Did I Mention my new House had Bird Flu?

Ciao:

I have to be honest that I'm having trouble focusing enough to write a decent post. I'm leaving tomorrow for my trip to the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy and I think it is affecting my concentration (just a little bit). Any day now I'll probably be drinking with Bode Miller and tearing up the town with Apollo Ohno. Partying with those 2 may lead to our purloining the Shroud of Turin (seems like my mental vacation has all ready started). I'm 'mostly' packed but I'm still getting a little anxious.

So what's that got to do with Bird Flu? Nothing. Weren't you paying attention? I'm having trouble focusing. Anyway - I think I may have mentioned that the chimney in my house was blocked. The inspector found crumbling mortar and leaves and wasn't able to open the flu. In a very Cassandra like fashion, he preceeded to predict doom and misery for any who would dare to use the fireplace. In my ADHD manner - I took a break from plaster work and crawled into the fireplace (a perfectly natural thing to do). It turns out that the flu was just jammed in it's rails. When I got it open, a few leaves AND A DEAD BLACKBIRD fell on my face! The firebox of this fireplace is very large - but not large enough to share with a mummified bird. After removing Edgar Allen Poe's little buddy - I was able to see straight up to the sky. This chimney is so large, I could probably climb up it if I were being chased by click crazed paparazzi (or is it poparatzi?). Fortunately, neither is likely to happen.

Well, this has certainly not been my best post. I had wanted to leave off with something really special before I left for my trip - but well, this is what you're getting. Speaking of paparazzi, I'm taking a lot of photographic fire power with me on this trip. Brace yourself for months of vacation photos. I'd love to leave you with a suggestion for a Lenten titlefrom Liguori Publications, but I just can't tie one back to today's post. Instead I'll suggest something from our Travel series. Perhaps I can use Catholic Shrines of Western Europe: A Pilgrim's Travel Guide by Kevin J. Wright to help me plot my Shroud caper?

Arrivederci,

Peace,

P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass