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Our New Home

The search is over – we’ve found our new home! The contract is signed, and the wheels of progress are in motion. It’s a great house in Forest Glen, a nice newer neighborhood in Northport. We’re geeked, and ready to be “home.”

This mantra is presented on a large poster inside Alabama’s football facility, where it is seen by players every day.  It’s no accident that we’re the defending national champions, folks.

We are a physical team that dominates our opponents every snap.

Our opponents are either unable or unwilling to match the tenacity and ferociousness that we play with.

We execute on every play because we are accountable to each other.

Our offense punishes opponents and is capable of an explosive play at any point of the game.

Our defense wreaks havoc through their intensity and stubbornness to give an inch.

Not being able to run the ball is a foregone conclusion.

Special teams are a consistent weapon for us.

As a team, we never arrive.

We continuously impose our will on our opponents.

I LOVE IT. (Thanks to Brittany Burleson for the photo.)

Coming soon to my wall (when I HAVE a wall again):  A Crimson Tradition, the latest by artist Daniel Moore.  This print commemorates Bama’s 2009 BCS Championship, with the key plays and players of the game centered around Coach Saban raising the much-coveted crystal football trophy.  In the trophy is the reflection of our four previous coaches to win national championships, and the score of the game (37-21) and our 13th national championship is signified by the jersey numbers of the Texas players on the sidelines.  The dynamic duo of Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram and the huge plays by Marcel Dareus and Eryk Anders are all present.

This print’s symmetry with 1992′s The Tradition Continues is awesome – they’ll look great side-by-side, signifying the two championships I’ve personally experienced.  We’ve been waiting on this one for a long time, people.  It still feels great to be a champion again!

Before the oil slicks and tarballs invaded the Gulf Coast, we made a quick weekend escape to Destin back in April before the house sold. We hope to go back several weekends this summer, but we’ll see – it was at least one very nice weekend.

Life’s a Beach 2010

So just over two weeks ago, our house sold. It was a long road that got really challenging and stressful toward the end, but we’re excited to have that part of the process behind us and to be able to now focus on finding our long-term home. For now, our lives are in storage and we’re living out of a suitcase while we search for our new home. It’s interesting being homeless, especially for me, as I’ve basically lived in two houses since 1981, this one for 10 years. But thanks to the kindness of relatives who’ve been willing to take in strays, it’s been painless so far.

Finding the “right” house is challenging as well, but for good reasons… we’re intentionally being picky, because this is such a great time for us to be so. We’ve seen lots of nice houses, but haven’t yet found “the one”… hopefully that’s coming soon. In the meantime, being footless and debt-free ain’t so bad.

In March, Cathy and I fulfilled one of our lifelong dreams of taking a trip to Europe and visiting some of the world’s most iconic and historic cities and landmarks. We spent two weeks in Paris, Venice, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, and Rome. The trip was amazing, and we saw and experienced so much in two weeks. It has been quite a challenge sorting through over 3,000 photos (you read that right), but I’ve finally gotten it pared down to a representative sample.  Watch the slideshow below or click the link below it for highlights from our European adventure!

MORE: Our European Vacation

In Rome we immersed ourselves in both ancient and modern-day Roman culture. Highlights included the iconic Colosseum, the ruins of the Roman Forum, Vatican City (including St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel), the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Vittorio Emmanuel Monument, and amazing evenings on Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori.

Colosseo (The Roman Colosseum)

Cat and Colosseo

The Colosseum

Andy and Colosseo

Cat inside Colosseo

Colosseo

Cat and the Arch of Constantine

The ruins of the Roman Forum

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

Cathy in the ruins of the Roman Forum

The Trevi Fountain

The Raineys at the Trevi Fountain

The Pantheon

The bronze doors and oculus of the Pantheon

The main altar of the Pantheon

Campo de’ Fiori

Campo de’ Fiori (our place!)

The Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)

Looking down the Spanish Steps from Trinità dei Monti, with St. Peter’s Basilica on the horizon

St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City

St. Peter’s Square

Inside St. Peter’s Basilica

Michaelangelo’s Pieta

Andy and St. Peter’s Basilica

The Sistine Chapel’s “Last Judgment” by Michelangelo

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo

Cathy in Rome

Andy in the Roman Forum

The Roman Forum

The Cordonota, designed by Michaelangelo, to the piazza on Capitoline Hill

Piazza Venezia

Vittorio Emmanuelle Monument

MORE: Rome Photo Gallery

Our visit to Florence was filled with art, architecture, history, shopping and beautiful churches. Highlights included the amazing cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), a panoramic view of the city from Brunelleschi’s massive dome of Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery, the Ponte Vecchio, the Piazza della Signoria and the incredible “David” by Michelangelo.

Duomo (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore)

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

The dome of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

A sliver of the amazing inside dome of Duomo

Cathy in Florence

The campanile of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

Florence

Church of Santa Croce

Florence hillside

The Raineys in Florence

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

Inside Duomo

The dome

Marble sculptures in the Duomo Museum

Michelangelo’s unfinished “La Pieta”, which he carved while in his 70?s

Duomo at night

Piazza de Republica

Piazza della Signoria

Palazzo Vecchio

Bronze equestrian statue of Cosimo I de’ Medici in Piazza della Signoria

The Ponte Vecchio on the Arno River, taken from the Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery

Michaelangelo’s “David”, inside the Accademia Museum

Cathy on the Ponte Vecchio

Pitti Palace

Medici Chapel

MORE: Florence Photo Gallery

On our way to Florence from Cinque Terre, we made a brief stop and hiked it from the train station to The Piazza dei Miracoli, home of the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Duomo, Baptistery and Cemetary of central Pisa. Seeing the tower was awesome, and Pisa was a really nice little city to visit.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Torre pendente di Pisa)

Andy trying to push back up the tower

The Duomo and the Baptistery in Piazza dei Miracoli

Cathy tries it from another angle

The tower

The tower

The Raineys and the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Baptistery

Piazza dei Miracoli

Piazza dei Miracoli

The tower

The Tower

Knights’ Square, Pisa

Palazzo dei Cavalieri

Via Santa Maria, Pisa

The Arno River and Santa Maria della Spina

MORE: Pisa Photo Gallery