MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE !!!

What a year this has been !!! I'm sure all of you can say the same thing. It's seems like everyone we talked to had all kinds of things happen in this year of CHANGE.

I hope you enjoy scrolling down through our year, to see what has kept us busy. Friends, some travel, enjoying our little town, etc.

We are wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL, HEALTHY, LOVING, & SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR.

Love, Marilyn & Bob

BUS TRIP TO ASCOLI PICENO

The Fortress is at the very top, as you can barely see the wall across the top.
Sorry it was a hazy day.

Check all those scooters on the right!!!! That's normal.

Well, since the car burned, and we didn't get another one, we're taking buses and trains. We have the little Smart car that's become the house car now. Our friends, the Eytchison's, were over at their place in Ascoli Piceno, east side of Italy, so we went over there for a couple days. A nice big bus ride, from Rome, and through the hills to the region of Marche. We went to see a famous Fortress (Fortezza), Civitella di Tronto. It's the best preserved ruin on top of the hill I've ever seen. I loved it. You can really visualize the armies there. It was built in 1154. The Fortress was attacked by the Bourbons (Borbones) in 1860-61, only after they attacked the Gaeta Fortress. The Gaeta Fortress is the one we see from our house across the bay.

FORMIA/GAETA----HOMEFRONT

From our roof top, over to Gaeta.

October and November have been a bit hectic, and sad. We had news of a very dear friend who was very ill. We will take a short trip, via the military flight to go back for the funeral service. And yet another change is happening.....we will be going back to the US in Feb, and taking my brother back. He has lived with us here for the past 5 years, and loved it. He says it's time to go back and get situated in an Assisted Living setup. So.......... getting organized to do that. We'll be back for quite a few months.... or longer. We'll have to see what life presents to us. We'll miss having our own place here in Italy VERY MUCH!!!!! On we go from here......oh, our car burned up too, (the whole front of car, in the engine compartment).... guess we're getting a message. Ha! Hey, can't really complain. Times of up and down are normal in our lives, huh?

THE 'NIPOTE'-- GRANDKIDS

Gavin, the L'il Race Driver....

Luke (Luca)....The new L'il Italian....

Abby with us. At restaurant near Varese.

The trip back to the US earlier in the year, we went to see Mike and family in New Bern, NC. When we got back to Italy, we went north to Varese, north of Milano, to see Craig and family. Yes, Craig has moved back to Italy (after being stationed here while in the Navy in '96), and is still with Novartis, only in Varese now.

TO MATERA, AND BACK HOME

Matera

Lecce

After Lecce, and the last night in the hotel in Bari, we left for home, via Matera. Matera is a fascinating city, where you can see clearly how they lived in caves for hundreds of years, and see the 'new' city built right on top. There were people still living in some of the caves until 1951, when the city built apartments strictly for them, so they would leave the caves.

TO OTRANTO......& TO LECCE

Lecce

Otranto

Otranto, going south along the east coast. The olive tree, with a trunk that size, is said to go back as far as 2000 years. I want to make a poster out of that one. The next day we went on to Lecce, the middle of the 'heel of the boot' of Italy. This was the old Roman amphitheater. (Amfiteatro).

ON TO ALBOROBELLO.....

On to Alborobello, where the Truli houses are. I was told that when the King came to the region and wanted to collect taxes, some people, if they had a bad year of crops, would go to the toop of the roof and take out the 'key' stone, and the rest of the roof would fall. Then no taxes would be collected. When the King left the region..... yep.... up they go again.

HOME IN FORMIA FOR THE SUMMER

Bari Vecchia (old Fort)

Bari

The Gionta family, Valentino, Bob, Giuseppe (Joe), Me, Lucilla, Graziella, and Giancarlo. That's our home in the background.

My brother, Gene. His favorite spot.

We arrived back on our beachfront for the summer. With our friends upstairs, the Gionta family, and the friends that own the beach concessions, needless to say we had a good time. With a few visitors and a special dinner on the beach, right up thru August and into Sept..... ..a very nice summer. The end of Sept and into Oct, Don & Shirley came over for their annual trip and this time we went south and east Italy. We headed to Bari, and stayed there while we did day trips for about 5 days. They (D & S) like our town of Formia so we relaxed at home for a few days before they headed back. As you see above, Bari Vecchia (Old), Alborobello (Truli houses), Otranto, Lecce, and on the way back, thru the 'middle of the arch of the boot', Matera. Matera is where the people lived in the caves up until 1951. That's where the movie 'The Passion of Christ' was made.

HEADING BACK, VIA NC, FL, & VA

Gavin loves riding the mower/tractor with Dad, Mike.

Jack Dittrick

We went back to see Mike and family again for a few days in NC, then drove to Jacksonville, FL, to see the Ulrich's. Mary drove us down to visit St. Augustine. Had to see Fountain of Youth, hope something works. !! Went up to Virginia Beach to see and stay with the Dittrick's til we headed back to Italy. Jack was determined to have a barbeque, even in a little rain. It was great and had lots of fun. As it turned out, we got bumped from the Military plane. Went up to dover, Delaware, and got bumped there. Summer was not a good time to try Space A for the retireds. So we booked a flight out of Dulles to Rome,...... and here we are, in our other home, Formia.

TIMESHARE IN CANADA

We took a week to go up to our timeshare in Canada, Panorama. It was beautiful. Don & Shirley went with us. Golf??? Of course.

OUR BONSALL PLACE

I don't remember if I've ever shown you our little place in Bonsall. It's a nice spot to come back to, and enjoy our time there too. Maybe next year we'll start spending more time here and a bit less in Italy. We like seeing our neighbors, Roy & Ivona. He makes it possible for us not to worry while we are in Italy. Thank heaven.

WEST COAST VISIT

I didn't waste any time getting on the phone and setting date to visit. We went out for a nice Mexican meal with friends Kathy & Ted. Kathy had a nice surprise waiting...... after dinner she had her book written by Robert Wagner (yes, the actor, known as 'RJ'). He was in town that evening doing a signing event. Yep...... I got to see and talk to him and Kathy got her book signed. All was a fun evening. Saw my long time friend and dance partner, Darlene. She & I got in a tap class while I was there. Loved it.

TRIP TO THE U S

We had not been back to the States for two years, so it was time. Since we saw son, Craig, and family in Basel, Switz, between Christmas and New Year, we looked forward to see son, Mike, and family in New Bern, NC. We were there for a week before going on out to our little place in Bonsall. Mike had a little Miada......what fun to drive around in that. New pictures of Kaili and Gavin..... Gavino, as Bob calls him. Gavin loves riding around on the tractor with Mike when he's cutting the grass. Then, off to California.

BUDAPEST - A GENEOLOGY CHECK

The determined person that I am, I took a couple days and went to Budapest to follow up on the information I received on my Grandmother. It's been confusing since is says 'Austria', but she supposedly was born in Budapest. That was back far enough to be still called Austria-Hungary. At least I found the pages in the book where the information was found.