I know, it has been a really long time. I promise that it has been equal parts laziness and craziness!
A lot has gone on during the past month or so. Chris finished up Squadron Officer School, and we made it back to Italy. I turned 30! And, we have slowly started telling people about the baby we are expecting around July 3!
That's right, we are having a baby. We are also really excited, because my sister, Laura, is expecting her second baby around July 12! So, it will be a busy 2009 for us.
We are just relaxing for Christmas. Tonight, I'm making Chris a Mexican feast and then we'll go to the candlelight service at church. Tomorrow, we're having our friend Heather and her children over for a nice Christmas dinner while her husband is busy being deployed.
We don't have any big travel plans as of now. Chris will take leave next week so that we can get some major things done around the house before he takes off on his next deployment. So, everything will be a quiet celebration around here this year.
I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas! We are certainly grateful for all that God has done for us in 2008, and the birth of Jesus that we celebrate today and tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
From Montgomery
Hello from Montgomery, Alabama! It's...nice. I've been here for almost a week. Almost a week of American food, Starbucks, Target, and real movie theaters. It's so awesome.
I might just never go back. My friend Heather happens to be here, because she and her husband are moving here in December. So, she just got a great job and a fantastic house. I got to tour it yesterday, and it has great conveniences like an air filtration system, dishwasher, and closets. I am so envious!
We are having a good time, though, and Chris is doing well in class.
I might just never go back. My friend Heather happens to be here, because she and her husband are moving here in December. So, she just got a great job and a fantastic house. I got to tour it yesterday, and it has great conveniences like an air filtration system, dishwasher, and closets. I am so envious!
We are having a good time, though, and Chris is doing well in class.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Just Say No to Bailouts!
I am so aggravated that I can't keep silent on this. On the verge of Speaker Pelosi's lame duck session to bail out the automakers, I want to speak out!
If I were a Member of Congress or the President, I would put together an emergency package that would do some real long-term good. Instead of throwing billions of dollars at companies that will, inevitably, need more to support their habit in a few years, let's take a look at what got them here in the first place.
Our interventionist (read: increasingly socialist) government has, over the decades, tried to stifle private enterprise in a number of ways. First and foremost, our congressional leaders decided to institute ever-increasing stiff CAFE standards that have only created what the environmentalist lobby wanted in the first place: a dying auto industry. After decades of this, it is time to ask an important question to our Democrat Congress: Would you prefer a healthy automotive industry or a "green" environment? Because, clearly, you will not have both.
The problem for these Democrats is that Michigan is their state, and they have to pretend that they want both, when it is not feasible to achieve this kind of utopia.
The other problem, of course, is the stranglehold that unions have on the Big 3 automakers, and the resulting inability of the industry to be agile like they need to be to head off costs.
We also can blame the leaders of these companies. I mean, really, it is your job to be profitable. The job I had in Oklahoma was a result of the previous guy being fired for not making money in our division. After all, that is the point of the company! Stressful, yes. But, if you can't handle it, you find another line of work.
So, let's tell our Congress "NO" to anymore bailouts. If they do bail these companies out, they need to attach a long list of reversals on interfering policies over the decades that have put these companies in an uncompetitive, deathlike state. If we just give them money, they will come begging for more.
Write to your congressmen to tell them not to give your money away in bailouts! After all, the Big 3 all are headquartered in Michigan, which is led by Governor Granholm, who is such an economic brain that she is on President-Elect Obama's economic team. She should be able to figure out this mess (even though her state is in a dismal way, economically), since she is smart enough to steer our country's economic policy.
If I were a Member of Congress or the President, I would put together an emergency package that would do some real long-term good. Instead of throwing billions of dollars at companies that will, inevitably, need more to support their habit in a few years, let's take a look at what got them here in the first place.
Our interventionist (read: increasingly socialist) government has, over the decades, tried to stifle private enterprise in a number of ways. First and foremost, our congressional leaders decided to institute ever-increasing stiff CAFE standards that have only created what the environmentalist lobby wanted in the first place: a dying auto industry. After decades of this, it is time to ask an important question to our Democrat Congress: Would you prefer a healthy automotive industry or a "green" environment? Because, clearly, you will not have both.
The problem for these Democrats is that Michigan is their state, and they have to pretend that they want both, when it is not feasible to achieve this kind of utopia.
The other problem, of course, is the stranglehold that unions have on the Big 3 automakers, and the resulting inability of the industry to be agile like they need to be to head off costs.
We also can blame the leaders of these companies. I mean, really, it is your job to be profitable. The job I had in Oklahoma was a result of the previous guy being fired for not making money in our division. After all, that is the point of the company! Stressful, yes. But, if you can't handle it, you find another line of work.
So, let's tell our Congress "NO" to anymore bailouts. If they do bail these companies out, they need to attach a long list of reversals on interfering policies over the decades that have put these companies in an uncompetitive, deathlike state. If we just give them money, they will come begging for more.
Write to your congressmen to tell them not to give your money away in bailouts! After all, the Big 3 all are headquartered in Michigan, which is led by Governor Granholm, who is such an economic brain that she is on President-Elect Obama's economic team. She should be able to figure out this mess (even though her state is in a dismal way, economically), since she is smart enough to steer our country's economic policy.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Cooper Updates
Things have been in complete upheaval around here lately! Chris and I spent about a week in Germany before he left for six weeks to Montgomery, Alabama for some training. I had intended to catch the rotator this past week to meet him, but, alas, nobody got on to Baltimore this week. So, I will wait until the next one.
Our trip to Germany was fantastic. We went to Munich, Rothenburg, and then spent one more night in Bavaria to see Neuschwanstein Castle.
Our favorite stop, by far, was the medieval city of Rothenburg. If you are someone who appreciates German culture, medieval history, or even just the celebration of Christmas, Rothenburg is for you. One evening, we went to a small restaurant that looked like it was straight out of the Lord of the Rings movies. It was lit only by candles, and seemed really as if the 600-year-old building had been built for hobbits.
Well, as I am very interested in politics, and that subject used to pay the bills for me, I must opine on this election. I am, naturally, not satisfied. I will leave Obama supporters with this question: For someone who campaigned solely on the unsubstantive idea of "change", why did Obama's first presidential act consist of appointing a former Clinton aide as his Chief of Staff? That is not the stuff change is made of.
Our trip to Germany was fantastic. We went to Munich, Rothenburg, and then spent one more night in Bavaria to see Neuschwanstein Castle.
Our favorite stop, by far, was the medieval city of Rothenburg. If you are someone who appreciates German culture, medieval history, or even just the celebration of Christmas, Rothenburg is for you. One evening, we went to a small restaurant that looked like it was straight out of the Lord of the Rings movies. It was lit only by candles, and seemed really as if the 600-year-old building had been built for hobbits.
Well, as I am very interested in politics, and that subject used to pay the bills for me, I must opine on this election. I am, naturally, not satisfied. I will leave Obama supporters with this question: For someone who campaigned solely on the unsubstantive idea of "change", why did Obama's first presidential act consist of appointing a former Clinton aide as his Chief of Staff? That is not the stuff change is made of.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Festa della Zucca
On Saturday evening Chris and I went to Venzone in our own Friuli region for their annual Festa della Zucca - Pumpkin Festival. I had heard nothing but great things for two years, and am obsessed with all things pumpkin in fall motifs, so we decided to check it out this year.
Venzone is a medieval walled-in town, and the whole place is decked out for the festival. Everyone is dressed up in medieval clothing, and there are pumpkins crammed in everywhere. There is also lots of food to try with pumpkin - we tasted pumpkin soup, pumpkin gnocchi, pumpkin strudel, and even pumpkin grappa.
I don't know if this festival quite lived up to the hype, but it was good as far as festivals go.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The Fabulous Euro-Adventures of Ginny and Mere
Well, my fun visit with Ginny ended this week. I was sad to see her go, but we had an absolute blast here! Ginny has been a friend of mine for about ten years. We are sorority sisters from JMU, and any time we get together we entertain each other by being the funniest, goofiest people in the world (or so we think).
Case in point: we drove to Lake Como and stayed a couple of days in Bellagio. It was completely beautiful, and we enjoyed walking around a couple of the towns (best passarellas ever), shopping,...and taking our senior class pictures. Only Ginny and I would take something as ridiculous as your goofy senior class pictures and imitate them all over Europe. But, we did. And, it was fun. Ginny even took pictures of other people taking the same types of pictures (although, they were all serious about it).
After Como, we followed my GPS on the strangest yet most beautiful drive I have taken up through the mountains to Asiago and Nove. It was truly like driving through a movie scene in some places.
We went to Lake Bled, in Slovenia, and saw all the major sights there. We went on to Rovinj, Croatia on the coast in Istria. I had been there for a couple of hours with my parents on a whirlwind trip through Istria a year or so ago, and I hadn't been too impressed. But, October seemed to be the right time of year. We had gorgeous weather with virtually no other tourists.
The town of Rovinj has been handed back and forth between different empires and countries for so long that the city seemed to escape many of the Communist trappings of other former Yugoslavian nations. One thing that surprised us was at dinner the night we stayed. We found this wonderful little restaurant that served a huge portion of food that neither of us could finish. When the cook came out to clear our places, she was visibly upset that we had not finished our meals. We explained that it was wonderful and that we were just full, but she almost scolded us for wasting food. And, this was in a nice restaurant!
We walked through the city the next morning, hitting all the major sights, tasting Croatian wine, and wandering through a street lined with artists' shops to the top of the hill where the cathedral of St. Euphemia waited. The most adventurous thing we did was climb up to the bell tower on a long series of creaky, thin wooden steps. The view from the top was worth it.
We ended our trip with the requisite visit to Venice, and then I had to say goodbye to Ginny. It was a marvelous week with an old friend!
As usual, my Internet connection is not behaving, and pictures are not uploading. Maybe I can get some on here later.
Case in point: we drove to Lake Como and stayed a couple of days in Bellagio. It was completely beautiful, and we enjoyed walking around a couple of the towns (best passarellas ever), shopping,...and taking our senior class pictures. Only Ginny and I would take something as ridiculous as your goofy senior class pictures and imitate them all over Europe. But, we did. And, it was fun. Ginny even took pictures of other people taking the same types of pictures (although, they were all serious about it).
After Como, we followed my GPS on the strangest yet most beautiful drive I have taken up through the mountains to Asiago and Nove. It was truly like driving through a movie scene in some places.
We went to Lake Bled, in Slovenia, and saw all the major sights there. We went on to Rovinj, Croatia on the coast in Istria. I had been there for a couple of hours with my parents on a whirlwind trip through Istria a year or so ago, and I hadn't been too impressed. But, October seemed to be the right time of year. We had gorgeous weather with virtually no other tourists.
The town of Rovinj has been handed back and forth between different empires and countries for so long that the city seemed to escape many of the Communist trappings of other former Yugoslavian nations. One thing that surprised us was at dinner the night we stayed. We found this wonderful little restaurant that served a huge portion of food that neither of us could finish. When the cook came out to clear our places, she was visibly upset that we had not finished our meals. We explained that it was wonderful and that we were just full, but she almost scolded us for wasting food. And, this was in a nice restaurant!
We walked through the city the next morning, hitting all the major sights, tasting Croatian wine, and wandering through a street lined with artists' shops to the top of the hill where the cathedral of St. Euphemia waited. The most adventurous thing we did was climb up to the bell tower on a long series of creaky, thin wooden steps. The view from the top was worth it.
We ended our trip with the requisite visit to Venice, and then I had to say goodbye to Ginny. It was a marvelous week with an old friend!
As usual, my Internet connection is not behaving, and pictures are not uploading. Maybe I can get some on here later.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Why NOT To Vote For an Obama/Biden Ticket
If you have not heard about the following statement, I would do your research. I know I don't want my husband fighting on behalf of these imbeciles. I will not be standing with them.
“It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy... Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate... And he’s gonna need help. And the kind of help he’s gonna need is, he’s gonna need you—not financially to help him—we’re gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it’s not gonna be apparent initially, it’s not gonna be apparent that we’re right.” —Joe Biden
“It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy... Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate... And he’s gonna need help. And the kind of help he’s gonna need is, he’s gonna need you—not financially to help him—we’re gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it’s not gonna be apparent initially, it’s not gonna be apparent that we’re right.” —Joe Biden
Friday, October 10, 2008
Bella Befana Bazaar 2008
Phew, it is finally winding down! The Bazaar was a great success, and today was my first day to be able to actually do things other than the Bazaar wrap-up. Don't worry, I am still confirming numbers with vendors, and I just received the following e-mail from one vendor. Should I be jealous?
"I agree with the totals.thanks for your hard work.come see me when you can.Your husband is a doll,so refined,what a pleasure."
I love it! My husband is definitely a refined person when it comes to what this vendor was selling - wine.
Anyways, the weekend, as well as the preceding week, was super stressful, but we made lots of money, and it was great fun.
AND, my friend Michelle and I discovered a new DG in our midst - one who has been there since last year! It's so fun to see DGs come out of the woodwork. We all agreed that we need to do something very Delta Gamma soon.
Well, I have been procrastinating. I need to do housework that has been neglected for awhile. After all, my friend Heather is coming over tomorrow to see Texas stomped on by Oklahoma. Well, that's my take, not hers.
And then, my friend Ginny is getting here Tuesday! We're planning on going to see where George Clooney's house is in Lake Como, and then on to Slovenia and Croatia. I can't wait!
"I agree with the totals.thanks for your hard work.come see me when you can.Your husband is a doll,so refined,what a pleasure."
I love it! My husband is definitely a refined person when it comes to what this vendor was selling - wine.
Anyways, the weekend, as well as the preceding week, was super stressful, but we made lots of money, and it was great fun.
AND, my friend Michelle and I discovered a new DG in our midst - one who has been there since last year! It's so fun to see DGs come out of the woodwork. We all agreed that we need to do something very Delta Gamma soon.
Well, I have been procrastinating. I need to do housework that has been neglected for awhile. After all, my friend Heather is coming over tomorrow to see Texas stomped on by Oklahoma. Well, that's my take, not hers.
And then, my friend Ginny is getting here Tuesday! We're planning on going to see where George Clooney's house is in Lake Como, and then on to Slovenia and Croatia. I can't wait!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Election Fever
I got my absentee ballot today. And, yes, I have voted. McCain/Palin, OF COURSE! I love voting.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Torino & the Pedemonte
Wow, it's only 8:00 a.m., and I already need a break from the Bazaar. The base changed our location officially yesterday morning. Sigh. We are now partially in one location that has neither electricity nor communication lines to run, say, credit card machines. But, miracles happen. Hopefully by Tuesday.
Anyway, to take a break, I will reflect on the trip that Chris and I took last weekend to Torino and the Piedmont wine region. It was one of our favorite trips that we have taken in all of Italy!
We were actually facing a traveling dilemma. I wanted Chris to be able to take a trip during his re-integration, but didn't want to be too far from Bazaar stuff. So, we drove the five hours or so to northern Italy's western region!
The whole trip was definitely for food and wine lovers. We are currently on what my mother would call "food detox".
So, we left here on a Wednesday afternoon and drove to Torino, which is the home of the 2006 winter Olympics, the Fiat, and the modern history of Italy! Really, if you live in Italy and appreciate history, you must visit Torino. The first king of Italy lived here, and the city is just so rich in important Italian events.
Our first night, we went to a restaurant called C'era una Volta, Once Upon a Time, and had the "tasting menu" which turned out to be a seven course meal. It was really fun experimental Italian food. This has definitely become the season of pumpkin in Italy. One of our courses had little pumpkins that were stuffed with ricotta cheese and then boiled or something. Not the kind of restaurant for children, definitely, but fun for adults. I passed along my course of what was essentially steak tartar to Chris. I can't handle raw beef.
The next day, we visited lots of great museums. We saw the Shroud of Turin cathedral (supposedly the shroud that Christ was buried in after the resurrection - really neat), the Royal Armory (Chris was really into this), and the Egyptian Museum, which I must say was even better than the one in Cairo.
We partook in a Torinese pasttime of just walking and hanging out in cafes, tasting the official cafe drink of the city - Bicerin, a blend of hot chocolate, coffee, and cream. The Torinese are also supposedly the original European patrons of chocolate and merely passed on the tradition to the neighboring Swiss. So, there were lots of beautiful chocolate displays everywhere.
The next morning, we drove deep into the heart of Piedmont wine country. Most Americans come to Italy and go straight to Tuscany for wine, and this is a mistake! We felt like Piedmont was more beautiful and even had better wine! I don't like red wine, really at all, but I found some that I enjoyed here.
We stayed in Villa Meridiana in Alba - yes, a villa. We spent the next couple of days driving the wine route through the various villages and tasting wines in castles and wine shops in the gorgeous Langhe hills.
Last Saturday, we stopped along the way to Asti, which is famous for their Spumanti. We got there the day before their Palio (horse races dating back to medieval times). So there were festivals for the Palio going on while the enormous Douja D'Or (an annual two-week wine festival) was going on in the same city. We had been tasting red wines for what felt like days, so I was thrilled to get to the counter to taste some sweet white wines. Once you get through the tasting room, you filter out through the shopping section - rows and rows of wines to buy. We had fun stocking our wine cellar that weekend.
Our favorite meal of the weekend (and, we must highlight this, because the other thing you do in wine country is eat), was at Enoclub in Alba. It was in this cool wine cellar, lit by candles, and I had ravioli suffed with pumpkin and ricotta (heavenly) and beef braised in Barolo wine (incredible). It was really bad, in a way, because the restaurants around here don't serve food this good.
We have already decided to try to return next year in September. It will be pushing it with our move, but we must!
I am trying to post pictures, but it seems as if the batteries on my camera are totally dead. So, once I get to that, I'll post some!
Anyway, to take a break, I will reflect on the trip that Chris and I took last weekend to Torino and the Piedmont wine region. It was one of our favorite trips that we have taken in all of Italy!
We were actually facing a traveling dilemma. I wanted Chris to be able to take a trip during his re-integration, but didn't want to be too far from Bazaar stuff. So, we drove the five hours or so to northern Italy's western region!
The whole trip was definitely for food and wine lovers. We are currently on what my mother would call "food detox".
So, we left here on a Wednesday afternoon and drove to Torino, which is the home of the 2006 winter Olympics, the Fiat, and the modern history of Italy! Really, if you live in Italy and appreciate history, you must visit Torino. The first king of Italy lived here, and the city is just so rich in important Italian events.
Our first night, we went to a restaurant called C'era una Volta, Once Upon a Time, and had the "tasting menu" which turned out to be a seven course meal. It was really fun experimental Italian food. This has definitely become the season of pumpkin in Italy. One of our courses had little pumpkins that were stuffed with ricotta cheese and then boiled or something. Not the kind of restaurant for children, definitely, but fun for adults. I passed along my course of what was essentially steak tartar to Chris. I can't handle raw beef.
The next day, we visited lots of great museums. We saw the Shroud of Turin cathedral (supposedly the shroud that Christ was buried in after the resurrection - really neat), the Royal Armory (Chris was really into this), and the Egyptian Museum, which I must say was even better than the one in Cairo.
We partook in a Torinese pasttime of just walking and hanging out in cafes, tasting the official cafe drink of the city - Bicerin, a blend of hot chocolate, coffee, and cream. The Torinese are also supposedly the original European patrons of chocolate and merely passed on the tradition to the neighboring Swiss. So, there were lots of beautiful chocolate displays everywhere.
The next morning, we drove deep into the heart of Piedmont wine country. Most Americans come to Italy and go straight to Tuscany for wine, and this is a mistake! We felt like Piedmont was more beautiful and even had better wine! I don't like red wine, really at all, but I found some that I enjoyed here.
We stayed in Villa Meridiana in Alba - yes, a villa. We spent the next couple of days driving the wine route through the various villages and tasting wines in castles and wine shops in the gorgeous Langhe hills.
Last Saturday, we stopped along the way to Asti, which is famous for their Spumanti. We got there the day before their Palio (horse races dating back to medieval times). So there were festivals for the Palio going on while the enormous Douja D'Or (an annual two-week wine festival) was going on in the same city. We had been tasting red wines for what felt like days, so I was thrilled to get to the counter to taste some sweet white wines. Once you get through the tasting room, you filter out through the shopping section - rows and rows of wines to buy. We had fun stocking our wine cellar that weekend.
Our favorite meal of the weekend (and, we must highlight this, because the other thing you do in wine country is eat), was at Enoclub in Alba. It was in this cool wine cellar, lit by candles, and I had ravioli suffed with pumpkin and ricotta (heavenly) and beef braised in Barolo wine (incredible). It was really bad, in a way, because the restaurants around here don't serve food this good.
We have already decided to try to return next year in September. It will be pushing it with our move, but we must!
I am trying to post pictures, but it seems as if the batteries on my camera are totally dead. So, once I get to that, I'll post some!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bazaar Thoughts
I feel like a crazy person right now. The Bazaar is making me an insane woman (again, I actually do enjoy working on this thing). We are now about one week away until the real chaos begins, and the Bazaar really starts coming together. The Hangars are cleared out, the spaces are marked, electricity is created where there previously was none, vendors start arriving, and then people miraculously come to start shopping. It is great to see in action, but so much work to put together.
I have been working full-time hours on this thing now for at least a month. I think people would be shocked to see what I do on any given day.
Chris and I dared to take a few days away so that he got to enjoy some of his reintegration time (more on that later), and we were plagued by phone calls the entire time.
I arrived back in town to find out that the base wanted to change our location around for a third time (TWO WEEKS before the date of the Bazaar), which affects everything from floor plans to telecom lines being put in where there are none. Fortunately, I think I have talked the base out of this latest change.
I also arrived back in time to hear that two of our vendors were denied access to the base by the Italian police. For no reason. Actually, I am thinking it was a mistake, and that it might be cleared, but, seriously, these little details affect a whole lot, and tend to then take up lots of my time.
Both of these issues I was dealing with by 7:00 a.m. on a Monday morning, I might add. And, I don't get paid. But, this hectic pace is what I deal with day in and day out at this point in time.
I'm at the point where I'm dreaming about the Bazaar, and freaking out over whether or not I told our Treasurer that a vendor needs to pay for 10 extra tables. Little things like that all day.
By the grace of God, we are going to have 90 vendors show up next Thursday, and everything will go smoothly, because I have the best team in the whole entire world to work with. I am really excited! And, we have a candy vendor! (This is actually a really huge deal to me for some reason.)
I had someone from the base tell me yesterday that our Bazaar has had the worst year in terms of bureaucratic nightmares that she has ever seen. I would have to agree, even though I've only been a party to two of them.
But, in the end, we will rake in over half a million dollars in three short days, and our community will be the better for it. And, my amazing husband has been doing all the cleaning around the house for the past two days. He's the best helper in the world! Fun reintegration for him.
I have been working full-time hours on this thing now for at least a month. I think people would be shocked to see what I do on any given day.
Chris and I dared to take a few days away so that he got to enjoy some of his reintegration time (more on that later), and we were plagued by phone calls the entire time.
I arrived back in town to find out that the base wanted to change our location around for a third time (TWO WEEKS before the date of the Bazaar), which affects everything from floor plans to telecom lines being put in where there are none. Fortunately, I think I have talked the base out of this latest change.
I also arrived back in time to hear that two of our vendors were denied access to the base by the Italian police. For no reason. Actually, I am thinking it was a mistake, and that it might be cleared, but, seriously, these little details affect a whole lot, and tend to then take up lots of my time.
Both of these issues I was dealing with by 7:00 a.m. on a Monday morning, I might add. And, I don't get paid. But, this hectic pace is what I deal with day in and day out at this point in time.
I'm at the point where I'm dreaming about the Bazaar, and freaking out over whether or not I told our Treasurer that a vendor needs to pay for 10 extra tables. Little things like that all day.
By the grace of God, we are going to have 90 vendors show up next Thursday, and everything will go smoothly, because I have the best team in the whole entire world to work with. I am really excited! And, we have a candy vendor! (This is actually a really huge deal to me for some reason.)
I had someone from the base tell me yesterday that our Bazaar has had the worst year in terms of bureaucratic nightmares that she has ever seen. I would have to agree, even though I've only been a party to two of them.
But, in the end, we will rake in over half a million dollars in three short days, and our community will be the better for it. And, my amazing husband has been doing all the cleaning around the house for the past two days. He's the best helper in the world! Fun reintegration for him.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Patriot Day
Today is Patriot Day, and for a perfect commemoration, my Patriot is home! He arrived today, safe and sound, and all is well with world. I hope that you, like me, never forget September 11, 2001, and all the 2,996 reasons we still fight on today.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Motta di Livenza
I think I found my new favorite town around here. My friend Julie and I set out this morning to Motta di Livenza, which is a town between Pordenone and Treviso.
We were on a Bazaar mission. We have a new vendor coming to the Bazaar called Art&craft, which is a European antiques/home decor store. It's a rarity, actually, in Italy. We both really wanted to go tell the owner exactly what he should bring to sell in October.
He is one to look for at the Bazaar. He had such beautiful furniture pieces, and fun things like linens for the home. I bought a decorative pillow, because I just couldn't wait for the Bazaar. I will definitely be buying more later.
In typical Italian hospitality, he ran to the bar next door for some drinks to toast our new friendships.
His town, Motta di Livenza, was a typical beautiful Italian village, complete with market day today. They had some other great stores, including the best pasticceria I've seen yet in Italy. Julie and I were in agreement - we need to make return visits just to hang out there if nothing else. Or, buy a villa.
We were on a Bazaar mission. We have a new vendor coming to the Bazaar called Art&craft, which is a European antiques/home decor store. It's a rarity, actually, in Italy. We both really wanted to go tell the owner exactly what he should bring to sell in October.
He is one to look for at the Bazaar. He had such beautiful furniture pieces, and fun things like linens for the home. I bought a decorative pillow, because I just couldn't wait for the Bazaar. I will definitely be buying more later.
In typical Italian hospitality, he ran to the bar next door for some drinks to toast our new friendships.
His town, Motta di Livenza, was a typical beautiful Italian village, complete with market day today. They had some other great stores, including the best pasticceria I've seen yet in Italy. Julie and I were in agreement - we need to make return visits just to hang out there if nothing else. Or, buy a villa.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Chivalry Is Dead
Friday was a frustrating day. I was running my usual Bazaar errands (less than month away!), and I went out to my car to find it totally dead. My brain shut down. It is one thing to have this happen in a place where you can call AAA, or even 411 to find a tow truck.
But, here I have no great options. On top of that, I can't even call my husband. So, I called my friend Heather. She was fantastic! She drove right on over, and with written instructions in hand, helped me jumpstart my car.
Long story short, we ended up that day having to jump the car twice, push it, and roped our friend Julie in to help me go back and forth to an Italian mechanic and to buy a new battery. My friends are truly perfect helpers in the face of confusion.
However, my complaint is that there were LOTS of men out there who stood by and just watched us do all of this, or get huffy that we were in the way. In fact, there was one guy who drove by and flashed us an inappropriate gesture (as Julie said, he had nerve to do that in front of a Chapel, clearly with no concern for his soul).
So, chivalry is dead. I was so irate that I just lost it at one point and melted down. Who ignores two or three women trying to fix a car?? There was one very gracious man who stopped and did help us for a time. He was incredibly patient and nice.
Heather and I needed time to recuperate from frustration, so we went to Venice last night for dinner and a chamber orchestra performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was in a beautiful building in Piazza San Marco, and the orchestra was stunningly perfect. Venice was Vivaldi's hometown, so this was the best setting to see this performance. I highly recommend it for those in the area.
But, here I have no great options. On top of that, I can't even call my husband. So, I called my friend Heather. She was fantastic! She drove right on over, and with written instructions in hand, helped me jumpstart my car.
Long story short, we ended up that day having to jump the car twice, push it, and roped our friend Julie in to help me go back and forth to an Italian mechanic and to buy a new battery. My friends are truly perfect helpers in the face of confusion.
However, my complaint is that there were LOTS of men out there who stood by and just watched us do all of this, or get huffy that we were in the way. In fact, there was one guy who drove by and flashed us an inappropriate gesture (as Julie said, he had nerve to do that in front of a Chapel, clearly with no concern for his soul).
So, chivalry is dead. I was so irate that I just lost it at one point and melted down. Who ignores two or three women trying to fix a car?? There was one very gracious man who stopped and did help us for a time. He was incredibly patient and nice.
Heather and I needed time to recuperate from frustration, so we went to Venice last night for dinner and a chamber orchestra performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was in a beautiful building in Piazza San Marco, and the orchestra was stunningly perfect. Venice was Vivaldi's hometown, so this was the best setting to see this performance. I highly recommend it for those in the area.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Lizard Update
I noticed my mother's comment about the lizard (and, yes, of course the best option would be what you proposed).
I just wanted to update that I was an adult and took care of it myself. He was trapped for about two days before our friend Peter offered to come over and take care of it. I felt funny not being adult enough to just take care of it, so I took his suggestion of cutting up a cereal box, sliding it under the bowl, and just throwing it outside.
It was easy, but I started freaking out when the tail started slithering out of the box. Yuck. I wanted to update you all since I got a lot of flack for potentially killing an "innocent" lizard from many people.
I just wanted to update that I was an adult and took care of it myself. He was trapped for about two days before our friend Peter offered to come over and take care of it. I felt funny not being adult enough to just take care of it, so I took his suggestion of cutting up a cereal box, sliding it under the bowl, and just throwing it outside.
It was easy, but I started freaking out when the tail started slithering out of the box. Yuck. I wanted to update you all since I got a lot of flack for potentially killing an "innocent" lizard from many people.
It's the Little Things
I live in a very quiet little village called Giais. The very quiet little corner of my little village that I live in is more specifically Selva di Giais. I love living there, because of the gorgeous mountain I see every day.
But, sometimes I have regretted the fact that my quiet little village does not have the hustle and bustle of larger villages. I have always wished that I was a quick walk from il centro, the center, and its markets, fests, and...cafes.
Yesterday, on my drive home, as I was about to turn, I noticed - GASP - a new bar on the little street in my part of town! So, I immediately walked down to see what they have. Lo and behold, a cafe! I am so incredibly excited. In fact, I bought an espresso yesterday, and a cappucino this morning.
The woman running the store is incredibly friendly, but speaks no English. When I came in this morning, she introduced me around as "The American". I'm going to like this new addition to Giais.
But, sometimes I have regretted the fact that my quiet little village does not have the hustle and bustle of larger villages. I have always wished that I was a quick walk from il centro, the center, and its markets, fests, and...cafes.
Yesterday, on my drive home, as I was about to turn, I noticed - GASP - a new bar on the little street in my part of town! So, I immediately walked down to see what they have. Lo and behold, a cafe! I am so incredibly excited. In fact, I bought an espresso yesterday, and a cappucino this morning.
The woman running the store is incredibly friendly, but speaks no English. When I came in this morning, she introduced me around as "The American". I'm going to like this new addition to Giais.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
When Is Chris Coming Home?
Well, it can't be soon enough. Right now, I have a lizard trapped under a plastic box in my kitchen. I need Chris to deal with this stuff. I just am too grossed out. Oh, and I'm at my friend Julie's house, since I needed to get away from said lizard...and do some Bazaar mapping. Fun times!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get...Shopping
I am exhausted lately. When you move to Aviano, the big ridiculous thing you hear is that, "At some point, your car/house will get broken into by Gypsies. They don't want to hurt you, they just want to take your stuff."
Well, they're not hurting me, nor are they taking my stuff! At least, that's what I'm telling myself every night about once an hour when I wake up after hearing some noise. When Chris is here, I sleep soundly. But, this deployment has been particularly difficult with getting any kind of sound sleep.
So, my friend Heather took me to do some retail therapy yesterday in Nove.
If your name is Chris you can definitely stop reading at this point. You might get really annoyed.
Yesterday was a fantastic trip. There is a store in Nove called Ancora (and, yes, DGs, the symbol of the store is an anchor). They are sadly going out of business this fall. My mother actually owns a whole slew of beautiful dessert plates from them that she bought a couple of decades ago when we lived in Germany. So, they're like family.
I had really wanted a set of dessert dishes in their berry pattern, so I thought the best thing to do would be to stock up before they totally go out of business. I had a lot of fun.
We also hit up a couple other places, including VBC, my favorite Nove store. They had a couple of beautiful platters/serving bowls with pumpkins on them. I couldn't pass those up either. I mean, it is almost fall.
I was with a fun bunch yesterday, who were all adventurous. So after our combat shopping, we decided to drive up the mountain to Asiago (famous for the cheese) to seek out some lunch.
I had been to Asiago once before, and I can safely say that summertime is a spectacular time to be there. It is an Alpine town, and the flowers were in full bloom. Simply stunning.
I rarely rave about Italian food anymore. A lot of it is just boring at this point. But, I had one of the best glasses of Prosecco that I've had in awhile, and a wonderful plate of pasta where the Ragu sauce was made from goulasch. It was so good that I want to try to make it somehow.
All in all it was a nice reprieve from my Bazaar responsibilites. I even saw my Lion of Venice in Asiago!
Now, it's time to get back to the land of Bella Befana Bazaar. I have lots of vendor and volunteer things to do today!
Well, they're not hurting me, nor are they taking my stuff! At least, that's what I'm telling myself every night about once an hour when I wake up after hearing some noise. When Chris is here, I sleep soundly. But, this deployment has been particularly difficult with getting any kind of sound sleep.
So, my friend Heather took me to do some retail therapy yesterday in Nove.
If your name is Chris you can definitely stop reading at this point. You might get really annoyed.
Yesterday was a fantastic trip. There is a store in Nove called Ancora (and, yes, DGs, the symbol of the store is an anchor). They are sadly going out of business this fall. My mother actually owns a whole slew of beautiful dessert plates from them that she bought a couple of decades ago when we lived in Germany. So, they're like family.
I had really wanted a set of dessert dishes in their berry pattern, so I thought the best thing to do would be to stock up before they totally go out of business. I had a lot of fun.
We also hit up a couple other places, including VBC, my favorite Nove store. They had a couple of beautiful platters/serving bowls with pumpkins on them. I couldn't pass those up either. I mean, it is almost fall.
I was with a fun bunch yesterday, who were all adventurous. So after our combat shopping, we decided to drive up the mountain to Asiago (famous for the cheese) to seek out some lunch.
I had been to Asiago once before, and I can safely say that summertime is a spectacular time to be there. It is an Alpine town, and the flowers were in full bloom. Simply stunning.
I rarely rave about Italian food anymore. A lot of it is just boring at this point. But, I had one of the best glasses of Prosecco that I've had in awhile, and a wonderful plate of pasta where the Ragu sauce was made from goulasch. It was so good that I want to try to make it somehow.
All in all it was a nice reprieve from my Bazaar responsibilites. I even saw my Lion of Venice in Asiago!
Now, it's time to get back to the land of Bella Befana Bazaar. I have lots of vendor and volunteer things to do today!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
It's Really August?
Wow, things have been moving along at a fast pace lately. This is my second year chairing our Bazaar, and it's about that time of year where I have a zillion meetings every day, and a neverending list of things to do. That sounds like a complaint, but I love it.
Chris comes home in about a month - and then naturally leaves for another one in January. If that's not enough, he has Squadron Officer School in Nov/Dec. It's taken me about a week to get over that one.
If it's about to be your last fall in Italy, where would you want to spend it? Montgomery, Alabama, of course. I will be going with him, so if anyone wants to come see us in Montgomery, you are more than welcome.
In what is a good news/bad news kind of thing (for us), our friends Heather and Trent are actually moving to Montgomery right about that time, so I'm excited to be able to spend more time with them there.
That's the update for now. The traveling has slowed down quite a bit.
Chris comes home in about a month - and then naturally leaves for another one in January. If that's not enough, he has Squadron Officer School in Nov/Dec. It's taken me about a week to get over that one.
If it's about to be your last fall in Italy, where would you want to spend it? Montgomery, Alabama, of course. I will be going with him, so if anyone wants to come see us in Montgomery, you are more than welcome.
In what is a good news/bad news kind of thing (for us), our friends Heather and Trent are actually moving to Montgomery right about that time, so I'm excited to be able to spend more time with them there.
That's the update for now. The traveling has slowed down quite a bit.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
French Riviera
I went on a whirlwind trip to the French Riviera this past weekend. It was great! Trent and Heather were on the trip too.
Our first stop was in Grasse, which is the perfume capital of the world. We stopped at Fragonard, which is a big perfume factory with a boutique, of course. I admit to spending a little money there.
We then headed to Cannes, the home of the Cannes Film Festival. It was fun to see the sights and hang out on the Riviera, but I must say that it was almost just another beach town.
We then went to Nice and wandered around for dinner and afterwards. We spent the night there, and then got up early for another big day.
Day two was my favorite: Monaco! I have been telling everyone that I am prepared to pursue dual citizenship as a Monagasque. The only downside is that I cannot. In order to become one, you must have five successive generations born and raised in Monaco. Too bad.
Monaco was just perfect. It is simply heavenly, and the perfect fantasy as the playground for the rich and famous. I got to see the church where Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier, the palace, and Jacques Cousteau's oceanographic museum with aquarium. We also went to Monte Carlo and played the slots in the world-famous casinos.
This was my first trip to the French Riviera, and my first visit to France in years. I had a wonderfully relaxing time, and really enjoyed being there. We saw more yachts and hyper-expensive cars than I have ever seen in one place.
Heather and I have decided that we are going to cost-share a yacht in 20 years, and we will bring it back. Yeah, right. Either way, this was a great little trip.
Our first stop was in Grasse, which is the perfume capital of the world. We stopped at Fragonard, which is a big perfume factory with a boutique, of course. I admit to spending a little money there.
We then headed to Cannes, the home of the Cannes Film Festival. It was fun to see the sights and hang out on the Riviera, but I must say that it was almost just another beach town.
We then went to Nice and wandered around for dinner and afterwards. We spent the night there, and then got up early for another big day.
Day two was my favorite: Monaco! I have been telling everyone that I am prepared to pursue dual citizenship as a Monagasque. The only downside is that I cannot. In order to become one, you must have five successive generations born and raised in Monaco. Too bad.
Monaco was just perfect. It is simply heavenly, and the perfect fantasy as the playground for the rich and famous. I got to see the church where Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier, the palace, and Jacques Cousteau's oceanographic museum with aquarium. We also went to Monte Carlo and played the slots in the world-famous casinos.
This was my first trip to the French Riviera, and my first visit to France in years. I had a wonderfully relaxing time, and really enjoyed being there. We saw more yachts and hyper-expensive cars than I have ever seen in one place.
Heather and I have decided that we are going to cost-share a yacht in 20 years, and we will bring it back. Yeah, right. Either way, this was a great little trip.
Friday, August 1, 2008
La Familia
Whew, a different week, different visitors! I have really had a fantastic summer with the guests and travel.
This week, Erin and Amber, some fellow JMUers (one of whom is also a DG) came to visit. We had a great time! Erin actually has some family in the Veneto region, so on Wednesday we drove a few hours over and spent the day with them.
It was such a great honor to be a part of the visit. The Pirani family, although they spoke little English, was wonderful to be around and so hospitable. I have found a new family to be a part of in Italy. What great people!
Late tonight, I'm going to the French Riviera so I will post more early next week!
This week, Erin and Amber, some fellow JMUers (one of whom is also a DG) came to visit. We had a great time! Erin actually has some family in the Veneto region, so on Wednesday we drove a few hours over and spent the day with them.
It was such a great honor to be a part of the visit. The Pirani family, although they spoke little English, was wonderful to be around and so hospitable. I have found a new family to be a part of in Italy. What great people!
Late tonight, I'm going to the French Riviera so I will post more early next week!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Slovenia, part II
We had a great day yesterday - and it wasn't just because I got to see the new Batman movie (which was amazing, by the way).
We hit the big Ljubljana sights - the Dragon Bridge, the castle, the riverfront. Rebecca figured out, by the way, that the novel The Historian references a city called Emona, which is actually Ljubljana. Just some trivia for you.
It was quite beautiful out, and it really is a charming city. The castle left a lot to be desired, especially when you have seen other castles around Europe - even in Slovenia. I did like the painted coats of arms (I'm assuming from Austo-Hungarian days) on the walls and ceiling of the St. George Chapel in the castle. And, the view was great.
We're going to head to Lake Bled for the day, and then back to Italy.
We hit the big Ljubljana sights - the Dragon Bridge, the castle, the riverfront. Rebecca figured out, by the way, that the novel The Historian references a city called Emona, which is actually Ljubljana. Just some trivia for you.
It was quite beautiful out, and it really is a charming city. The castle left a lot to be desired, especially when you have seen other castles around Europe - even in Slovenia. I did like the painted coats of arms (I'm assuming from Austo-Hungarian days) on the walls and ceiling of the St. George Chapel in the castle. And, the view was great.
We're going to head to Lake Bled for the day, and then back to Italy.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Dober dan
Hello from Ljubljana, Slovenia! I know, you're thinking: Where? Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia.
My friend, Rebecca, has been overseas for the past year or so working on her dissertation research. She needed to come here to present a paper at a conference that she is publishing, so I decided to come with her!
I picked her up from the airport in Venice yesterday, and we drove a couple hours to this city. So far, it's been cute. The weather was actually a little chilly yesterday, but we walked around part of the Old Town, and did a little shopping.
I bought Chris a traditional piece of artwork - a painted section of a beehive. Centuries ago, the Slovenes would paint them in brightly colored stories to attract the bees to the hives. I got a panel that shows St. George slaying a dragon - a popular story from the castle in this city.
Dragons are everywhere - much like Venice's lion. Chris' family actually immigrated to the States from Slovenia around the early 20th century (on his mom's side), so I thought this was a fitting piece of art for him. Plus it's a manly story, so I thought he wouldn't object.
Rebecca is at her conference right now, and then we are going to visit the castle. I'll take pictures and post them later.
Last night, we headed to the huge shopping complex, BTC City, for some Mexican food, and tonight we're headed back to see The Dark Knight in English with Slovenian subtitles! I'm so excited, I can't stand it!
My friend, Rebecca, has been overseas for the past year or so working on her dissertation research. She needed to come here to present a paper at a conference that she is publishing, so I decided to come with her!
I picked her up from the airport in Venice yesterday, and we drove a couple hours to this city. So far, it's been cute. The weather was actually a little chilly yesterday, but we walked around part of the Old Town, and did a little shopping.
I bought Chris a traditional piece of artwork - a painted section of a beehive. Centuries ago, the Slovenes would paint them in brightly colored stories to attract the bees to the hives. I got a panel that shows St. George slaying a dragon - a popular story from the castle in this city.
Dragons are everywhere - much like Venice's lion. Chris' family actually immigrated to the States from Slovenia around the early 20th century (on his mom's side), so I thought this was a fitting piece of art for him. Plus it's a manly story, so I thought he wouldn't object.
Rebecca is at her conference right now, and then we are going to visit the castle. I'll take pictures and post them later.
Last night, we headed to the huge shopping complex, BTC City, for some Mexican food, and tonight we're headed back to see The Dark Knight in English with Slovenian subtitles! I'm so excited, I can't stand it!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Italia
I'm back at home. I arrived on Friday, and since I can't escape travel drama, my friends Trent and Heather who graciously picked me up despite illness had to sign me in to base so I could get a temporary military ID. Yep, I left mine at home in Virginia, naturally.
Everything went smoothly besides that. The trip went by quickly, I adjusted my sleep right away, and I didn't have to pick up too many dead bugs when I came into my house. Oh, and my flowers are all alive and beautiful! Perfect!
More later. My friend Rebecca and I are going to Slovenia this week, and I can't wait!
Everything went smoothly besides that. The trip went by quickly, I adjusted my sleep right away, and I didn't have to pick up too many dead bugs when I came into my house. Oh, and my flowers are all alive and beautiful! Perfect!
More later. My friend Rebecca and I are going to Slovenia this week, and I can't wait!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
James River Plantations
There is a beautiful stretch of land along the James River in between Williamsburg and Richmond that hosts several original plantation homes. Mom and I decided to try to see a couple of them today.
I, unfortunately, did not have a camera, so the pictures here are courtesy of www.jamesriverplantations.org.
We were able to visit Shirley Plantation, which is Virginia's oldest plantation home, dating back to 1613. One of the oldest, most prestigious families in Virginia has owned the home since its early days.
Shirley was a really great example of a traditional working plantation, and had lots of horses, goats, and sheep still on the property. One of my favorite tidbits of information from our tour was that all the family women who marry in the home sign their names in the dining room windows with their diamond rings. It was interesting to see the signatures that were there.
We also got to tour Berkeley, which had stunning grounds. There were large sweeping lawns and lots of weeping willow trees framing the view of the river. We thought the tour wasn't too outstanding, but it was pretty outstanding to be in such an important early American home.
Berkeley was the home of two American presidents (the Harrisons), and was the camping ground for General McClellan and his troops during some battles of the Civil War. In fact, President Lincoln visited to review the troops.
We had lunch at the Charles River Tavern on their nice veranda, and my day was topped off with dinner with both parents at The Melting Pot. You can't get too much better than that!
I, unfortunately, did not have a camera, so the pictures here are courtesy of www.jamesriverplantations.org.
We were able to visit Shirley Plantation, which is Virginia's oldest plantation home, dating back to 1613. One of the oldest, most prestigious families in Virginia has owned the home since its early days.
Shirley was a really great example of a traditional working plantation, and had lots of horses, goats, and sheep still on the property. One of my favorite tidbits of information from our tour was that all the family women who marry in the home sign their names in the dining room windows with their diamond rings. It was interesting to see the signatures that were there.
We also got to tour Berkeley, which had stunning grounds. There were large sweeping lawns and lots of weeping willow trees framing the view of the river. We thought the tour wasn't too outstanding, but it was pretty outstanding to be in such an important early American home.
Berkeley was the home of two American presidents (the Harrisons), and was the camping ground for General McClellan and his troops during some battles of the Civil War. In fact, President Lincoln visited to review the troops.
We had lunch at the Charles River Tavern on their nice veranda, and my day was topped off with dinner with both parents at The Melting Pot. You can't get too much better than that!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Center of the Universe
I'm back in Virginia at my parents' home in Yorktown. We've had a great weekend back.
On Saturday, I met up with my friend Ginny in Ashland, which, as you can see by their street sign, is the "Center of the Universe". That cracked us up.
Ashland is just north of Richmond, and was a good kind of halfway point between Yorktown and DC, which is where Ginny lives. We ate at the Ironhorse, a cool little brewery, walked around the campus of Randolph Macon College (starting off our jaunt on Greek Row, natch), and checking out the downtown Ashland scene.
I had such a fantastic time catching up on all things Delta Gamma and what it's like to have a big DC career (I miss those days), and can't wait till Ginny comes to visit Italy in the fall!
Tomorrow Mom and I are going to high tea and shopping in Williamsburg, one of my most favorite Virginia pasttimes.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Still In Arkansas
I'm still in Arkansas. I've been in Cabot and Bella Vista for a couple of weeks now (getting re-acquainted with all my favorite shops), and will head to Virginia on Thursday. I've had a lot of fun visiting with this little guy...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
USA!
Hi, from Christiansburg, Virginia, close to Blacksburg and Virginia Tech! I touched down in DC yesterday after a long but un-noteworthy flight. The only thing of note is that the passport control agent in Frankfurt actually looked through my passport, asked me how long I had been in Europe, and asked to see my soggiorno from Italy. Impressive!
My mom, brother, and brother's dog, Casper [I need to insert here that he rescued the dog, and the name already came with it] picked me up and we hit the road. We're heading toward Little Rock, AR and my sister and nephew [her husband is also deployed].
This is the first time I'm meeting Casper, who is a lab and a sweet, sweet dog. He's very well-trained.
Our only real stop on the trip happened to be in Harrisonburg (Go Dukes!) for a chicken pita to go for dinner. Oh, it was worth it. For the few seconds I got to spend in the 'Burg, a lot has changed, JMU folks! Did any of you know that Z lot is gone, and a Starbucks is there now? Who knew? Not me. Dave's Express has moved, as has University Outpost. And, I just saw that little intersection right there, so who knows how much other stuff has changed.
Well, I'm excited for a drive through Tennessee today, and getting to see my nephew tonight!
My mom, brother, and brother's dog, Casper [I need to insert here that he rescued the dog, and the name already came with it] picked me up and we hit the road. We're heading toward Little Rock, AR and my sister and nephew [her husband is also deployed].
This is the first time I'm meeting Casper, who is a lab and a sweet, sweet dog. He's very well-trained.
Our only real stop on the trip happened to be in Harrisonburg (Go Dukes!) for a chicken pita to go for dinner. Oh, it was worth it. For the few seconds I got to spend in the 'Burg, a lot has changed, JMU folks! Did any of you know that Z lot is gone, and a Starbucks is there now? Who knew? Not me. Dave's Express has moved, as has University Outpost. And, I just saw that little intersection right there, so who knows how much other stuff has changed.
Well, I'm excited for a drive through Tennessee today, and getting to see my nephew tonight!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Cherry Festival
Yesterday started out with a two-year-old's birthday party, and then my friends Heather and Trent agreed it was the perfect day to check out a cherry festival supposedly happening in Spilimbergo, a town about a half-hour from us. So, we jumped into their car, and went looking for this festival.
By the time we found it, we discovered that nothing was really going to start up until that night. But, the festival was set up right next to a beautiful little river that clearly flows down from the mountains.
We took off our shoes and waded in the water for awhile. We decided to keep exploring. We drove back toward the mountains, and found a cool roadside winery/restaurant/brewery/foodstand and relaxed for a bit. I bought some great local honey from them.
We kept driving into the mountains to Poffabro, a town I blogged about back in January. We just walked around taking in the views. All in all, a fantastic beautiful day. And, tomorrow I leave for the United States! I absolutely can't wait until I touch down in DC.
By the time we found it, we discovered that nothing was really going to start up until that night. But, the festival was set up right next to a beautiful little river that clearly flows down from the mountains.
We took off our shoes and waded in the water for awhile. We decided to keep exploring. We drove back toward the mountains, and found a cool roadside winery/restaurant/brewery/foodstand and relaxed for a bit. I bought some great local honey from them.
We kept driving into the mountains to Poffabro, a town I blogged about back in January. We just walked around taking in the views. All in all, a fantastic beautiful day. And, tomorrow I leave for the United States! I absolutely can't wait until I touch down in DC.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Just Your Average Morning
I've been really restless lately. My travel buddy is gone, and it's actually quite hard to find people who want to just go and do stuff for some reason.
So, I decided to go to Venice by myself this morning to get some birthday gift shopping done. Mission accomplished! It was a beautiful day there, and those in our family who have birthdays coming up should be very happy.
I was very happy too. I treated myself to a Murano glass tulip picture frame that I had my eye on when I was there a couple of months ago.
I had an interesting train ride back. I brought my crosstitch project, and an Italian woman came out of her way to compliment me on how beautiful it is. I must say, I never thought I'd see the day when someone would compliment a craft I'm working on. I am the least crafty person in the world. I'm sure my mom and sister are laughing at me right now.
Also, my train ride home included my first Italian cross-dresser sighting. Seriously, I never thought I'd see this day either. Italians are not really into that kind of thing. Very strange.
But, I had a fantastic time, and found that I can be a great traveling companion for myself!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails, That's What Giais Is Made Of
We have had LOTS of rain lately. All that rain means that my perpetual enemies (the lizards) have not been around my yard much. However, I have had lots of snails and slugs all over the place...
I can also happily report that my scorpion friend in my light fixture has passed. I have also moved back into my room. However, I had to kill one in my entryway the other day, and I took a picture to show you what they look like, size-wise, in comparison to my shoe. This one was medium-sized.
But, this time of year really ranks high on the list of most beautiful to visit Italy. The Italians LOVE flowers, and there are so many beautiful trees and blooms you can't help but be impressed. They really go crazy with roses - there are so many, and in every shade imaginable. It's heavenly. Here are some pictures I took in my village:
I can also happily report that my scorpion friend in my light fixture has passed. I have also moved back into my room. However, I had to kill one in my entryway the other day, and I took a picture to show you what they look like, size-wise, in comparison to my shoe. This one was medium-sized.
But, this time of year really ranks high on the list of most beautiful to visit Italy. The Italians LOVE flowers, and there are so many beautiful trees and blooms you can't help but be impressed. They really go crazy with roses - there are so many, and in every shade imaginable. It's heavenly. Here are some pictures I took in my village:
Friday, May 23, 2008
Poignant Moments
Well, today was a day of great moments! First of all, I wish I had my camera on my drive home only moments ago.
I was on the so-called "mountain highway", a two-lane road that runs along the mountain and passes through my village. It's absolutely beautiful. There was a man standing in the middle, wildly swinging a staff of some sort, so I slowed down. It was only then that I realized he was stopping hundreds of sheep from crossing out into traffic!
It was crazy to see how they were completely obeying him and watching his every move to make sure it was fine to cross. It reminded me of a passage I read for this week's Bible study - Ezekiel 34:1-16.
I was actually on my way home from the Venice airport, where I successfully picked up Chris' mobility bag from its long journey of two months from Romania. I have to hand it to Alitalia - I thought the thing was a goner long ago, and never expected we would see it again.
At the airport, there were moments when I still thought we wouldn't see it. They seemed to have lost track of it for about an hour. Then, when I actually got to see the bag, they told me that they didn't think I could take it, since they weren't understanding the power of attorney, husband being in Afghanistan type of deal.
I almost lost it, but surprisingly kept my cool. I think it was because an English couple next to me was going through what was my worst nightmare only weeks ago - they were arriving in Venice for a cruise, and Alitalia lost one of their suitcases. The wife engaged me in conversation - it was clear from the mobility bag, my American accent, and my ID card that my husband was deployed. The husband was a former Parliament member, and on the British Transportation Committee no less. He was trying to keep from hysterics. So, she told me how their grandson had done three tours in Iraq, and that she thinks that I am brave with my husband being deployed.
I had to stop to tell her that it has become routine, and that my husband is the brave one. That reminded me that I need to give Memorial Day wishes to all the great men in my life: Dad, Matt (my brother), Joe (my brother-in-law), and Chris, THANK YOU for all you have done and continue to do to serve and protect our great country!
Now, I must take a moment to brag about my husband. On his way to Afghanistan, he stopped in Germany, and took time to stop in my favorite Christmas store in the whole wide world. I got the package (a total surprise) in the mail today, and it had a beautiful smoker and a cute Bella Befana (Italian Christmas witch) ornament inside! It made my day.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend - I'm going to a winery tomorrow!
I was on the so-called "mountain highway", a two-lane road that runs along the mountain and passes through my village. It's absolutely beautiful. There was a man standing in the middle, wildly swinging a staff of some sort, so I slowed down. It was only then that I realized he was stopping hundreds of sheep from crossing out into traffic!
It was crazy to see how they were completely obeying him and watching his every move to make sure it was fine to cross. It reminded me of a passage I read for this week's Bible study - Ezekiel 34:1-16.
I was actually on my way home from the Venice airport, where I successfully picked up Chris' mobility bag from its long journey of two months from Romania. I have to hand it to Alitalia - I thought the thing was a goner long ago, and never expected we would see it again.
At the airport, there were moments when I still thought we wouldn't see it. They seemed to have lost track of it for about an hour. Then, when I actually got to see the bag, they told me that they didn't think I could take it, since they weren't understanding the power of attorney, husband being in Afghanistan type of deal.
I almost lost it, but surprisingly kept my cool. I think it was because an English couple next to me was going through what was my worst nightmare only weeks ago - they were arriving in Venice for a cruise, and Alitalia lost one of their suitcases. The wife engaged me in conversation - it was clear from the mobility bag, my American accent, and my ID card that my husband was deployed. The husband was a former Parliament member, and on the British Transportation Committee no less. He was trying to keep from hysterics. So, she told me how their grandson had done three tours in Iraq, and that she thinks that I am brave with my husband being deployed.
I had to stop to tell her that it has become routine, and that my husband is the brave one. That reminded me that I need to give Memorial Day wishes to all the great men in my life: Dad, Matt (my brother), Joe (my brother-in-law), and Chris, THANK YOU for all you have done and continue to do to serve and protect our great country!
Now, I must take a moment to brag about my husband. On his way to Afghanistan, he stopped in Germany, and took time to stop in my favorite Christmas store in the whole wide world. I got the package (a total surprise) in the mail today, and it had a beautiful smoker and a cute Bella Befana (Italian Christmas witch) ornament inside! It made my day.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend - I'm going to a winery tomorrow!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Scorpion Watch 2008
For those who don't know, I am currently in the midst of Scorpion Watch 2008. A live scorpion somehow trapped himself in the light fixture in my bedroom -- and has still not died. It has now been eight days.
I have alternated between sleeping on my downstairs couch and my guest bedroom, as I cannot fathom trying to sleep with that thing click-clacking around above my bed in the dark.
In a win for Italian commerce, we finally heard back on Chris' lost bag from Alitalia. This is from his trip to Romania, oh, back in March (!). They found it. I think it's in Rome. I am not holding my breath that it will make it to Venice.
Another update: I will be making a trip home to the States in late June/early July, and will probably be in the vicinity of Arkansas/Oklahoma! I will keep you posted...
I have alternated between sleeping on my downstairs couch and my guest bedroom, as I cannot fathom trying to sleep with that thing click-clacking around above my bed in the dark.
In a win for Italian commerce, we finally heard back on Chris' lost bag from Alitalia. This is from his trip to Romania, oh, back in March (!). They found it. I think it's in Rome. I am not holding my breath that it will make it to Venice.
Another update: I will be making a trip home to the States in late June/early July, and will probably be in the vicinity of Arkansas/Oklahoma! I will keep you posted...
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Even More Updates...Can You Handle It?
I got a totally sassy new 'do today, courtesy of my awesome friend, Andrea. It is possibly the shortest my hair has ever been, and I LOVE IT!! I will try to get pictures up at some point, but you know how that goes. It's a cute bob, with even more bangs than last time. And, Matt, I chose a color...it was time.
I found a dead cat in my driveway yesterday. The hits just keep on comin'. I was truly never going to get close to doing anything about it, so my landlord was gracious enough to come over and dispose of it. Yuck.
I found a dead cat in my driveway yesterday. The hits just keep on comin'. I was truly never going to get close to doing anything about it, so my landlord was gracious enough to come over and dispose of it. Yuck.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Updates
OK, so Chris is safely in Afghanistan, and I have finally added some more pictures below from the vacation.
Stop criticizing me, all you who criticize my communication skills! My home phone and Internet line refuse to turn themselves back on (good luck trying to get Telecom to come fix them...ever), and my cell phone has started to selectively tune out the cell phone tower at my house. Lovely.
So, here I sit on base using free Wi-Fi. This can't go on forever, right? Oh, yes, one day I shall return to the U.S. of A. and take for granted the total ease of communicating with others.
Stop criticizing me, all you who criticize my communication skills! My home phone and Internet line refuse to turn themselves back on (good luck trying to get Telecom to come fix them...ever), and my cell phone has started to selectively tune out the cell phone tower at my house. Lovely.
So, here I sit on base using free Wi-Fi. This can't go on forever, right? Oh, yes, one day I shall return to the U.S. of A. and take for granted the total ease of communicating with others.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Insanity
The past couple of days have been a whirlwind of, not just activity, but plain insanity.
Chris left yesterday for a summer vacation in Afghanistan. He will be gone until the fall. I was telling some friends today that it all happened so fast that it truly has not hit me that he will really be gone for that long. He has been gone so much lately that it really feels like he will be coming back in a couple of weeks. I will definitely be lonely and sad soon, I know it!
To make matters worse, today I was supposed to host a group of ladies at my house to hold a meeting to select vendors for our Bazaar in October. I have the distinct privilege of chairing that event again this year.
Well, the table was set for a nice lunch, the house was mostly clean, and I was brushing my teeth at about 8:30 a.m. when the water in my house just stopped working. No running water whatsoever. So, I had to scramble to find a new location (you can't even flush the toilet in my house let alone cook food without any running water), and food to feed our crowd.
The blessing in all this was that yesterday I got to meet up with my sorority big sister, Jenny, and her husband Phil for a lovely day in Murano. We went to the glass museum, glass store browsing (and buying), and ate a great lunch. It was fun to see you, Jenny!! I had a great day. And, I bought some really cool new jewelry (yes, Chris already knows I went shopping to compensate for losing him for the summer).
And, my committee still got to meet today, and have the vendors really under control, and way in advance. I am so excited for the 2008 Bazaar!
Chris left yesterday for a summer vacation in Afghanistan. He will be gone until the fall. I was telling some friends today that it all happened so fast that it truly has not hit me that he will really be gone for that long. He has been gone so much lately that it really feels like he will be coming back in a couple of weeks. I will definitely be lonely and sad soon, I know it!
To make matters worse, today I was supposed to host a group of ladies at my house to hold a meeting to select vendors for our Bazaar in October. I have the distinct privilege of chairing that event again this year.
Well, the table was set for a nice lunch, the house was mostly clean, and I was brushing my teeth at about 8:30 a.m. when the water in my house just stopped working. No running water whatsoever. So, I had to scramble to find a new location (you can't even flush the toilet in my house let alone cook food without any running water), and food to feed our crowd.
The blessing in all this was that yesterday I got to meet up with my sorority big sister, Jenny, and her husband Phil for a lovely day in Murano. We went to the glass museum, glass store browsing (and buying), and ate a great lunch. It was fun to see you, Jenny!! I had a great day. And, I bought some really cool new jewelry (yes, Chris already knows I went shopping to compensate for losing him for the summer).
And, my committee still got to meet today, and have the vendors really under control, and way in advance. I am so excited for the 2008 Bazaar!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Home!
The really great thing about a trip that long is that it really makes you appreciate coming home! We're back in Italy...the tulip tree in our yard has bloomed, and I'm running late for church.
I'll try to go back and post pictures during the week from our trip!
I'll try to go back and post pictures during the week from our trip!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Opa!
We’re back in Greece, Athens to be exact, and I am so happy!
Monday we arrived in Corfu, and the six of us rented a car to explore the island. Chris drove us through the small, windy, cliff-hugging roads to a perfect cove and we spent some time skipping stones and taking beautiful pictures. We also saw a 13th century monastery, and then we kept driving.
We eventually went back to Corfu Town, and all the old fortresses and archaeological museums were closed by the time we arrived. So, we wandered along the waterfront (I dodged iguanas), and then through the town.
This island was also part of the Venetian Republic at one point, and the buildings and streets look just like something you would lift off of the lagoon. I even found a worn Lion of St. Mark!
Tuesday was our second wedding anniversary, and we celebrated in Olympia. It was a great tour through the Archaeological Museum and the ancient site of the original Olympics – fitting with the Beijing Games right around the corner.
We ended our cruise on Wednesday morning in Athens, checked into our hotel, and hit the Acropolis and Ancient Agora during the afternoon. Today we saw the Archaeological Museum, and have just wandered the city.
At this point, I have two major observations about Athens:
1. The city smells like honeysuckle right now, so it is very fragrant.
2. The latest style for women in this city is BIG HAIR. I’m talking 1980s, enormous, teased, lots of hairspray hair. I haven’t seen this in other cities in Greece, but in Athens I’d say 75% are walking around like they drove with the car top down.
We have one more full day here tomorrow, and then we fly home to Italy on Saturday. I am actually ready for the trip to be over, and to get back into the routine of getting Chris ready to head out the door. Ciao for now!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Extort Like An Egyptian
If The Bangles had done real research prior to performing the song “Walk Like an Egyptian”, they would have realized that those silly arm movements are a waste of time. Instead, if they were to walk like actual Egyptians, they would invade your personal space and demand money for simple things like breathing their air.
We spent two days in Egypt. One in Cairo, and the other in our port city of Alexandria. I was never so happy as when our ship was pulling away.
I can safely say that my feelings for Egypt mirror many of the people on this ship. I can also safely say that, until the Egyptians really get it together, I will never want to return. This is really disappointing to have to say, and I was remorseful at the thought that I did not see all that I had hoped in both sites and people.
Cairo started out pleasant enough. We stopped at the pyramids and Sphinx in Giza. It was pretty awesome to be standing there gazing at these Ancient Wonders of the World. I’m sure you have the same picture in your head that I did – in the desert, this desolate place with nothing around. Wrong!
There are lots of people around, and, in fact, they are all contemptible. There are vendors all around pretending to want to give you some item that you know they will somehow get money from, you just don’t realize the game quite yet. There are nomads telling you that you can take a quick ride on a camel for just one dollar – they just don’t explain that they will expect fifty to dismount!
We had been warned about these ploys before getting there. We were not however warned about the way we were scammed. We were wandering around the Great Pyramid in awe. The tourism police officer (you know, the men hired to guard this site and all the tourists flocking there, in light of the fact that Egypt is just not a safe place) approaches and offers to take our picture for us. Sure, why not! He is an officer of the law, right? Well, something felt strange, so I made sure to get my camera back ASAP. He then demanded cash. And, he got really hostile about it when we said that we just had fifty euro cents. Livid, in fact. Luckily, Chris is large, and the guy backed down.
But, this is how the day went everywhere in Cairo. We did get to spend a little time in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and got to see the Tutankhamen exhibit, which was cool. And, the Egyptian Museum lies in the shadows of the headquarters for the Arab League, FYI.
When we got off the ship to explore Alexandria, we made it to the modern Library, which is supposed to represent the great thinking and traditions of the ancient Library of Alexandria which was famous for its massive size and sheer volume of ancient writings. I made every effort to dress modestly, but I was still flooded by children who wanted to touch me and practice their English. At a certain point, our group of friends just felt uncomfortable and we went back to the ship. There were great things to see, I’m sure, but the feeling of fear just overwhelmed our experience. The city has recently found the submerged palace of Cleopatra, and is planning to build the first underwater museum. That would eventually be cool to see, but I doubt I will ever return.
I’m thankful for what we saw, but will never recommend Egypt as a travel destination. Not so long as you need armed guards and the people have not picked up on how to treat visitors. We are at sea today, and are traveling back to Greece for Corfu, Olympia, and Athens!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Lions in Crete
I must admit, Crete took some time for me to warm up to all its charms. We started off with a rough sea all through the night – and who am I kidding, I actually thought it was kind of fun. But, it did wake me up every few hours.
We got to Iraklion, which is the capital of the Cretan island, and it was not really all that attractive of a city at first. But, we caught a cab and went to an ancient Minoan palace called Knossos, which dates to around 2000 B.C. It was really worth the trek, but it was really crowded with tour groups.
So, we went back to the city, and wandered (which I realize is the key verb for our trip), ate some lunch, and then started to take in the Venetian sights. The city was, for years, under Venetian control, which is interesting to us, since we are spending so much of our time near Venice. I also have really become obsessed with the Lion of St. Mark, which was a sort of stamp that the Venetians put on just about everything under their control during the good old days of their empire. You can find it in the most unusual and wonderful places in the form of a plaque or statue, and even in a piece of art as a fresco in our home!
So, I wanted to find these lions today in Crete. We found a lion fountain in Lion Square, and then went to this really great Venetian fortress on the water. Today was the absolute best day to visit, and this is where Crete really pulled me in. The Mediterranean Sea was the most brilliant color of blue-green, and the waves were just crashing in along the shore. The mountains in the background were beautiful.
The fortress itself had the lion carved into various plaques around the outside of the building, and there was a great view from the top. I can’t wait to post pictures. If I ever get to come back to Greece, Crete is on my list to explore. I would love to see the ruins on the rest of the island too.
Tomorrow is our first day at sea (manicure/pedicure time for me), and we are off to Egypt!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Cyclades
Monday and Tuesday were spent in the Greek islands of the Cyclades – in Mykonos and Santorini respectively. We expected the cool blue Aegean Sea views with the pristine white houses and churches on cliffs, and we certainly got them.
Mykonos was a really fun place. We got off the ship in the morning and took a taxi to the southern side of the island to Paradise beach. It is supposed to be the most popular, best beach on the island, and we spent a few hours basking in the sun – and the beach was nearly deserted for the whole time we were there. I really think that most people on this cruise have done absolutely no research on the places we are visiting, and they get off the boat planning on glancing around their immediate location – and then just getting back on the ship to go to the pool. So, practically no one else from the ship made it to Paradise beach, and the season is just starting up again. Perfect for us, though!
After that, Chris and I spent the rest of our time in Mykonos wandering into an area called Little Venice, and then over to the famous windmills. [At this point, I need my mother or sister to send me a comment with the name of the Haley Mills movie about those windmills. It’s killing me that I can’t remember!]
For dinner, I insisted on finding a chicken pita – all you JMU friends will understand me on this one. We found a great, cheap one, but I still think that Dave’s Taverna is magical when it comes to their pitas. After dinner, we met up with our friends, and just hung out. Oh, and went shopping. I got this fabulous ceramic mosaic tile of a Greek ship – that is a ring. The artist uses a magnifying glass to make the scenes. They are incredible. I originally found one that is of the Lion of Venice (those who have visited me in Italy know of my obsession), but the price was just way too high. Apparently, the Venetians stole this symbol of St. Mark from the Greeks, according to our new friends in this store.
Today, we went to Santorini, and Chris and I agree that it is the more beautiful of the islands. For this destination, the cruise ship cannot dock, so we take smaller boats to the island. The view was just spectacular. The island is in a crescent shape due to an ancient volcanic explosion that sank the middle section, and was the basis for the legend of Atlantis, some believe.
This morning was pretty windy, so the schedule was delayed for letting all million or so of us onto these little boats all at once. When you get to the island, you realize there are three ways up – a cable car, a donkey, or a walk. We were numbers 699 and 700 to get to the island from our ship, so you can imagine the line for the cable cars. There was no way we were walking up the path due to the type of shoes I was wearing (which turned out to be the better decision, since the same path is used by donkeys running people up and down, and all the waste that goes with them). So, we chose the donkey ride.
OH MY GOSH. I guess we made the right decision for the amount of time it took, but I think I can cross that off of my list forever. First of all, the path is steep and windy, and at first it seems fine. But, when the donkeys stampede going in your opposite direction, you really start to fear that you are going to be chucked over the edge of the cliff. Or run into the wall of the cliff. Or just die somehow. Sometimes one of the donkeys behind you starts to run too, and your donkey ends up feeling pressure to go with the flow, so it also might just take off running up the hill. It was not really a pleasant experience, I assure you. Chris did try to warn me though.
Santorini is breathtaking. I’m sure you just understand. We went to a Greek winery, to a volcanic beach, and just wandered. That’s pretty much what we think you should do on these islands.
Well, it’s been a pleasant couple of days. We are getting ready for dinner, and we sail to the island of Crete tonight. We’ll be in Iraklion tomorrow. Ciao!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Ephesus
Well, it appears that I am not able to upload pictures online while on this ship. I will try to do that ASAP.
Today we went to Ephesus, and it was absolutely amazing. I only wish we had more time to spend there. The ancient site sits right in the midst of beautiful, green rolling hills and olive, fig, and peach trees. This was not at all what I had pictured. Ephesus is the second-best Roman site, according to historians. I got to go to Pompeii when I was a kid, so I was expecting a landscape similar to that one, for some reason.
Ephesus is an important city to Christians. When Jesus died, he asked John to care for his mother, Mary, and this is where they came and Mary lived out her remaining years. It is also one of the places where Paul visited, and his letter to the Ephesians is included in the Bible.
So, it was beautiful, and some of the ruins were so well-preserved. My favorite (and this should come as no surprise to my brother, Matt) was the Library. That building happened to have two floors preserved, and some pretty incredible statues standing outside.
The other really awesome site was the large theater, where Paul preached to the Ephesians that they needed to abandon pagan worship. It was breathtaking to be standing right there, where so many important people traveled through.
On our way out of the town, we drove by the singular remaining pillar of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. If only we had more time! I am actually not sure if I will ever get the opportunity to come back to Turkey, but it was so worth this trip.
We are back on the ship, relaxing and relieving blisters, and we sail to Mykonos, our first stop in Greece!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Istanbul Was Constantinople
You know the song. Istanbul was Constantinople. Well, we have had a marvelous last couple days in Istanbul!
We checked in on the cruise ship yesterday, and feel like we are in Heaven. We have discussed continuously how great it is to have American luxury and convenience on this trip, while being able to leave and see such exotic places.
Yesterday, we visited the Grand Bazaar, but didn't enjoy it as much as the smaller Bazaar the day before. We visited the Blue Mosque, which was our first time in a mosque. It was actually quite beautiful. You have to wear the head covering (for women), and remove your shoes - which is OK, because they have the entire floor covered in plush Turkish carpet. We were there right before the 5 p.m. prayers, so there were already men in there praying, which was kind of strange, to be completely honest. Part of me wanted to stay to observe the prayers, but I had an overwhelmingly urge to not do that, so we went back to the smaller Bazaar and wandered that for awhile.
I ended up buying a beautiful tile necklace with a tulip on it, as well as a couple of incredible hand-embroidered pillow covers.
Our favorite sight of the day was the Hipprodome, which is now a public park. It was modeled after the Circus Maximus in Rome, and has monuments that are all tied to different incredible places like Egypt and Greece. My favorite story, though, is that the four horses on the facade of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice (one of my favorite places in Venice) were stolen from this site during the Fourth Crusade. I just thought it was so cool that these statues that I see all the time came from this ancient place.
Today, we saw the Topkali Palace, and saw the palace compounds that the sultans lived in. This place was incredible. They have the third most important porcelain collection in the world, a spectacular Treasury, and the largest holy relic collection in the world.
We saw the supposed staff of Moses, a turban that belonged to Joseph (of Old Testament fame), a pot that belonged to Abraham, and the forearm and skull of John the Baptist. What is actually interesting is to see the stories of these men from the point of view of Muslims. I am not really sure why they emphasize the things about these men that they do, but I still enjoyed seeing these things.
We have now left Istanbul, and are enjoying dinner with our friends tonight. We are on our way to Ephesus, and I will hopefully be sharing some more stories with you tomorrow! For some reason, the Internet is not cooperating well, so I will try to upload pictures later.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Il Tulipano
“Il tulipano” is tulip in Italian. I don’t know it in Turkish, but I want to find out really quickly! Hello, from Istanbul, Turkey!
We had a relatively uneventful trip (by this, I mean that all our bags made it), and settled in for the taxi ride from the airport to Sultanehmet, which is the part of the city where our hotel is located. We were in for such a treat! There was mile upon mile (or kilometer upon kilometer) of every possible color of tulip lining all sides of the streets and medians. They were just crammed into every corner imaginable – and they just didn’t stop!
Those of you who know me really well know my adoration for the tulip. One of my only insistences during my wedding, my one thing I just had to have, was tulips for our flowers. And, they were beautiful. I don’t think I have seen as many tulips in one place in my life as I have in Istanbul.
So, that was a pleasant start to our trip. We checked into our hotel, and just wandered the area. We are really close to the part of town where the Ayasofia (Hagia Sofia) and the Blue Mosque are located. So we walked through a Bazaar, looked around at a few sights, then grabbed a typical Turkish dinner of meatballs and rice. Then we kept meandering, and stopped at a tea garden to share some baklava and drink tea. I had the apple tea, and our waiter told me after I had already sipped most of it that the apple tea is usually for children. Oh well.
I must say that Istanbul is breathtaking – I 100% recommend it as a vacation destination. I am going to really enjoy the next couple of days here. It’s actually funny, because I never really had a desire to visit Turkey. Just during our first day, though, we’ve noticed that the people are some of the friendliest we’ve met, the city is completely clean and stunning, and they have so much fun stuff that I want to buy! Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to be able to take everything home that I have seen just on day one.
We will try to keep updating whenever we get Internet access! Oh, and this morning, we woke up in the wee dark hours to the Blue Mosque muezzin calling the Muslim faithful to prayer. Chris has already heard this before, having been to Afghanistan, but it was my first time. I must say that it was very eerie. I, instead of praying to Allah, I chose to pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to thank Him for this marvelous trip!
The Blue Mosque
The Ayasofia
We had a relatively uneventful trip (by this, I mean that all our bags made it), and settled in for the taxi ride from the airport to Sultanehmet, which is the part of the city where our hotel is located. We were in for such a treat! There was mile upon mile (or kilometer upon kilometer) of every possible color of tulip lining all sides of the streets and medians. They were just crammed into every corner imaginable – and they just didn’t stop!
Those of you who know me really well know my adoration for the tulip. One of my only insistences during my wedding, my one thing I just had to have, was tulips for our flowers. And, they were beautiful. I don’t think I have seen as many tulips in one place in my life as I have in Istanbul.
So, that was a pleasant start to our trip. We checked into our hotel, and just wandered the area. We are really close to the part of town where the Ayasofia (Hagia Sofia) and the Blue Mosque are located. So we walked through a Bazaar, looked around at a few sights, then grabbed a typical Turkish dinner of meatballs and rice. Then we kept meandering, and stopped at a tea garden to share some baklava and drink tea. I had the apple tea, and our waiter told me after I had already sipped most of it that the apple tea is usually for children. Oh well.
I must say that Istanbul is breathtaking – I 100% recommend it as a vacation destination. I am going to really enjoy the next couple of days here. It’s actually funny, because I never really had a desire to visit Turkey. Just during our first day, though, we’ve noticed that the people are some of the friendliest we’ve met, the city is completely clean and stunning, and they have so much fun stuff that I want to buy! Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to be able to take everything home that I have seen just on day one.
We will try to keep updating whenever we get Internet access! Oh, and this morning, we woke up in the wee dark hours to the Blue Mosque muezzin calling the Muslim faithful to prayer. Chris has already heard this before, having been to Afghanistan, but it was my first time. I must say that it was very eerie. I, instead of praying to Allah, I chose to pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to thank Him for this marvelous trip!
The Blue Mosque
The Ayasofia
Monday, April 7, 2008
Countdown to the Cruise!
I am having a fantastic day! Chris got back yesterday afternoon from Romania, and we leave for Istanbul on Thursday!
While Chris is at work today, I'm trying to do things I've put off for a long time (such as our taxes, for one).
We're getting super excited for the trip. We will be in Istanbul for three days, then off to Ephesus; Mykonos, Santorini, Iraklion, Corfu, and Olympia in Greece; and two days in Egypt (Alexandria and Cairo). We end in Athens, where we are staying for three days.
It's truly a trip of a lifetime, and we feel so blessed to get to go. We feel like we haven't been able to spend much time together, even since Chris got back from Afghanistan with all of his trips for work. Now it looks like he'll be going back there a little unexpectedly, and soon, in May. So, our trip serves two purposes - hello and goodbye!
I guess this is the military life, right?
While Chris is at work today, I'm trying to do things I've put off for a long time (such as our taxes, for one).
We're getting super excited for the trip. We will be in Istanbul for three days, then off to Ephesus; Mykonos, Santorini, Iraklion, Corfu, and Olympia in Greece; and two days in Egypt (Alexandria and Cairo). We end in Athens, where we are staying for three days.
It's truly a trip of a lifetime, and we feel so blessed to get to go. We feel like we haven't been able to spend much time together, even since Chris got back from Afghanistan with all of his trips for work. Now it looks like he'll be going back there a little unexpectedly, and soon, in May. So, our trip serves two purposes - hello and goodbye!
I guess this is the military life, right?
Friday, April 4, 2008
Ants In My Pants
We can take that phrase as meaning that I am excited for my cruise that starts next week...or we can take that phrase very literally!
Yesterday, I was on the phone with a friend when I noticed a nice little line of ants walking across my laundry room floor. I, naturally, panicked. Following them, I saw that they were coming from the dryer vent, which is actually not in the laundry room but in the adjacent bathroom (it's a quirky Italian house thing).
I started spraying Raid in just about every corner of the laundry room and bathroom, which started mass chaos on the part of the disgusting little bugs. It took me several hours to clean up, and I'm sure there are little ant bodies all over the place that I just haven't gotten to quite yet.
I have no earthly idea what they were being drawn to...usually ants follow food or something, but the kitchen is on the other side of the house. I do know that this type of thing only ever happens when Chris is gone.
The blessing in this - spring is here! We have had spectacular weather today. I love the beautiful flowers that are crammed into every corner of Italy during the approaching time of year. It's exciting - I just don't like the bugs. At least I haven't seen any lizards yet. Yuck.
Yesterday, I was on the phone with a friend when I noticed a nice little line of ants walking across my laundry room floor. I, naturally, panicked. Following them, I saw that they were coming from the dryer vent, which is actually not in the laundry room but in the adjacent bathroom (it's a quirky Italian house thing).
I started spraying Raid in just about every corner of the laundry room and bathroom, which started mass chaos on the part of the disgusting little bugs. It took me several hours to clean up, and I'm sure there are little ant bodies all over the place that I just haven't gotten to quite yet.
I have no earthly idea what they were being drawn to...usually ants follow food or something, but the kitchen is on the other side of the house. I do know that this type of thing only ever happens when Chris is gone.
The blessing in this - spring is here! We have had spectacular weather today. I love the beautiful flowers that are crammed into every corner of Italy during the approaching time of year. It's exciting - I just don't like the bugs. At least I haven't seen any lizards yet. Yuck.
Friday, March 28, 2008
$500 To Burn
My friend, Heather P., and I had a mission today - we had $500 of an organization's money to burn on prizes, and we needed to spend it wisely. So, we headed to Venice for a beautiful day of spending someone else's money!
We bought some really fun colorful items to be raffled off at a luncheon in May, and had fun just wandering the streets. We also both happen to be on the Bazaar Committee for October's event, and were handing out some letters to potential vendors.
I have been to Venice four times now since the beginning of 2008, and this was clearly the start of the tourist season. The flowers were not quite out in full force yet, but there were so many more people out than in the past few times I have visited. I took some pictures for you to enjoy. Once my dialup Internet starts cooperating, I will finally upload all of them.
We bought some really fun colorful items to be raffled off at a luncheon in May, and had fun just wandering the streets. We also both happen to be on the Bazaar Committee for October's event, and were handing out some letters to potential vendors.
I have been to Venice four times now since the beginning of 2008, and this was clearly the start of the tourist season. The flowers were not quite out in full force yet, but there were so many more people out than in the past few times I have visited. I took some pictures for you to enjoy. Once my dialup Internet starts cooperating, I will finally upload all of them.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
I'm Back...
...in Italia! It was way too short of a trip. I really do miss being back in the States, and seeing my family. I am thrilled that I finally got to meet my nephew. We're BFF's now.
I got to have a great time in the States, and now I need to get back to real life here. The worst part of my trip was leaving my debit card at one of the newsstands in the BWI airport. By the time I realized what had happened, it was closed for the night and my plane was about to leave. Luckily, my parents helped me put a hold on the card, so now I've got to get a new one. What a terrible ending to a great trip!
But, I did come home to find that Chris left me an Easter basket! He is in Romania right now, but took the time to do that for me. He's a great guy!
I got to have a great time in the States, and now I need to get back to real life here. The worst part of my trip was leaving my debit card at one of the newsstands in the BWI airport. By the time I realized what had happened, it was closed for the night and my plane was about to leave. Luckily, my parents helped me put a hold on the card, so now I've got to get a new one. What a terrible ending to a great trip!
But, I did come home to find that Chris left me an Easter basket! He is in Romania right now, but took the time to do that for me. He's a great guy!
Friday, March 21, 2008
I'm Writing to You From...
...The United States of America! I am exhausted, but thrilled to be in the Commonwealth of Virginia, visiting with my Mom, Dad, sister and wonderful nephew! We're off to Colonial Williamsburg to do some shopping and high tea at the Williamsburg Inn - a favorite pasttime for us McRoberts girls. Ciao!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Gotta Love Mondays!
Nove is a little town about an hour and a half away that is famous for its ceramics shops. So, what to do on a Monday? Let's go shopping!
Like I said, ceramics is what this town is known for - and they love their ceramics. Different brands in the States - Tiffany, Lenox, Williams-Sonoma - depend on different stores in this town to supply them with beautiful serving pieces. And, Americans who live close by like to journey here to stock up on things that they don't need.
After all, I have three sets of dishes, and I certainly don't need more. But, I always find things I want in Nove. So, I went with three friends on Monday in search of one thing in particular - a bunny bowl.
I saw it at a luncheon - a white large bowl with little bunnies painted around the rim. Perfect for Easter. I had to have it. We went to three stores, and I finally found it at VBC - I should have known it would be there!
I also found a cute pitcher and gifts for some people. We ate lunch in a nearby town called Bassano del Grappa - absolutely stunning river and mountain views!
All in a day's work.
Like I said, ceramics is what this town is known for - and they love their ceramics. Different brands in the States - Tiffany, Lenox, Williams-Sonoma - depend on different stores in this town to supply them with beautiful serving pieces. And, Americans who live close by like to journey here to stock up on things that they don't need.
After all, I have three sets of dishes, and I certainly don't need more. But, I always find things I want in Nove. So, I went with three friends on Monday in search of one thing in particular - a bunny bowl.
I saw it at a luncheon - a white large bowl with little bunnies painted around the rim. Perfect for Easter. I had to have it. We went to three stores, and I finally found it at VBC - I should have known it would be there!
I also found a cute pitcher and gifts for some people. We ate lunch in a nearby town called Bassano del Grappa - absolutely stunning river and mountain views!
All in a day's work.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tarvisio
Well, we had quite the enjoyable Saturday. We decided to head out to Tarvisio for a leather market. I'm not quite sure why, but we didn't think much about where we were going - Tarvisio is further into the Alps on the Italian border with Austria. So, I wasn't quite dressed for all the snow.
Tarvisio was absolutely beautiful. There are lots of ski runs right off the main street, and there was a lot of Austrian influence throughout the town. Everyone thought we were Austrian or German right off the bat, and would try to speak German to us.
The leather market itself was slightly disappointing. They had a big tent set up, and all the vendors were inside. We were accosted immediately by one vendor selling leather jackets, so we decided to have fun and try some things on. Wrong move - he was very persistent, and when we tried to leave he just kept talking down the price and would not let us exit. So, we ended up buying leather jackets, but for a very good price. We need to get a backbone before we go to Turkey. I have a feeling that the merchants will be very demanding there, too.
We continued through the market at a fast pace, trying not to make eye contact with anyone else. There were a lot of regular clothing vendors trying desperately to sell jeans, which was annoying. Chris was a very big target, and all the vendors tried to swarm him, saying that they had "grande" sizes, while making gestures about his big shoulders.
After that, we found a great restaurant, and just enjoyed looking at the beautiful snow-covered hills all around us. It made for a great, expensive Saturday!
Tarvisio was absolutely beautiful. There are lots of ski runs right off the main street, and there was a lot of Austrian influence throughout the town. Everyone thought we were Austrian or German right off the bat, and would try to speak German to us.
The leather market itself was slightly disappointing. They had a big tent set up, and all the vendors were inside. We were accosted immediately by one vendor selling leather jackets, so we decided to have fun and try some things on. Wrong move - he was very persistent, and when we tried to leave he just kept talking down the price and would not let us exit. So, we ended up buying leather jackets, but for a very good price. We need to get a backbone before we go to Turkey. I have a feeling that the merchants will be very demanding there, too.
We continued through the market at a fast pace, trying not to make eye contact with anyone else. There were a lot of regular clothing vendors trying desperately to sell jeans, which was annoying. Chris was a very big target, and all the vendors tried to swarm him, saying that they had "grande" sizes, while making gestures about his big shoulders.
After that, we found a great restaurant, and just enjoyed looking at the beautiful snow-covered hills all around us. It made for a great, expensive Saturday!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Fun!
Well, I've decided to try to fly home for Easter! I am only going if I can get on the rotator (a military plane) on Mar. 20.
Chris is, naturally, going to be out of town for work again. My sister Laura's husband will also be TDY, so she had planned to go home too. I have yet to meet my nephew - so it only makes sense!
I will, if I get on the flight, only be home for a few short days. But, I'm incredibly excited to try this. Everyone please pray that I make it on that flight!
Chris is, naturally, going to be out of town for work again. My sister Laura's husband will also be TDY, so she had planned to go home too. I have yet to meet my nephew - so it only makes sense!
I will, if I get on the flight, only be home for a few short days. But, I'm incredibly excited to try this. Everyone please pray that I make it on that flight!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Finally Better!
Well, Rebecca's visit was not as exciting as I had hoped. I was miserably sick during most of it. I went back to the doctor on Friday and they finally gave me antibiotics. I'm feeling a lot better now.
We only really got to go to Venice on Saturday and Padova on Sunday. Not too exciting, but it was still fun.
Chris came home last week from Rwanda! I am very happy to have him home. He has some incredible pictures from a gorilla trek, so I will post them as soon as possible.
We only really got to go to Venice on Saturday and Padova on Sunday. Not too exciting, but it was still fun.
Chris came home last week from Rwanda! I am very happy to have him home. He has some incredible pictures from a gorilla trek, so I will post them as soon as possible.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Military (Socialized) Medicine
Rebecca is here, and Chris is slowly making his way home! I thought I would take a moment to reflect on my doctor's appointment yesterday.
I laugh when I hear Democrats advocate for socialized healthcare. The military healthcare system is exactly that - and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. There were approximately five years there where I was not a military dependent, and I cherished the healthcare I received in the real world.
So, yesterday I was ushered back to a room so that the (very young) med tech could ask me the usual general questions before the doctor came in. You know the ones: Do you drink alcohol, etc.
At one point he mumbles to me something that sounded like, "Do you say no to tobacco?" I thought I had heard him wrong, since that was horribly cheesy, so I said, "Excuse me?" Well, I had heard him correctly! "You know, do you smoke?"
So, I explain to him the reason for my visit - my throat is in complete pain, and I have a history of strep throat. I just want to feel better, since my friend was coming in that night. So, we get down to the throat culture, and he can't do it. His hands were shaking, and I am not sure if he was nervous, or what. At first, he looked into the back of my throat and said something about swabbing my tonsils. I pointed out that I don't have tonsils, as they were removed about eight years ago.
So, he actually asks me, "So, do I do a regular throat culture then?" I don't know!!
Finally, we get to doing the actual throat culture (he consulted with someone to get his answer), and he just couldn't get it. So, I had to do it!!
I laugh when I hear Democrats advocate for socialized healthcare. The military healthcare system is exactly that - and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. There were approximately five years there where I was not a military dependent, and I cherished the healthcare I received in the real world.
So, yesterday I was ushered back to a room so that the (very young) med tech could ask me the usual general questions before the doctor came in. You know the ones: Do you drink alcohol, etc.
At one point he mumbles to me something that sounded like, "Do you say no to tobacco?" I thought I had heard him wrong, since that was horribly cheesy, so I said, "Excuse me?" Well, I had heard him correctly! "You know, do you smoke?"
So, I explain to him the reason for my visit - my throat is in complete pain, and I have a history of strep throat. I just want to feel better, since my friend was coming in that night. So, we get down to the throat culture, and he can't do it. His hands were shaking, and I am not sure if he was nervous, or what. At first, he looked into the back of my throat and said something about swabbing my tonsils. I pointed out that I don't have tonsils, as they were removed about eight years ago.
So, he actually asks me, "So, do I do a regular throat culture then?" I don't know!!
Finally, we get to doing the actual throat culture (he consulted with someone to get his answer), and he just couldn't get it. So, I had to do it!!
Manic Monday
Wow, I really haven't posted in awhile. That tells you how exciting my life has been.
Actually, it's getting rather exciting today. Chris is on his way back from Rwanda (although, he's not exactly sure when he will be home), my friend Rebecca is getting here tonight, and I think I have strep throat! Don't worry, I'm on my way to the doctor, where I will hopefully get some great meds. When it rains, it pours.
I will probably post again this week, as I have some exciting times with Rebecca coming up, as well as a haircut where I might put in bangs. I know, exciting life! And, Mom, if you are reading this, don't worry - I remember your warning that my forehead is too small for normal bangs - they will be sweeping if I do decide to get them.
Actually, it's getting rather exciting today. Chris is on his way back from Rwanda (although, he's not exactly sure when he will be home), my friend Rebecca is getting here tonight, and I think I have strep throat! Don't worry, I'm on my way to the doctor, where I will hopefully get some great meds. When it rains, it pours.
I will probably post again this week, as I have some exciting times with Rebecca coming up, as well as a haircut where I might put in bangs. I know, exciting life! And, Mom, if you are reading this, don't worry - I remember your warning that my forehead is too small for normal bangs - they will be sweeping if I do decide to get them.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Good Day!
Yesterday was a fantastic day! I started out by going with some friends to a spa to get a facial. And, yes, I finally found a place that does a good one! The only European spas that I had been to have been in Italy and Slovenia - and none of them really went the extra mile to do anything worthy of the euros that I was paying them.
Last night was the Officers' Spouses Club's annual Crystal Bingo. It was awesome! I broke my losing slump, and went home with some pretty crystal bookends and a book on cultural tours of Italy. Last year, I was the only person at my table to go home with nothing, so this year I made up for it.
I wish every day could be so great! Chris comes back from Poland tonight, and then leaves again for his big trip sometime this weekend. Although he will be gone, and I will miss him, Rebecca is coming to visit!! We are going to have lots of fun.
Last night was the Officers' Spouses Club's annual Crystal Bingo. It was awesome! I broke my losing slump, and went home with some pretty crystal bookends and a book on cultural tours of Italy. Last year, I was the only person at my table to go home with nothing, so this year I made up for it.
I wish every day could be so great! Chris comes back from Poland tonight, and then leaves again for his big trip sometime this weekend. Although he will be gone, and I will miss him, Rebecca is coming to visit!! We are going to have lots of fun.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Exactly...
If you know me, you know that I have always been very steadfast and active in the Republican Party. As of late, I have less and less been referring to myself as a Republican, and simply a conservative. Here's my favorite quote that I have seen today:
"John McCain may become the de facto leader of the Republican Party if he's the nominee and the leader of the country if he's the President, but no matter how many times he calls himself a 'conservative leader,' the Right will accept him as the leader of the conservative movement about 5 minutes after hell freezes over and
reopens as a ski lodge." -- John Hawkins
Enough said.
"John McCain may become the de facto leader of the Republican Party if he's the nominee and the leader of the country if he's the President, but no matter how many times he calls himself a 'conservative leader,' the Right will accept him as the leader of the conservative movement about 5 minutes after hell freezes over and
reopens as a ski lodge." -- John Hawkins
Enough said.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Venezia
Well, I accomplished some of my to-do list. I got to sip a bellini, eat a great meal (I found a place that served a Greek Salad!), and I bought a super cute lace baby bonnet and matching booties for a friend from my favorite lace shop in Venice. It was a slightly rainy day, but there was a lot of celebrating in Venice. The city was, naturally, packed full of people. I went with a group of friends, and had a lovely day.
What happens in Venice very literally stays in Venice, right ladies? There were beautiful costumes all over the place and people going crazy in celebration. Our goals of being back in our area by 9:30 went completely out the window when we found a cool little jazz bar, so we were all a little tired today in church. We ended up staying longer than we thought, and then when our train got to our stop, the doors would not open for us. We ended up riding to the next stop and taking a cab back to our cars. That was the only real hiccup of the trip, which was great considering that the train rides and streets could have been miserably jammed with people.
I am so glad that I got to go! The only downside was that Chris couldn't come with me. But, there's always next year. And, next year I want to rent costumes. We shall see.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
I Spoke Too Soon!
I am going to Venice this afternoon with some friends! Thank goodness I checked Michelle's comment!! More later...
Carnevale, Part II
I had a really great to-do list for today. Want to hear it?
1. Take the train to Venice.
2. Wander to our new favorite mask store. Buy some unique, cool masks for Carnevale.
3. Find our favorite restaurant to eat a good lunch, and sip a Bellini.
4. Head to my favorite lace store at the foot of the Rialto to buy a baby gift.
5. Maybe buy a Venetian glass watch, similar to one I bought my mom for Christmas.
6. Go to St. Mark's for Carnevale celebration. Maybe go into St. Mark's (one of my favorite cathedrals).
Sounds great, right? Well, the Air Force had other plans for Chris and his squadronmates today. Even though they've been working till late in the night for the past week (at least), they were mandated to come in all this weekend. They are preparing for something, but we spouses are not allowed to know for what.
I do know that Chris is leaving on Monday to go to Poland for a week to a conference, and then I'm assuming will join up with his squadron in some fun part of the world for some fun shenanigans for a time. What amount of time? Who knows.
I want so badly to still have some Carnevale time! If anyone reading this wants to go with me on Tuesday, let me know. I'm open to skipping the AOCSC Board meeting for some Carnevale fun!
1. Take the train to Venice.
2. Wander to our new favorite mask store. Buy some unique, cool masks for Carnevale.
3. Find our favorite restaurant to eat a good lunch, and sip a Bellini.
4. Head to my favorite lace store at the foot of the Rialto to buy a baby gift.
5. Maybe buy a Venetian glass watch, similar to one I bought my mom for Christmas.
6. Go to St. Mark's for Carnevale celebration. Maybe go into St. Mark's (one of my favorite cathedrals).
Sounds great, right? Well, the Air Force had other plans for Chris and his squadronmates today. Even though they've been working till late in the night for the past week (at least), they were mandated to come in all this weekend. They are preparing for something, but we spouses are not allowed to know for what.
I do know that Chris is leaving on Monday to go to Poland for a week to a conference, and then I'm assuming will join up with his squadron in some fun part of the world for some fun shenanigans for a time. What amount of time? Who knows.
I want so badly to still have some Carnevale time! If anyone reading this wants to go with me on Tuesday, let me know. I'm open to skipping the AOCSC Board meeting for some Carnevale fun!
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