foggy mornings

I wish I could say that we were experiencing autumn here, but temperatures last week got into the 80s.  Still, there is the welcome return of the morning marine layer.  It’s made for foggy walks in recent days.  And that has been a nice relief.

I’m not a Halloween person at all, but it was fun to see some decorations at one house yesterday as well.  

The fog was burning off by then.

Oh, and coyote in the mist!

I have been swimming...

... not much, but I am.  Tuesdays and Thursdays unless travel or something disrupts me.

What's changed is that I've been able to swim at work.  An indoor pool, and pretty much entirely to myself every time I've gone.  No fear of sunburn if I swim too long.  It's been good to be able to head over there at lunch time and get in a splash.  My swimming is, well, shit, but at least I'm doing a little of it.

It's been an active day overall.  It was a foggy morning

when I set out

on a walk today, but by the end of the 5.2 miles, it was a nice morning out.

I'll continue to swim when I can through the semester, and perhaps when Conrad is able to swim again, he and I can head to the Rose Bowl together.  If so, I'll be sure to grab a pool deck selfie! 

this girl!

It's been a mild few days, and I haven't checked in.  The reason is simple:  Conrad came back from NZ with a cold, and that's had him laid low through the weekend and still getting over some of the symptoms.  Poor guy.  So that meant a weekend where we stayed away from each other in the same condo, where I made him simple meals and mostly just read and listened to music and watched some Netflix.  Not much to blog about.  Morning walks (hello, coyote!)

as well - the fog this morning was unusual for us, it felt,

and I wish it was a sign of cool weather and rain ahead (it's not) - but not any fun dining or cocktails or other big things to share.

Van is gone to Big Sur for the week, and Conrad and I are taking care of Olive.  So, since there has been nothing of substance going on in my life these past days, let me provide a semi-regular reminder that Olive is a beautiful girl.  Who can resist her?  Not us! 

morning walk in Sonoma

It was a Tuesday morning in Sonoma.  Early, or earlyish.  Van was still asleep, as you might have assumed.  I headed out from the room into the courtyard of the hotel grounds,

then out to the street and east into the fog. 

I passed a cemetery,

I passed into the outskirts of Sonoma (not a very big town), I passed a small vineyard or two. 

I came upon a community garden/park

situated on a street with a green canopy. 

I had a lovely morning walk.

I walked every morning in Sonoma, alone and early.  Nice quiet time.  A sunny morning on the Wednesday when I went out.

Crossing through the town's center square and past the old Carnegie library building,

exploring another direction in the city from the previous mornings.

Another glimpse of spring break before I turn out my light here in Chicago.  Enjoy!

a walk into Cremolino

We made it to our last destination of the vacation yesterday:  Nordelaia, a beautiful hotel

about a mile outside of Cremolino.  Just the two nights here, alas.

We’re having an easy day today.  Tomorrow will be travel down to Rome, Friday will be the flights home.  So before I head to the hotel spa and then to a fine dinner, let me post photos from our earlier activity today:  a walk into Cremolino.

It’s only a small village, but it has some pretty sights.  The walk alone was enjoyable:  a cool, foggy/cloudy day for the most part (though the sun is now trying to blaze through),

the country lane smelled fresh and green, and there were last flowers on view.  

We ambled around the town and took some photos,

then found a place near the tiny library

to get a bottle of water and some chips.  And then it was time to head back.  Those massages coming up awaited us!