THE TRIP!  Since we are now 81 days from departing for the place the Wagnerson’s have been talking about for the past 30 years, the excitement is building.  Thus my entry into this brave new world of blogging.  I do this with much trepidation.  I do not intend to bore anyone with “twitter-like” posts of ….”gee, I’m thinking about sitting down and eating” and such other nonsense.  If this blog turns into that….someone PLEASE grab me by the throat and stop me. Actually, the reason I’m “blogging” is personal…..as a way to document this trip and in those coming days we all face (unless we assume room temperature) when my mind becomes more feeble than it already is, these recordings can help me remember what the heck I really did (that would be after my daughter helps wipe the drool from my face and tells me, “Dad……DAD!  you need to eat something!”).  On a positive note, I got my international driver’s permit yesterday so I can drive when we get to Italy.  I keep remembering warnings on some of the travel sites that driving in Italian cities is not for the faint of heart.  I guess if I can just stay away from taking one or two Ambien before I get behind the wheel of our Italian rental car, we should be okay.  In any event, I really am counting on Doug doing most of the driving, so I can just help “navigate.”