Venice When It Drizzles

 I can hardly believe I've been to ITALY. Of course, that's probably because I spent about 12 hours there and hadn't gotten any sleep the night before I arrived.....

Paul, Amy, and I opted for cheap seats on the overnight train from Vienna to Venice. When we got on the train, our seats were folded down into beds (the more expensive option). We checked with the conductor, who basically shrugged and told us it was fine. I got Ian tucked into bed next to me around 9pm. He had been fast asleep for an hour, when a new conductor got on the train and came into our compartment, turning on the lights and folding up the empty beds. He brusquely informed me that our compartment "wasn't for sleeping". Poor Ian, startled awake and confused, began to cry. And he didn't go back to sleep until 4am. In the meantime, other people crowded into our compartment (mental note -- buy a private compartment next time!), and our air conditioner stopped working. That was a miserable 12 hours. 

Yeah, we were overjoyed after that train ride...

We arrived in Venice, grumpy, hungry, and wondering why we didn't spend the small fortune it would have taken to get a sleeping compartment. Plus it was cold -- I was freezing in the warm-weather outfit I brought, and had to add a coat and scarf. Jessica (my favorite fashionista!) and her husband, Aaron, met us grumpies on the steps of the train station and introduced to beautiful Venezia. Their kind welcome went a long way in helping us feel better.

We took a water taxi to Piazza San Marco and had lunch at a nearby cafe (which had flower boxes and awnings just like in Lego Indiana Jones!). We then walked through the city, marveling at the buildings and snapping pictures. Paul, Amy, and I were stilled pretty dazed, so our modus operandi was "I'll take a picture of this now and figure out what it is when I have had more sleep." Jessica and Aaron did a great job pointing out the beautiful sights and keeping us from falling into any canals.

After walking for awhile, Amy and I decided to see if we could upgrade our train compartment. Of course, we didn't account for the volcano hysteria taking over European travel. The lines for tickets to anywhere were LONG and SLOW. I waited in one line while Amy searched for information in several other lines. She finally found an information agent, and when she asked about upgrading our tickets, he laughed at her. Laughed. Eventually he apologized and explained that should be grateful to have any ticket going anywhere. Right. Sigh.

With the Nicholson contingent of our group about to fall down, we decided to settle in at a cafe and order various forms of chocolate. Sitting outside the restaurant, talking and eating and watching passersby, felt so awesomely European that we decided this might be the best way to spend the rest of our day. We used our cafe table as a base and took turns exploring nearby sites, but mostly we just sat and enjoyed each others' company. The sky, which had looked threatening all day, burst open in the early evening, and we watched the almost-cinematic flurry of people run for cover. Absolutely amazing.

Fun times with Aunt Amy and Aunt Jessica.

Ian, by the way, was a champ during this entire visit. He slept happily in his stroller, at times on a river taxi, often protector by his rain cover. I know he was excited to see his Aunt Jessica again -- she has been one of his favorite people!

Eventually we all had to part. I was so sad to leave Jessica, but I was happy to see how much she loves Italy. She was a great translator during our visit!

Our train ride back was mostly better....Ian slept most of the way, so we were rather immobilized, but overall it was a more comfortable trip. And yes, the information agent was right -- we were lucky to have seats. The hallways of the train were crowded with people standing shoulder to shoulder, trying to get home.

I don't know if I'll go back to Venice. It was an interesting city, but I barely remember it. The highlights of my day definitely were spending time with my family. And what can compare to that?

Interlude

I'd like to get back to our regularly scheduled European Adventure posts, but I just don't have it in me. Taking a few minutes to write about our vacation feels so shallow.

I know there is nothing wrong with blogging about non-flood topics; I imagine it would be quite healthy. Maybe later today I can carve out a little more time and tell you about our trip.

Today I want to be a journalist. Those of you who know me well probably know I'm a workaholic who has ideas for a new career every 5 minutes. Today I saw a note that London's Guardian newspaper wanted a flood story from a freelancer, and I was like --ooh -- me!  What?! I'm not a journalist. Sigh.....   And I really don't need a new career at the moment.

So when I have the random impulses to go start some new enterprise, I try to post here and remind myself of this fabulous creative outlet waiting for me at blogger.com.

On a side note, I had a lovely Mother's Day with my boys yesterday. They took me to brunch at Allium. We then played at a park for awhile and then looked at open houses just for fun. Thank you, Paul and Ian, for a great day!

Conservation Observations

So here in Nashville we're supposed to be using as little water as possible. Originally the mayor asked us to cut usage 50%, but our reserves are now low enough that we need major conservation efforts.

Sam Davidson wrote a great post on some good ways to cut back our water use, and I encourage you to read it.

Here are a few other ideas:


HYGIENE

• Paper diapers for the kiddos. If you are a cloth diapering family, switch to paper for now so you don't have to wash the diapers.
• Shower alternatives. Skip some showers, or take a baby-wipe bath. I've been using Olay's pre-moistened cleansing cloths on my face.
• Dry shampoo. I haven't washed my hair in several days, and it is getting gross. I am thinking about buying some dry shampoo to keep me feeling human. My friend Annie recommends Tresemme's dry shampoo.
• Don't flush. Flush your toilet as little as possible. That's a lot of water going down the drain!

COOKING/DISHES

• Reduce dishes. Find meals that require few dishes. Pizzas are great. I'm experimenting with roasting everything on a foil-lined cookie sheet and then eating straight off the pan. This has resulted in the discovery that I love roasted broccoli.
• Switch to plastic. Use plastic cups and plates that you can recycle instead of wash. I have to battle against my conservation tendencies for this one. I keep trying to wash the plastic knives!
• No pasta. Avoid meals that require lots of water. Pasta, rice, etc. may not be the best choices right now (got that one from Lesley!).
• No H20. In our house, we're saving water for Ian and the pets. Paul and I are drinking juice and soft drinks. Those extra calories are worth saving the water!
• Find what works for you. I had to put masking tape across our dish cabinet because I kept forgetting to use paper bowls for my morning cereal.

Side note for those of you washing baby bottles: I emailed Sonia Harvat with Metro Water to find out the most efficient way to wash baby bottles. I had been hand-washing the bottles one at a time, but this is what Sonia said:

      "If you have more than just one or two dishes, it is best to wash a FULL load in the dishwasher on the shortest setting. The best method would be to use disposable dishes and baby bottle systems that use a sterile liner such as the Playtex bottles."

Apparently newer dishwashers actually use less water than hand-washing several dishes. But remember, the best solution overall is to use the disposable bottle liners.

OTHER

• Use a rain barrel. I don't know how long these water restrictions will last, and I was hoping to start a garden this spring. My only hope for being able to water it will be the water I collect in a rain barrel. I've heard that rain barrel water can also be used for flushing toilets -- just pour it into the bowl.

Okay, I KNOW y'all have some good water conservation tips, so please feel free to leave them in the comments!

TSD

A funny noise
A funny smell
Is it here?
No, we are safe
High on our hill

Go to bed
Must sleep
Must sleep
Can't sleep

All those houses
All those people
So close
So near

A car door
Fire Department
Time to go
No, a neighbor
Hauling his dumpster to the street
(It's midnight, man - are you crazy?)
(Maybe just back from sandbags. Good man, good man.)

Okay.
Go to sleep.
Go to sleep.
Not working.

So quiet.
Strain my ears - can I hear the raging, the overtaking?
Lapping my street?
Lapping my thoughts?
Lapping.......
Lapping...
Time to let go.

Not a Drop

I don't even know what to say any more. Just blogging to get some feelings out. What a crazy few days.

Tonight the evacuations came closer to us....just a mile or so away. We are at a much higher elevation, and a mile makes a big difference, but it is a little scary.

I'm hoping to drop off cleaning supplies and/or cookies or something to the relief volunteers tomorrow. It's a small part I can play.

I can't imagine the effect this will have on Nashville in the years to come. Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Bridgestone Arena, Opryland Hotel, Grand Ole Opry -- all flooded.

Not to mention our suffering water treatment plants. Ugh. I don't even want to think about that.

At times this doesn't even feel real. We can't see any of the devastation from our house (not that I'm complaining). I haven't shed any tears, instead choosing to channel my grief into non-stop news absorption.

I'm so thankful that my friends and family are safe. I'm thankful for a lot of things this evening.

The Great Flood

Beautiful Nashville is underwater.

Our house is safely perched on a hill, so we are staying dry. However, many homes and business in the city are experiencing catastrophic flooding.

Paul and I were driving home from visiting my grandmother in Kentucky yesterday when we first started hearing about the flooding. As we drove down I-65, we started reading tweets about cars submerged in water on Interstate 24. We made it home without incident after a quick stop at the store. I kept my eyes on Twitter and the news, but I wasn't prepared for what was to come today.

Franklin and Bellevue are flooded. Hundreds of people are being rescued by boat. The Cumberland River is about to overflow into downtown Nashville.

What on earth? This is Nashville, not New Orleans or New Braunfels. We don't flood like this.

We are doing this with our own Nashville flavor, however. Wynonna Judd's buffalo have escaped their fence and are wandering around Lieper's Fork. Scores of songs are being written and re-written about the event.

Most of my family and friends are safe, with a few experiencing (relatively) minor basement flooding and power outages. I think the pervasive feeling among those who are safe is a mix of gratitude and helplessness. I know that's my current state of mind. I so want to help, but I imagine the best thing for me to do is stay off the streets and pray. There are trained first responders out there right now helping those in need -- the rest of us will be essential in days and weeks to come, providing support to those who have lost everything.


An event like this is so humbling, especially for a control freak like me. Before and during our trip to Europe I constantly worried about the air travel, wondering if we would be safe. Looks like I was safer in the air than I would be in several parts of Nashville tonight.

If you are in the Middle Tennessee area, remember to stay in touch with friends and keep up-to-date with the news. Just tonight a water conservation warning has been issued; Metro had to shut down one of their water treatment plants.

If you are eager to help, you can volunteer with Hands On Nashville or donate via The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. If it is safe for you to walk around your neighborhood in the morning, consider checking on neighbors (especially the elderly and disabled) to see if anyone has lost power or needs help.

I hope you all stay safe tonight, wherever you are!