All Sorts of Back

So we're back from Italy. We spent several days letting our bones and wallets rest at Lisa's family's cabin. The Fourth is an event out there. If you want to know what you're missing at Spring Lake, check out my brother-in-law's blog.

To follow up on previous comments regarding Italian television:

- We don't know who won Ms. Italia, but Monica Belluci was a judge. No wonder she wasn't eligible to compete!

- Unable to find further adventures of The Mystyk Knyghts, we were forced to watch CNN International (the only English language station out there). During the two weeks we were in Italy they only covered three topics: Mugabe's ruthless theft of Zimbabwe's election, Nelson Mandela's upcoming 90th birthday, and Nelson Mandela's views of Mugabe's ruthlessness; this, 24-7. Entertaining, however, as a commercial inviting us to place our money in the banks of Nigeria. From what I've heard, it's difficult to get your money out of those, even for royalty!

If you want to see pictures of our trip, my brother's wedding, or other Steve-esque adventures, you can do so here. You'll need a login and password, however. Send me an e-mail or com

ment on this post if you don't have one. We, by and large, didn't take pictures of artwork; that's often frowned upon and better pictures can be gotten via Google. We expected to be impressed by the Sistine Chapel and Birth of Venus, but we didn't know much of anything about Bernini. He followed Michaelangelo and did things with marble that seem impossible, including this imprint of a hand against flesh from The Rape of Persephone:

So we're back in Milwaukee now. I may have things I need to do; but, by and large, I have a few weeks to spend as I please. Pretty sweet.