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.