Where Has the Time Gone

Much has transpired since April 2014 when I last posted to my blog. Where do I begin ? I celebrated my 54th birthday. Finnian celebrated her 5th month. Connie, Darci's mother, was living in Oak Park, Illinois. We were living downtown Chicago at the Architrave. Life was good. Business was good. We were very happy albeit a bit sleep deprived. April and May also found me working in Rome on another Vatican exhibition for The Green Collection. Darci and Finnian traveled to Rome with me and we lived at the Hotel Bramante. This was Finnian's first international trip and I was so happy that both Darci and Finnian could be with me since I was gone for three weeks during the month of January 2015 working on an exhibition in Havana, Cuba for The Green Collection. I MISSED Darci and Finnian soon much. I would return to Rome, in June/July with son Billy, to de-install the Vatican exhibition. A wonderful experience for both Billy and I however Billy was having "stomach issues" that affected him daily. Bill Tosch and Weezie joined Billy and I for a few days at the end of their Italian Villa vacation with their friends. Shortly following our return from Rome, in early July 2014, Connie suffered a MAJOR stroke at her Oak Park apartment. My brother, Jim and his wife, Ann were visiting us in Chicago at the time of this tragedy. Connie would survive the stroke but suffer the loss of her ability to speak and her ability to use her right arm and hand. We decided to move from the Architrouve and purchase a ranch style home in North Barrington. We closed on the new home purchase and with the help of nephew, Kyle Tosch, we moved our entire home and business to North Barrington. Connie would move in with us and become a daily focus of our family. It was wonderful for Finnian to have daily access to her Grandmother but also a sad reminder of Connie's decline. We eventually turned our home into a home hospice for Connie. Shortly after Thanksgiving, Connie decided to stop eating and end her life. This has become an extremely sad period in our lives as Connie died on 02 January 2015. We love you Connie and miss you very much. We feel your presence and love every day. Finnian misses her Connie-ma !!

Finnian Becomes Family

Finnian was born on the morning of 04 November 2013 at Prentice Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago. She is our miracle baby of 8 pounds 8 ounces thanks to our Gestational Carrier, Katie and her family, and Dr. Kaplan. Finnian has added so much joy to our lives just as we saw Billy and Matt head off to college at UW Whitewater. We are truly blessed. Darci's mom, Connie, has also decided to move to Oak Park, Illinois from Northfield, MN and be less than 30 minutes from our house and Finnian. Finnian has changed so many peoples lives within our family and to our friends and even to strangers who have encountered our daughter.

The Nichols at Allesley of Chalfont St. Peter in Buckinghamshire, England

Darci and I love hanging out with Keith and Pam Nichols while in England. They have a gorgeous estate home with a wonderful game room in their garage and an even more intriguing Bar Billiards Table in the sitting room. Hanging with the Nichols in the English countryside is always a nice respite before heading to London for marketing meetings at Lloyd's.

Los Coches de Habana

I loved photographing the cars in Cuba. Classic American automobiles cruising the streets of Habana. Limos for the masses as many people, at times appearing to be street walkers, were actually negotiating a ride to their destination. Community rides, the pride of Cuba.

La Vita da Habana

My first trip to Habana, Cuba while working an an art consultant for MOTB. We attended Sunday Mass at the Habana Cathedral and met with Cardinal Jamie Ortega. We had lunch with Cardinal Ortega and his entourage at a private estate converted into a restaurant. We also had dinner the night before at the Vatican Embassy in Habana. All of our U.S. cellphones were "jammed" and we were not able to get on the internet at the hotel. Cash only (Cuban Caribbean Dollars ONLY) as no American dollars were accepted. I could not call or send e-mails to Darci while in Cuba. More than 48 hours after arriving in Cuba, I was able to buy 4 minutes of internet, via the government office at the hotel, for 14 CUC, and find a beef window to communicate with Darci. I hate not being able to speak with Darci, while traveling, at least once a day.

O'Tosch in San Diego

San Diego with Dave Tosch, Kyle Tosch and Bill Tosch has been a "boys' weekend" in the works for years. We had a glorious time sightseeing together, with me as the tour guide, and playing golf at the Par Three course near SDSU. This was a first for D.T. and Billpa to be able to swing the irons with K-man and me. To our surprise both D.T. and Billpa LOVED the course and we play almost everyday and on some days we played 36 or more holes. There appears to be a bright future for more Par Three golf outings, hopefully, in San Diego.

Lake Zurich Golf Club

Lake Zurich Golf Club has been our "home away from home" for the past four years. Being a Member has been a blessing and a family opportunity for all of us to play golf as a family sport. We have had many extended family members visit the Club including golfers Brett Johnson and Kyle Tosch. I am thrilled that Darci, Billy and Matt love to play golf and they are loved by the Membership. We may have to consider moving closer to Lake Zurich Golf Club so we can enjoy it more often as the 45 to 60 minute drives from our downtown home is, at times, burdensome.