a quick walk to the center of old town. The location couldn't be beat. However, the music and bar-noise from the streets below could be heard late into the night. So bring your earplugs. But the huge, comfortable room was worth it.  Basel  We got to spend the evening and the next morning explore Basel. We even got lunch with Dave's colleague from years ago who now lives in Basel. It's a super-expensive city to live in. But with great public transport, lots of public spaces and beautiful well-loved historic buildings. We walked through a farmer's market and got to explore a department store. It was great.  But it was also great to drop our luggage off at the ...
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Spring Europe Trip: The Road Trip

Continuing the Europe Spring Trip to celebrate our 50th birthdays, we left beautiful Vienna and rented a car to drive to Basel.  While planning the trip, we asked good 'ole ChatGPT for the best way to get from Vienna to Basel in a few days and it suggest a route with a few stops. So we picked to stop in historic Salzburg, Austria. We had no idea what to expect.  Salzburg After finding parking, we only stayed for a very short hour. We stopped at The White Horse for a late lunch and coffee and it was very good. Then, we just walked around.  If I was thinking more than a tight hour visit, I might have though "hey, this is where they filmed the Sound of Music" duh we should find some of the building and even the church Maria got married in, which is a scene that is burned in my brain from childhood. But I didn't think that far ahead and I just wanted to get the lay of the land, since it was a quick trip. I can see why people take a few days exploring this mountain town. ...
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Letting the Light In

 One of the unintended consequences of removing that tree in our backyard is the streams of light the back part of the house is getting in the afternoons and evenings. The western-facing part of the house has been shaded for years and now it's seeing direct sun.  Here's the back hallway, with the light hitting it from the laundry and bathroom windows. Amazing! And here's the kitchen dining area near the sliding doors. You can peek at the stump that will be grinded (ground?) in a few days. And maybe be the start of my fire pit! But I may have to move that plant on the table, since it's not a fan of bright, direct light its all of a sudden getting.  Also, if you're ever feeling like your house isn't as pretty as the ones you see on Pinterest or Instagram, take some photos of the clean parts during good light and WOW you'll change your mind quick. My house is a disaster most of the time, but these two photos make it look like a magazine-ready space. Gorgeous!  ...
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Vienna: All the Details

This May, to celebrate our 50th birthdays and our 22nd anniversary, Dave and I took a huge 15 day trip to Europe. We started in Vienna, Austria where Dave's ancestors immigrated from. Then we drove to Basel to meet a group of close friends for a 7-day cruise up the Rhine. And we ended this dream trip in Amsterdam for a few days.  It was busy and exciting and so much fun. We'll be thinking about the adventures we had on this trip for years to come.  Vienna Let's start with Vienna, a city Dave has been to for work but never quite explore, and I've never been.  We stayed at Imperial Riding School Autograph Hotel just outside main town. I was excited to check-in with our last name that is very Austrian -- not having to correct someone is always great.  The hotel was beautiful and updated. Our room was perfect. Small, for sure, but comfortable with a little sofa and table for working or laying out snacks and an updated bathroom. It was a little too far outside the cente...
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Chopping my Fiddle Leaf Fig

Embolden by a plant expert Instagram influencer, I chopped my Fiddle that had a temper tantrum this winter and dropped 80% of its leaves.  Here's what was left of it after it decided it was angry with me:  So I cut off all the leaves and down to these three twigs. I moved it outside for the best summer light and heat to keep it happy and warm. Keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't just kill this plant baby.  Then, I dropped the chopped limbs into some water to see if I could get it to propagate. The expert said it wasn't always easy, but give it a try anyway. Why not?!  I'll post again soon with an update on the progress. 
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Our Backyard Tree is Gone!

Did I love this tree that provided so much shade in the backyard, near the backdoor and around the patio? Oh yes, very much.  Did I keep up with its maintenance to keep it a manageable size so it didn't get too close to the house offering a bridge for animals to crawl around my roof and attic? And danger of dropping a limb onto the house? No, no I didn't. I looked at Dave and said "Ok, ok, if you want to remove this tree, it's fine. I think it's time." And within 48 hours he had a few estimates and was scheduling a crew to come and remove it. So quickly, that I couldn't even second guess it.  Here's the tree and you can see how close it got to the house. LOVE all the shade. Not loving all the danger it posed, especially with this strong storms blowing through more frequently.  And then our NAKED backyard with out the tree. Such a big difference! I keep saying:  "this is what was best for the yard and our house in the long run. Big trees shouldn...
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