MERRY CHRISTMAS 2011

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL

IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN AN ACTIVE AND INTERESTING YEAR. AS YOU WILL SEE, IT STARTED OUT RATHER SLOWLY. BOB IS LOVING HIS WORK WITH NOVACES, AS THE RE-CONNECTION WITH FRIENDS FROM FORMER YEARS IS MAKING IT FUN. WORKING FROM HOME MOST OF THE TIME ON THIS PART TIME JOB IS IDEAL.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M ALWAYS SO BUSY. I WORK WITH BOB A BIT ON THE COMPUTER, STILL HAVE A BIT OF ONLINE BUSINESS, THE PRESIDENT OF OUR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION, SERVING ON THE BOARD WITH BOB FOR TWO LOCAL CHARITIES FOR THE WOUNDED WARRIORS, AND, AS ALL THE GALS KNOW, THE USUAL RUNNING OF THE BITS AND PIECES AROUND HOME.

THANK HEAVEN I HAD A MIRACLE TREATMENT ON THE SCIATIC NERVE AND AM NOW KICKING UP MY HEELS AND READY TO DANCE.

FROM NEW ORLEANS EARLY IN THE YEAR FOR NOVACES (SPOUSES WERE INVITED TOO), A FEW ACTIVITIES AROUND HOME AND THEN THE TRAVELS BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER. ITALY FOR A MONTH, A WEEK ON THE EAST COAST TO SEE SON, MIKE AND FAMILY, IN NO.CAROLINA. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER TO PRINCETON, NJ FOR A DOUBLE POSITIVE, SEEING SON, CRAIG, AND FAMILY, AND BOB HAD A PRESENTATION FOR NOVACES. AND FOR ANY MORE........ YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN AND SEE OUR YEAR IN PICTURES.

WE LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR LIFE WITH YOU. THIS IS THE TIME TO PUT ANY DIFFICULT TIMES ASIDE AND BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE. OUR TREASURE IS HAVING FAMILY AND FRIENDS LIKE YOU. WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND LOVE, AND HEALTH, FOR THE NEW YEAR.

LOVE, MARILYN AND BOB

AT THE END OF THE SCROLL, PLEASE CLICK ON 'OLDER POSTS' TO SEE THE WHOLE YEAR.

(phooey... this Blog didn't let me put in a color text!)

THE EAST COAST VISIT

Bob teaching Abby how to do NYTimes crossword puzzle on computer.

Marie, Craig, Abby & Luke, outside Radio City Music Hall.

Fabulous Rockettes in their famous 'Soldier' routine.

Luke

Abby

Abby at soccer..... a little blurred but I got her in the air!!!!Bob & Craig with Georgia

Kaili

Aaron

Gavin

Our first stop back was to visit with Carolyn Dittrick in Virginia Beach. We then went on down to New Bern, NC to see son, Mike, and family, Tracey, Kaili, 13, Gavin 5, and Aaron, 18 months. We enjoyed our few days there in this busy household!! I can't even begin to tell how many directions each one was going. Then back up to Norfolk and caught the plane home.

Two weeks later, in combination with a meeting Bob had in Princeton, NJ, we got to spend a few days with son, Craig, and family, Marie, Abby 10, Luke 5 in Jan. Craig and family surprised us with a Christmas present of a day in New York City......and seeing the Rockettes!! Fabulous. Of course, being the dancer I am, my feet were going right along with them.......only I couldn't kick!

We had a ride around Central Park and had lunch near Times Square. What a great day.

This last part of the year is busy with travel due to Bob's meetings and presentations. We went to Jacksonville, FL, and while I visited with our friends there, Bob went to Orlando to do a presentation with the CEO of Novaces. A grand success. When he got back to Jax, we all had a great visit. The Ulrichs and the Fitzgeralds.

GETTING READY TO RETURN TO U.S.

The lasting look of 'tipico' hills of Italy.

The Whites, Ghisellis, Carlons, Halders.....what group!! And we invited the new CO of Navy Hospital Naples, Capt Craig Bonnema. Bravissimo.

Freddiana, 'who makes things happen', Pia, my Italian family, Betty, the European Navy League.

We're closing in our last few days in Italy. We had a lunch with some very special friends at our favorite place in Pozzuoli, near Naples. It's a place we started going to about 25 years ago when we were stationed there. Then another reunion luncheon the day before we left with couples we had lived there with, also the 25 years ago. Was just fantastic and we had so many stories and laughter of the 'good ole days'. A perfect trip.

BACK TO OUR HOME TOWN OF FORMIA

That's Sperlonga behind us. At the beach at another favorite restaurant.

Right in front of our place, on the beach, Formia

View from where we used to live to the city of Gaeta.

On a windy, and slightly stormy day, the surfers were out. Fun to see the activity. We went out to one of our favorite restaurants in the country, where we enjoyed quail. One afternoon we took our neighbors out to lunch in Sperlonga, another old town on the sea that is near.

MORE......

I love these 'ombrelli' trees, near Naples.

An original Roman fountain in Lucca.

The Ghiselli's place in the hills. Gugliano.

Looking toward Lucca from the hillside where we're staying.

Like most of the old cities, each has a unique personality and look. Lucca has a HUGE, and very wide fortress wall around it. People ride bikes on it, walk, run....etc and it's even wide enough to drive a Smart car, if allowed. Up in the hills there is always a grand view. It was wonderful to see the Ghisellis. Next was the drive back down to the Naples area and see Charles & Irene off for their return to the US.

We stayed another two weeks and went back to our home town of Formia to stay with our neighbors from the years we lived there. Saw friends and enjoyed our local favorites.

KEEPING ON THE MOVE......

Pisa, of course.

One of the rooms in the Palazzo.

Front of the main Palazzo, Lucca, Massa Pisano.

Looking from the front of the Palazzo. There are vinyards on the property.

After Florence, on to Lucca. A dear friend of ours has a very old 'palazzo' that is on the Historic list. We were able to stay with her and include Charles & Irene. Not ever being in Italy before, they have now experienced the personal side as well as tourist places on this trip. Irene's camera never stopped.

One of the day's after going in and around the ciy of Lucca, and Pisa, we went up the hills to our other Navy (Ret) friends, the Ghiselli's, country Tuscan home. You could call it a small reunion.

A STOP AT LAGO TRASIMENO, AND ON TO FLORENCE

Charles & Irene at restaurant on the River Arno, Florence.

In the middle of Piazza Signoria, Florence. Horse gets hungry too......

Our friends home, Don & Jodi Waller, Castiglione Del Lago

Florence (Firenze), the main Duomo in the center.

Castiglione Del Lago..... outer wall of the ancient city. The Ponte Vecchio in the background

We wanted Charles and Irene to meet friends that live in Castiglione Del Lago. Ex-Pats that moved totally over to Italy and are loving it. I'm sooooooo envious!. They bought this country place and remodled. A very cozy and comfortable place. We enjoy spending time with them there. A nice view of the lake too. We went into the ancient town on the hill and had dinner outside in the piazza. Next day we were on our way to Florence for a couple nights. We had reservations to get into the Academia to see the'David'. Since we had a lot to see in a short time, we then took the double decker bus for the whole city overview. A grand thing to do. Got off the bus and had lunch overlooking the city then on the bus to continue. Got off again near the Famous bridge, the 'Ponte Vecchio'.

AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS

The day before we left for Formia, a Navy League group was organized by Betty Reese, the European Pres., at our favorite restaurant. Was wonderful. As you can see above, it was a perfect setting with the islands of Capri, Procida and Ischia in view.

AS WE HEAD NORTH.......

Looking at the inside center of the Coloseum, Rome.

In the country at a favorite restaurant........ where we get quail.

One of the major hallways in the Vatican Museum on the way to the Sistine Chapel, Rome

In the Museum on the way to Sistine Chapel

A stairway to the lower original part of the Monte Cassino Monestary. What you see are artifacts found as they were rebuilding after the war.
A view in the center of the Monestary......Monte Cassino

Of course we had some bread and wine..... and olive oil (for the bread) before we went on the next jaunt of this trip.

We went up to our town of Formia and hit some of our favorite local spots, like a little restaurant in the country, then another day was Monte Cassino, and the train to Rome for a couple days.

SEPT-- ITALY, HERE WE COME

Our timing was perfect for the 'vendemia'.... and putting the grapes through the machine and into huge barrels to start fermenting.

From the vine to the barrel.......

When company comes, it's not complete until they see Pompei. It must have been a beautiful city.

Here we are on the Amalfi coast and stopping at one of our favorite spots. From the Hotel San Pietro with Positano in the background.

Part of Naples, going by an old fort wall up to what's known as Posilipo

FINALLY!!! After a year and a half back from living in Italy, we are headed back for a visit. Charles, who is with NOVACES and is responsible for Bob joining them, and Irene Mount took their 2 week vacation to come with us. They had never been there and had not had the opportunity to come over while we were living there. We wanted to show them around and show them 'our' Italy with only a touch of the 'tourist' places. After they left, we had 2 more weeks of enjoying our 'home away from home' with little reunions and local friends.