A Very Strange Week

So after that very strange week I have been speaking about, I finally had this week's show fleshed out and ready to go about 2 days earlier than I usually do. Then this morning I suddenly realized that I had spelled a word wrong on my road map of Chianti, so I spent the next hour redoing this week's show. Then I got to the studio and a camera didn't work, then something else went wrong, and suddenly to my shock a bulletin board next to the table at which I sit fell down scaring the daylights out of me. I said to Ellen, we'd better start this thing, before the ceiling collapses, so we immediately started the tape running and off we went down the Chianti Road through some stunning scenery and charming hill towns. This is a beautiful area of Tuscany where Laura and I spent a few days back in 2009 with very cold weather, and couldn't wait to come home to warmth. However, this was a wonderful time for us, friend wise, because we were treated by Luca and his family to a wonderful dinner at their house, while staying the night. Then we did the same thing at Lidia's house in Chiesina Uzzanase a week later. Nonetheless, we resolved never to return to Italy in the winter, and haven't. Meanwhile this week I tried very hard to consider adding 3 days to our trip in May, and so far if the airfares are reasonable, which I suspect they are not, we may try that. Otherwise I have it in the back of my mind to go in the winter again; but chances are less than 50 - 50 that Laura will join me. This show was special in that I dedicated it to my friend, Barry Weinbrom, who died last week. He was, as I indicated, a wonderful man. So in Woodstock, I missed the wake for Levon Helm, because I was posing for my artist friend who wanted to draw me, and felt that was more important than the wake. Then I also missed watching the funeral cortege head down the main street to the Woodstock Cemetery on Rock City Road, because I was just too busy getting ready for tonight's show. So that was a strange but very fulfilling week. Next week Franc Palaia and I will do a show on Pompeii with his stunning photos of what he refers to as "secret Pompeii", because he photographs areas off limits to the average tourist. I will start with a brief history of the town, some key aspects of a typical Roman town of that era, photos of Pompeii, and then he will take over discussing the art of Pompeii. Tune in.