Thanks! The new home is coming along now (it should be, I signed the contract Nov 14, 03). The builder and I had words last week about the delay but he just won't budge.

Maybe Cholula or Dovster can bring me home a gift since I can't attend? A pound of truffles should do it. :D

A pound of Chocolate truffles sounds reasonable. A pound of white truffles from Alba would probably cost more than a pound of the most illegal substance.

Traveller, really sorry you won't be able to make it to VCE! We'll really miss you but we understand the trials and tribulations of three hurricanes in six weeks! Hope all is well.
I've already decided you'll win one of my prizes in absentia.
PM me your choice of a Maine-Tree-In-A-Box. I have a Blue Spruce, Balsam Fir, Red Delicious Apple, Scotch Pine, and something else...can't remember :confused:.
May not replace the palms you lost but I guarantee it'll be the most unusual tree in your new neighborhood!! ;)
That's the good news.
The bad news is that each of these trees require an average winter temperature of -20 degrees. :eek:

Traveller, it is with great sorrow that I have just removed your name from our "Possible" list, but I well understand your situation.

I'm afraid I can not bring you back anything from VCE as I am going to be in Florida on my way there, not on my way back. If you come down to FLL while I am there, however, I will be happy to pick you up a pound box of Whitman Samplers.

(Which is, of course, better than truffling with your heart.)

Gee, maybe I should get one of these for my ex. It would thrive if she kept it in bed with her.

Cholula, thanks for the offer of the tree, but it wouldn't thrive here (unless you ask my ex-husband (see Dov's prior post)).

Dovster, what shall I do with all the Mickey Mouse gifts I bought for the give aways? :p

When I am in FLL, you can leave them on my pillow in the morning. :p

Dov, I have to say you usually make me smile. :)

Is that another offer of breakfast in bed from Denny's? :eek:

I'll even go so far as to take you to breakfast at IHOP.

(Nobody can say I'm not a class act!)

Actually I can, Mr. "My Ramada Has A Safe". :p

Mods, can I report this post? Cholula has flamed me!

(In fact, he currently has 6346 posts and has flamed me in 6344 of them. He also said horrible things about me in the other two, but they can't be considered flames as they were true.)

As posted in the OP:


The Friday night drinks, the Saturday dinner, and the Tuesday Verona tour are etched in gold. They are unchangable.

The remaining functions (On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday) are just ideas. Should we finalize them now? Should we wait until we actually meet in VCE? Are we better off having a tightly scheduled Meet or a loose and open one?

Opinions, please.

Has the meal in the family trattoria near Ai Mori been eliminated?

That is the main dinner. It is referred to as "a restaurant near the Casino" as that was all that was originally known. It is still is true as the Ai Mori itself is not very far from the Casino (why else would I stay there?)

When we get definite information on which trattoria it will be, I will change the schedule.

I vote for the tightly scheduled Meet with the option that everybody can pick and choose what events they want to do. I think we can safely assume that everybody will attend the Saturday night dinner. In fact we will need an accurate head count for that event.
Other than that, I suggest we publish a schedule of times and events and whoever shows up, fine. Some folks...like Mrs. Cholula and I...will probably stick to the schedule. We've never been to Venice and we are grateful for the experience of others who know the city/area and are willing to act as tour guides.
Others have been there and done that and may want to go off on their own.
Just my two pesos worth...
Other opinions?

walking tour leaders
 

Would Dovster and/or the O2Ks be qualified to be the walking tour leaders on Saturday? From previous posts they seem to know their way around the city......
No maps allowed...we don't want to look like a bunch of tourists (haha)!