What I Did the Week After My Vacation

I was just thinking about those silly little essays that kids often have to write at the beginning of the school year: What I Did On My Summer Vacation. Since I wrote an almost daily essay chronicling my adventure in Croatia with my mom, you'd think that life after traveling would leave little else to say. But I must say that my first week back has been much more jam packed. 

You see, months before I ever consented to flying halfway across the world with my mom, I was an automatic sign-up for the Mandy and Keith wedding team. Mandy's mom, and my dear friend, Heather, has been behind the scenes on all my kid's weddings in one capacity or another - rehearsal dinners, kitchen queen (aka: the one in charge of all things food), maker of delicious wedding dainties, assistant food planner, and the "just give me the cash and I'll do all your food shopping" lady. More importantly, she has been a loyal friend and fellow Thursday morning prayer partner for the past 17 years or so. She has prayed diligently for all my kids and prayed me through all those weddings, and more.

To say that I owed her one sounds much too flippant and unfeeling. Friends don't keep track of what is owed. Friends are just there for one another, unconditionally. I love her. I love Mandy. Love is an action, so count me in! Yes, I will be the wedding coordinator, and, yes, I will come alongside Mandy and Heather in finishing the planning. The fact that the wedding was to be four days after I arrived home from a three week trip overseas did have me considering hyperventilating a few times, but despite my inner wimpiness, I find that I must keep going back to the "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" thing. I like that promise of Him making all my paths straight and I never cease to be amazed at how He does it each time. 

So, Tuesday night found me back home enjoying my family...including my one and only grand daughter, who is twenty times cuter in person than on Skype. Holy moly! It was so good to see everyone and so great to be home.

Wednesday consisted of unpacking, hanging out with Jill and Cadence, doing laundry, making lists, and phone calls to Heather, Mandy, and others, to start to get my ducks in a row for the fast arriving nuptials.

Thursday had Jillian waking up feeling ill - because she's pregnant!! - me driving down the way to prayer with Heather and our friend Diana, then running back home to get Jillian something, then back to prayer...where more things were hammered out and lifted up, taking care of baby so Jillian could rest, a last minute meeting with Mandy and Keith to go over the wedding and reception itinerary and to tidy up some last minute details, come home, make dinner, take care of baby and Jill, and go to bed.

Friday I'm tired, but up with baby. Jillian had felt sick in the night and I'd been up with her off and on. Baby's nap time meant typing up the itinerary for the wedding and reception and preparing to run the wedding rehearsal which was to be an hour away in a little stone church in the quaint little Palouse town of Pine City. Jillian finally started feeling a little better, so as she was to be a bridesmaid, we headed out through the rolling fields of wheat and made it through the rehearsal, which went quite well. We then joined everyone for a rehearsal dessert in downtown Spokane. Jilly didn't feel too great that evening and we spent another night of interrupted sleep.

Saturday morning already showed promise of the ninety degree day that it would be. I got up, took care of baby, and let Jillian sleep as long as possible. After picking up some other friends who were riding down to help with the festivities, I came by and got Jillian. We arrived in Pine City about 1:20pm. Jillian joined the girls to prepare for photos and I jumped in and helped finish the lovely outdoor "church picnic in the pines" reception set up. Thank goodness for many helping hands! It was hot, hot, hot! Finally came time to line up our bridal party and get the show on the road. The music began and we were off! How grateful we all were for that cool little stone church! The wedding was beautiful and I relished my front row seat where I could see Mandy's lovely smile through the whole ceremony. Soon we were all filing out for dinner and dessert in the field right next to the church. After a fun time of food and fellowship, we saw the bride and groom off through showers of birdseed and began our clean up. Jillian caught a ride home with friends and the rest of us - family and friends - got the wedding packed up. I was home by 9:30 feeling tired and sore, but quite blessed by the Lord's provision for the day and all who came to celebrate. 

Sunday morning Jillian still was not feeling well, so she and Jake decided to postpone her return flight for a week. We were all pretty exhausted, so we laid low till the afternoon, then I took Jill into the ER. They filled her with fluids, ran tests, found that she was fighting an infection - in addition to being morning sick - and sent us home with some prescriptions. Not knowing what was up, we had also decided earlier that day that I would accompany Jill and Cadence home that next week. Even with a week to recover it did not seem wise to send her flying with the baby alone. So I will be leaving with her on Oct 3rd and stay for two weeks...missing Monica and Danny's departure to Medford. That was cause for some shedding of tears all around, but we worked through it. As I recently posted on Facebook, "life truly is what happens when you have other plans."

Monday we had one appointment then Jill laid low. There were also errands to run and dinner to make and baby to watch. Jill's meds were making her feel weird, so we had another night of not so much sleep.

That brings us to Tuesday. Jill  was still not 100%, more errands to run, and an important date with lovely Nancy who is moving to California on Friday. Danny came to help take care of Cadence and Jill, and Monica and I set out on the errands and met Nancy for a much awaited last visit at the Maple Street Bistro. Good times! Swinging by Rosauers for a rotisserie chicken and a few other supplies, we made it home and got dinner together. Add a lovely surprise visit from cousin BJ, a bath for baby, getting Jill off to bed with a prayer for healing, doing up the dishes, making Ty's lunch for tomorrow, and I was pooped. I went to bed early and was awakened once again to Jill's text that she needed help. Finally got some nausea meds in her and we both got back to sleep around 2:30am.

Wednesday morning, I escaped with the help of Auntie Monica and Uncle Danny, and went downtown to get my hair done. It was a nice and needed break. Returning home, I helped Jillian get ready and we headed off the the ER again. There must be something they could do to help her a bit more with the nausea or we were not going to be able to leave for Florida next Monday! The Lord had all that covered! We saw the same admitting person as on Sunday, a pregnant woman who had suffered miserably from morning sickness too. She promptly wheeled Jillian into the ER and went herself to find the same ARNP that we'd had on Sunday. Such a blessing! We were there an awfully long time, but everyone was so good to us. Results of that visit? One less medication to take that would bother her stomach, an additional one for the nausea, AND she got to have an ultrasound and see little baby Bragg's heart beating...I did too! Jillian had a much better night last night so we both got more rest.

Now it's Thursday. I awoke early to get dressed before Miss Cadence arose. We had a fun breakfast together, then woke up "mom" for her meds and got her to come on out to the living room to "play" from the sofa. I was able to bop down to my friend Diana's for our Thursday prayer and fellowship time. Such a blessing! Dropped Jillian off for a massage, which she was thankfully feeling well enough for, went to an appointment with Ty, then home for a quick lunch. Because Jillian was feeling better, and because Danny was willing to stick around and hang with the girls again, Monica and I were able to have our promised coffee date (that we were supposed to have yesterday), probably our last one before I leave for Florida and she leaves for Medford. Golly, I love that girl...I mean, woman! What a joy to see what the Lord has done and is doing in her life. 

It has been a full day, and a very full week-plus-a-few-days, since I returned from my European adventure. If I had jet lag at all this week it was masked by all the activity and the continued lack of sleep. There are a few more days till I'm off again. I have no idea what to think of all this, so I'm just bending with it and feeling very thankful for God's covering, even while being close to tears at times. Haha! That has been my life for at least the past three years...probably more. Isn't that the story of all of us itinerate mom/wife/friends? Different circumstances, but always the need to trust, the need to cry and cry out, and the need to cultivate thankfulness through it all. So what did I do the week after my vacation? I tried to be obedient to whatever the Lord put in my path. And He has been faithful to hold me close. It has been a good week.

Croatia: The End and a Post Script...Part 19

And now for the end of the story...

The drive back to Zagreb in my cousin Tea's little yellow Peugeot on Sunday was lovely. She named her car a Croatian word that means little tweety, in honor of Tweet Bird. As we approached Zagreb we all discovered that great minds think alike...we all wanted to go to the restaurant Grana and have ćevapčići again - traditional seasoned ground beef links served with fresh onions, bread, and kajmak, which is a Bosnian cheese spread. Wonderful!

It was decided that we would stay with Tea and her husband that night and meet up with the others on Monday before our flight. After a walk to a nearby caffe bar for gelato - our last one - we settled in for the evening. In the morning we had a breakfast of coffee and toasted meat and cheese sandwiches. Mom was in search of a few souvenirs yet, so Tea took us to a nearby mall. It was very nice, and given more time and some extra cash, I could have brought home a pretty sweet fall wardrobe. Maybe next time. 

After shopping, finding a place for these last minute finds in our already bulging bags, and piling it all into Tweety, we headed off for Mariana's house. A lovely lunch awaited us...roasted lamb, chicken, pan fried potatoes, bowls of the best tomatoes in the world, fresh bread, and an assortment of cakes. A perfect meal to prepare us for our trip, which would include a 14 hour layover in Frankfurt that night. 

Our last visit with all of them was wonderful and we all prepared for a sad goodbye. Even the skies seemed to have sensed the mood, for it was pouring down rain - the only really wet weather we'd had for the entire 3 weeks. Everyone went to the airport...Mariana, Mirela, Jurko, Tea, and Mirela's sister Neves. We had plenty of time to kill, so we invaded the airport gift shop then sat and visited over coffee. Did you know that neckties were invented by the Croatians...as well as ink pens? I just had to buy Ty a necktie magnet from Zagreb. He has said for years that if he ever met the guy who invented neck ties he would like to string him up by one. I find it ironic that they were invented by "my people." After we took a few pictures it was time to head for security and to get our "going home party" started for real. Lots of hugs, a few tears, and we were off. 

The flight to Zagreb was uneventful, the night spent at the airport...well, not so fun. After heading to Terminal A and being told, no, you need to go back to Terminal B, then being told at B that we really wouldn't want to hang out there either, we decided to land in some reclining chairs that we'd seen on our treks between terminals. It seemed a great idea till a group of one man and two women showed up several rows of chairs behind us with several bottles of alcoholic beverages. They were very loud and for some reason thought that playing techno music at random internals was an appropriate activity for 1:00am in a public space. We left that area for some place quieter, but eventually returned for the sake of having comfortable chairs to rest in. Mom read a bit, then fell asleep around 2:30, so I prepared to stay awake and keep watch over our bags. For the next three and a half hours I alternated between playing solitaire and doing crossword puzzles, with an occasional break to stand and stretch and move around to get warm. Finally everyone - including the partyers - slept, and the only distractions were the airport employees walking up and down the corridor. I kept up the forced activity circuit until 6am when Mom woke up and we decided to venture through security to the restaurants in Terminal B. Breakfast at McDonalds. (Sorry there were no other choices at 6am in the Frankfurt airport.) I decided that I would try and forget that I'd now been up for 24 hours straight, but when we finally got through to our gate in Terminal A I could no longer keep my eyes open, so I laid my head on Mom's shoulder and napped for about a half an hour. We finally boarded the plane for Seattle at 9:00am. At last we were truly on our way home.

That flight went well, though I slept only a little over two hours. I watched a total of three movies (exhaustion meets desperation), but as we approached the US border from the north I had the best show ever. The in-air display said we were flying over western Canada, Jasper National Forest. As I looked down and marveled at the amazing Rockie Mountains, in my sleep deprived state of mind, they looked like miles of rugged chocolate mountains dusted with powdered sugar. Dark chocolate, at that. The mountains soon gave way to some flatlands, but not for long. Crossing over into Washington State and descending quite a bit I was given a glorious view of the Cascades. To me they looked even more spectacular than the Rockies, but that could have been because we were closer to them. Soon I saw water off to the right and realized that I was seeing the Puget Sound and all of the San Juan Islands at once...with the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula looming behind. Descending even more, civilization came into view and we flew right over downtown Seattle. So glad to not have been sleeping for all of that! What an amazing sight!

We landed in Seattle about a half an hour earlier than expected and had to wait another two and a half hours before we could check in with Southwest for our flight to Spokane. One last time through security and then another couple of hours till take off. By then I gave in to the need for caffeine. Starbucks is not my favorite, but out of sheer gratitude for being back on US soil and so close to home, it was a welcome sight. I found an outlet at our gate near the floor by some windows, so I settled onto the carpet and plugged in my dead phone. Leaning against a large column and enjoying the sunshine, I finally sent out text messages and made some phone calls to help pass the time. How good it was to hear familiar voices! The plane arrived a little late, but we were finally seated, belted, and ready for our last flight. More mountains, miles of patchwork farm land, then trees! Even from the air seeing the trees let us know that we were close to home! I could feel my anticipation building. "One last good landing, Lord." Tires on landing strip, despite the few bobs and weaves, was such a great feeling! I didn't know whether I would cry or do a happy dance when I saw my family. I did both.

We had a trip of a lifetime. Our relatives there are anxious for us to come again and to bring more of our family. We would love that, of course, but only the Lord knows if we'll ever make this trip again. So for now we have our memories, our photographs, new friends in far off family, and this mini-series of a travelogue. For those who "came with us," I hope you enjoyed the trip. For those who prayed for us, thank you so much! We were blessed at every turn and have returned home with full hearts, fully satisfied...and so grateful for God's provision, protection, and grace. 

Love to you all and dovidenja,

Bernadette

Croatia: To Zagreb, then home...Part 18

Just when I thought I would have a quiet evening last night and get to bed early...

Darko met us for coffee at the hotel at 9pm. He said he had somewhere he wanted to take me, but mom wasn't invited. Haha! He said she was too old. Oh dear! She did her little lip quiver thing that makes it look like she's going to cry...but in the end she went up to read and I went with Darko. He wanted to take me to a big celebration that was going on at the Tennis Club in Ogulin. He is the president of the Ogulin Sports Club, so being a part of these events is part of his job. There had been people there all day from Ogulin and other towns playing tennis all day - from ages 7 to 70. In the evening they had a big feast of roasted pig, salads, and fresh bread. What he especially wanted me to see was the small Croatian band that was playing traditional music. There were four men playing the bass, the guitar, a tamborica (a traditional Croatian instrument about the size of a mandolin), and a harmonica (accordian). It was great to hear their folk songs.

Now it is Sunday morning. We have siad our goodbyes to Mato, had our last cappuccino at the office, and are checking out. We will head for Zagreb today and home tomorrow. I hope you've enjoyed our adventures. At first it seemed surreal to be hear, now it's a bit surreal to be going home.

For the last time...Bok and love from Zagreb,

Bernadette

Croatia: Oh, and another thing...Part 17

As we drove out to Josepidol in Ivanka's little Chevrolet Spark, I thought of several miscellaneous things that I've yet to mention.

1. As you drive out of town where people have a bit more land, thus small farms, there are small stands - sometimes just a wheelbarrow - with huge 30-40 lb sacks of farm fresh potatoes, or equally large sacks of onions and peppers. Lately we have also begun to see pumpkins. Every little farm sets up these stands to sell their produce. I teased mom that we should take home some potatoes, but then we would have to leave the entire contents of our suitcases behind. Darn that 50 lb weight limit! The potatoes here are delicious. Ogulin is also known throughout the nation for having the best tasting cabbages...just ask anyone here. They will tell you! ;-)

2. Like all of Europe, Croatia is a photographers paradise. Not only are the countryside, mountains, and seaside exptremely picturesque, but the buildings old and new are fascinating. I especially love the old iron gates and fences and the abundance of weathered stucco everywhere. Most of the homes are left the natural soft beige color, but every now and then you'll see soft melon, pistaccchio, lime green...I even saw one daring home dressed in bright orange and yellow. Sometimes you just have to stand out in the crowd! And on every road of homes we pass in every town that we've visited are cascading window boxes of red geraniums. Sometimes an entire balconey is lined with them. I especially loved all the shuttered windows in Krk that were always wide open with a tumble of red flowers falling down the face of the buildings. It is pretty much "charming" overload. I never tire of seeing all the flowers as we drive or walk around.

3. And there are bikes! Bikes everywhere! Especially the old vintage style. So many people ride...young and old. One day I saw a lovely young woman riding toward us with a basket full of flowers attached to the front of the handle bars. She was wearing a dress, of course, and I immediately thought of Mandy Carlon. :) It is especially fun to watch the little old men ride around all day here in Ogulin. Ivanka's sister Seneca has one that is kelly green with double baskets on the rear wheel. So cute!

4. It has been very entertaining to see all the different automobiles here in Croatia. By far the majority are very small compact cars...at least 9 of 10. I have seen only three pickups here in Ogulin, and just a few SUV types. Gas is expensive here and most of the vehicles are deisel, which is cheaper. As I mentioned earlier, Ivanka drives a Chevrolet Spark. I did not know such a car exhisited. Darko drives a Skoda Fabia. I have seen numerous Renaults, BMWs, Fiats...as well as VWs, Hyundais, Fords, and Toyotas. The greatest majority have been European models, though. Tea has a bright yellow Peugot sub compact that has sliding doors like a mini van. It is a tiny car, but the doors are perfect for her husband Hrvoje who is permanently disabled from an automobile accident. (Considering that he was in a coma for weeks and had a great deal of spinal cord swelling, it is a miracle that he has perfect brain function, can speak flawlessly, and only deals with some permanent nerve damage to his right arm, hand, and leg. He is one of the most upbeat people I have ever met, though. Extremely kind and sensitive and not a bit self-conscious about his disablilities. He rides a bike everyday and works out to keep his body as strong as possible.)

I also have an update from our visit to St. Josephs. Father Peter had indeed located many of the records from my mothers grandparents and her aunts and uncles. He had typed out a chart showing names, birthdates, wedding dates, and death dates. He did not have these complete records for everyone, but it is much more information than we had before. He also made photocopies of the original church log entries for those family members. This is what she had been hoping for. Mission accomplished!

We also got to go see Marica before mass. She, of course, filled us with cakes and freshly picked grapes. I asked Ivanka to tell her what an honor it had been for me to meet her and how much I had enjoyed my time in Croatia. It was hard to hold back the tears knowing that even if I do get to return to this lovely place, she may not be here. I pray that I will get to come back, and that she will still be there leaning on her canes with her twinkling eyes and welcoming smile. My mother says that she is so much like my grandmother...It gives me "leaky eyes" just to think of that. I have come as close as I ever will to knowing my grandmother in the tiny little kitchen of precious Marica. As I hugged her goodbye it was hard to let go...

Alas, everything is making me cry today. That's ok. I have been gone from home for three weeks. I miss my family terribly and my heart is full of love and memories from this amazing journey to the land of my mother's family...my family.

Perhaps this is all I have to say about that...but you never know. It seems that I am always remembering something new that I've forgotten to write down. For now I will say good night...laku noć.

Bernadette

Croatia: Preparing to Leave...Part 16

Our time here is coming to a close and we are both ready to be home. We both seem to be experiencing a subtle weariness and quietness as we see the finish line approaching. For my mother, who was only able to spend 6 whirlwind days here with family last year, it has been a more satisfying time. We've had much more opportunity to spend with our family and to see the history, the sights, and the beauty of this country. To experience all this as more than tourists has been wonderful. I cannot adequately express how the continuing hospitality of our family here has touched our hearts. We have been taken to people's favorite places, shared their favorite meals, we've laughed together and found ways to communicate with our halting grasp of one another's language. Smiles and a kind tone of voice communicate much and we have tried to share those generously where ever we've been, as well as using basic hellos, thank you, please, good bye, and good morning (among other things) in Croatian as much as possible.

I have enjoyed my attempts at learning the language. Pronunciation is made simple once you learn some of the letters and combinations unique to Croatian, such as č=ch, š=sh, j=yuh...etc. The vowels are pronounced only one way, so once you've mastered the sounds everything can be read phonetically. The clusters of consonants can be a bit trickier until you've had a chance to practice a bit and can feel like trying to recite tongue twisters. All in all, I have loved the challenge and I hope that I will remember what I've learned in case I ever have the opportunity to come for another visit.

We met Darko, Ivanka, and her sister Seneca for coffee at the "office." We helped Ivanka and Seneca stack firewood last night while Darko cut the grass. This morning Seneca brought us each a little Ogulin refrigerator magnet. She is very sweet. Mom and I thought of taking a walk after coffee, but it was already too hot so we returned to the hotel and started reorganizing our suitcases. Ivanka will come for us tonight at 6pm so that we can go to Oštadje to say goodbye to Marica. She will then take us all to mass at St. Joseph's in Josepidol. This is where my grandmother was baptized and attended mass as a girl. It is very special to my mother to get to celebrate the mass there. The priest in Josepidol, Fr. Peter, contacted us through Darko yesterday saying that he had some good news for my mother. Hopefully this will be information regarding my great grandparents. We think they are buried in the cemetary there at St. Josephs. Any new information will be welcome and mom attempts to peice together her familiy tree.

Tea will come for us here sometime tomorrow and we will return with her to Zagreb. Marianna and Jurko will also be returning to Zagreb on Sunday and we will stay the night with them in their apartment. They live very near the airport, in fact Jurko works there as an electrician. Mirella will come to see us one last time on Monday morning since she does not work till noon. (Marianna and Jurko are her parents, just in case you're trying to keep track of everyone.) Our flight to Frankfurt is at 6pm (9am Spokane time). Unfortunately the flight to Seattle does not leave till the next morning, so we will be hanging out in the airport all night. At least we have a deck of cards and a crossword book. Perhaps I'll be able to find a book to read in English. I have already read the both of the novels that we brought over. One way or another, I hope that we will be able to sleep on the plane over the Atlantic this time. We would love your prayers for our flights and for our spirits. With layovers, our travels will last over a day and a half. We will be tired, but will need to be alert.

One last lunch here in Ogulin awaits us. We may take it at the hotel so that we can enjoy the kind waitresses here one last time. I doubt that they have guests stay for such an extended time and they have certainly been very good to us. Kristina, Nickolina, Ivana...Daniella at the reception desk, among others. Mom took some of their pictures today so that we will remember them too. We are hoping to take one last walk through the town later today or tomorrow morning when it is cooler. We have come to feel very at home here. Perhaps we will go get one more gelato cone...just for fun.

I hope to have one more update before we go, but just in case I don't I will say one more "doviđenja." The Lord has been good to us this trip...so many blessings. It has been a joy to be here and to be able to try and capture some of our experiences in words. Thank you to all those who have been praying. I know that I will be reflecting on this trip for some time to come...but for now, I look forward to coming home.

Much love from across the ocean,

Bernadette

Croatia: Park Benches and Fun Facts...Part 15

It is a gorgeous fall day here in Ogulin. The tempurature is just like home...in the 70s. After meeting Darko for coffee, Mom and I stopped in the lovely park here in the middle of town and spent some time chatting in the sun. There are park benches all throughout the park and the main street of Ogulin. You can grab a gelato or a pastry and easily find a bench nearby to enjoy the weather and chat with a friend. The nights are cooling nicely here and the days are beautiful. Fall is my favorite time of year. Here's a link to photos of the beautiful city park http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45558336  and some photos of Ogulin and the surrounding area. The small hotel that is next to a stone castle is Hotel Frankopan where we are staying.

http://www.photocroatia.com/GALLERY/list.php?exhibition=58

Underneath the city are a huge systems of caves. The mouth of one such cave can be seen at one of the lookout points to the large ravine across from our hotel. There is a bit of information about Ogulin on this site on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogulin

NOW FOR SOMETHING TRULY UNIQUE...

One fun fact that I had forgotten to share from our tour of Zagreb last week is the Museum of Broken Relationships. We passed by it at night, so did not get to go in. Apparently anyone can set up an exhibit from pictures or personal items of their ex (girl/boyfriend or spouse). I wish we could have gone in to see what this was all about. We could see some of the exhibits from the window. There was also a little caffee bar inside. I guess you could set up your exhibit, then go drown your sorrows all in the same place. (Caffe bars here also always serve beer...though you could drown your sorrows in caffeine just as well.) I found this link online. Check it out. http://new.brokenships.com/en

Off to lunch now and perhaps a drive out to Josipidol to talk to the priest at the church where my grandmother was batized. My mother has still not been able to locate her grandparents burial sites. It is possible that they may not be found, especially if there wasn't a large headstone marking them or if they were not cared for over the years. We are hoping to make contact with Father Peter there to see what the church records show. We've been trying to piece together family names as well as birth and death years. Not easy to do when there are only a few people who know that information...and they only speak Croatian. Also, many records are referenced with the original addresses and house numbers may have been changed over the years. We have also discovered that there are repetitions in some of the first names...so who she thought was an aunt, may turn out to be a cousin...or both because they had the same first and last name. This is especially true for the men. Putting this geneology together will likely require several more years of work, but Mom now has so much more information as well as many photos.

She regrets that her own mother, who is from this area, never spoke to her of the family in Croatia. Her mother had a stroke when she (my mother) was only 15 and was unable to speak after that. She died a few years later. So for over 50 years much of this family history was a complete mystery. Though some of the pieces may never come together, we now have contact with our relatives here and are greatly blessed to know them.

Doviđenja!

Bernadette

Croatia: On Wars and Waterfalls...Part 14

After a rather ordinary start to the day -  breakfast, cappucciiiino, a drive to Ostarije to see the parish priest about information regarding my great grandparents, and a return to Ogulin with a visit to Darko's "office," the wonderful outdoor caffee bar Stari Grad...where I had another cappucciiino. It is a bit amusing to me that we will have coffee, take a brief field trip, then go have another coffee. This is nothing that I would do at home, but the cappuccinos are the equivalent of $1.25, so "when in Rome" or Croatia...

We parted company after coffee just in time for a trip to the tourist office to look for some brochures written in English. Despite the two cappuccinos, it was nap time. (Last night's late night capp had kept me awake till the wee hours.) We shared an order of "pancakes with zucchini" for lunch and took care of some emails. So far, pretty routine.

It was our afternoon outing that turned the tide. Darko and Ivanka met us at the hotel at 3pm and we set out for Rastoke, in the city of Slunj. Wikipedia describes this area: "Rastoke[ˈrastɔkɛ] is the historic center of the Croatian municipality of Slunj. This old part of Slunj is known for its well-preserved mills and the picturesque little waterfalls along the Slunjčica river, which flows into the river Korana at this place. The Korana river originates at Plitvice Lakes National Park." It is quite picturesqe indeed. Plitvice is apparently 10 times bigger, but would have required an entire day and a 5 mile hike. The falls at Rostoke are terraced and some run right under some of the houses, which are built up on stone pylons. There were once very many mills built in this area, taking advantage of the water flow. We did get to see one such working mill. It dated back to the 1700s, and though under repair, was still in use. Darko bought some fresh ground corn meal and flour from the friendly older woman who lived there. Like the Spokane, the Korana river runs very high in the spring. It would be spectacular to visit Rastoke that time of year.

We hiked up a road, then down closer to the river. There are several caffees and a restaurant at the bottom. It is all very rustic with old houses, lots of flower gardens, and a small area near the restaurant where you could literally catch a trout and have it prepared for dinner. We did not do this, but saw many fish and a very odd looking black and white speckled duck.

As great as all this was, the ride out was also memorable. To get to Slunj one must travel a VERY winding road. Other than the larger "autobahns" all the smaller highways and access roads are quite narrow, add continual S curves and hairpin turns along with Darko's speedy driving and, let's just say it was an adventure. I did fine, I think Mom was a bit unsettled. (He very graciously agreed to drive slower on the way back.) The countryside that we traveled through was so beautiful, rolling hills, small farms, trees and brush. Everything here is still very green.

It was about halfway through our ride that Darko said something about the area we were traveling toward. I caught the word "mine" but was not at first sure what he was talking about. Finally he said "bomb" and I realised that he was pointing out to us areas that were marked by warning signs because they were still filled with land mines put there by the Serbian Army during the Bosnian war in the 90s. He explained that from that area, the Serbs had bombed Ogulin. When they entered Croatia, they burned out and destroyed thousands of homes and churches. As we continued to drive through this otherwise lovely rural area we saw many partially or completely destroyed homes and buildings. In some cases, newer homes had been built next to or very near the old bombed out ones. There were a couple of marked memorials to fallen soldiers along our drive as well. It made "that war" that I'd only paid a bit of attention to as I raised my, then, small children seem much more real...and very tragic. Ogulin and other areas were bombed many times and, as I mentioned in a previous note, many people sent their children to live elsewhere during the fighting. Darko served in the army during this war, as well. He talked with pride of his country's heritage of brave soldiers who throughout the centuries had fought to defend themselves against the Romans, the Turks, Napoleon, and others. The castle that stands right next to our hotel was built by a very the very powerful Frankopan family as a garrison of defence after the Turks invaded centuries ago. Like the town, the castle is over 500 years old. Seeing history up close and personal has been a highlight of this trip.

Fall seems to finally have arrived here in Ogulin. I noticed on some of my friend's Facebook posts the weather seems to have turned in Spokane as well. We have noticed through conversation with the locals, that the weather and seasons here are much the same as the Spokane area. As I was looking up how to spell the name of the village we visited today, I noticed that it was described as been along the 45th latitude line. The Canadian border is about 49 degrees north, so we are situated very similarly. I had been wondering about this and now it is confirmed.

So now that you've recieved this travelogue with the bonus history and geography lesson, I'll sign off. I hope to get a good night's sleep tonight so that I'll be ready to meet Darko at the "office" tomorrow morning...for a cappucciiiino! Laku noc! (good night!)

Bok!

Bernadette

Croatia: 2nd Hand Smoke, Miscellaneous Thoughts and Kolaci...Part 13

Hello everyone! We have now been in Croatia for 2 weeks. It has flown by...and it feels like forever, if that makes sense. We have really had the best weather here with only one day of rain. It has been very hot...in the 80s and just slightly humid here in Ogulin. (It was a bit more humid by the sea and made my hair curly every day, but nothing like Pensacola, Jillian! Thank goodness!!) This week it has been perfect weather for afternoon naps.

After today's nap, we prepared to meet Darko in order to go visit his aunt, and our cousin, Marica. (Pronounced Marreetsa) As I sat drinking my 3rd cappuccino of the day I asked my mom about the cigarette smoke here. It had been quite bothersome to us when we first arrived, but seemed like there had been less around us lately. We couldn't decide if there was truly less or if we had just become accustomed to it. Then Mom coughed...hahaha. I called it her second-hand smoking cough. We may both need nicotine patches when we get home. Every time she coughs I tease her that she needs to quit. But that would mean that she needs to quit breathing. It is true, though, that it is not bothering me so much. We will probably return home and wonder why the air smells strange.

A note on the cappucinos and my cousins: The capps. are served in a 6 oz coffee cup and are quite dainty, so do not worry that I am on a huge caffeine binge. My cousin, Darko, keeps teasing me by ordering them with an exaggerated Italian accent...cappucciiiiiiiino! Darko is just a little older than me. His father, Mato, is actually my mothers 1st cousin, so Darko is her 2nd cousin...and, somehow, he is my cousin too. His daughter, Tea, is also a cousin? I fear that we need a geneology expert to sort all this out. In the mean time, I have decided that we are all just cousins and I will leave it at that.

Speaking of our cousins, I told Mom today that I miss all the girls. Tea and Mirella and Marianna and Nada! Darko is good company, but there is nothing quite the same as "girlfriend" time. Am I right, girls? We are surely missing all of them. Nada is at her home by the sea. Tea, at work in Zagreb, an hour away. Marianna has gone back to Istra...the coastal peninsula of Croatia where the cities of Pula and Rijecka are located. Marella is in Munich this week with her family for Octoberfest. Yes, I know it is not October, but as they say here in their lovely Croatian accent "NEVER MIND!!" 

We did get to see Marica this evening and she had baked us many kolaci (little cakes). One was like an apple pie wrap, one a layered cookie with ground nuts and raisins, and she also made delicious little mild butter cookies. You have to understand that this lovely woman is very old, walks on her extremely swollen legs with a decided limp and a cane...and yet she baked us all these wonderful goodies. She is a very generous woman, will not accept any gifts from my mother, and barely allows us to thank her for her kindness. Her eyes sparkle, though, and I loved it today when she smiled and patted me on the cheek and rattled on in Croatian. She was telling me that I looked 15 instead of almost 50...another reason why I like her so much! haha! We will see her again tomorrow morning after we do a bit of digging around at the local parish for more of my mother's family records.

We are back at the hotel. Darko bought me a "night cap" for the evening before he left - another cappuciiiino! There is a big soccer match on TV tonight, a Zagreb club verses a very good team from Madrid. Mom and I will likely head to bed a bit earlier. We need to be up and ready for breakfast by 8:00. Darko comes at 8:30 for coffee- kava - and we will head back to the village where Marica lives. In the afternoon we plan to drive to Rastoke where there are lakes and waterfalls...similar to Plitvice National Park, only on a smaller scale. Darko loves this place more than the big park and it is closer to Ogulin.

Doviđenja until the next update and, from us, good night!

Love,

Bernadette

Croatia: Pizza with the Canadian Cyclists...Part 12

What a day we are continuing to have here! Mom and I ventured out to our favorite sidewalk shop for a slice of pizza. As we stood waiting to order we noticed two young women dressed in bicycle gear who had also come for some pizza...they were speaking English. As we waited for our orders, we discovered that they are both originally from Vancouver B.C. They were delighted to hear that we're from Washington...we are neighbors! They have known each other since they were 13 or 14 and are on a 6 week bicycle tour which began in Venice and will end in Greece. Juhli teaches music in Vancouver and Liz has lived in London for about four and a half years working to start an environmental non profit group there. She will be returning to Canada sometime this year. I would put them somewhere in their mid to later 20s. It was fun to hear of their adventures. Last night they found no campgrounds and were invited to stay on the property of a Croatian family. People here are so hospitable and accommodating. :) They were invited to breakfast and given a large jar of homemade plum jam. So, since they are traveling by bike, they said that they will be eating jam on everything for the next few days. They also got lost in Slovenia as they were approaching the Croatian border the other day and upon stopping to ask for directions were told that they were actually on the wrong side of a very large mountain. So the family their put their bikes onto a horse trailer and drove the girls over to the correct highway.

We had such a lovely lunch with them, sharing a bench on the sidewalk and getting to know one another. They're off to camp at Plitvice Lakes tonight and will be heading toward the coastal regions soon. Juhli and I exchanged names so that we can find each other on Facebook. I just sent her a friend request. Oh...and another fun detail? Liz's bike is named Stella. Juhli's is Bernadette, or Bernie for short. Haha!

Sometimes it's the surprises that are not on one's intinerary that make life fun...don't you think?

p.s. I must add, for my mother's sake, that the girls thougth mom and I were sisters. No one here can believe that she is a great grandmother. :)

Croatia: A Parade!...Part 11

Oh my! Where to start? It is not even noon here and already we have done so much! Just outside our hotel there was a ceremony to kick off the Ogulin festival day. As I mentioned in my last post, they are celebrating 511 years as a city. There was a dedication at a monument that is near the hotel and the castle. Large flower wreaths were brought forward by government officials, members of the military, and both the police & fire departments. Guards dressed in very old, traditional military uniforms stood on either side as the wreaths were brought forward. Darko took pictures of us with the guards.

Before the "parade" began, we took time for a cappuccino. Then we had a real treat! Just up from our hotel on every Wednesday there is a huge open market. All kinds of fresh produce and meats were being sold, as well as many vendors with clothing, shoes, bags, and household items. The prices were very good. Darko gave us a taste of fresh dried figs and we later went back to get a small bag to keep for snacks in our room. (In Melinska we had also enjoyed fresh figs that grew on a large tree near the balconey of Nada's house. So delicious!) Mom found a nice black top for 80 kuna, which is the equivalent of $16. She also found two nice scarves for $4 each. The town is very crowded today because of the celebration and because it is market day.

Though it had been only an hour, Darko wanted to go have coffee again at Stari Grad - which he calls his "office." We could see the procession organizing across the park near the church. There were city and Croatian government officials, members from the local villages as well as parts of Ogulin marching with banners from their towns, police officers, military members, men from the fire department, young people dressed in traditional Croatian clothing, school children, and priests from the church all in the procession. After our coffee we walked toward the street and waited for the processioin. It went past us and through the park back to the church. A band from the fire department played a traditional Croatian song, and later as they marched toward the church I heard the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. A group of older ladies in the procession sang along...we could recognize only the words "glory, glory hallelujah...glory, glory hallelujah" so we sang along with them on that part. There was a special mass to be said afterward which we did not attend. What a treat to get to be here for this celebration. I can hear the church bells ringing away even as I type.

Having seen a few things at the children's store yesterday, mom and I left Darko to do a bit more shopping. "Great Grandma" had something in mind for Cadence and it was still there. We also talked with the woman working in the shop and one of the customers who was there with her one month old son, Noah. It is fun when we have a chance to visit with those who live here. It makes our stay much more personal. We have also come to enjoy many of the young women who work in the restaurant and caffe bar here at the hotel. Everyone in Ogulin seems to know Darko, so that opens many doors for us, though I have found the service here to be very polite everywhere. Even last night when the computer shut down on me, the hotel employee set me up on the main desktop computer in the reception area until she could get the laptop working again. They are very accomodating and relaxed here. It is a small hotel, though very nice and quite often the man who works the desk during the day is down having coffee with the hotel owner or other friends from the town. It is easy to make ourselves at home here.

I spoke to an American couple who arrived last night. (I had to send them down to the bar to find the reception clerk:) We saw them again at breakfast. They are in the Army and stationed in Germany. I am not sure if they are both active duty or not, but the woman's grandmother is also from Croatia, in the east near Osijek. I hope we will see them again before they leave. I will recommend that they visit the coast if that is not already in their plan. We've been here long enough that I feel like I can be a partial tour guide. :)

We will rest for a bit since it is very hot outside again, then go with Darko later to visit Darko's Aunt Marica. When we saw her a week and a half ago she said she wanted to bake us a cake. We were originally going there yesterday, but our plans changed. Today we will eat a light lunch and save room for cake. Darko is going to be watching a big soccer game on TV tonight, so we will be on our own for the evening.

That is all for now. It has been a fun and festive day so far.

Love & doviđenja,

Bernadette

Croatia: Home Cooked Meal!...Part 10

My cappuccino morning turned into a cappuccino afternoon. Walked down to Stari Grad and sat alone with my coffee. Mom was working on emails at the hotel. It was very quiet there, probably because it was too hot for anyone to be out drinking coffee. Despite the cappuccino, the heat won out and I took a nice long nap when I got back to the hotel. 

After being awakened at 6pm (yes, 6pm), I dressed for dinner which was to be at Ivanka's home. She is our cousin Darko's girlfriend. She and I were both born in May of the same year. She has a daughter, 24, who attends college in Zagreb. Ivanka works as a secretary and is going through treatments for lung cancer. She is a very kind and lovely woman. She lives in her family home...the home she grew up in. It is larger than most I have seen. It is set up as an upstairs apartment and one on the main floor. He mother lives downstairs, she is upstairs. The original home was smaller, but was added on to. The hope here is to make the house bigger so the children will settle there when they are married and have families, but this does not often happen anymore. Just as in the US children travel to the bigger cities for college and more job opportunities. Ivanka's home is just a few kilometers out into the countryside.

We enjoyed a lovey meal of risotto with peas and carrots, lightly pickled peppers and cucumbers, bread, and ražnjići -  a Craotian meat kebab. She made two kinds. One with pork and bacon, the other wtih chicken and bacon. It was delicious. After dinner I stood out on her small balconey and looked at the stars and the almost full moon. So interesting to know that though we live half a world away, the night sky seems the same. Same big dipper, same north star. It was a very peaceful evening with only the sound of crickets to break the silence. This, too, reminded me of home. Her yard is modest in size and lined with fruit trees. The back has a large building that serves as a garage and has an area for her mother's chickens. I was such a treat to enjoy Ivanka's hospitality and to be out in this rural setting.

As we stood outside, I told Darko about Mt. Spokane and about Green Bluff, where local families go to enjoy fresh produce. Ogulin has it's own mountain, called Klek. It is very famous. It's outline against the sky is said to look like a witch who is lying down. You can see the outline of her face, then a distance away is her feet. Witches, good and bad are a large part of the folklore here. Klek was also the home of the first Croatian mountain climbing society. You can hike to the top of the mountain, but no one can talk mom and me into trying it out this trip. :) There is also good skiing not far from here. The Croatian Olympic team trains on a mountain about 50 kilometers from Ogulin.

Tomorrow there will be a celebration of the town's birthday. Ogulin is older than the whole United States and will recognize it's 511th birthday tomorrow. There will be a parade in the afternoon that we will attend with Darko. He want's to meet us for coffee in the morning and then show us some more historical sites in the area.

So, off I go. My mom just poked her head around the corner to see if I'd been kidnapped or something. I explained to her that the computer suddenly shut itself off in the middle of typing this up. I thought I had lost everything. Once they got the computer started again and logged on, they discovered that my note was still sitting here ready to be finished and sent. I am very glad because I would not have bothered to rewrite it. So, I will join "Momma Louisa" now. Perhaps we'll find a movie to watch. After sleeping till 6:00 I'm not sure how soon I will be able to sleep tonight. TV here can be amusing. This afternoon I found "Support Your Local Gunfighter" starring James Garner and Suzanne Pleshette on the Croatian channel. It was broadcasting in English with Croatian subtitles. There are also a lot of channels in German here at this hotel. I watched a version of HGTV that was all in German, and surfed passed the Simpsons, dubbed in German. Last night mom and I also watch Hawaii Five-O - again, with Croatian subtitles. So we'll see what we find tonight. Wish I hadn't finished my novel. Oh well, hopefully I'll be able to fall asleep by midnight.

Good night from Croatia! Laku noć!

Bernadette

Croatia: Cappuccino Morning...Part 9

It is noon and very hot here in Ogulin. It seems that we are having the same weather here as you are in Spokane. I would have so much extra space in my suitcase without all the fall clothes I brought. C'est la vie! We left for a short walk after breakfast this morning and stopped in a couple of shops where I bought the scarf that I only looked at yesterday. We then met Darko and his girlfriend, Ivanka, at the caffe bar. It has a spacious outdoor seating area, as do most of the caffe bars here, and is called Stari Grad, which means Old Town. Darko goes there every day at 10am. He calls it his office. (This is where we went to hear the blues band last week.) It is a newer place built in a location where there was once a military fort during the war there in the 90s. Many people there sent their children to live elsewhere during that time. It is sad to think of this quiet little town being torn by war. On the same block as the caffe bar is another new building with a paved square and some playground toys. All signs of the military presence have been erased and replaced with these lovely buildings where people can gather and enjoy family and friendship.

All in all yesterday and today were quieter for us. We met Darko for coffee last night after dinner, then went back to our hotel and watched a movie - Signs. I like that movie. Kind of strange and philosophical. An alien movie that isn't really about aliens. Anyway...today is also a bit less packed with activity. I am escaping the heat sitting here at the hotel computer and mom has gone across the street to the jewelry store. We may go visit Marica again this afternoon. She is the lovely very old woman that we visited our first week here. She knows everything about the family history. Darko's girlfriend, Ivanka, is having us over for dinner this evening.

One thing that we've noticed here are all the little bakery shops. There are at least five within an 8 block radius. They are small shops - a chain called Mivit - that sell loaves of bread, pastries, croissants, cakes and cookies, as well as savory things like pizza by the slice and pasteries that are filled with potatoes, cheese or pizza flavored sauce. The croatian word for cakes and baked goodies is kelači. These little shops stay very busy all day.

One memory I will keep from Ogulin is from the outdoor concert we attended briefly on Sunday night. The singer, Đani Stipaničev, is very well known here and had a wonderful baritone voice. The castle that sits right next to our hotel has a lovely lawn within it's walls and a stage is built up next to the castle building. This is where the concert was held. We entered the castle enclosure on this lovely warm evening and saw the lawn packed with people - old, young, families, and single people - from the town and the surrounding area. Many were standing and small children ran and played in the open spaces. As this man sang traditional songs of Dalmatia (the southern coastal area of Croatia), he would pause and the audience would sing out the words beautifully and without any reservation. It was such a lovely sound and such a wonderful gathering of this small community.

As our days are less full of activity I find myself missing home even more. Our time here has been memorable and I am so glad to have met these kind people who have given us the best of their time and hospitality. But I will be very glad to be back in my home, not living out of my suitcase. I am longing to hug my husband and my children and my sweet baby girl, Cadence. I look forward to seeing all of your faces.

Traveling has a way of expanding one's view of the world, and for that I am so grateful. There are many things that we take for granted in the US. And there are cultures everywhere who love their families and their way of life just as much as we do. They are so proud of their heritage here. Like most of you, I knew nothing of Croatia before I came. It is a beautiful country. Rolling, forested hills and mountains. Lakes everywhere. And the Adriatic coastline is some of the most beautiful of it's kind in the world. Tourists are just beginning to discover it's beauty. The sea is clear and blue and has wonderful beaches, sandy and rocky for swimming and just enjoying the sun. Zagreb is just a 2 hour drive to the sea and Ogulin, one hour. Many people make that drive on the weekends to enjoy this treasure of blue green sea and fresh air.

These are my reflections after a morning of walking and cappuccinos. I think a nap would be lovely, so I'll say goodbye for today. God is good and I am blessed. Now it is time to rest.

You are close in my thoughts,

Bernadette

Croatia: Malinska & Home Cooking...Part 8

Hello again...we are back online. I'll try and catch you up on the last three days without making this as long as "War and Peace."

Saturday morning at 10am we were picked up by our cousin Mirella (Meerrrela) and her two boys Ivan & Luka (ages 10 & 7). She drives a decent sized Renault, so there was room for all our ridiculous luggage. (Next trip over I say we go directly to the sea with 3 swim suits, 4 throw-em-over your-head-and-go dresses, a couple of tank tops and skirts, 2 pairs of flip flops, toiletries and a hand bag. Sooo much easier!! :) It was a lovely sunny day and I was able to just hang out in the back seat with the boys and not worry about navigating this time. It was an easy 2 hour drive this time with no rain. Our destination was Malinska on the island of Krk. Mirella's parents had come in from the Istra peninsula (where Pula is) in order to get to see us.

The home we stayed at belongs to Mirella's mother-in-law, Nada. She is a widow now and lives in Malinka 6 months of the year, renting out the two upper apartments of her house for tourists. It is very good money for this lovely woman who otherwise would live on 70% of her late husband's pension. During the winter months, she lives in Zagreb. It was great to be in a home setting and enjoy home-cooked meals.

They truly spoiled us with food, coffee, and desserts. The first evening we had delicious braised chicken, fresh salad and amazing mashed potatoes. This is the midday meal. At what would be our dinner time we had fresh tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, fresh bread and cheese. Nada had also made a fresh peach crisp. That evening we all went into Malinska to a new coffee shop owned by their friend and neighbor, Milan. This particular place serves Illy coffee, which is Mirella's favorite. She and I had what she called a machiatto. It was a small cup of kava (coffee) with a little bit of steamed milk on top. Very tasty. They always serve sugar packets on the side, but I rarely use any sugar. The espresso generally tastes very good without it. They also treated us to gelato - or "sladoled" in Croatian. I was admiring the stylish coffee cups there and asked if they had any for sale. A few minutes later Nada showed up with one for me. She had asked Milan if she could have one to give me and he agreed. It is the perfect souvenir. :)

The next day we started our meal with a light chicken soup, then had pork and chicken baked in a broth of onions, tomatoes, and salt &  pepper. She had boiled some potato quarters and served them in the sauce from the meat. Along with this was a shredded cabbage and vinger salad, and a creamy cucumber, pepper, and red onion salad that had a hint of garlic. Very delicious! Just when we were thoroughly stuffed, Nada pulled out some delectible desserts that she had purchased for us that morning at Milan's caffe. Oh my goodness!!

They like to spend a good deal of the day by the sea. We went down with them the first day just with our clothes. Since we had not expected to spend time by the sea, other than as tourists, we did not have swimsuits with us. The second day, Mirella's mother, Marianna, let us borrow comfortable dresses to wear with our sandals so that we would be cooler. She then insisted that we keep the dresses.

Ah, yes, Marianna! I was so busy talking about the delicious food that I haven't told you about our hosts. Marianna is Darko's sister. (He is my mom's second cousin that has been taking care of us while we're in Ogulin.) She and her husband Jurko (Yoorrko) are Mirella's parents. She is a lovely woman in every way and Jurko is very kind and generous. They are a very handsome couple. Marianna is also the very doting grandmother of Ivan & Luka. Grandmother's are the same the world over! :) She and Nada seemed to be in a sublte competition to see who would spoil us the most. It was all in fun, but it was funny see them make faces at one another, then laugh like the good friends that they are. It is nice when "in-law" families get along. Marianna understands most of what we spoke in English, but could not speak as well. She found this very frustrating since there was so much she wanted to talk to us about. Mirella was our faithful translator. On Sunday morning a couple from Austria stopped by for a visit, Manfred and Maria. So Mirella was speaking in German, Croatian and English. At one point Mirella turned to me to translate what Manfred was saying. She looked me right in the eyes and started rattling off in Croatian. When she realized what she was doing we both had a good laugh. She certainly got a brain workout trying to help us all communicate.

The two boys were fun to be around as well. They both kept busy swimming most of the time. But Luka, 7 also enjoyed playing games on my mom's phone or trying to teach her Croatian. Ivan played video games a lot and liked to tease me whenever he could.

We said our goodbyes on Sunday afternoon and headed back to Zagreb. We had such a great time and spoke of returning one day. Marianna wants my mom and I to come and stay with her for 3 months. :) It would be wonderful, but "oh my!" Mirella drove us back to Ogulin and spent some time with Darko and Mato also. Darko is her uncle, Mato is her grandfather. She spent much time here in Ogulin as a child and loves to come back and visit.

We are staying near the park again and get to hear the church bells every morning. We will be here in Ogulin till Sunday morning. While we are here we will see family again and my mom will do some poking around for family tree info. We may yet go to Plitvice Lakes National Park or a small town just north of there that is a smaller version.

Today has been quiet so far. Mom and I have been on our own for breakfast and enjoyed a lunch of "pancakes," which for those who have been to Russia, are a lot like bliny. She had one with fruit and I had mine with zucchini, onion, and eggs. Very good. We have also done a little shopping and sat in the park. It is a sunny day, but breezy, so the warmth is bearable.

I will sign off now. I've surely forgotten some details, but that's enough for now. It takes more time for me to write on this laptop. It has a Croatian keyboard so letters and symbols are in different places. Here's an example...if I type something like I would at home it turns out like this:

ČI will sign off now. Ićve surelz forgotten something, but thatćs enough for now. It takes more time to write on this laptop. <it has="" a="" croatian="" kezboard="" so="" letters="" and="" szmbols="" are="" in="" different="" places="" the="" word="" comes="" out="" breeyz.=""></it>

Love to you all...doviđenja.

Bernadette