MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR

We are wishing you all a wonderful Christmas Holiday Season and an exciting, safe and healthy, Blessed, Happy New Year!

We enjoy sharing our year with you.......... 

Much love, Marilyn, Bob .....and Mika too.

FINISHING UP THE 2016 YEAR

This last month has been full of fun and some celebrating. We've been pretty booked with the Toe Tappers with our Christmas show, taking Christmas to two families on the Marine base, and meeting friends for a special luncheon. The Welters took us to a park where I got to sit on Santa's lap..... well, it looked like it, anyway..

Since we have Bob as the MC of the Toe Tappers shows, I also got him to do a couple steps with me in Candy Man...... sort of. He's having fun with another part of his talents.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG...... YEAR IS GOING QUICKLY

What?? another birthday already? Somehow that just doesn't want to compute. Well, never mind the numbers, I'll do like the Italians do..... call it our "Name Day". It was so festive and a big surprise at the Welter's.

Then Thanksgiving.......  Went to Pete and Rhoda's and all was delicious.  Enjoyed the company and everything that was on the table. Good food good time, and being very thankful.

Other friends, Ted and Kathy treated us to a beautiful sunset cruise on San Diego bay. Perfect timing and weather and really enjoyed it.

Bob with Kathy and Ted

San Diego skyline

BACK TO THE US AND REALITY

Back to the dancing, shows and rehearsals. Bob is the MC now. He says he got 'voluntold' into this. He's having fun tho'.  Our meetings here and there, with Bob and the VA Research Foundation, and both of us with Soldiers Who Salsa.  
We drove up to Monterey for the Vintage races, Mecum Auction, but mostly for the 50 year Reunion for the Can-Am Racing. As most of you know car racing was a big part of our life. We've lost a few friends this past year, and that makes me sad. We all share in those life-changing situations.

Went to see Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, for Bob's Birthday.

A visit to my brother, Gene, still doing ok.

Went to visit friends in Minden, NV, and took a side drive and view of June Lake. 

Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues.

LAST OF APRIL.....

We're getting ready to head home. Just a few last stops, including the 'PORCHETTA' truck for a great pork sandwich. 
Mount Vesuvius (Vesuvio). 

 Rhoda with Antonello at the ceramic shop in Formia. He makes beautiful things.

Rhoda and Pete 

Notice the bread, olives, and wine.... first things they bring to the table, of course.

 Notice Mika walking with us into the piazza in Sperlonga

 Having a break with cappuccino, gelato, ...and new hat.

Pete & Bob, taking a pipe break.....they got new pipes. 

Countryside at Il Casale near Lago Trasimeno

 Another Pina, was our house cleaner when living there years ago. Had a nice visit with her.

Another favoritte. Locanda Laureta, restaurant in the country where Bob loves the quail, and the pasta with cinghiale (wild boar) sauce.

Below is owner, Franco with fresh truffles. 

Our beach where we lived in Formia a few years ago. 

Our neighbor and good friend, Joe (Guiseppe), there in Formia.  

Our other friend, Luciana. she and her family are also there in Formia.






And here is the famous Porchetta truck. Great sandwiches on the best rolls!!! Yummy!

AND EVEN MORE......

Will show you a few more and then on with the year..... don't want to bore you!!

Serapo Beach in Gaeta. We lived just a few minutes from there, on the Formia beach.





Our gathering of our Military friends from 31 years before. We always look forward to this group. 

 The southern coast to Sorrento.









The last two weeks we had our other friends, Rhoda and Pete with us. That let us be able to go a second time to our favorite places. 

This is Pina, at Il Casale, with her fresh backed bread for us. Oh, let us get back there soon!!

From the restaurant on the beach looking up at old Sperlonga. 

THERE'S MORE.......

We did our best to see our favorite places and friends. Sorrento, Capri, Positano (didn't go down into beach there. Construction.), Ravello...... you know, the best spots. Then another day in the country near Casserta. A lunch in Sperlonga, on the beach,  Won't get all the pictures on but you'll get a good idea of a fun trip. 

 Is your mouth watering yet.......mmm...mmm good. 

Capri.....

Pat and Roger

            On the hilltop in Castel Di Sasso, This day you could see all the way to the sea.

This is the old colosseum in Pozzuoli, second to the one in  Rome. Near Naples.

I love this country restaurant near Lago Trasimeno, Il Casale, an Agriturismo. Our other friends that live near there, Don and Jodi, with Pat and Roger.

AND OUR ITALY MONTH CONTINUES

The villa we rented was only a few blocks from where we lived a few years ago. Pat and Roger were with us the first two weeks so we went to all our favorite places and saw many of our long time friends. 

 This is the exact same table at this retaurant as 31 years ago.

This is the view from the Villa we rented in Formia. It had a fenced in yard and a hot tub too. 

ITALY - OUR SECOND HOME

Here we are in Italy, in Formia, where we lived for so many years. I must tell you it was a terrific experience having Mika with us. She walked on the plane like knew exactly what was going on. Bob had arranged our seating many months back with all the questions answered so she could be with us.  She slept all the way to Atlanta, off for 4 hours so we had plenty of time to eat, go to the doggie park, and back on the plane, slept most of the way to Rome, no problem. She visited with the crew a little and that was fun.

 

 At our favorite place from 31 years ago, with owner, Federico.  De'je'vous!       Below: Going to all our favorites.... on the beach in Sperlonga, having muscles (cozze). Our friends, Pat and Roger with us.

Mika is snuggled in her blanket outside with us at the villa we rented for the month.

SOLDIERS WHO SALSA-

Transforming lives This is the program that helps the returning troops and veterans. 
When I sent out a request for help, I want to thank those of you who did just that.  It is very much appreciated. 

You can check out more at the site, with new videos and reports. As difficult as it is to get out and in the press, it has reached many. 

www.soldierswhosalsa.org.  "Transforming lives one dance step at a time".

The group that has started overseas now in grand suppport of Soldiers Who Salsa

Below, a 'selfie' at one of our local classes.

PLANNING AHEAD

We've been planning way ahead for our trip back to Italy. I had to start with the papers and passport for Mika. Yes, a passport..... plus the vet's check up, then we had to go to the USDA for the final signatures and stamp. Easy to take out of country but the paperwork is so we can get back in the US.

We're going in April but in the meantime I keep on with rehearsals for our Toe Tappers shows. Bob is the main MC of the show now. Makes it all fun. 

Don't know where the time goes..... I never believed until now what the saying about retirement meant. Getting busy makes the time dash right along.

The Granddaughter, Abby, our soccer player got to go to the Naval Academy for the summer soccer camp. Whoopee ....she likes the idea of following Dad, Craig, to go there.  Grandson, Luke, seems to be following in the soccer sport. 

Granddaughter, Kaili, is going to Community College and her specialty is art. That's son, Mike's, daughter. The rest of that family, Gavin, 9 and Aaron 5, keep Tracey and Mike running.

Abby, with her coach

 Mika's passport picture. 

HERE WE GO FOR 2016!!! AND WE'RE STILL KICKIN' !

Happy New Year Everyone. You'll notice the font is larger and in Bold!  Hmmmm, does that tell you anything? Yep, my eyes need a little help these days. Let's see, what else needs a little help. Well, I'm going to have permanent eyeliner and brows done. That will help when I can't see what I'm doing! Then I'm going to the Chiropractor so I can still move and keep dancing. Guess John Wayne was right, 'getting older is not for Sissies'. 

We started Jan off by having our first conference meeting of the Board for Soldiers Who Salsa. It all sounds good when everyone is together and now we just need to follow through and get some growth going. We have plenty of requests for the program for the VA's around the country so we need to get them running. 

 We stayed over at our friends so now we head home to start the New Year.