What I did on my summer vacation……

In case you didn’t notice…I’ve been on vacation all summer.
And what a vacation it was!

When I was a child I always dreaded writing the traditional first day back composition…”What I did on my summer vacation.” Not this year!

This is what I did on my summer vacation.
My husband Lou Del Bianco and I went on a 4200 mile road trip from Port Chester, N.Y. to Davenport, Iowa to Mount Rushmore, to Joplin, Missouri to Springfield, Illinois and back to Port Chester.

We  found daily inspiration in our 12 day odyssey of family and history and culture and companionship.

When we returned to our hometown, we saw four wonderful theater productions sponsored by the Port Chester Arts Council which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and in which Lou, my family and I have been involved forever. Our community is blessed with exceptional talent in all age categories.

In late July and August I spent lots of quallity time with my first great grand child, Samantha, daughter of my granddaughter Christina and her husband Brian. Samantha already has a performer’s charisma  and she brings us together in laughter and love.

Sammie’s  grandmother, my daughter Denise and my daughters, Diane and Dana, and I spent a first-ever weekend alone together in Newport, R.I. in celebration of my landmark birthday. It was a time I will cherish forever and which we hope to repeat…same time next year.

Finally, Lou and I collaborated on our first book, “In The Shadow of The Mountain: Luigi’s Story” We finished the first draft last week and hope to find a publisher for this unique story of Lou’s grandfather, Luigi Del Bianco,an Italian immigrant who was chief carver on Mount Rushmore from 1933-1940.

Lou was invited to present Luigi’s story at Mount Rushmore this year; the first time since 1941 that visitors and staff at the memorial heard it. The response was so positive and encouraging that we felt compelled to put “Luigi’s Story” in print. If you want a sneak preview of what it’s about, go to LuigiMountRushmore.com.

That’s what I did on my summer vacation.