The week

A bit crazy here with the pilot ejection issue (boy, that sounds funny). Michael and his team have been working non-stop. I am at my frustration point since I can't fully unpack since I only have 1/2 my stuff. I keep saying - "I live in Italy. Go drink some wine. Eat some gelato." Yeah, that only works so well when your rear end keeps getting bigger.

Due to that, we've been walking around our town at night (I'm pushing our stroller). Our town isn't flat by any stretch of the imagination and the streets are very narrow so it is truly an adventure to walk around. Thankfully, my stroller is orange! The little ladies of the town love the girls - they fawn all over them (at least I think it is that since I don't speak Italian). I did have one man yell at me for not holding JD's hand when we were walking - I think. The past couple of times we've gone to the cemetery (how this started I don't know). JD is now very interested in dead people. GREAT. At least this has gotten us talking about the subject. The cemetery is very beautiful here - electric candles on all the graves and beautiful statutes. It also sits on a hill so last night JD and I watched the lights sparkle in Vigonovo.

I love the ladies here - you rarely see them in pants and they usually have their aprons over their dresses. I can't believe the number of times this week I have seen my other "Italian image:" people do talk to each other through their windows! They will lean their bicycle up against the house and the person in their house has their head out the window chatting or yelling.

Michael's car of his days before marriage is truly getting banged around. I backed into the gate in our driveway before it was fully open and then this weekend, I went to the laundromat on base and hit the very low curb (didn't know it until I pulled out). The header on the bumber completely came off. Just terrific. I just went there so the towels wouldn't be crunchy (this is how they are when you dry them outside).

JD was sick this weekend so nothing fun or exciting. We at least found a use for the bidet other than it's true use.