August 30th

This morning I heard a broom very close to our house at 8:30 in the morning. I looked outside and our landlord was sweeping a very small portion of our driveway. I couldn't believe it. He swept this very small area for at least 5+ minutes. I went out and greeted him and opened our gate. He came in and swept and pulled some weeds for about another hour. Very interesting. The Italians really do sweep alot.

Today I saw a nun riding a bicycle. I have only seen this in pictures, but to actually see it... I just laughed.

Michael and I are going to recommend that anyone who PCSs' here has to have at least $2000 saved up (really more than that b/c our car insurance is 5x as much as it was in the states). We are going to pick-up our second car so a lady told us to bring $500 Euros to pay people off at the port (this is a reliable source). GRRRRREAT. We had to pay the road tax at the post office today as it also functions as the town bank. It is not cheap and then, to top it off, they charge you a 1Euro "service fee." I just thought - I paid $500 for my car and then you charge me a dollar as a service fee? GOOD GRIEF. I can't even remember how many other things we have to pay for... At this point we just shell it over.

I'm trying to figure out the washer - still not sure if I am doing it right. I am not using the dryer since everyone tells me our electricity will go out so I am doing as the Italians do and drying my clothes outside.

OOh I forgot to say on Saturday morning one of the very sweet wives in the office took me out to show me around. I could get in trouble here. We went to the COOP in Pordenone (the closest big town). It is the grocery store and it is just wonderful. Every kind of cheese you could imagine. It is like a glorfied Super Walmart b/c it also has clothes etc. Then we went to a couple of houseware stores. One was like Ikea, but a little bit more pricey. Loved it.

Yesterday, Jacqueline and I amused ourselves by watching a tractor plow our neighbors yard. I saw it come in to Henrico's w/ two younger boys on it. They had a plow initially attached to it and the two boys differed on how things needed to be done - it was funny watching them yell at each other. I went in, got a beer, came back out to watch. I don't know how long this went on, then they got another attachment and continued to plow about 3x back and forth in no particular pattern and just left. I just scratched my head in complete confusion.

It is fun getting use to the night routine. We hear the bells chime, the clinking of plates and glasses being cleaned and then night falls. With the darkness, we start to hear all of the shutters closing. It is like having a warm blanket pulled on top of you. You just settle in and sigh.