April 12, 2019
I use Waze, an app on my iPhone, to get directions to places that I want to go to. This morning I entered 41 Gregor Mendel Strasse, Vienna, Austria. My dad was in the Fifth Army, and he was stationed in Vienna in the early fifties. I celebrated my 10th birthday on the ship coming back stateside on August 30, 1953. According to Waze my destination is 5,410 miles from here. Two weeks from today, I will be going to see the apartment that we lived in.
Next Tuesday, I will be leaving on a tour of five cities in Europe along with 22 students from Ms. Poissant’s art class in Upsala and 8 other adults. One of the students is my granddaughter, Chrissy. I plan on staying with the group every day except Friday the 26th. That day I will be going back to the apartment that we lived in for three years. My younger brother Brian was born in Vienna and he and his wife have visited the apartment.
They met with the current owner and his family owned the building in 1951. They were moved to the attic and our family had an apartment with two marble faced fireplaces, a baby grand piano and crystal chandeliers.
I will be back in my office on Monday April 29th.
Live from Here this week is a live show from The Town Hall in New York City. Special guests include Sara Bareilles, The Milk Carton Kids, Aparna Nancherla and Madison Cunningham. Enjoy the show.
“Live all you can; it’s a mistake not to.” Henry James
Category : General 