CHRISTMAS 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

How can so many surprises happen in one year? I am always amazed. Firstly, I want to let you know we are back in the US...... for most of the time. We got back in February. And if anyone needs our address again, it's 32016 Del Cielo Este. Bonsall, CA 92003-3900. Phone: 760-724-9426, cell: 760-877-0868. Now no excuses if you get out our way for you not to call, or see us. We'll be going back to Italy in Feb for just about 3 months. We need our Italian fix.

It literally took me about six months to feel readjusted. I forgot how so many things are SO big and SO far, and SO MANY choices. What has been very nice is to be close enought to see our friends that we've missed over the past few yers. Now we have great friends in both places, here and in Italy.

Son Craig and family have moved back to the US from Italy also. Just this past Sept. they moved to Princeton, NJ. Actually, Craig's work is in Princeton and they bought a home just outside the city. Mike and family are still in New Bern, NC. As you will see below, a new baby boy, Aaron was added this year.

After our June trip to Canada we went to Bob's 50th Hi-School reunion in Oneida, NY. Taking advantage of being on the east coast, we started in New Bern, NC to see Mike and family. We drove north to Oneida for a terrific 3 day event, including golf, and catching up with a wonderful group of friends.

I'm back to my tap dancing class, doing photography, and maybe I'll get some more commercial work..... . needless to say, I'm staying busy. Well, as much as I want to be, and that's the best part. I've slowed down a bit. Really. And Bob has a new project. He has joined the Board of Directors for Medical at Novaces, a large consulting and teaching for quality advancement.

We also brought my brother, Gene, back from Italy. He's living in his own apartment in Fallbrook, just 15 ninutes away. It's a senior living complex and he can still do his own thing. All is well there.

Health issues...... let's not go there. Other than what most of us are experiencing, we just keep on truckin', right??!!! Right!!

We hope you have a beautiful Christmas with friends and family, and a healthy, loving New Year.

Much love to you,

Marilyn and Bob

THANKSGIVING.... AND OTHER PLANS

This shrimp coctail was just a starter.......

This last couple months have been filled with the usual appointments.........you know.... the stuff we don't like to talk about. Aches here and there that we try to deny. UGH!! And 'a better way of eating'??? And then comes Thanksgiving, so have our big day of eating everything we see. Mmmm good. We deserve it, right? We went to our neighbor's home and had a very pleasant evening.

A WINE TASTING GALA.......AND MORE

Jack White and wife, Lynn

Our special WNO group.

It's not like being in Italy, but we are enjoying our reconnections with friends and new events. We were invited to an evening of the most entertaining and delicious wine and food. A couple months later we went to a Lobster Fest in the Public Park up in the town of Fallbrook. We've been learing about Fallbrook since that's where we found an apartment for my brother, Gene. He's doing well and finding out the whole town is very 'senior' friendly. There is a special group of people I want to share with you. We call it the White Night Out group. It's named after a wonderful friend of many years, and well known in San Diego, Jack White. He is a retired anchor man from the local ABC channel, former Hollywood celebrity, and former International Magician Brotherhood President. Jack is a fabulous person, and we get together every two or three months. This picture is from a particular event when Jack was honored by the Magicians from all over the world. A very special time.

AND BACK WEST.......

Bob's got animal sense, and ..........scents! I guess!

And so it goes..... I think I've readjusted to the US. I no longer go into a large market and get confused. I've also started my tap dancing classes again with my long time friend and dance partner, Darlene. We took a few days and went over to Palm Desert with Don & Shirley. In the evening we sat outside so Bob could feed the ducks........ and only one day of golf. TOOOO HOT!!

MORE HAPPENINGS

Luke and Abby

Todd Blackwell and daughter Sophia. They are in Bluffton, with rest of family, Virginie and other daughter Juliette.

Abby and Luke are ready for the slopes.

We headed back south to New Bern. After a few days there we took another side trip to Bluffton, SC, to see other friends. We wanted to take advantage of the time back there. There's never enough time to see the many we would like. We're working on that now that we're back from Italy. Son, Craig and family are back from Italy and living in Princeton, NJ. We haven't been able to see them yet cuz they just moved into their new home and getting settled. We look forward to seeing them in Jan.

HEADING TO ONEIDA FOR BOB'S 50TH HI-SCHOOL REUNION

Bob's longest putt hole!

Of course we went to see where Bob had grown up. Yes, it has been remodeled since then.

Bob and Rolland Smith

The historic Mansion House, where we stayed.

The stop in Rifton was to visit Bob's hi-school friend, Rolland. Non stop talk, as you can imagine. We followed Rolland on up to Oneida, where we would join the rest of the group for the reunion. For a change, we took the back roads. It was three days full of fun and reconnection. Since I was a Navy 'Junior' and my schools were all over the place, Bob's class has kindly adopted me into the group. Great fun, and everyone was so enjoyable. Bob won the award for the longest putt!

EAST COAST TRIP

With Kaili, Aaron, & Gavin

New Daddy, again, with Aaron.

After our return from Canada, we set our next plan, which was to go to the east coast. First stop was New Bern , NC to see son Mike and family..... and, for the first time, new baby, Aaron. Lots of oohhing and aahhhing!! We then headed up to Virginia Beach for a night to see Carolyn Dittrick. Next stop was in Rifton, NY to see friends. Now I must tell you, driving, as Bob loves to do, is different from Italy. I'm still trying to readjust at this point.

TIMESHARE - CANADA

Here at the '19th ' tee, enjoying a sip of refreshment and the view.

Bob, Don & Shirley putting.
One more hole complete.
It took us awhile to get settled back in the US after being in Italy this past 6 years. I think we're getting used to somewhat of routine, and remembering where certain things and places are located. In June it was time to go to our timeshare in Canada. Don and Shirley went with us again. We enjoy our time there and golfing together so much. I couldn't play golf this time, so I just rode in the cart. I was rcovering from a minor hip surgery. I took a cane and 'gimped' around. As you can see, it was beautiful weather and crisp fresh air.

BACK IN BONSALL

And here we are in Bonsall, looking across to horse training track and the San Luis Rey Golf Course. I call those hills across the valley my Tuscan hills. Can't tell I miss Italy, can you? This is nice here too......

Gene's first time in a motor shopping cart.

Waiting for the bus to take us to the airport from the hotel in Rome. It was quite a long trip back. In fact, a vvveerrryyyyy long trip when you go all the way to Calif without a few days on east coast. We had aranged a wheel chair for my brother, Gene, and that helped a lot. After a week of sleep and catch up to the hours, we went out to do a bit of shopping. This is the first time Gene got to drive a cart in the store. Didn't take him long to get the hang of that. Now I tease him about the reason he wants to go shopping.........just so he can drive the old 'you know what's' cart. Even tho' we miss Italy, this was pretty nice to come back to, here in the countryside of Bonsall.

TIME TO LEAVE.... BOO HOO

This is where we lived...... from our patio.

A Geox store in this old bilding. Old on outside, new inside.

One of our favorite restaurants. Fontana Vecchia. That fountain, the long cement trough, in the front has spring water in it and has been that way for 200 years. Very cold and fresh to drink.

A friend's Profumeria on that left corner.

During the last few months there, we sold our furniture. Jodi & Don said they wanted the Smart car. So they took the train down to us, packed the Smart car and drove back home. Sad as we were to let it go, we'll be able to see (and drive) it when we go see Don & Jodi. Before letting go, we took a ride down our streets in Formia and I did some random shooting of our favorite streets and scenes.

GETTING 2010 STARTED

Luke and Abby

Lago Varese (not too far from Lago Maggiore)

IT'S ABOUT TIME I GET SOME UPDATING DONE!!!! Well.......it's been a bit busy, as it is for everyone, I'm sure. So here we go. We spent New Year's in a little town in Italy, on Lago Trasimeno, with our friends that live there. Don and Jodi. We also stay there sometimes and cat sit. That's been on the Blog before. From there, we took the new Freccia Rosso (Fast Red train) up to Milano and took the local train to Varese, to see son, Craig and family, for a few days. After 4 days there, trained back to our Formia. 6 days later we were packing out to come back to the U.S. Yes...... it was time, for a few reasons, to get ourselves back to Bonsall, California.