Happy to, as long as we can sort out two small issues:

1) Customs - out and back in
2) Convincing DW

A quaich is a traditional Scottish drinking vessel, with two handles.

If you are coming to Italy, you are most welcome to come and visit, Jean! And dinner is on us!

(I believe "Amazing Grace" plaid on the pipes would make me cry too, but not necessarily for the same reasons  )

Well, Venice has been "sinking fast" since I am old enough to remember it - so far it's still there. Which is not to deny that there are problems, but sometimes I fear the need to be reporting sensational events ("Venice gone in three days!") overcomes reality.

Your mother is right about Milan too - it is not the prettiest city. It has many pretty and interesting sights and is very lively, but overall it's on the wrong side of ugly.

The Olympic area (it's half a dozen sites, really) has plenty of baby runs; that's where I used to go skiing when I was growing up - I'm from Torino!

Of course you could meet the cubs; no question - I'm just sorry that you cannot bring the cats, because they adore felines - from Amur Tigers down.

One word of caution: Italy is long, thin and poorly connected. Although there is a fast train between Milan and Rome (3.5 hours), if you plan to see various places, you are almost certainly better off booking accommodation in several locations, rather than trying to travel to and fro.

The clothes of Renaissance Man are cut a bit too large for me; I'm more of a bric-a-brac collector of mostly useless facts, but thanks very much.

One down, two to go.  and honest, I didn't make her get this model.

...and she won't be in red, it was the only color in this model available to try on..


Of course, it will be MUCH shorter, a more appropriate size, and she promises not to have purple hair. 

That amazingly looks like a dress she could wear again!  AHHH to be young and only want my hair colored and not my diamonds. 

But she only promised not to do purple? Methinks you have the bad side of a bargain...

yeah, but for me and my sister, Mikla.  I won't even pretend that I want to play hair with that Mohawk!   That she's willing to give up on a tux and wear a dress makes me ecstatic.

Just the battles I can win.  I've already lost the war. 

That lace is really beautiful.

Well, I've yet to get it out of the original plastic bag.    It's so dusty and damp around here, I'd rather not expose the fabric to the air until I need to get it altered. 

Be assured, there will be picutres when and if that day ever arrives - you'll note my one and only DS, who is to be my matron of honor, has yet to get her dress. She knows me all too well, I'm afraid!