american girl in italy

this blog is shutting down

2009-03-27T16:48:00.001+01:00

I am moving to a new blog site. I will no longer be writing here. Please visit me at my new site:
sara in italy blog

i loved the oscars!

2009-02-23T13:00:00.006+01:00

OK, Once again, I stayed up all night to watch the Oscars, and I am so tired. But, it was so worth it. I just loved it.

Not since Billy Crystal has an opening number been so good. Hugh Jackman was just great.

The set was beautiful, I loved everything about it, including the Swaravski curtain, the raised orchestra, and the different set backgrounds.

I thought the five past winners introducing and personalizing the nominees was so touching, and MUCH more interesting and meaningful than how they are normally done. I loved it.

The musical number Hugh did, with Beyonce, and the High School Musical kids was great. The nominated songs performance was great.

No boring speeches by accountants or presidents. And the acceptance speeches were less annoying this year.

There were some really funny presenters and skits, including Natalie Portman and Ben Stiller. Ben was funny, and could Natalie Portman BE any more beautiful?

There were many beautiful dresses, but I think Natalie and Anne Hathaway and Taraji Hensen were my favorite. Jessica Biel is beautiful but I did not like her dress. At all.

Sorry, I am too tired to go into any detail. I just wanted to say, Bravo!

I loved it. (can you tell?)

Update: I have been reading reviews of the show, and can not believe that people are saying it was boring or not suprising, or that the introductions were bad. These people are not fans. They don't know what they are talking about. I thought it was spectacular! The winners weren't surprising, but when you have 10 award shows leading up to the Oscars, you can't blame the Oscars.

Don't believe the miserable media, Hugh Jackman did fabulous, and the whole show was great.

sanremo festival 2009

2009-02-20T23:12:00.007+01:00

It's that time of year again. Tomorrow night is the finale. These are my favorites. This first one, Arisa, singin *Sincerita*, is so cute. She is so nervous! I love the song. Adorable. She is in the *young, unknown artist* category.

The others, Dolcenera, singing *Il mio amore unico*, and Francesco Renga, singing *l'uomo senza età* who are two of my all time favs!

And this third one I like, by Povia, who won last year. There was a lot of controversy surounding his song, before the festival, because the title of his song is Luca era gay (Luca was gay). It is about a guy who used to be in a gay relationship, but is now married to a woman.

All the other artist videos are here.

Hugh Hefner was there, for I believe the launch of Italian Playboy and the anniversary of Playboy. He was on stage, with his three girlfriends, and the current Bunny, and some lady ran up on the stage naked. She yelled something, but you couldn't hear her. I thought maybe she was from Peta, but couldn't get the connection to Hugh Hefner.... haha

Turns out she is a porno star, Laura Perego, so she, I guess, was trying to get Hugh's attention. I don't think it worked... afterwards he asked, "was the a joke? was that for real?" haha

UPDATE: Yeah! Arisa won for her category, new artists!!

But, I am very bummed that Dolcenera didn't make it through the cut last night. I don't know HOW that happened. grrr

But, yeah for Arisa!

more koala kuteness

2009-02-12T14:27:00.005+01:00

Kristi sent me some more koala pics. The poor little things must just be scared to death, and so thirsty!

And here's that video of the firefighter giving the koala some water, if you haven't seen it yet.

There is some information here, about donating, and different organizations to contact.

koala cuteness

2009-02-11T22:02:00.007+01:00

Not only is Australia on fire, they are enduring a heatwave, with temperatures hovering around 44*C, 113*F.

My friend Kristi forwarded an email sent from a Microsoft employee down under. The pictures are just so unbelievably cute!

"Power is failing; trains have stopped running because tracks are buckling under the heat. It's just scorching, and it seems that the people are not the only ones suffering. Check out these photos of a little Koala which just walked onto a back porch looking for a bit of heat relief. The woman filled up a bucket for it and this is what happened!”

And here are some other little koala's that were rescued. These two both have minor burns. There is a video of the little koala drinking water, but my youtube is not working at the moment.

I hope they get the fires under control soon! It is just awful.

valanga fiumenero valbondione - update

2009-02-08T15:45:00.007+01:00

Did you hear about the avalanche in Fiumenero the other day? That is our mountain. My husband's family owns that whole piece of mountain, and it came sliding down Saturday morning. They had two meters of snow in one night. We saw it on the news, and Franco drove out there yesterday to take some photos.

They have two cabins up about half way, but it is too dangerous to go up there right now to check on them. There is a 15 meter high wall of snow hanging over a cliff that they might have to control.

We saw the news this morning, on TV, RaiR, footage from a helicopter, and could see the two cabins. They are both still there, thank goodness. The avalanche started up higher then the cabins, and slid right past them, leaving a fairly good sized path of nothing.

Here is the news story from Rai, from Saturday. They haven't posted today's story, that shows the helicopter footage, and the cabins. When they do, I will add it. And here is another story:

Here is another one, in the same area, the day before. They actually caught it on video.

Go here to see the photos that Franco shot. My brother in law Riccardo is in the red hat. You get an idea of how big it actually is in photo 2027, and how close it came to the house in 2063. My father in law always parked his car right where that big pile is, when he goes up to the cabins. yipes!

Action, danger!

UPDATE: Here is today's newscast, that shows the two cabins, and the avalanche. The cabins are at the 1:12 mark, and to the left of them is the massive slide. Look how close! (If you right click on the video, you can view it in Real Player, and see it larger)

I added some screen caps from the news, of the cabins and avalanche slide path, as well as some of the cabins, here.

tapered crochet cowl pattern

2009-01-27T15:14:00.007+01:00

I wanted to make a cowl scarf, to keep me toasty, around the house, and out and about. I have seen some patterns but they are usually straight tubes. I wanted to make one a little tapered, so it would be more closed around the neck. It took me a few tries, but I think I managed to created the perfect cowl (for me, anyway!)

These are good for kids, too - no hanging scarves to lose, or pull on the neck. Also, if you are like my mom, and have a fear of getting your scarf caught in the bus door, these might be the perfect thing! (My mom read about that happening once, and is terrified of getting dragged behind a bus... I think I might need to make her a cowl. haha)

(I don't have makeup on, so whatever!)

Tapered Crochet Cowl Pattern

Hook: H/8, 5MM

Yarn: Tropical Lane Confort http://www.tropicallane.it/index.html
I used a 60% baby merino wool, 5% alpaca, 10% super kid mohair, 25% Dralon mix
(Worsted Weight 4)
Two skeins 50g/each

Chain 80 stitches

Slip stitch to join. Be careful not to twist.
I worked the first row in the back of the chain. (The hump)
Chain two at beginning of each new row.

Rows 1 - 7:
Double crochet, slip stitch every row to join. (80 dbl crochet each row)

Row 8:
*DC 7, Decrease, DC 7, decrease*. (every 8/9th stitch is a decrease)

Rows 9 - 10:
Double crochet, slip stitch to join row

Row 11:
*DC 5, Decrease, DC 5, decrease*. (the 6/7th stitch is a decrease)

Rows: 12 - 19
Double crochet, slip stitch each row.
Finish and hide ends.

Enjoy!

just because...

2009-01-25T14:35:00.001+01:00

*utterly brilliant* It made me cry.

h/t newsbusters.org

pics from christmas

2008-12-28T00:01:00.007+01:00

We had a nice long day filled with eating. Lots and lots of eating. And movie watching. And of course, napping.

The day started with a little romantical breakfast for two, toast with a heart in the middle, filled with an egg. Delicious, and oh so simple.

We then went to Franco's parents house, and I got lots of photos of the little ones wearing their Christmas hats. Greta was hilarious, switching them out, all day long. She even put Giuliano's reindeer hat on and pretended to be a reindeer. It was hilarious.

And the day ended with pecan pie.

christmas favorites

2008-12-21T22:47:00.001+01:00

elmo is in the hiz-ouse

2008-12-20T12:01:00.004+01:00

I finished my Elmo hat last night. I think these are so darn cute. haha I can't wait to see them on the little ones. Now, I am going to make a third one in purple. Is there a purple Sesame character? Do you like?

more hat mania

2008-12-18T01:12:00.007+01:00

I have been busy as a bee, making massive amounts of Christmas presents. These are the latest, but I still have a few more to go.

I saw the cutest Elmo hat here, by Annie. She has the cutest creations! I decided to make the Elmo, and try to make a Grover. I am not finished with the Elmo, but here is Grover. I think he came out pretty cute for not having a pattern. I had to rip out his eyes a few times to get the size right (that didn't sound good!) but, I finally figured it out.

This next one I made for my father in law. I was running low on manly colors, and had to combine a bunch of scraps, but I think it came out pretty nice. This one is crochet.

This one I made for me. It started out, funny enough, as the body for a teddy bear, but I used the wrong yarn, and crochet hook, and it was HUGE. I thought it might work as a hat, and sure enough, it fit. A few alterations, and it became my newest hat.

This last one I was trying to figure out a way to combine crochet and loom knitting to make this hat, which is so flippin' cute. My idea wasn't working out, so I improvised, and came up with this little flapper-esque style hat. Check out the hats on Knitterella. SUCH adorable things!

Well, that's it for now. Back to knitting!

new knitting projects, parades and trip pics

2008-12-03T12:01:00.023+01:00

I have finally pulled out the ol' knitting looms and made some new projects! Now that I started, I can't stop. haha I made four hats in the last couple of days.

I had forgotten how to do some things, it has been a while. Thank goodness for Purling Sprite and Isela and her wonderful videos! She also has a new purl stitch method, which rocks!

Here are the hats:

This is a reindeer, I used a loom and some crochet. I suck at emboidery so I opted for button eyes. My dear husband pointed out to me that deers don't have whites around their eyes, and my deer does look a little like a bear, but oh well. The hat is for a three yeaar old. haha I thought about putting a red nose on it, Rudolph style, but decided against it. But, without the baby horns it does look more like a bear...

This hat is a tulip, similar to my BabyBell hat, but I used crochet on the end, instead. I love this one. came out very cute, and it was very easy. And I love to crochet.

This hat is a little disappointing. I hate working with that fluffy eyelash yarn. There is no give to it, and the majority of the fluff is on the inside of the hat. I tried using a crochet hook to pull more through to the front, but it was a pain in the arse. It is still cute, but not as cute as I wanted. I was going to cover more of the hat with it, but it was a pain to work with.

This last hat I made last night. I love the yarn, it is a nice fat wool, and the colors are really pretty, a deep chocolate brown and a baby pink. I wanted to keep the hat for myself, but I look like a dork in it. haha I used Isela's purling method for the band, and it looks really nice. (Thanks Isela!) Also, with her crochet cast on, the edge is super nice.

So, those were my little projects. Now I am trying to think of more things to make. I might so another tulip hat, but am trying to think of something new to try.

Back in October, it was the Festa della Madonna della Gamba again, but this year they brought out the statue, which they only do every 25 years, so it was a big tadoo. There were SO many people in the street, and the weather was beautiful for all the festivities. I shot some videos of the event, and am slowly getting them uploaded to my channel on youtube.

They also had a Medieval parade with some pretty costumes and dancers and music. But, it also had some scary looking dudes - something you don't see every day.... I am assuming they were Medieval religious folks, and not the kkk. (although I guess this is where they got the idea for the outfits from? eek) Video here.

Video of Madonna della Gamba statue:

I also need to sort through my hundreds and hundreds of pics from our summer vacations - St. Maxime, St. Tropez, Cannes, Sarlat, Aix en Provence, Aix les Bains, Les Baux, Wengen, Jungfraujoch and Vienna. Here is one from Vienna, unfortunately the sky was dark, so a lot of the photos are not as spectacular as they could be.
And Franco up at Jungfraujoch:
And one of the castles we saw, in the Perigord region, the Hautforte:
And the Losse castle:
And me in a pretty garden we visited:
And finally, one more, the Pope's Palace: I will get the rest sorted out and uploaded to my trips album! There are just so many! haha

amanda and raffaele indicted in slain british coed case

2008-10-29T00:44:00.005+01:00

PERUGIA, Italy — An American college student and her former boyfriend were ordered Tuesday to stand trial in last year's slaying of her roommate, while the judge also convicted an Ivory Coast man in the killing, lawyers said.

The judge indicted Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle. and Raffaele Sollecito. of Italy. on charges of murder and sexual violence in the stabbing death of Meredith Kercher. A trial for the two, who deny wrongdoing, will start Dec. 4.

Rudy got 30 years. You can read about it here.

Wow. I am stunned. It has been a year, and I have flip flopped on who I thought was guilty so many times. I was torn between Rudy being innocent, and all three of them guilty.

Rudy, it seemed, had the most credible story, and made the most sense. But the evidence and case they built against all three of them, as they reveal it, does make it seem like all three were involved.

I kept going back and forth because it was hard to imagine a pre-meditated murder by Amanda and Raffaele....but a drunk/drug night, gone terribly, terribly wrong was more believable. But, Rudy is the only one who claims to remember anything from that night, and his story seemed to make sense.

I kind of thought, since Rudy took a fast track trial, that he would flip on the other two, or something. I am also really suprised that the other two haven't turned on each other. But, I think I did hear today that Raffaele is talking, turning on Amanda.

Wow, just bizarre. So, now Amanda and Raffaele will have their trials. They are still waiting for the judge to decide if they can leave on bail. I would imagine they are worried about Amanda bailing the country. It will be interesting to see what happens with Amanda and Raffaele now that Rudy got 30 years...

I still feel most sorry for all the parents involved.

sweet things di zia sara is now live!

2008-10-26T17:26:00.003+01:00

For those of you who visit my site for loom knitting, and crafty goodness, I finally launched a new site!

sweet things di zia sara!

It will be updated with new craft photos, projects and patterns, as they are completed. But, for now, it hosts all of my Loom Knit patterns, plus the Crochet La-la-ta-ta's.

Please take a look-see (and let me know if there are any link errors!).

I also am in the process of moving all of my pics to a new site. I will be editing out the old, and updating with new, too. The craft photos are already transfered, and can be found in the right hand column.

Ciao!

still vacationing and visiting with my mom

2008-10-02T12:00:00.008+02:00

Sorry, lame, lame blogger here. I have returned from our French Riviera and Switzerland vacation, but we then left for Vienna. Now, we are back. But, now we both have colds (my mom and I). We have been having a nice visit, not too hectic, except for our trips.

We also celebrated Mom's and Franco's birthdays. And my brother, Catherines, Zia Giuli and Maria Teresa all had birthdays in September.

My friend Kim (from Bergamo/Canada) is engaged now! She was here visiting Filipo, although I didn't get to see her while she was in Bergamo.

I was contacted by an American expat, Rebecca, who lives nearby, too! I can't wait to meet her. I will call her, and set up a get together, once my mom leaves.

I have lots of photos to sort through, and will do some write-ups on our trips, after my mom leaves.

What little time I spend online, I have been writing on my PUMA site. I have lost a few readers, because of it. Apparently not loving Obama is not allowed in some circles.... haha

OK, well, sorry for the short post. I promise to be back with knitting and travels real soon.
Ciao!

vacation, all i ever wanted...

2008-08-02T22:10:00.002+02:00

My mom arrived today, on time, and WITH her luggage. What do you know! Suprise, suprise, suprise.

We leave tomorrow morning, for Côte d’Azur, and will be gone for three weeks.

I am bringing my computer and will try to pop in every once in a while. Post a pic or two.

Have a great August, and travel safe! :O)

happy retirement, mama!

2008-07-30T04:44:00.003+02:00

My mom retired today. Well, her last day is Thursday, but she left early today, took tomorrow off, and Thursday is their company cruise. (she tries to convince me that she works hard...haha)

And she will be here Saturday. YEAH!

And my friend Kim will be in Italy Saturday, too. But I can't see her for three weeks, because we will be on vaca. Figures.

Kim - can't wait to see you too!

house hunting continues...

2008-07-25T17:28:00.002+02:00

I have been visiting houses and apartments this week, still searching for that perfect home. I love our little house, and think it is so cute, but it is just too darn small. No room for guests, no yard or garden, and not enough garage and storage space!

It is really hard to find a single family home, here. Most have been converted to apartments/multi-family units, or are super expensive.

I looked at a split home the other day, that had an amzingly beautiful view, with a huge yard, and it was a big apartment. The drawbacks are that the building is 30 years old, and in need of repair. But the biggest negative was the other home owner. He had about 5 or 6 abandoned cars, full of paint cans, and crap EVERYWHERE on his side of the house. That would drive me CRAZY!

So, we scratched that one off the list. There were just too many things that needed fixed or changed. (Including an artdeco bathroom...)

Today I saw a big apartment, with tons of storage space, but a tiny yard, and it was in a big multi-unit building.

Tomorrow we are going to visit a home, that has a great view, and a huge yard. It has potential. Of course, all that could change, once you get inside.... hahaha

I am so addicted to the shows on HGTV, ALL of them. I want to get a house and fix it up, and apply all those fancy techniques I have learned. ahaha The main thing i have learned is how to stage a home to sell it, and the people in Italy HAVE not learned that technique. One couple followed me all around the house, smoking... *ewe*.

I guess with good properties being so hard to come by, they don't feel the need to *stage*. But this house has been on the market for a while, and they can't sell it. (Perhaps I should become a stager here....)

I really wish that HGTV would come to Italy, and help me find a house, and show me it's potential, and help me fix it up. Is that too much to ask? haha

My mom will be here in one week!!! :OD And then off to the French Riviera we go!
Hope all is well!
(don't forget to visit my other blog!)

to all my friends and family...

2008-07-21T19:47:00.002+02:00

yes, this made me cry. Click here if the video doesn't load. Youtube seems to be down at the moment.

dinner in a vineyard

2008-07-16T12:08:00.006+02:00

One of the things I love about Italy is all the beautiful locations there are for dinner. The other night we went to an agriturismo in the middle of a wine vineyard. They are famous for their Moscato di Scanzo. The agriturismo is called Celinate, and the restaurant sits in an old farmhouse. We ate outside, underneath the stars, surrounded by vineyards.

The food is delicious, and the location is spectacular. We had a very good time. The group consisted of Ricki, and Mauro, Donatella and Omar, Chiara, Fabio and after dinner Marco and Sofia came by. (I am not in the pics - I was behind the camera.)

(Foto: Fabio, Ricki, Omar, Marco, Mauro - Franco did not come out that night. He was still feeling under the weather.)

I think the funniest part of the night, though, was when the check came. All that is written is 240,00 euro.

(don't forget to stop by my new site - american puma in italy and to update your links if you want!)

lago di garda

2008-07-12T15:20:00.011+02:00

This has been the summer of Lake Garda! We went to San Vigilio one day, and discovered the most beautiful little beach. It is a private beach, admission is 10 euro per person, and it was well worth it. It was very serene and beautiful. I am dying to stay at the hotel that is situated on the point.

After a day at the beach, we drove to Malcesine for dinner. It is a very cute little town, reminds me a little of Bellagio on Lago di Como. There is a castle there, and I had the most delicious pasta ever! It was pasta with shrimp and ginger. YUMMY! I want to try and recreate it. (These 3 photos are from online - they were better then the few we took.)

Our next trip, a couple of days later, we headed back to Lago di Garda, this time going up to the very top of the lake, to Riva del Garda. This was another absolutely lovely spot. We stayed at Hotel Mirage and were very happy with the hotel. Our rooms had great lake views, and the hotel rents bikes out for free.

The beaches are on the windy side, it is a geat spot for wind surfing and sailing. The lake was full of boats and boards. There are also lessons. But the set up for kids is perfect. The docks are made out of big plastic containers (think plastic gas can type thingys) and it is the most brilliant dock idea I have ever seen. You can't get splinters, you can't get hurt if you fall (they are hollow) and they are all secured together. In the middle of the huge docks, they even built pools, with a bottom, with free flowing lake water. And they have slides coming off of them. The water is super clean. There is also a great walking/biking path all along the river. Can't recommend it enough! I do love a vacation at the ocean shore, but lakes are so easy! And you don't find a pound of sand in your swimming suit at the end of the day.

We had a screaming good time. (well, someone got a wee bit cranky on the last day, and was having his own scream session, but overall, it was very, very nice and fun!)

We also went to Gardaland another day, which is located very near Lake Garda.It is similar to Disney Land. Good times had by all! It is very well done, although the animitronics are looking a little hagered. They have lots of water rides, which are most welcome on these hot days. And instead of tons of hot dogs, cotton candy (which they do have) and all kinds of other crap food typically found in the states at amusement parks, you can find lots of fresh fruit. (although, I must say, I would have loved to find a corn dog! ahah)

new site - all politics, all the time

2008-07-11T23:22:00.002+02:00

Ciao!

I decided to create a new blog, purely for political purposes. I have received a few comments lately on this blog from regulars who are missing my expat/italy stories and tired of my politics. So, I decided to have two blogs.

I will continue/restart to post about Italy here, and I will keep the posts about the presidential race and politics on the new site - american puma in italy.

I hope I can do it.... haha

I tried to transfer all of my relevant posts over to the new site, but they are still on this site as well. I hope you come visit my new site! And if you have my site linked on your political/puma/just say no deal blog, you might want to change the link to the new site.

come on over for a looky - american puma in italy

(puma - party unity my ass)

x-factor italia - giusi

2008-05-28T00:27:00.002+02:00

Well, my least favorite of the four, won. They are good, but just not my fav. *sigh*

The winner is Aram Quartet:

But my favorite, and who I thought would win is Giusi. One month ago she was working as a check out girl in a supermarket. She definitely has the X-Factor, and WILL be a huge star in Italy, if not the world. :OD

Congratulations to Aram Quartet, and to ALL the finalists. Siete tutti bravi!

x-factor italia - emanuele dabbono

2008-05-27T23:19:00.002+02:00

I am so sad. One of my two favs was just voted off. He is so good, and adorable. I think he will be a big star one day. Here are two of his songs he did, that I really liked.

OK, so it's three videos. So sue me. I like him.

x factor italia - tony maiello

2008-05-27T22:29:00.002+02:00

Now I know why American Idol is so popular. We have X-Factor here, and it is so hard when the singers get kicked out! I love almost all of them!

Tonight is the finale - there were four contestants. The first one to be eliminated tonight is Tony Maiello. He is so cute, and only 19. He will have a career. He just needs a little more time to train, but he is the next teen idol!

Here is one of my fav songs he did.

My favorite two are still in the race. I will update them as the show goes on. But I think I know who will win. She really does have *the* X Factor.

Enjoy Tony!

you're invited!

2008-05-21T14:04:00.006+02:00

I am so jealous I can't attend any of these functions. I would so love to be more of an active participant in this historical campaign process.

If you live in the Chicago area, and can attend, please tell Bill and Hillary I said hello! And tell her I know she WILL be the nominee, and the next President of the United States!

Click on the invite for more information.

Also, there is an event in Washington DC:

Count Every Vote Rally

Sat. May 31st 8a

Washington DC

At the DNC rules Committee meeting

happy mother's day!

2008-05-11T13:06:00.001+02:00

three's company

2008-04-18T14:02:00.006+02:00

The Bad Company Of Barack Obama
National Review Online: The Senator's "Change" Would Radically Alter This Country
This column was written by Andrew McCarthy

Why is Barack Obama so comfortable around people who so despise America and its allies? Maybe it’s because they’re so comfortable around him.

He presents as the transcendent agent of “change.” Sounds platitudinous, but it’s really quite strategically vaporous. Sen. Obama is loath to get into the details of how we should change, and, as the media’s Chosen One, he hasn’t had to.

But he’s not, as some hopefully dismiss him, a charismatic lightweight with a gift for sparkling the same old vapid cant. Judging from the company he chooses to keep, Obama’s change would radically alter this country. He eschews detail because most Americans don’t believe we’re a racist, heartless, imperialist cesspool of exploitation. The details would be disqualifying.
Continued here.

Can We Fill the Holes in Barack’s Story?
By Larry Johnson from noquarter.com
(Larry C. Johnson is CEO and co-founder of BERG Associates, LLC, an international business-consulting firm with expertise combating terrorism and investigating money laundering. Mr. Johnson works with US military commands in scripting terrorism exercises, briefs on terrorist trends, and conducts undercover investigations on counterfeiting, smuggling and money laundering. Mr. Johnson, who worked previously with the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism, is a recognized expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security, crisis and risk management.)

It just does not make sense. Why does Barack move to Chicago after law school? He has hidden this part of his past and frankly, if you are hiding something there is usually a reason and the reason ain’t good. You have a reason to move to a particular city or state. Let me illustrate what I mean. I was raised in Independence, Missouri. I left home to attend the University of Missouri. After getting my Master’s degree I returned to Independence briefly then wound up in Honduras working on a community development project. I came back from Honduras and decided to pursue a Ph.D. I was accepted at American University in Washington, D.C. I moved to Washington and have been in the Washington metro area, off and on, since 1979.

So I return to the question. Why does Barack wind up in Chicago? Here’s a guy who is at the top of the heap at Harvard’s Law School as the head of the Law Review, who could reasonably be expected to earn huge dollars in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or Boston and he spurns all of these to go to work in Chicago? Why?

There is no family tie that we know of. How about a college roommate? His two books do not explain this. Why my interest? I find it odd that this guy goes to Chicago and becomes part of a circle of folks who are known for politics best described as radical left. Any thoughts?

The Obama Campaign: Consent of, or Contempt for, the People
Expert guest post by Joseph C. Wilson
originally published on Huffington Post

Senator Obama's ill-conceived remarks likening small town Americans to embittered guns-and-God bigots have triggered a justifiable furor. Not only are the remarks insulting, but also factually incorrect.

As it happens, at the same event in San Francisco, Senator Obama made other remarks, equally startling, insulting our Foreign Service, Intelligence Officers, members of Congress who provide oversight, and friendly governments. Like his comments about small town Americans, Obama demonstrated a cavalier disregard for Americans who every day get up determined to make this a better country, whether running the general store in a small town, or representing our national security interests in a foreign country.

This is what Obama said:
Experience in Washington in not knowledge of the world. This I know. When Senator Clinton brags, 'I've met leaders from 80 countries,' I know what those trips are like. I've been on them. You go from the airport to the embassy. There's a group of children who do a native dance. You meet with the C.I.A. station chief and the embassy and they give you a briefing. You go take a tour of a plant that with the assistance of USAID has started something. And then you go.

Obama's arrogance and contempt for career professionals in the national security community is palpable. His contempt reminds me of something Bill Kristol, the editor of the right wing war mongering Weekly Standard, said in a debate with me shortly after the launching of the Iraq War in 2003. We were in Midland, Texas, Laura Bush's home town, and Kristol was asked if he had ever spent time in the Middle East region, to which he responded "I've always believed on the ground experience is highly overrated." That callous disregard for professional expertise and experience is, of course, one of the reasons we so badly miscalculated the consequences of our actions in Iraq. That arrogance is no less offensive coming from Senator Obama. And it is no less wrongheaded.

Foreign Service Officers, Intelligence operatives, and USAID development experts carry out the mandate of our government to represent the interests of the United States, to understand the dynamics in a foreign society so as to better advise our own government on policies to be pursued, and work to improve relations between the United States and the country in question. The world is a dangerous and precarious place, and there are serious issues that constantly need to be engaged with foreign governments. It requires hard work and diligence. We ignore or denigrate that work at our peril.

Senator Obama should know better. After all, in his professional capacity as Chairman of the Senate subcommittee responsible for Europe and NATO, he was in charge of ensuring Congressional oversight of the administration's efforts to generate greater NATO support for operations in Afghanistan. The fact that, by his own admission, he was too busy running for president to convene a single meeting of that subcommittee, should not absolve him of responsibility for acquiring at least some understanding of and respect for the work of career professionals who dedicate their lives to the service of their country.

I was one of those public servants for twenty-three years. My colleagues and I, whether in the Foreign Service, the Military or the Central Intelligence Agency, were and are motivated by a commitment to serve the values that have made this country free and secure, values that are enshrined in our founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In exercising our responsibilities, we were careful to ensure that members of Congress were kept abreast and made partners in our efforts to keep America safe. When they visited our posts, we went out of our way to provide substantive briefings, meetings with senior host government officials, trips to USAID projects so elected representatives could see for themselves what the United States was doing to assist citizens of the recipient country improve their lot in life. And yes, there were cultural events, to broaden the perspectives of the visitors and to show respect for the indigenous culture they were being introduced to. Our goal in this was to ensure that those who represent the American people in Congress better understood what we were doing because more knowledge leads to better decisions. Judgment is not intuitive, as Senator Obama asserts; from my hard-won experience as a Foreign Service Officer, that judgment is learned.

Obama has made plain that he is not bothered in the slightest about belittling the work of Foreign Service and CIA Officers serving overseas, often in dangerous circumstances, any more than he is about denigrating Americans from small towns or blaming democrats in Congress, and especially Hillary Clinton, for George W. Bush's war in Iraq. It was not ironic that he made both comments at the same fundraiser in San Francisco. The contempt is consistent.

Trashing Congress, small town Americans, and career national security professionals, while befriending Jeremiah Wright and Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers may be a winning electoral strategy. Who knows? Time will tell. But I suspect that many small town Americans are as offended as my professional colleagues and I by this display of contempt from one who seeks our consent to govern.

Ok, now me:
So, is Obama not only giving Hillary the *one finger salute*, but isn't he really giving us ALL the same gesture?

To be honest, I wasn't sure if he was intentionally flipping the bird, but a lot of people in the media think he was, and regardless of my opinion, it is clear that everone in Obama's audience sure thought he was. There is a list here of some of the sites covering the *bird*.

You know, in thinking about the post from Joe Wilson, it made me think about the comments Obama has made about Washington:

“Our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, common-sense way,” Obama said in a video posted on his Web site. “Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can't tackle the big problems that demand solutions. And that's what we have to change first.”

"The stakes are too high ... to play the same old Washington games with the same old Washington players."

"What Washington needs is adult supervision."

"We can't change the way Washington works unless we first change how Congress works. "

"Most people who serve in Washington have been trained either as lawyers or as political operatives – professions that tend to place a premium on winning arguments rather than solving problems."

It is interesting to me, that people like Kennedy, Kerry and Dodd, lifelong politicians, don't take some offense to a new kid showing up, and telling them that they suck. I guess they know they suck...? Hmm, well, if they do suck, I guess we don't care about their endorsements? *shrug* Just an observation.

Oh, one other thing. You know how I have blogged about Obama supporters and pro-obama web sites threatening Hillary supporters, ridiculing Hillary supporters, the intimidation and death threats on superdelegates, and Tavis Smiley, his mother, and family, their boycotting of Disney, abc and Mickey Mouse, and just all around rude and vile behavior? Well, now someone has made a video called In Memorium - George Stephanopolous. Just because George dared to ask Obama some questions?

This has definitely become a new type of politics. New politics indeed.

today it's my birthday...da da da da da da da da....

2008-04-04T14:36:00.009+02:00

We're gonna have a good time... da da da da da da da da Haha, yes, I am here, doing laundry, and just finished washing the dishes. The life of luxury! :O)

Tomorrow we are going shopping, though! wooo I want to get something new to wear for tomorrow night. We are going out to dinner with our friends, Emanuela, Marco, Marco, Roberto and Claudia. Should be fun! I got some very cute e-cards today. Grazie family! :OD

If anyone would like to wish me happy birthday, I would LOVE a contribution to Hillary Clinton's campaign fund!

It's the gift that keeps on giving, one size fits all, and it does a country good!

Hillary will be spending the day in Memphis today, with John McCain, to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. (Obama declined the invitation, due to a scheduling conflict.) There are some great photos here. MLK was only 39 when he was gunned down. It was my second birthday. Be sure to visit taylormarsh.com for a speech given by Hillary in honor of MLK jr.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. ~MLK

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ~MLK

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. ~MLK

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. ~MLK

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. ~MLK

Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness. ~MLK

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. ~MLK

Those are some powerful words, too bad Obama could not make it today....

In other news, Hillary made an appearance on Jay Leno last night, and she was really funny.

Here are some other videos her supporters have put together. So, sit back, take a listen, and enjoy the day! They are great songs!

If you are interested, I have a youtube page with lots of videos that I have added, as my favorites. :O)

four weddings and a funeral

2008-04-02T21:41:00.004+02:00

Last Friday I went to my first Italian funeral (actually my first funeral since 3rd grade). The father of Emanuela (Franco's office partner) passed away after a long illness. He was 84. It was sad.

I have now been to four wedding and a funeral in Italy. I must say, I prefer the weddings.

We also found out Friday that Franco's other office business partner's relative passed away that day. He was a professional Italian cyclist, Valentino Fois. :O(

This was the last interview that he did, talking about his problems in the past with drugs, and his new opportunity working with Amore & Vita - McDonalds pro team. He is a former teammate of the late Marco Pantani.

On the Carlo front, he had to return to the hospital today. He is leaking CSF liquid. We haven't heard what is up yet. Will let you know. Here is a site that talks about acoustic neuroma. There is also this guy, who posted videos after his surgery. He has syptoms much more pronounced than Carlo's, but you get an idea of what Carlo is going through.

I will let you know when we find out about Carlo.

Boy this was a cheery post!

I will leave you with some politics. Lou Dobbs discusses the ridiculous media bias in favor of Obama, and against Hillary. Now, that is cheery! haha

Have a good one ya'll!

sounds like hillary's memories of bosnia were not far off...

2008-04-01T16:55:00.002+02:00

Yes, I cringe when I see the video of Hillary talking about the welcome ceremony being cancelled in Bosnia, and then clips of the actual ceremony. However, if you watch the news story from that trip, and read the articles that were written about her trip at the time, they pretty much support her story.

Thanks to hillbuzz.com again, for their wonderful work, I got this info from their site, who got the info from mydd.com.

News reports from 1996 support Hillary Clinton's experiences in Bosnia. Escorted by gunships in an armored helicopter, Hillary Clinton toured two fortified bases in what was a dangerous fighting area at the time.

Hillary's trip to Bosnia marked the first time since Eleanor Roosevelt that a first lady traveled to a potential combat zone. Accompanied by singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow and comedian Sinbad, Mrs. Clinton traveled to this northwestern Bosnian town on a morale-boosting tour for the 18,500 U.S. troops participating in the NATO-led peacemaking operation. She heard a poem of peace from a Bosnian girl and praised U.S. troops for 'showing what American leadership is.'...This trip to Bosnia marks the first time since Roosevelt that a first lady has voyaged to a potential combat zone. During World War II, Roosevelt toured the devastated streets of London and the southwestern Pacific, bringing cheer to U.S. troops. [Washington Post, 3/26/96]

Hillary was 'protected by sharpshooters' in a 'military zone' when she visited troops in Bosnia. "Protected by sharpshooters, Hillary Rodham Clinton swooped into a military zone by Black Hawk helicopter Monday to deliver a personal 'thank you, thank you, thank you' to U.S. troops. 'They're making a difference,' the first lady said of the 18,500 Americans working as peacekeepers in Bosnia. Mrs. Clinton became the first presidential spouse since Eleanor Roosevelt to make such an extensive trip into what can be considered a hostile area, though others have visited hot spots..." [Charleston Gazette, 3/26/96]

THE First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton, visited her country's troops at their fortified outposts in north-eastern Bosnia today and said their peacekeeping work was "extraordinary to behold". Mrs Clinton's helicopter flight to Camp Alicia, home of a mechanised infantry outfit and a combat engineer batallion 15 miles east of Tuzla, took her over burned out villages and farm houses whose roofs had been blown off in the fierce fighting before last December's Paris peace agreement ended the 43 -month-old war in Bosnia. A machine gun emplacement guarded the entrance of the outposts and marked Bosnian minefields were visible outside its perimeter....After lunch with the troops in a makeshift dining hall surrounded by sandbags, she flew on to Camp Bedrock south of Tuzla to visit an army field hospital. Mrs Clinton, who later returned to Tuzla for a show starring singer Sheryl Crow and comedian Sinbad, said she was "amazed at how much has been accomplished in such a short period of time" by US troops in Bosnia. Source - Lexis - The Herald (Glasgow), March 26, 1996

Protected by sharpshooters, Hillary Rodham Clinton swooped into a military zone by Black Hawk helicopter Monday to deliver a personal "thank you, thank you, thank you" to U.S. troops....But this was a day of celebration and celebrities - a day for the U.S. troops helping to uphold the Bosnian peace accord. Mrs. Clinton hosted a USO show with comedian Sinbad and singer Sheryl Crow and briefly addressed the gathering....But the highlight of her trip were visits to two fortified posts outside the U.S. base in Tuzla. Even President Clinton, restricted to the base by bad weather in January, did not see as much of this war-wracked region as Mrs. Clinton did Monday....Riflemen rushed to the brush line as the helicopter landed and surrounded her as she walked into the post. Located in a "separation zone," the U.S. outpost nestles between two tree lines. Just months ago, one was Serbian territory, the other Bosnian. Security was tight - fighter jets accompanied her C-17 cargo plane to Tuzla...Lexis - By RON FOURNIER, Associated Press, March 25, 1996

So, perhaps she was exaggerating her landing in Bosnia, or perhaps she had a *senior moment* (haha), or perhaps she just confused the arrival ceremony landing with the helicopter trip to the military zone, where she was in fact protected by sharpshooters.

I think it is laughable how much coverage this got, but the media all but ignored Obama and ALL of his mistatements and exaggerations - the Selma marches, his being a law professor, the nuclear leak bill, many other bills he took credit for, the senate forms, his community organizing efforts, his knowledge of Wright's comments, and when he knew them...

Well, with the media bias in favor of Obama, him receiving 83% positive news coverage to her 53% it is obvious why this got more coverage. The media is clearly pushing for Obama and pushing out Clinton.

buona pasqua!

2008-03-22T20:35:00.002+01:00

A Happy Easter message brought to you by Greta and Giuliano (my niece and nephew).

Buona Pasqua!

carlo is out of surgery

2008-03-05T09:59:00.004+01:00

Hey ya'll. Good news so far! Carlo has his surgery Tuesday. It was 11.5 hours long. The doctor said that they didn't touch anything vital, they didn't have to cut his facial nerves, and they didn't have to touch the spinal stem. Phew.

As of now, he is in a drug induced coma. Depending on his vital stats, they may begin to wake him up today. He will remain in ICU for a week. The first 48 hours are the most riskiest.

After the ICU, he will then be moved to the recovery area, and begin healing. The doctors said it is possible he will not recognize anyone, which is normal. After he is well enough, he will be transfered to a rehab facility. He will have to learn to walk and use his hands and things like that. He could remain there for 2-3 months.

Marcella, Franco's cousin the doctor, sat in on the surgery for a couple of hours. She said it was amazing to watch, and said the tumor was huge (and looked like fat) ewe. Giuis saw Carlo after the surgery, and he was full of tubes. I think that would be very hard to see. :O(

So, anyway. For now, everything looks good. Everyone is feeling a lot better. We went to see Carlo Monday night and he told Franco that he was really feeling the tumor, and its effects. He seemed pretty preoccupied. Did I tell you the doctors said the tumor has been growing for years?

So, memo to everyone, if you sense any symptoms, ringing in the ears, loss of balance, headaches, GO TO THE DOCTOR! Although, Carlo was kind of at a disadvantage because of a terrible motorcycle accident when he was 18, that left him with a ringing in his ear, and loss of hearing. Those existing conditions masked his symptoms of the tumor. Also, his fall off the roof led him to believe the loss of balance was that (which still means he should have gone to the doctor!) but he thought it was from that. NO ONE thought he had a tumor.

Thanks for asking, everyone, and your concern. I will keep you posted. :O)

as the world turns...

2008-02-29T14:47:00.003+01:00

I haven't been posting much. We have been running around, worrying about Franco's brother Carlo. Not sure if you remember when I blogged about Carlo falling off the roof of their mountain cabin, and hitting his head? Well, a couple months after that, he fell again while hiking, and hit his head. For months now, his equilibrium has been wacky, his right side has lost some sensation, he has developed uncontrollable hand shakes, he started talking like he had a mouth full of cotton, he has had some nausea, then he started saying he had a bitter taste in his mouth.

His symptoms have worsened over time. And of course, like most men, he refused to go to the doctor. Being the doom and gloom person that I am, I googled all kinds of info on head traumas, and the symptoms. I told him that he needed to see a doctor immediately, because at the moment, he was *fine*, but if he had an aneurism or something erupts, or worsens, he could end up an invalid or something, and have to be taken care of by his parents. (yes, I was using scare tactics and guilt.) But, I am sorry, you have to go to the doctor if you think you have brain damage!

Well, the other day he felt very dizzy, and nauseous, and did not want to drive. So, Franco went to pick him up and bring him home. He was visited by a doctor at home, and she said he should schedule a CAT scan. Carlo still did not feel a sense of urgency, (but of course, I kept pushing everyone saying he should be taken to the emergency room!) It can take 10-15 days to get a CAT scan. Franco has a friend who has a brother who is the head of the CAT program at the hospital, so we figured we could get him in faster.

Well, the next day, Giacomo called his own doctor and told him about Carlo's symptoms. The Dr. said to have Carlo come in immediately. He examined CArlo and wanted to do a CAT scan immediately. They found a tumor. They said it was not from the fall. They wanted to do an MRI immediately. Carlo and his mom were put in an ambulance, taken to another hospital for the MRI. They confirmed it was a tumor and he needed to see a neurosurgeon immediately. So, they put him into an ambulance, and took him to the hospital in Bergamo. The doctor said it appears to be a benign brain tumor, operable, and they will probably operate Monday. The tumor is the size of a softball, and has been growing, and pushing against the back of the brain, cerebellum. (it is between from behind his ear to the middle of the back of the neck). The doctors said it was 90% going to be ok.

Everyone was very upset. I felt so bad for his mom and dad. Franco and Giacomo, felt so guilty about Carlo falling off the roof, so I was glad that the fall was not to blame - the fall has nothing to do with the tumor. And even better news, is that they believe it to be benign. The only concern we have is how the tumor is attached. Depending on what it is attached to could determine any long term damage, and recovery, and the ability to remove it all.

It was a scary few days, and emotions were flying. But for now, at least the prognosis is positive. I mean, it is never good news to hear someone has a brain tumor, but benigin helps. I will keep you posted, as we know more. For now, he is in the hospital, and will be there until the surgery, and perhaps 10 days after. Then perhaps 2 months of recovery.

On a side note, I have to say, the hospitals were very proactive, and responsive. They performed all of those procedures in one day, and very professionally and thoroughly. Also, with all of Franco's friends and relatives in the medical field, I think every doctor in Lombaria knows about Carlo's condition, and will be checking up on him...

crime novelist doug preston on meredith's murder

2008-02-13T16:33:00.003+01:00

Here is an interesting article on the murder of Meredith Kercher, and the suspects.

"Doug Preston is only too familiar with Judge Giuliano Mignini, the pubblico ministero (public prosecutor) holding UW honor student Amanda Knox, her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Rudy Guede as suspects in the Nov. 1 murder of foreign exchange student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy.

Preston is a journalist as well as a New York Times best-selling novelist and "student of crime."

His newest work, The Monster of Florence, is a nonfiction tale about the infamous serial killer who plagued Florence during the 1970s and 1980s. Preston's book about this killer, who was never caught, will hit stores in June."

He does not believe Amanda or her bf had anything to do with the killing.

They were talking about DNA evidence today on the news, but I didn't catch it all. Franco said it was nothing new. Who knows. The case continues...

history in the making

2008-01-31T18:46:00.001+01:00

It just dawned on me, with the dropping out of Edwards, we are down to two candidates - Hillary and Obama. For the first time in history, we will nominate either a woman or an african american. How cool is that?

I have been spending a lot of time on HuffPo, and was getting SOOO irritated. There is so much infighting between Dem supporters, it is gross. I find the Obama supporters particularly rude on nasty on that site. There are rude Clintons supporters as well, but I find the worst being on the side of Obama. The Hillary haters are the absolute worst.

The one sided attacks towards Hillary from Obama supporters has made me so pissed off, I probably will not vote for him, should he win the nomination. I already said I would not vote for him on the site, after reading some supporters call Hillary the c word, a ho, a bitch, war monger, and worse.

I really dislike the extreme left and right. I am much happier in the middle. There are some wacked out leftys and wacked out rightys. I care about candidates who care about people, and issues I am concerned with.

I support equal rights for womens, gays and minorities - human rights! I support a work for welfare program (doubt that will ever happen) universal healthcare, veterans rights, seperation of church and state. I am pro-choice, support death penalty (in extreme cases), gun rights but with background checks, and a waiting period. I am strong in my support of education, and feel that schools should be improved and equal across the nation (against no child left behind and vouchers). I care about the environment, and want us to get off foreign oil. We need alternative fuels, and hybrid cars (why american automakers are not pumping out hybrids baffles me - well, except for the oil lobby pressure...). I support gay adoption and civil unions. I care about immigration and think we need to fix and help the 12 million we have allowed in to work. I support stem cell research (and believe that the opposition stems from pharmaceutical companies who do not want us to cure these diseases). I think we need to do something drastic about the obesity problem. I also think we need to return the news to a public forum, and take it out of the hands of the private few. I also think we need to examine why we have so many kids on drugs (prescription drugs) and so many people dying of cancer. And I care about improving our image around the world, and repairing relations with the muslim world. I am against school prayer. I believe Cheney should be impeached. I think people need stores like Wal-mart, people with low incomes, but I also think we need to restore small towns, and businesses. I think we need to help farmers, and convert fields to corn and hemp and other useful products. I think we need to figure out why we have welfare, but "gave away" 12 million jobs because they were jobs that "no one wanted". I also think we need to fix the way presidential candidates campaign, and the millions that are spent, campaign reform. I would like to have a stand on Israel/Palestine conflict, but I can never get my head around it. The emotions there are too high, and over my head. I just wish they could all get along and end their waring and suffering. Why can't they combine the two countries, and make it Palsrael or something, with a mixed govenrnment and share the land?

I am sure there are more things, I just can't remember any at the moment. I have a cold.

So, anyway. I can't wait for Super Duper Tuesday or whatever it is called. I hope Hillary gets the nomination! I voted already! I hope ya'll vote, no matter for who! Vote vote vote.

crafty goodness in a day

2008-01-25T18:10:00.001+01:00

I was in the mood to do some crafting today, but lord knows I have ENOUGH hats and scarves. haha So, I decided to finally make a pillow using the other two napkins I had left over from my snowman pillow project.

It is very easy to make, and like I said, finished in a day. Gotta love that. :O)

Materials:

2 napkins with crocheted borders

pillow form

felt

fabric glue

thread

needle

And if you are feeling really fancy, the Bejeweler to add sparkle.

I decided to do hearts for the upcoming Valentines Day holiday. I cut the hearts using a heart photo frame I have, and layered them, glueing them together. Then I did a blanket stitch around the square piece of felt to attach the decoration to the napkin. I also used the Bejeweler and just randomly added pink rhinstones to the heart. (They are sparkly in person) I used my tiny pink $25 sewing machine to close the three sides, and hand sewed the final edge. Simple huh? I probably could have done more blanket stitch, like around the hearts, but I cut corners.

Do you likey? Now I want to Bejewel my jeans or something. I am worried about how they hold up in the wash...

heath ledger passed away

2008-01-23T15:35:00.002+01:00

Shocker of the year. I turned on my computer last night, and was shocked. This comes so out of the blue. Yes I know people die every day, and tragedy strikes everyone. It was just so unexpected.

Hollywood has always had their scandals, tragic deaths, tumultuous stars and their troubles, but I never heard anything like that surrounding Heath. (Brad Renfro's death was not a shock, sad, but not a shock. Anna Nicole, not a shock.) It reminded me of hearing about River, when he died. I think that is why it was such a shock and it is sad. I feel sad for his daughter, and his ex-gf Michelle Williams.
At this point they do not know what caused his death, whether it was related to his pneumonia, or an accidental overdose, or suicide, or what... (they just said the autopsy is complete, but there was nothing concrete, and won't know anything for about 10 days.)
One thing I know is that it seems to be extremely hard for these young people to live in a fishbowl. I really think they need to make some laws to protect stars from the paps. It is out of control. I also think they (Hollywood heads) need to have some kind of counseling for their stars through their careers. I can't think it would be easy for anyone to have that life.

If anything I hope this is a wake up call to the other young celebs out there - Amy Winehouse, Britney, Lindsey...

On a weird side note, I couldn't help but notice that on Monday it was MLK day, who was assasinated on my birthday. And then on Tuesday, Heath died, who was born on my birthday. Not saying that means anything at all, I just happened to notice it.

For news in Italy, the Napoli trash *crisis* is still continuing. The residents are starting to get restless. Perhaps the problem will get so bad that they will finally DO something about it - like allow a trash dump site to be built, or start recycling. Oh, and Grande Fratello started. wooo

I am still glued to the presidential race. Still lovin Hillary. I am excited to see what happens in SC.

new information on merediths murder in perugia

2008-01-16T18:05:00.000+01:00

There hasn't been much new news, until recently, regarding the murder of Meredith. Police released images of her apartment, which are quite bloody and horrible. I am not going to post them, but if you want to see them, they are here.

As much as I want to believe that it was a horrible mistake, and the three suspects did not mean to kill her, the images show a very gruesome scene. It is hard to believe that there is not a cover up...

There is also a long article here, that someone wrote about Amanda. It is interesting how much more media she gets then the other two, still.

I am still suprised that no one has flipped on the others. That makes me believe all the more that all three were involved. I still feel so sorry for the families. This has got to be rough.

snow day pics

2008-01-15T16:19:00.001+01:00

Finally I am getting around to posting the pictures from our sledding day. There was so much snow, it was so pretty. I have been too engrossed in the political race to post anything lately. I have been putting all my energies into writing on HuffPo...

Right before her wipe-out.

Vittoria had a little trouble throwing snowballs... hehe

This is a tree covered in ice. It was very pretty.

Hope all is well with ya'll. :O) Enjoy the pics.

thank god jon stewart is back

2008-01-09T23:55:00.000+01:00

hillary wins nh!

2008-01-09T12:58:00.000+01:00

I stayed up until 6am this morning watching the numbers roll in for the NH primary. I am so sleepy! haha But I am very excited that Hillary won. And I know the media is full of idiots.

After Hillary lost in Iowa, the reporters basically had Hillary firing her entire staff, called her broke, said she was skipping out on other primary states, and basically handed the nomination to Obama. The polls as late as yesterday gave the victory to Obama.

Well, I was quite pleased to see it go to Hillary, although not suprised. Bill and Jimmy both lost Iowa, and went on the get the nomination, and win the White House. Bill only got 3%, and Jimmy came in second behind undecideds! Every other candidate (since the 70's) that won in Iowa, lost the national election. I am not so sure the Iowa caucas is that relevant of a predictor for the national election...

So, how the hell did ALL of these pundits, pollsters and "experts" get it SOOO wrong? I wish people would do their jobs, and not just jump on band wagons, and repeat talking points. Annoying. I think anyone who cared to analyze the past elections could have predicted a more accurate outcome.

Due to lack of sleep, I don't have much else to say. haha I have some photos to post of our sledding trip the other day. We took Vittoria sledding in the mountains near here, and it was snowing so hard, it was lovely. I will post those later today or tomorrow.

For now, I am doing my happy dance for Hillary. It was cool to watch history being made - the first woman who may become President win in a primary, and also the first African American. (But I am rooting for Hillary.)

buon anno!

2008-01-02T18:41:00.000+01:00

Another year come and gone. Boy, it is true what they say, time flies when you get older. (people say that, don't they?) I can't believe it is almost 2010. Where are the flying cars? Silver space suits? Robot maids?

Franco and I had a fun New Years Eve. We went to dinner at one of our favorite places, had yummy homemade pastas and steaks and some good red sparkling wine. Afterwards we went to his uncles and had dessert and champagne at midnight. The next day we vegged out all day, and watched movies. My kind of day!

So, tomorrow is the Iowa caucus. I can't stand it! I can't wait to see who wins. I do think they should change the way the Dems caucas in Iowa, though.

It snowed a little today, and is supposed to snow more tonight. Maybe we will wake up to a mountain of snow tomorrow! If so, I will take pics.

Oh, and good news for lovers of France - no more smoking indoors! God, I am so glad! Now, if only Germany and Austria would sign up for the ban, traveling would greatly improve! Eating in German restaurants is SO stinky.

Alrighty, off to prepare dinner. Hope you all had a ring-ding-dingy good time this new years eve, and have a wonderful new year!

hello hello

2007-12-28T15:19:00.000+01:00

I finally decided to try out skype, internet phone calling, yesterday. We were at the mall and saw a headset for the computer so we bought it. It came with 200 minutes of free calling. I called my mom this morning, and it worked great. I feel a little bit like an operator or a NASA employee with my headset on, but it is nice to be able to call for free! Yeah!

We also bought a new printer yesterday. This one scans, and has slots for all kinds of camera memory cards. Now we can print tons of photos and make scans and do all kinds of fancy things. haha

Today we had taco salad for lunch, with real sour cream. Ahhh life is good. HA

Have a great Friday, ya'll.
Ciao!

buon natale e felice anno nuovo!

2007-12-22T12:26:00.000+01:00

Hope you all have a safe, and happy holiday and a wonderful new year!

And if you are flying somewhere, remember, 3 oz.! haha

five days to go!

2007-12-20T18:19:00.000+01:00

I can't believe Christmas is in five days! I finally wrapped our presents and put them under the tree. It is looking pretty festive around here now. (Usually I am very prepared, make my own Christmas cards, and have shopped all year long. I was a slacker this year.)

Yesterday I went to my sister in laws house for the twins birthday party. I made them some presents, and we made them some dvds, and I also bought them some toys for learning english. I was mobbed when I walked in the house. They were so funny, pulling at my bags of presents. They turned two, and they already get the whole present thing! haha

I made a bunch of my Christmas gifts this year. I made Christmas Cards for my in-laws, using a picture of their cabins in the moutains, all covered in snow. It turned out very cute. I also made posters and t-shirts for my Seattle niece and nephew, that I loved. I am posting the pics now, since they already opened the package! I said to wait! hehe I changed Zo's bike to green, to match the Grave Digger Monster truck.
Online photo shops, like Kodak, make it really easy to make gifts for people. You jsut have to upload your photos, and pic the type of gift you want, and they do it. Fast and easy! I made my dad a calendar too. And a photo book for my FIL with pics of his cabin that he built.

Here are the silly toys I made for the twins - I ran out of time, so I had to improvise a toy for Greta. The little octopus is actually a small hat that I had already made, and I just stuffed it, and put eyes and a bow on it. Came out kind of cute. The beauty of two year olds is that they are not that picky. haha The little catepillar thingy was super easy to make. The kids all liked that one.
In other news....Italy news has been talking about America, saying that everyone is giving up on Christmas. The news said that spending is way down, charitable donations are way down, and so are decorations and parties, and everything. I haven't read anything about that in the US news. What is going on? I think people are in a funk from the war, the soldiers away from home, all the Bush controversy, the mortgage crisis, China toys being poisonous, etc. However, the news keeps reporting that the economy is growing and doing great, that the war is improving, etc. I think the proof is in the people.

Anyway...off to start dinner.
peace!

italy in a funk...?

2007-12-14T12:57:00.000+01:00

I decided to make this a post, instead of a comment, because it was getting rather long. It is a reply to Alan, and others about this article, about Beppe Grillo and Italy.

So, to answer Alan, yes, I can understand why the people are protesting. Honestly, I am not really affected by it. Sure, people grumble about taxes or the new president or a new law, but overall I do not see a lot of organized protest here.

Am I in a well to do area of Italy? Well, not really, I am not sure. haha We are in a small little town, which is, I have heard, more pricey then some others in the area, mostly because of location (homes further out, cost less, just like suburbs of Seattle). But, it is a small little town, just like all the others around here. I have read that Bergamo is one of the most expensive cities around, as far as costs and housing. When I travel around Italy, Bergamo or my little paese don't seem any more or less fancy then any where else in Italy.

Naples and the southern region tends to be poorer, and the south, in general, pays fewer taxes, more people work in the black, and food and housing are a lot cheaper. (These are things I hear from the people in the north, so if it is not true, don't blame me.) ahhaah You also have problems with the mafia down south.

I have heard of people wanting to split Italy, north from south, because so much of the money from the north goes to the south. That seems to be a common complaint up here. The tax euros flow south, and then they end up in corrupt hands, and are wasted.

The northerners also say that N. Italians are workaholics, and the Southern peeps are way more laid back, don't work as hard, etc. I think that is why, if you read expat blogs, I am always happy with the postal system, services, etc. Here, things gets done. Down south, expats complain a lot more about service. I kind of liken it to, as an example, the difference between San Francisco and San Diego. Or New York vs. Mississippi (example of southern place) The northern colder cities seem to be way more work driven where those in the warmer climates tend to be more laid back. Not that people don't work hard down in the south, it is just a more laid back attitude, a slower way of life. I know in San Diego, we were pretty laid back, with the beach down the street.

My husband was quite astonished watching a program about how far Italy is behind the rest of the world in production of basically everything. Italy is famous for many things, few of which originated or started in Italy, but they have perfected them - like pizza, tomatoes, coffee, pasta - so perhaps with the influx of exports, it is harder for italy to stay ahead. The car companies have struggled, too. But now there is a huge push with the Made in Italy brand, which I think is great!

The older I get, the more I see how dependent I am/we are as Americans on stuff. We replace things so much easier, as opposed to getting things fixed, like they do here. We definitely are more consumer-ish in the US, than here, although that is changing. Italy is the #3 buyer of IWC watches in the world!

At then end of the day, it seems Italy is becoming more modernized, but the faster some things are introduced, the harder it is for Italy to catch up. Prices are rising, things are getting very expensive, but salaries remain very low. People are getting married later, having kids later, and fewer kids, and divorce is on the rise. Many mothers are working now, so day cares are more popular and more expensive, more and more prepared foods are coming in, more people are using them, and people are getting fatter. People are living longer. Both of these can put a strain on the health system. Every kid in italy has a cell phone, and they are filming themselves in school, and all the hooliganism! haha (I love that word) It seems the schools are losing control of the kids, education is suffering. But teachers have no control to suspend or expel kids. Years ago, you could retire after 20 years working, so there are many people on the pension system, that started drawing a pension at 40 years old. There are supermarkets here now, so, yes that puts a strain on the little shop owners. Luckily, there are many elder people who still frequent the local shops. The prices are not really higher at the small shops, it is just more convenient to go to a market, and get everything you need vs. going to 5 stores. More businesses are getting online, but there is still a far way to go, in comparison.

There is a lot of attention paid to immigrants, and stories about how poor they are, and can't find housing, and can't find jobs, etc. But then many Italians come forward, who make less money, can't find jobs, and can't afford housing. The immigration population is expanding, but Italians are not making ends meet themselves. The euro is a big problem for everyone. What once was 10,000 lira is now 10 euro, not 5 euro, as it should be. So, over the last few years, prices doubled.

Like the article said regarding pharmacies - you still have to buy all your apirin and over the counter medicines from a pharmacist, and they are expesive. Twenty aspirin costs almost $6. They finally added a pharmacy inside a supermarket, but you still have to get the over the counter drugs form the pharmacist, and they still cost a lot.

Italy is still very heavily controlled by the older folks. The TV personalities are all old men (and young half naked girls) the politicians are old, those in power are old. So, you have a lot of old attitudes. Italy is growing more moderinzed in some areas, but is still lagging in others. The younger, newer generations of Italians want modernization and growth, but I think it is harder for the older people. So, what do you do? B'oh. haha Maybe the younger people need to step and get the power away from the older ones. They say that so much depends, when seatching for a job, on who you know. I think many of the bosses are older, and have been around forever. It is hard to make changes, when you have oak trees in power.

You know, one thing I see as a problem, is Venice. Venice used to be one of the most unique places in the world. Now it is full of tourists, hotels, and glass shops. Locals complain because it is overrun with tourists. I complain because it is overrun with glass shops. The charm of Venice was it's unique streets, shops and restaurants. Now, it is commerciallized and crowded. SO, who do you blame? Venice blames the tourists. Well, personally, I blame the city. The more hotels you build, the more people can stay there. The more unique shops you take out, to install a crappy glass shop, that sells the SAME stuff as the other 200 stores, is a shame. The more crappy tourist trap restaurants that come in, ruin the atmosphere. The more ferry boats and taxiboats you allow up and down the canals furthere detroys the ambiance, the water, and the structures. I understand that people want to take advantage of the influx of tourists, and everyone wants to make a buck, but that is what will ruin Venice. The city needs to limit the amount of new hotels, restaurants and shops that it has. And taxis and ferries. Otherwise they are ruining their city. So, do you have a city trying to modernize, or a city overrun by greed?

In any major city in Italy you will now see McDonalds and The Gap. Younger Italians love it. Most American expats hate it. (I personally like it) haha The younger generations of Italy want more choices, want the newest things, and want modernization. It is hard for many (mostly Americans) to see italy turn into another America - because they want italy to stay how it was. I think it is possible to have both, you just have to protect certain things, i.e Venice's historical essence. You also have to get rid of the system of *it's all about who you know*. It makes it very unfair for people trying to find jobs, buy homes, and get services.

Like Beppe said in the article, “to change your ways means changing your individual ways: refusing certain compromises, to start paying your taxes, don’t ask for favors when you are looking for a job, not to cheat when your child is trying to reach admission to university.”

While Italians bitch and moan about the system, they still partake in it. If people complain about certain things, like pensions, or roads, or whatever, but still get paid in the black, they are screwing themselves. If people complain about the pollution, trash, and graffiti, but toss a soda can out the window, or spit their gum on the ground, or spray paint on the David, they are screwing themselves. If people have a city full of trash, but complain when a new trash plant is going to be built in their city (even if it is because of the mafia), they are screwing themselves. If people complain about the difficulty in finding jobs, but only hire people they know, or only interview with friends, they are screwing themselves. If people cheat the system to get their kids to pass a medical school entrance exam, they are screwing themselves. If people complain that Venice has becoming to touristy, but build hundreds of new hotels, and glass shops and run more and more water buses and cabs, they are only screwing yourselves. If you are going to complain about someone driving on your ass, or driving too slow, or driving too fast, you can't do the same thing, the next day. And you can't complain that no one will let you *in* but the next day, not allow anyone infront of you. And you can't complain about the lack of a line, but then cut infront of everyone the next time. And if you are going to complain about all the doggy doo on the sidewalk, you can't let your dog poop there the next day. So, I guess you can't complain in one breath, but perpetuate the problem in the other.

I am sure I am going to rile someone up for this post, but I am only answering questions. These are my opinions, based on the article. SO, if you think I am wrong about something, don't get upset. These are my impressions, based on my experience living here.

I have posted this before, but I will again. It is a funny look at the difference between Italians and the rest of Europe. Click here.

amanda

2007-12-13T12:54:00.000+01:00

I keep forgetting to write about this. My mom has a friend at work, that she carpools with, well, her sister is friends with Amanda's mom. Small world huh? I don't know any real scoop, other then Amanda was in interrogation for 14 hours the first night. Her mom said that is why Amanda's story was so all over the place. She didn't have food, or anything to drink, and couldn't use the bathroom the whole time. She said Amanda was saying anything just to get them to leave her alone.

That is all the inside scoop I got. haha I feel sorry for her mom. You know she believes her daughter is innocent, but I really wonder if she is. The thing I am suprised about is that no one has flipped on the other person/people yet. I would think if you were innocent, or partially innocent, you would flip. Makes you wonder...

Anyway, I kept forgetting to mention that.

go elf yourself

2007-12-07T17:10:00.000+01:00

Click to enjoy!

home improvements

2007-12-07T15:14:00.000+01:00

I always get in the mood to do home repairs/improvements this time of year. I think the thought of filling the house with Christmas decorations makes me want to get super organized.

So, this year we got new shelves for my recipe books and kitchen aid. I am loving my new shelves! (Little things make me happy.) ahah Here is a pic. The weird reflection on the wall is from our frige.

I also asked Franco for a new bathroom sink and mirror for Christmas. We just have a pedestal sink, and I want a cool cabinet thing. I also want a new mirror/medicine cabinet. The one we have is u-g-l-y. We bought it out of desperation when we first moved in.

Well, he came through! We picked up the order yesterday. Now, I am patiently waiting till this weekend for him to install them. YEAH! Once all that is done, I will put up the tree and finish decorating. I will post pics too.

In other news, I am watching all this Bush/NIE staff unfold. Man, how much more can they do until they get impeached.

Oh, and here is a wedding video for your enjoyment. These are SO my kind of people!

franco's tiramisu recipe

2007-11-30T02:24:00.000+01:00

I thought I would share Franco's recipe for Tiramisu, since the holidays are coming up. I have seen lots of Americanized versions online, most with alcohol (which I have never seen here?), so I wanted to share my favorite recipe! :O)

INGREDIENTI:

500 G Mascarpone*

150 G Lady Fingers or Pavesini

3 Eggs (3 yolks, 2 whites)

2 1/2 spoons sugar

Caffé (make espresso, and let cool) about 3-5 shots

Cacao Powder

1 pinch salt

Beat the yolks with sugar, add the mascarpone and whip until creamy.

Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt, until peaks form. Add to mascarpone.

To make your bottom layer, very quickly dip the cookies in the espresso, and layer in the dish.

Once bottom layer is down, add a layer of the mascarpone.

Now, another layer of cookies. The further up you go, the more you want to soak the cookies (always quickly, a couple seconds per side). The coffee tends to run down the layers, and the top can get dry. You also don't want the cookies on the bottom to be super soggy.

Do about 5 or 6 layers. Finish the top layer with mascarpone. Then top the cake with the cacao. And chill. You can also add fresh whipped cream, before the cacao, if you really want to go wild. However, keep in mind the tiramisu won't keep as fresh, as long with fresh whip cream. You should add the whipped cream right before serving, if you choose to add it. Buon appetito!

*the brand matters. a bad mascarpone can be the death of your tiramisu. Franco recommends Optimus brand.

Franco making Tiramisu for my 40th birthday at his moms house

beautiful girls

2007-11-28T18:47:00.000+01:00

I just watched that movie (beautiful girls), for about the 10th time. I love that movie. It stars Natalie Portman, Uma Thurman, Rosie O'Donnel, Timothy Hutton, Michael Rappaport, David Arquette, Matt Dillon, Mira Sorvino, Lauren Holly, Annabeth Gish, Martha Plimpton. It was made in 1996 and takes place right after the holidays. Timothy Huttons characted comes home for a high school reunion.

It is one of my favorite films. I don't know why, I just really like it. The reason for the post is that I was thinking how much I would love to see Beutiful Girls 2, now. Can you imagine getting that cast together again for a film? I would love it! I also wached a Christmas movie today, that my mom sent me, called The Christmas Shoes with Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams (who I really like). It was kind of cheesy in parts, and could have used some better dialogue, but man, what a tear jerker!! Not a light plotline.

I love Christmas movies. I think I almost always cry when I watch them. haha Next I want to watch the Muppets Christmas Carol. Now THAT is a funny film. :O)

happy turkey day!

2007-11-22T15:11:00.001+01:00

Hope your day is filled with family, fun and lots o' pumpkin pie!

patrick lumumba - released

2007-11-20T19:46:00.000+01:00

Patrick has been released.

"Lumumba Diya has just been released from the Capanne prison. He was one of the three investigated for the murder of Meredith Kercher. Lumumba was accompanied by two lawyers who wanted to welcome their clients, because it is "a historic moment everybody was waiting for". The man from Zaire hasn't made any statements apart from "I thank God for helping me", he got into a car and drove away from the prison."

That is really good news for him as his family.

fourth suspect in perugia murder - caught

2007-11-20T12:59:00.000+01:00

Here is an updated article on the Perugia murder of Meredith.

"In an already shocking case, the shocking details just keep on coming. Police in the Italian city of have now issued an arrest warrant for a fourth suspect in the "extreme sex” murder of 21-year-old British student . The wanted man is 21-year-old Rudy Hermann Guede, an immigrant from the Ivory Coast who authorities say has spent most of his life in Italy. According to investigators, Guede's blood-soaked fingerprints were found on a pillowcase in Kercher's bedroom and on a piece of toilet tissue in the bathroom of the house Kercher shared with , the 20-year-old Seattle student held in connection with the murder...."

The story goes into detail, and it is pretty gross and sad. And this guy definitely looks scary. To me, this guy fits the profile, more so then Patrick. (yes, I think I am *dick f%#&ing tracy*.) He makes more sense as a suspect, with his background.

UPDATE:
A man from Ivory Coast wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said. Rudy Hermann Guede, 21, was arrested on an international warrant in the western German city of Mainz while traveling by bus to southern Germany, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press.

perugia murder mystery

2007-11-19T17:04:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted anything about this yet, mostly because I think you are all getting the same news we are. Lacking anything else to blog about, I thought I would add my 2 cents to the murder mystery. I feel sad for the parents of both Meredith and Amanda. How sad that they both sent their daughters off to Italy, and one ended up murdered and the other accused. How does that happen??

I definitely think Amanda is guilty of something. Obviously she had help, but she was involved. I can only assume that drugs and alcohol and her new boy friend were all factors. It sounds like she was a normal girl back in Seattle. Perhaps she and Rafaelo were a very bad combination together....a bit like Sid and Nancy. I think he is definitely guilty too.

I do not think that Patrick is guilty. He just doesn't fit in the picture to me. Why would a 37 year old guy be hanging with these 20 year olds? He is married, has a baby, owns a bar and is a musician. It seems like he had a lot going for him. The only reason I could think he would be with them was if he was a drug dealer. But I think he was falsely accused. That is just my gut feeling. Also, they have not found any evidence to connect him to the house.

Today they released the name of a new suspect. He is from the Ivory Coast, and a known drug dealer. His finger prints were found in Meredith's bedroom. There is a lot of evidence against him apparently. He fits the profile of the guy they can see on a surveillance camera, and witnesses - a black musician looking guy. He has disappeared and police are trying to locate him.

Why Amanda named Patrick and not this other guy is beyond me. Perhaps she was afraid to name a drug dealer because she didn't want it discovered that she knew him. Who knows? Was she too high, and got the two confused? Patrick had sent her a text message earlier in the day to say not to come to work. She replied "See you later", which police thought meant that they had plans. I think she was just saying "see ya later" like we always do, instead of "bye".

Many Italians have come forward to defend Patrick, and say that they think he is innocent. I only hope if he is, in fact innocent, that he is released soon, and doesn't lose his business.

Here is a pretty good article I read today, with a lot of detail. No doubt about it, it is a sad story and a very strange one as well.

Bravo Atalanta!

2007-11-14T15:18:00.000+01:00

Not sure if you have heard about the shooting and subsequent riots that have happened this past week in Italy. (If you live in italy, obviously you have!)

What happened, you ask? Well, last Sunday, at an Autogrill stop on the highway, two groups of soccer fans, heading to different games, got into a fight. This was another fight in a long history of fan violence. A policeman saw the fight and apparently fired a warning shot, but then shot again, and killed Gabriele Sandri, a Lazio soccer fan, while he was sitting in his car. The completely baffeling part is that the cop who shot was on the other side of the highway! Why in the hell a cop would shoot his gun, across a highway, at a group of people is beyond reason. That is completely and utterly bewildering. The policeman is obviously at fault for the shooting. (They are still investigating exactly what happened, but so far, reports are that there was a fight, the cops turned on their sirens, and fired a warning shot. There are a few witnesses that say he shot with his arms straight out, he says he fired a warning shot, then started to run and fired accidently again. I don't think the gun should have ever been drawn.)

However, there is the fact that the police would not have had to intervene if there was not a fight happening in the parking lot. Read more here. Video story here.

For as long as I have been in Italy, there have been fights, riots, and complete and utter destruction and violence surrounding soccer matches. The fact that this young man ended up dead is not entirely the fault of the police. All of the *fans* that have partaken in this form of terrorism must take responsibility.

Gabriele Sandri was an innocent victim, but their have been many innocent victims in this repeated soccer violence. What about the innocent people at the Autogrill who could have been shot, or injured in the fight, or the residents in the towns where these fights and riots break out, and the non-violent fans at the stadiums? Is it fair that people wake to discover their cars have been torched, their stores vandalized, their neighborhoods burned? Tragically it has now escalated to the point where people are getting killed. (A cop was killed last year during a riot, and 40 were hospitalized Sunday. One woman last year took her 16 year old son to a game, and was shot in the face with a fire cracker rocket.)

But, instead of learning a lesson from this death, the *fans* around Italy broke out in riots, once again. From Bergamo to Rome, mobs of *fans* took to the streets, burning cars, buses, attacking police stations, and soccer stadiums. Making this death all in vain. It is very unfortunate that the *fans* didn't take it upon themselves, to honor the fact that *one of them was killed* and vow to end the violence, and stop this idiotic team on team violence.

The President of Italy made a statement the other day, "'What the whole world saw yesterday on television was not Italy' Giorgio Napolitano urges people to see that our country is not represented by the images of hooligans attacking a police station. "It is important not to confuse our country with those images, that violence", said the Italian President. "One shouldn't confuse something very negative with Italy", he repeated.'"

But, I am sorry, I have seen theses riots happening over and over again. Why should we think that is not representative of Italian soccer? I do not know one person who feels safe enough to go to a soccer game. My father in law is a fan, and would love to go to the games, but is afraid. My brother in law is a fan, but could never take his kids to a game. None of our friends go. Basically, the *fans* of soccer have terrorized anyone but hooligans from ever going to games.

When images are shown on tv of groups of fans going into the games, they look like the rioters from the WTO riots in Seattle. With thier faces covered they are an intimidating group of people, to say the least. So is it fair that they scare away all *normal* fans? Some articles I have read say that it is a small number of fans who are violent, and they are called Ultras, but to watch the news, it looks like all the fans are that way. And that is enough to keeps kids, and familes away from the stadiums.

After every one of these riots, watching the news, I get pissed and ask Franco why the soccer teams don't do PSA's and demand that their "fans" stop the violence. They should tell their "fans" that they do not want fans like that. They should banned from the games. They should speak out and say that they are not fans of theirs! They are criminals.

Well, today, it happened! The Bergamo Atalanta team took out a full page in the paper, with a letter to all the *fans* that participate in violence, and said, "We don't want you!". "We, the coach and the players, feel the moral duty to support our president Ivan Ruggeri against the vandals that have caused the incidents at the stadium in Bergamo, which has caused shame to the city. We don't want those vandals nor in the stadium, nor in our training sessions, we only want the fans and the support of the true sports lovers, who have gone against the behaviour of that minority."

And I just want to say, "About time and way to go!!"

And what I want to know is, why do these *fans* have such hatred towards the other *fans*. Isn't a sports match supposed to be about fun, and sportsmanship? Fans have nothing, NOTHING, to do with a team - they are not responsible when a team loses, and they are not responsible when a team wins. And athletes are paid to do their job. They work for a team. Sure, some love the sport, and love their team, but in most team sports players are traded all the time. They go where the job and the money are. Most are loyal to their careers, and to their salaries. One soccer player transfered to another team recently and the fans acted like he commited treason. And, aren't there a lot of soccer players that aren't even Italian? So, why this crazy, nonsensical loyalty? Sure, it is fun to love your team, and support them, and go to the games. But this violent rivalry with other fans is utterly ridiculous. Because I am sure if you ask most athletes, they don't get it either.

I think it is normal for rival fans to tease one another about certain players or whatever, but it is ridiculous to be so violent and out of control over something that is utterly out of their control.

I think it would be a grand gesture to the family and memory of Gabriele Sandri to vow to end this stupid "ultra" radicalism, and return sportmanship to the sport. My condolences to the family. It was indeed a tragedy.

happy veteran's day...?

2007-11-11T00:56:00.000+01:00

President George W. Bush paid a visit on Thursday to soldiers maimed or badly burned in combat in Iraq and said his administration is determined to mend the US system of caring for veterans.

The visit to the Brooke Army Medical Centre in Texas, came amid criticism of the treatment and after-care of the thousands of troops injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hundreds of men and women are recovering from horrific wounds at the centre, which opened in January and is entirely privately funded, from over 600,000 people, who donated $45 million.

The president admitted: "We have an outdated system that can bog down some of those recovering in a maze of bureaucracy and that's what happened at Walter Reed," he said, referring to the Army medical centre in Washington, which has been at the centre of concerns and was the subject of a presidential commission of inquiry.
"There were serious problems caused by bureaucratic delays and administration failures, and that is unacceptable," Mr Bush said.

Out of uniform and on the street.

Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population....Some advocates say such an early presence of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan at shelters does not bode well for the future. It took roughly a decade for the lives of Vietnam veterans to unravel to the point that they started showing up among the homeless. Advocates worry that intense and repeated deployments leave newer veterans particularly vulnerable....

An exerpt from Broken Skull:

...So this veteran’s day, don’t just thank us for our service. Honor us for our service. Find out what political candidates are strong on issues for returning veterans, such as; healthcare, education, job placement and mental health assistance. Write a letter to your local elected official demanding that they support the VA and all veterans. Find out what you can do to help with the growing numbers of homeless veterans, whether it is something as small as donating clothing to a local shelter that aids veterans. It may sound like a lot. It isn’t when you consider the sacrifices we made fighting for this country, and the sacrifices many of us make when we continue to fight our issues and injuries when we get home.

I wish all the Veteran's a day that will bring about the change they so desperately need.

whaaaaaaaaaat?

2007-11-09T16:45:00.000+01:00

I just heard Christmas music on the Today show, and they are talking about the tree they found for Rockefeller Center.

WHAT? What day is it? It is November? Holey moley! I am feeling so far behind! I haven't done anything yet! Is it really almost Thanksgiving? I don't have any pumpkin for pie! No presents purchased. Good lord, I usually decorate for Christmas Thanksgiving weekend.

How did this happen? It was JUST summer. Wasn't it?

By the way, the tree for Rockefeller is beautiful this year! I wish I could go for the lighting!

OK, I gotta go. I have Christmas cards to make, gift lists to write, order some pumpkin (yes, I know I can make it from scratch, and I do sometimes, but I still like extra for other pumpkin treats, like pumpkin spice lattes and pancakes!)

quick update

2007-11-07T01:12:00.000+01:00

I, again, have been a bad, bad blogger. I had the flu, like body aching, hair hurting, hugging the porcelain-god type flu for a few days. (I am better now, thank you!)

My father in law has been in the hospital for 11 days now. He was sick, then started feeling really bad, and went to the hospital (So you KNOW he felt like crap) and they said he had pleurisy. They put him on antibiotics, and now are trying to figure out what is causing it. I thought it was the flu, but I found out tomorrow they are doing a CAT scan to see if his prostate cancer has spread to his lungs. Ugh! So, obviously everyone is worried about that. Giusi has been going to the hospital every day, all day. Poor thing. I will keep ya'll posted.

Other then that, I was just recuperating and spending long hours on political blogs. I think my blog will be kind of political for while. I love politics, and am really in to this upcoming election. I am in the middle of a few debates on Newsweeks site, regarding an article where Obama calls Hillary disingenuous. The best thing about getting into these debates is learning. When people reply, I get so into researching/formulating the answers, and replying.

So, no looming, no crocheting, not much baking. I did make a delicious lasagna yesterday (once I was finally able to eat again!). I haven't done any travelling either, obviously. I am getting excited for pumpkin pie though!

Hope ya'll are doing well! Stay away from the flu bug!!!
Ciao

democratic debate - best class president

2007-10-31T12:17:00.000+01:00

Have you ever run for class president? You promise pizza and hamburger lunches, longer recesses, shorter classes, and no homework? But then you get into *office* and find out that the principal, the parents, the district, and the state laws all disagree?

That is what I feel like happened with the democratic candidates last night. Edwards and Obama stand up there and promise longer recesses, and no homework. Hillary knows that sounds like a good idea, but does not agree with it, because she knows it won't fly. She can understand Obama and Edwards making these promises/claims, but she knows there are laws, and realities you have to take into consideration.

That is what she basically said with the undocumented workers and drivers licenses question last night. She said that she can understand the governors need to do something regarding the illegal problem in NY. She doesn't necesasrily agree with what his plan is, but she sees both sides of the issues. On one hand, by giving undocumented workers a drivers license, you are, as Dodd say, giving them a privilage. However, you also get an official documentation of who *they* are, you allow them to be legal when they drive (because now they are driving illegally) and with a license they can get drivers insurance for accidents. You have to way the pros vs. the cons.

The govenor of NY is trying to figure out the best way to get a handle on the millions of illegals in New York City. This issue is way larger then just granting drivers licenses. It speaks to the bigger issue of lack of control of the borders/who is coming into the country, the lack of the paper trail for those coming in, and the reason so many are coming in illegally, and finding employment. So, what is better, for the immediate short term - grant licenses, or allow millions of illegals to remain undocumented?

Hillary answered the question. She didn't double speak. She sees both sides of the issues. She understands what someone wants, but also understands/knows the other side, the law, the opposition. Taking both sides of an issue isn't double speak, it is reality. You have to look at both sides, to understand the problem, and find the best solution.

If anything, I think she OVER answers. She knows too much. She probably watched Bill for 8 years trying to get things done, and knows that you are attacked from both sides on an issue, are bombarded with facts and figures supporting both sides, but you have to find that answer that does the most good, and the least harm. It is reality.

It is easy to make campaign promises, like immediate troop draw down, or free college tuition, or preschool for three year olds. But you also have to know the cause and effects of these programs and policies. And that is where I think Hillary has the advantage. She knows what happens once you get into the oval office. You have to fight tooth and nail in many cases, for those very promises you made. So, I think she is making promises she knows she has a good chance of keeping - not just promises for longer recesses. She also is realistic in promising to bring troops home. You can't just pull out 100% immediately, you have to leave carefully, leave troops for the embasee, and to fight al qaeda now in Iraq. They all know that, she is the only one who strongly makes the point.

Overall, I think the debate last night was very good. I think Edwards came out very strong, and had some solid answers. I still love Biden. He cracks me up, and is so straight forward. Obama still, to me, just seems too inexperienced, and he circles around the questions. All the others had their moments as well. Kunich's moment was his acknowledgment that he has seen a UFO. doo-doo-doo-doo I think Dodd has some strong qualities from his past, but I do not see him as a front runner, at all. Nor Richardson or the UFO, trophy wife guy.

The top four - Clinton, Edwards, Obama and Biden all make great candidates. The more I see Biden, the more I think how funny it would be to have a guy that talks like that in the White House. He doesn't mince words, that's for sure.

I still liked Hillary the best. I think she came across very strong. She was under attack last night, and they attacked her hard. I think she held her own and did exceptionally well. However, I will be happy with any of the four that receive the nomination. Anything is better then the republican party! haha

I keep hearing people questioning Hillary's electability. That is a dumb question. Of course she is electable. People just have to VOTE for her. Anyhoo, there is my 2cents.

(Make sure to read my post below.) :O)

random memory

2007-10-19T16:36:00.001+02:00

I was watching the Today Show online today, and there was a story about parents not vaccinating their kids, some claiming religious exemption, and it reminded me of the time I met Jonas Salk.

I was at the Marine Room in San Diego years ago (must have been late 80's or early 90's), on a date. We were waiting for a table so we had a seat at the bar. My date went to the restroom or something, and I started talking to this older man sitting next to me. He introduced himself to me as Jonas Salk. For some reason I actually remembered his name. (I guess I retained something I had learned in school!)

At first I wasn't sure I believed him... I mean, I thought, am I really sitting here talking to THE Jonas Salk? But I looked around, we were in a pretty super fancy restaurant, in La Jolla, he was well dressed, and he looked like a smart guy. haha I glanced at the bartender, with a quizzical look on my face, and he gave me a subtle nod, confirming it was indeed Jonas Salk.

We continued talking a bit, and he said he was currently working at the Salk Institute trying to find a cure for AIDS. I remember thinking how amazing it would be if Dr. Salk managed to discover the vaccine for polio and a cure for AIDS.

Unfortunately, he passed away before he could find the cure. He died in 1995. Anyway, it was very cool meeting him. He sure saved a lot of children from a crippling and potentially deadly disease. And I got to shake his hand.

I am suprised that parents are choosing to not vaccinate their kids.

festa della madonna della gamba

2007-10-09T21:29:00.000+02:00

Or, in english, The Celebration of the Madonna of the Leg. I blog about this every year, so I won't go into much detail, just to say that last night was the procession, and today was the party. I filmed the procession coming down our street last night, and there were SO many people. I have never seen it so long. In the video you can see the procession starting, and I pan back and forth down the street. The people run from one end to the other. They broadcast the mass over loud speakers, and you can hear hundreds of people reciting the verse - you should be able to hear it on the video. They have a band play over the loud speakers as well. At the end of the procession is the mayor of Albino and some carabinieri, and the Bishop of Bergamo.

We definitely have a front row seat for it, every year. I wish they would do something about those darn bells though.

Near the end of the procession video you can see two litle girls in the middle. One represents a little girl who had a diseased leg, and the Madonna appeared and cured her leg, in this spot. That is why they built the church - Santuario del Miracolo di Desenzan, or Madonna della Gamba. Well, that is how the story goes.... It is the 567th anniversary of the event.

The bells ring for two weeks constantly before the ninth of October, and this morning they start at 5am. And they ring, and ring, and ring. So, I am a little sleepy. haha Today Franco went down and walked around. I bought some socks and we played the *pesca di beneficienza* fishing for charity. You pay from 2 - 5 euro, and draw a number and win prizes. This year we got a Christmas platter and a handmade wood mind game. Fun. Christmas gifts for someone! hehe

I hope the video works. You can see and hear how loud the fireworks are in our house.

squatters welcome! come one, come all!

2007-10-03T18:03:00.000+02:00

A new ruling came down in Italy the other day, stating that squatting is not a crime, if you are poor. So, basically, if you are an immigrant or italian, very poor/out of work, you can break in to any residence (any empty apartment or house) and live, free of charge (well, except for the person who actually owns the property, they are paying). Once you are there, they can't kick you out.

I have heard stories from Italians who know of someone who had a second home, and while away from one, found squatters in the other. And someone (Kim?) was telling me about an empty villa in Citta Alta, that had a squatter family that was there for years. They couldn't get rid of them, because they moved in while the family was away.

Now, I do think it would be a good idea to open up all of the abandoned/never occupied BRAND NEW buildings that are sitting around Italy and convert them to low income/subsidized housing. But seriously, legalized squatting...weird.

There are many people upset about this, especially those who do work, but can barely get by, and can't make ends meet. It makes some people want to give up, quit their job (or work only in black) and just squat for free.

So, anyway, if you have always wanted to move to Italy, now is the time. Don't worry about finding a job, or paying rent. Just pick an empty home, and move on in. (I would like to suggest the summer or winter homes of the politicians. They shouldn't mind.)

my name is tanino

2007-10-01T17:50:00.000+02:00

We watched the cutest film last night, called My Name is Tanino. I wrote a synopsis of it, but as usual, I lost it, even though blogger now automatically saves. grrrrr There are a couple of moments when I cringed, like when he watched The Jerry Springer show, and when he came across rude Americans. Tanino is so cute, in a lost puppy kind of way, you can't help but feel sorry for him. You should be able to tell a little bit about his trip by looking at the cover. hehe

So, instead of rewriting it, I pulled this off a web site:

A young, clue-free Italian finds and eludes trouble on numerous occasions as he journeys to and through America in director Paolo Virzi's 2001 comedy My Name Is Tanino. Naïve optimist Tanino (Corrado Fortuna) gets romantically involved with an American tourist named Sally (Rachel McAdams), who happens to visit his hometown one fateful summer. After Sally's vacation ends, Tanino decides to follow her to the U.S. -- not realizing that Sally's interest in him ended when her vacation ended. Upon arriving in America, Tanino learns the truth about Sally -- while being mistaken by Sally's father for his wife's lover.

Beating a hasty retreat, Tanino takes refuge with an Italian-American family he encountered on his trip to the U.S., only to just as quickly find himself affianced to a corrupt politician's daughter. Forced to escape once more, Tanino heads to New York City, which prompts the young man to follow his dream of meeting film director Chinawsky (Don Franks) and maybe study with him if the reclusive filmmaker will allow it. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Here is a cute clip, it is 3 months after Sally left, and Tanino is still in love, watching the video they made over the summer. He is in Rome, living with a bunch of guys from Puglia, and they burst in and start teasing him.

tina's crochet boobies are famous!

2007-09-27T14:59:00.000+02:00

I think more people have seen the boobies I made for Tina then her real boobies. hehe I have found numerous sites that are linking to my post about the Crochet la-ta-tas! There are also lots of searches for "tette all'uncinetto". Who knew it was such a popular topic.

Ho fatto questi per la mia amica con cancro di seno, e deve avere il doppio masectomy le mese prossimo. Lei ha un cancro molto aggressivo e raro. Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Ho trovato l'idea per Tit-bits qui e qui. C'e una blog post in italiano qui.

I found this article on TGMagazine that talks about my crochet boobies, and links to my site. This site is for the news of Channel 5 in Italy, which would be like an abc, or nbc news. Kind of cool, huh?

Knitter/Crochet groups have linked to my projects, here and here which look like two interesting groups to find/share info. They are both Italian sites. And I already wrote about the article that was done on pinkblog.it.

I would love to be able to translate the pattern into Italian for all these gals looking for the pattern, but I think it is too hard to try to do. I can barely write a patten in english! hehe I have uploaded the pdf pattern file here.

In other looming news, I finally picked up my looms again and made four new hats. I am making them for Zia Giuli and her friend to sell at the upcoming Festa della Madonna della Gamba, that happens every year in front of our house. They are selling things for charity. I always fall in love with my projects, and hate to part with them! haha These were all made with Caron super soft yarn. The colors are beautiful in person. The patterns can be found here.

I also crocheted a hat for Tina, that I don't think I ever posted. I love how it turned out. I hope she liked it. This was knit in Mondial Cotton.

Now that the weather is turning cold, I am excited to start knitting again!

miss italia finale

2007-09-25T11:05:00.001+02:00

Ugh, that show was terrible. I was trying to be a little nice in my other post, I mean Mike Bongiorno is 83, but man, it is time to hang it up buddy. The show was a train wreck. So many embarrassing moments it was terrible. Mike never looked up from his stack of papers, never knew what was going on, and had to be prompted by his idiot annoying co-host. haha

Like I said, I do think they girls have come a long way since I first saw this 5 or 6 years ago, but they need to reach a little higher than just model and tv host. Focus more on education. Half of them talk like truck drivers. haha I do like that they are trying to promote health and now require girls to be a certain size. Which leads me to the measuring incident...

One of my picks for Miss won Miss Elegance and when the judge of fashion placed the sash on her, he measured her figure. Ok, I thought that was super gross. And apparently so did all the Miss Contestants, which I thought was weird, considering they ARE in a beauty pageant. Near the end of the show some of the girls yelled at him for it. The daughter of the head of the Miss Pageants said that they did it to show all the girls in Italy that you can win Miss Elegance and be normal sized. OK, makes sense, but they should have said that earlier... It was weird.

Now, this same guy, who as I said, is one of the judges and he is supposed to judge the girls on their ability to be in the fashion industry, made another blunder the other night. It was picked up in the press and made a lot worse than it was. He commented that the girls never turn around, and how is he supposed to judge them if he can't see them fully. Now, he isn't Italian, so he used a word that wasn't super polite, like butt instead of backside. His point was that he is supposed to judge them on whether they could be models but he never saw them turn around.

A lot of people got upset about this. But, I mean, we are talking about a beauty contest, and the girls were in bathing suits the entire time, so why don't they turn around. If we can judge them head to toe from the front, what is wrong with turning around? I would like to see them do a runway type walk, instead of just standing there with their hands behind their backs.

Miss Italia is a beauty pageant and a beauty pageant only - there are no scholarships, no intelligent questions, no talent contests this year (thank god!). So, if that is the basis of this show, then we need to not get all fluffed up when someone wants to judge them on their looks... Now, if they want to make it a scholarship pageant and judge the girls on their brains and talents, then ok, let's get out of the bathing suit and focus on other things.

Oh, the question portion of this was horrible. "Your best friend is trying to steal your boyfriend, what do you do?" "You have the opportunity to go to Paris for a modeling job, but your boyfriend says he will break up with you if you go, what do you do?" "What is 6 x 3, divided by 2 + 1?" are you kidding me?

When we were down to three finalists, I wanted the blonde one #50 to win. The third runner up #90 was a crowd favorite. She has beautiful eyes, but I couldn't stand her hair. Maybe it is because I have naturally curly hair. She was only 17, and when she was eliminated everyone booed. I just looked at her picture on the web site and she looks way better here. During the pageants they made her hair so large and curly it looked like she had a poodle on her head. The ruined her. She looks beautiful in this picture.

The girl who won #51 was very cute, but there were many other beautiful girls who I thought would win.

Here is the video of the final five eliminations. You can see what I mean about #90s hair. hehe One of the judges commented that the crowned Miss is a little too thin because she has lost weight since starting the competition because of nerves. She is a twig.

You can watch the video here from opening night when Loretta walked out and acted like a diva. The pretty young woman is last years Miss Italia, who was my favorite. You can also see what a freak Loretta is. haha

So, as I said, it was pretty much a train wreck. But it was fun to watch. hahah

miss italia - ridiculous diva behavior

2007-09-24T16:24:00.000+02:00

And I am not talking about the contestants. This year, Mike Bongiorno returned to RaiTV after working for the competitor, MediaSet. He is like 83 years old and hosting the Miss Italia competition was his first return to his old *station* after a 25 year separation, and it has been a dream of his to one day return to Rai.

Well, too bad his return was ruined by some old has-been, who threw a diva sized temper tantrum for no reason. Loretta Goggi is the co-host of the Miss Italia this year, and the first night, she got mad because Fiorello interupted the show to suprise Mike Bongiorno, and wish him good luck. This left Loretta Goggi sitting back stage a little too long for her liking, so when she was introduced, she threw a fit, and walked off the show. She later returned (probably for contractural reasons), but the show was a nightmare all evening. OK, Mike Bongiorno is old. You can't throw a wrench is some guys big night, and expect it to go well. I swear he looked like a little boy who lost his puppy. You can read about it here, if you care.

If that wasn't bad enough, she is SOOOO annoying. She claps in front of her mike, killing your ears, she has an evil, weird strange fake laugh, she never shuts up, and when she asks people questions, she never lets them respond. She asks, then answers the questions herself, dronning on and on. She is a singer, but she lip synchs her songs. Ugh. Franco and I can't stand her. haha We spend the whole show ripping her apart. Kind of makes it more fun.

I have watched most of the three nights so far. Besides the annoying-ness of Loretta, the show hasn't been so bad, this year. The girls are now required to wear a minimum of a size 42, so the super skinny girls are not eligible anymore. Also, I think this is the prettiest, most polished group of girls I have seen in the 5 or so years I have seen Miss Italia. They also have girls who were not born in Italy this year, and I think the biggest shocker for me is that they now allow unwed girls with kids.

They certainly are no where near as *pagent professional* like the Miss America girls. They don't have answers such as *world peace* and *end world hunger*. (although, they don't have those funny responses about *the iraqs not having maps* and things like that. haha They ask you to vote for them, mostly because they are *simple, nice and pretty* (it is quite cringe worthy). And most of the girls want to be models or work in TV, or be Michelle Hunziger, with only a handful with a degree.

And the talent...well... let's just say that most don't have any. And when I say no talent, I mean, no talent. Remember the Sandra Bullock movie Miss Congeniality, when she played the water glasses? That would be a huge leap forward for most of these girls! haha So, they still have a way to go, as far as turning it into a scholorship competition, where the girls are all well educated. Here, it is pretty much still all about the bathing suit.

Tonight is the finale (yes, it is four nights) and I am rooting for #27, Rajaà Afroud that was born in Marocco, but lives in Italy. She is beautiful. Although, I doubt she will win, partly because she is not italian, and also because she has a baby. We will see.

separated at birth?

2007-09-22T12:53:00.001+02:00

I saw this post on tmz.com, and thought it was just too funny.
It was titled. "We're Just Saying"

In case you don't recognize these two, they are Phil Spector and Marcia Clark.

comments on current events

2007-09-19T15:46:00.000+02:00

Oh, there are so many stories the news stations are currently focusing on. I figured I would just comment on some of them today. I think there are more important things happening in the world, but it seems most news stations prefer the sensationalized news. These are stories I have seen this morning:

1. Britney.... Oh Britney, Britney, Britney. Judge tells her to stay off drugs and alcohol, and she can keep 50% custody. So, what does she do? She goes out last night to party. Can we please stop hearing about her? Can she just go away? I guess that would include me.... but I just saw a story about her on msnbc and it bugged me.

2. OJ.... Looks like he might finally serve some time. They have added kidnapping to his list of chrarges. Right on. I also love the fact that the Goldmans are going after everything he wears or owns. They saw a photo of OJ with a Rolex, and the judge said they could take it from him. haha What a piece of crap he is (OJ). I hope he goes to jail for life!

3. The kid who got tasered. Andrew Meyer appears to be an antagonist. He stood on a street corner the day the new Harry Potter book came out, and held up a huge sign that said *Harry Dies* and he has done other stunts like that as well. To me, having watched a view different videos from that day, he appears to be trying to incite. I don't feel he was asking questions, but being confrontational and rude. He also made sure he was being filmed before starting - he wanted to do what he always does, create videos he can posot on youtube. When the cops tried to remove him, the other students clapped and cheered. It is unfortunate that this guy ruined an important event for many. If I felt that this kid was really just trying to ask questions, then I would think they cops overreacted, but I think the kid was intentionally trying to be an ass. Yes, I have heard of freedom of speech, but we don't have the right to infringe on the rights of others to free speech (which is what he did), just so you can get your 15 minutes of fame on youtube. He was tasered for fighting with police, not for asking questions, his freedom of speech was not infringed upon. He was fighting police officers. I think in this day and age, when we have so much student violence, cops have to be careful. They guy was acting like a looney. And he screams like a little girl. (Check out this video, I love this kid)

4. Interest rates cut by half point. Ok, I can't comment on this, because I don't get it. ahah But it is on the news....

5. Airport screeners focus on travelers' behavior, looking for signs of stress, fear and deception. They are detecting lawbreakers or potential terrorists, by their behavior. To become a behavior-detection officer, screeners undergo four days of classroom training and three days of supervised on-the-job work. Are these the same guys who didn't notice a bunch of box cutters as they passed through security?

6. The new host, Sherry Shephard, on the View doesn't know if the world is flat, or not. And she doesn't believe in evolution. Huh? I think we definitely need to improve our education system! Her poor kid.

7. Hillary's healthcare proposal. I saw Hillary present her new healthcare plan, and it sounded really good, to me.

8. I did see a story that I am super excited about. Ryan Air might buy Bergamo Orio airport and then start flying to New York for like $150 or something like that. Now that would rock! They want to increase their flights out of Bergamo and Malpensa. I hope SO bad that they add more flights out of Bergamo, especially to NY!!!

OK, that is my recap of news I saw this morning.

As a side note, what is with all the red *breaking news* flashes on news web sites. It always freaks me out, like there was some big tragic event, and then you see it is something stupid like OJ Arraigned or something. Can we please save the *Breaking News* for real events? (Update - I just saw an update on msnbc.com and they actually used green instead of red to talk about the OJ arraignment. So, either my example was a bad choice, or they saw my post first. haha)

And, what is up with all these flyouts/pop-ups on blogs and sites now? A word is highlighted, and if your mouse scrolls over the word, you get a flyout or a pop-up. I hate that.

OK, I think I need a dose of Ellen or something. I can tell I am getting too news cranky again. PLus I have a cold. If you haven't see the blog over in the right hand column, Boobs, injuries and Dr. pepper check it out. She is hysterical. I was rolling on the floor reading some of her posts.

And of course a BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT to my MAMA! It is her 65th birthday today! Yeah mom! And Franco's 40th was on Monday!

baby aspirin gelato and gore rebuttal

2007-09-17T15:17:00.000+02:00

I never thought I would actually eat crappy gelato, but I think I finally found a flavor that was gross! It was called Chocolate Orange, and my favorite gelato is Chocolate, Orange Cinnamon, so I thought it would be similar. I was wrong. It tasted like baby aspirin. It was gross. (I ate it all, but I wasn't enjoying it... haha)

I am now reminded of that smell every day. I bought some new dish washing soap, called Orange Fizz, and it smells like baby aspirin. What is going on here!

In other news, in his new book “The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World,” Greenspan wrote: “I’m saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: The Iraq war is largely about oil.” Gee, ya think? haha

I also wanted to comment on an email my friend Kristi sent me. She is, I believe, my only republican friend, (revision - she emailed me and said she is not GOP, but a conservative - so she is my only *conservative friend* who likes Bush hehe ) and she forwarded this email yesterday, comparing Bush's completely *green* ranch in Texas, and Gore's mansion, which is said to be an energy hog. Now, if you just compare the numbers as presented in the email, you might think Gore a hypocrite. However, the email is full of holes, misinformation, and flat out fibs. So, I felt it my duty to present the rebuttal to that fictitious email.

My first thought upon receiving this email, was why would someone who does not believe in global warming, have a comletely green home? I decided Laura must have built it, so she could prove to her daughters that they were doing their part to not destroy the planet, and their future. haha

I also think it is sad that someone who has worked so hard, their entire adult life, to educate the world on global warming and the damage we are causing, is misrepresented in such a manner.

Here is a rebuttal, as written by Ralph Wallace:
(If you don't read the entire thing, at least watch the Olbermann Video, and read the final four paragraphs.)

With respect to the widely-publicised claims that Al Gore is somehow an energy hog and thus a hypocrite for calling attention to the global climate crisis:

1. The numbers quoted by the so-called think tank are incorrect and/or inappropriately used
The "average" home electricity use quoted by TCPR is a national average that includes apartments and mobile homes. In Gore's climatic zone, the East South Central (Dept. of Energy PDF), the average is much higher, thanks to hot, humid summers and cold winters. Within that zone, Gore's usage is three (not 20) times average, and his per-square-foot usage is squarely average.
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/2/28/155124/075

2. His family has taken numerous steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their private residence, including signing up for 100 percent green power through Green Power Switch, installing solar panels, and using compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy saving technology.

3. Gore has had a consistent position of purchasing carbon offsets to offset the family’s carbon footprint. Gore’s office explains:

What Mr. Gore has asked is that every family calculate their carbon footprint and try to reduce it as much as possible. Once they have done so, he then advocates that they purchase offsets, as the Gore’s do, to bring their footprint down to zero.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/26/gore-responds-to-drudge/
"including signing up for 100 percent green power through Green Power Switch"

The Switch Is On
TVA and participating local public power companies, working with input from the environmental community, have created a program called Green Power Switch® to produce electricity from renewable sources and add it to the Tennessee Valley’s power mix
http://www.tva.gov/greenpowerswitch/

How to Plug In
Making the Green Power Switch® is as easy as flipping a light switch. You can buy green power in 150-kilowatt-hour blocks (about 12 percent of a typical household’s monthly use). Each block you buy will add $4 to your monthly power bill, and you can buy just one block or as many as you like. The green power you pay for will be added to TVA’s electric system as part of the Valley’s total power mix.

Why does green power cost more? Because although renewable resources like sunlight and wind are free, the technology for capturing their energy is still more expensive than traditional power generation methods. By choosing to pay a little more for Green Power Switch, you help advance the technology and increase the amount of electricity generated from cleaner sources. The dollars from every block of green power you buy go directly back into Green Power Switch.

When you fill out the Green Power Switch enrollment form, you’ll also receive the free energy right home evaluation form. The energy right program is a cooperative effort between your local public power distributor and TVA that helps consumers make their homes more energy-efficient. It will provide you with a customized analysis of your home electricity use and detailed suggestions for potential savings.
http://www.tva.gov/greenpowerswitch/green_resid.htm

Gore purchased 108 blocks of "green power" for each of the past three months, according to a summary of the bills.

That's a total of $432 a month Gore paid extra for solar or other renewable energy sources.
The green power Gore purchased in those three months is equivalent to recycling 2.48 million aluminum cans or 286,092 pounds of newspaper, according to comparison figures on NES' Web site....

"Every family has a different carbon footprint," said Kalee Krider, a spokeswoman for Gore. The Gores' 10,000-square-foot house on Lynnwood Boulevard has a large one.

The Green Power Switch program isn't all that Gore and his wife, Tipper, are doing, Krider said.
They use compact fluorescent light bulbs and are in the midst of a renovation project that includes having solar panels installed on their home to reduce fossil fuel consumption, she said.
Their car? A Lexis hybrid SUV.

"They, of course, also do the carbon emissions offset," she said.

That means figuring out how much carbon is emitted from home power use, and vehicle and plane travel, then paying for projects that will offset that with use of renewable energy, such as solar power...."

4.The Gore house is not merely a home, it's also a workplace, they have two offices in it plus a guest house so the idea that Gore himself uses all that energy is inaccurate. They also have security measures which other people do not need, obviously. Comparing the Gore house to an average US home is like comparing the company HQ to a single office.

Or why doesn't this organization compare Cheney's house to an average US home? Cheney's elecricity bill is ~$180,000 year. But that's the vice presidential mansion so it's understandable. But if Gore has $16,000 - partly because he pays more for green power - that's not OK?

The Gores are not an average family. He's an ex-VP with special security arrangements, and has live-in security staff. He and his wife both work on their many business and charitable undertakings out of their house, so they have space for offices and office staff. All that would be tough to cram in an average size house.
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/2/28/155124/075

Nevertheless the per capita energy usage in the Gore house is not bigger than in an average house, except that Gore pays for green energy which most Americans don't do. The utility said that the Gore house does not consume more than other similar houses in the area, and in fact there are smaller houses which consume even more.
Check out the Olbermman video here
http://www.algore.org/node/323

5. Gore does not tell people to give up whatever lifestyle they have but to reduce their carbon footprint which can be done in many different ways including the way Gore does it. It's not the amount of energy you use but how much carbon emission you are responsible for.

If Gore uses green energy and pays for offsets for the part that comes from fossil fuels how does that make him a hypocrite? That's what he has been advocating all along. Gore's carbon footprint is zero.

Here's some help understanding carbon footprint and carbon offsets:
http://www.climatecrisis.net/
http://www.nativeenergy.com/

Gore uses Native Energy himself. His homes, both of his businesses are carbon neutral. The movie and book were carbon neutral, as well.

Here's a column that should help you further:
CHILLING OUT GORE
Exposé that the “Inconvenient Truth” man has an inconvenient lifestyle? Well not quite
http://www.mytown.ca/ev.php?URL_ID=118703&...load=1174338346
Hours after Gore received his Academy Award for the documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” the ambush attack was launched. Kristin Hall, uncritical news hen for the AP, breathlessly reported that “A conservative group” calling itself the “Tennessee Center for Policy Research” reported that Gore’s home energy use was ten times that of a “typical Nashville household.” The story goes on to claim that Gore used 221,000 kilowatt hours in 2006, and that the group knew this because they obtained his energy use documents from the utility, Nashville Electric Service. You have to go near the bottom to find it, but the story states, “But company spokeswoman Laurie Parker said the utility never got a request from the policy center and never gave it any information.” AP claimed to have reviewed the bills and came up with an energy use figure some 15% lower, but it’s evident that unlike the “Center,” AP remembered to factor in the surcharge that the utility charges for energy use above about a thousand kilowatts a month.

It’s pretty unlikely that the “Tennessee Center for Policy Research” was interested in any niceties like finding out how much energy Gore actually used, or where the energy came from, or–and this was the main thing they were clucking indignantly about–if he had a large carbon footprint or not.

The “Center” appears to be one of those “two-right-wing-A-Holes-with-a-website” kind of things that the well-funded far right likes to use to pepper the public discourse with falsely authoritative sources. According to an unnamed Usenet source, “Tennessee Center for Policy Research is run by a 27 year old Bush Cheerleader who loves Bush's Wars, Jason Drew Johnson. The Center lists a post office box number as its address which makes sense since occupancy costs were $450 for the year. The IRS requires 501©(3)s to disclose the names of board members and officers which the Center fails to do. The 990 is signed by Jason A. Johnson who presumably is related to Drew Johnson, listed as the Center's president on the website. Total salary expense for 2005 is $52,213. Despite a tight budget, the Center's managed to spend $8,155 on meals and travel. Marketing expense is $5,934 but no money was spent on research.” Including, apparently, looking up utility bills, which are public records. The site itself is devoted to debunking global warming, and offering “free market solutions,” presumably to free market problems. I looked over the list of “scholars” they had, presumably in the hope people would think they had something to do with the site, and none of them were in the fields of climatology or energy use.

So the whole news story came from a false-front “think tank” that couldn’t even be bothered with getting its information first-hand, or capable of giving it a fair review if they had.

Every day, the AP dismisses such “news flashes” from nobody crackpots as a waste of their time. But this one was about Gore, and would sell newspapers. So they went with it.

Gore’s home energy use (which has grown to twenty times the average household in the right wing echo chamber of Faux News, Drudge and Free Republic) somehow escaped the keen scrutiny of the media. If they had bothered checking, as I did, they would have learned a few things that demonstrate that not only is Gore’s energy use reasonable for his needs, but that his carbon footprint–that thing the right wingers are supposedly upset about–is very much less.

First, there’s his “household”. It consists of four structures, not one, and has a cumulative square footage that is 15 times that of a regular single family home. (The average Nashville household has a pretty good chance of living in an apartment, which is smaller and more energy efficient than a stand-alone house, too). One of those structures is for Gore’s secret service detail, who are on duty 24 hours a day. Another is for his non-profit foundation. Most average households don’t have the energy demands of the secret service or a foundation to deal with.

Despite all this, Gore spent less per square foot on his “household” than the average Nashvillian did.

But it doesn’t stop there. A lot of Gore’s energy bill went toward premium pricing on green energy sources or offsets. A premium that worked out to 4 times the rate per kilowatt the utility normally charged. According to Gore’s office, this accounted for roughly half his energy usage. So, in fact, his actual energy consumption in terms of CO2 releases may have been three times that of the average household in Nashville, despite the fact that it was four buildings with fifteen times the area.

There were a couple of other factors. First, there was the fact that Gore bought a large, wasteful spread and had been making it more and more energy efficient as construction began the year before to remodel the place into a more energy efficient place. Gore intends for it to be a model to show what can be done with existing structures. Even as the “high electric bill” ambush attack was launched, Gore was having solar panels installed.

A lot of right wingers were demanding that Gore move into a small house. A generous size might be 1,000 square feet, in their estimation. But they quickly dried up and blew away when I asked if they wanted to make it a government policy that everyone must live in a small house.

Apparently it’s the old Republican situation in which they like to demand that others live up to rules that they themselves have no intention of observing. Energy conservation, like morals, like taxes and jail time, are for the little people – and traitors to their class.

Speaking of which the Wall Street Journal online weighed in on all this. They spent some time sputtering about the inequity of “energy offsets,” oblivious to the fact that they insisted on such offsets as a compromise in order to cut back on their own waste and pollution. They had more money than will to conserve, and didn’t mind paying to sustain their lifestyle. But now the Wall Street Journal decided the best way to discredit Gore way was by waging class warfare against the rich. For those who want a good laugh, the article is here.

The rich white trash were appalled at the fact that Gore spent $500 a month to heat his pool. Nobody is quite sure where the rich white trash got this particular “fact.” Maybe, living up in New York and Connecticut and Rhode Island, they asked one another, “Well, how much do you spend to heat your pool?” and came up with a consensus answer.

There’s just one problem. Gore doesn’t live in Connecticut or Rhode Island. He lives in Tennessee. And, as with most of the American south, his energy bills are modest in the winter – often as low was $300 a month – and soar during the summer. Not surprising, since the south enjoys mild winters and is unfit for human life the rest of the year. It costs a lot more to stay cool in the summer than it does to get warm in the winter. And nobody spends $500 a month to warm a pool in Tennessee. Nobody. Not even Al Gore. The whole story was nothing more than another right wing lie by the Wall Street Journal editorial board.

So, once again, the right wing tries to get its way with lies and smears.

But this isn’t 1998. People know they are liars and smear artists these days, and there are a lot of us prepared to show their lies and smears for what they are.

And, like the “Kerry-hates-soldiers” smear last fall, or the “Pelosi-and-the-757" a few weeks ago, this smear blew up in the right wing’s lying faces.

In the meantime, they have to ignore the fact that their hero, Ann Coulter, just called John Edwards a “******” and pretend they hardly even know who Coulter is.

The morality of the right is a rare and amazing creature, isn’t it?

AND FINALLY SOME COMPARISON FACTS FOR YOU

The truth is that George Bush had his home built, and he had it built "green." Admirable. Al Gore lives in a house that was built years before there was even a concept of "green." So, he has been doing the responsible thing--trying to retrofit it to be more energy-efficient.

Unfortunately, he's run into many problems people who do this encounter. There are local ordinances in his community (and in many) that don't permit things like solar panels, windmills, etc. He's been working to get that changed. He is, and has been, trying to make the house as energy-efficient as it can be. In the meantime, he practices conservation measures, like using energy-efficient lightbulbs, etc., and, he purchases all of his power from "green" sources through his local utility company. This power costs him a full 50% more than using conventional sources, but he does at least do that. He also purchases carbon credits to make up for whatever his conservation measures don't cover.

While it's admirable that Bush has built himself a "green" house, what has he done for the environment as president? His individual personal conservation habits pale next to the damage he's done as president in supporting big oil and big coal companies, in not supporting environmental legislation, and in refusing to even attend Kyoto conferences. George Bush's record on the environment is probably the worst of any modern president. He doesn't even fully accept the science behind global warming or that human activity is contributing to it.

Now let's look at Al Gore. Gore has dedicated his life to working to raise awareness about global warming and to getting legislation passed to combat it. At his own expense, he has traveled the world trying to get people to understand how serious the problem is. He lives a carbon-neutral life. Yes, he takes airplanes (not private jets, but regular commercial airliners) to travel, and yes, he does drive a car, but it's a hybrid (and has been for years). But the money he invests in "green" projects far outweighs the negligible contribution he's making by flying in airplanes. And the work that he's done to raise awareness of the problem has been invaluable. The world now understands the seriousness of global warming, something you couldn't say before he launched this campaign of his.

And what has George Bush done? Absolutely nothing. In fact, he's done worse than nothing. Yes, his house is "green." But supporting big oil and big coal and refusing to make the U.S. the world leader in energy conservation far outweighs what miniscule energy he's saving on his ranch.

Of the two men, which one would you say is having the larger impact on global warming?
Hands down, obviously, it's Al Gore.

what a croc

2007-09-13T14:16:00.000+02:00

So, there was a discussion the other day about Crocs, on another blog. Most were discussing the utter ugliness of them. I had to admit that I had ordered some - the mary jane style and the prima ballet slipper style. I agree that Crocs in general are very ugly, but I kept hearing about how comfy they were, so I gave in, and ordered some.

My intentions for the mary janes were to wear them only in the house. We do not wear shoes in our house, and I need something comfy to wear inside. The hard tile floors we have downstairs are uncomfortable without some sort of good support. I have some foam type flip flop things that I usually wear, but they make my feet sweaty and stinky in the summer. EWE sorry. hahah

So, anyway, the other day my crocs arrived. The mary janes are indeed pretty ugly on, but they are most comfy in the house. And the beauty is they do not sweat, stink or get ruined with water or other crap I splash on them while cooking/cleaning.

I will however, never, ever, ever wear them out in public. (I actually check out side before I run out the trash, to make sure there are no neighbors lurking about!) I feel like bozo the clown in them. haha

Now, the prima ballet style are cute. If I had ordered them in black or dark brown brown, I would most definitely wear them out and about more often. The light pink (which I ordered) are cute, but perhaps a little too cutesy for most trips out. I did wear them to Franco's moms house, and no one commented on the fact that I was wearing pink rubber shoes...so maybe they are not that bad. hhahaI think they are very cute on kids, and my neice and nephew have many differnt styles of them. But for me, no thanks. (except in the privacy of my home! I am wearing them now...my feet are comfy.)

Oh, and in case you feel the need to order yourself a pair, I found them to be true to size. I read some comments that people said they were small. I printed out the size chart on the web site, measured, and ordered an 8. I wear an 8. The 8 fit.

the u.s. consulate in milan rocks!

2007-09-12T15:12:00.000+02:00

I can't believe how efficient the US consulate is, in Milano! I mailed my passport (which was expiring soon) to the Consulte on September 4. I followed up with an email a couple of days later, just to ask when I should expect it to return. I explained I was in no hurry, just a little worried, having sent my passport off in the italian mail system. (I personally have never had any major problems with the Italian mail, but have heard horror stories.)

So, you can image my suprise when the Consulate responded, informing me that, not only had the already received my passport, but it was already in the mail, back to me!

And lo and behold, my brand new, shiny passport arrived today! People, that is only 6 days (not including weekend)!! Six little days, to mail, renew and receive my passport. Can you say E-F-F-I-C-I-E-N-T!

The passport is cool, it has lots of pretty pictures inside. hehe I even like my passport photo - we took it ourselves, so I had lots of opportunity to make sure Franco got the best possible photo. And the bonus - they returned my old one. I still have all my travel memories and visas stored in my old passport.

Thanks US Consulate!

mad, that dude could sing!

2007-09-06T20:59:00.000+02:00

News about the death of Luciano Pavarotti has been on the tv all day. I have seen many clips of him singing and I just had to say, Dang! That guy really could sing! I can't even sing happy birthday without awakening the hounds. What an amazing life he had.

He sang for kings and queens, presidents and popes, ambassadors and athletes, rock stars and movies stars, and millions of fans around the world.

He sang in the most beautiful opera houses, colosseums and churches in the world.

He sang with his father, with tenors, and with rock stars.

He travelled the world, doing what he loved to do, for his entire life.

He is forever immortalized through his films, tv appearances, cd's and concerts.

He was richer then most of us could ever dream.

And he was in love.

Imagine, knowing that you will forever be remembered....

Che vita! Che voce!

And after all that - I never, ever ONCE saw him sans panties while he was getting out of a car. Now THAT is real talent, my friends.

happy, happy, happy

2007-09-03T17:22:00.001+02:00

Today is my brother's birthday. Happy Birthday Mark!

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Back to work day for Franco... ok, maybe he is not so happy about that. hehe

And Happy Wedding to Matteo and Tiziana, who's wedding was Saturday. It was so fun! Delicious food and the sposo and sposa looked beautiful. I had a very good time. The wedding was at 11am, and we got home at midnight, or so.

That's about all I got.... sitting here staring at a HUGE pile of ironing. Hmmm, iron or bike ride. Not sure which one will win. Maybe neither. haha

Ciao ya'll!

brother in law falls off roof, round 2

2007-08-28T16:39:00.000+02:00

Do you remember when I told the story about my brother in law who fell off the roof of their cabin on their mountain, before we went to Greece? He broke his finger, and had to get 10 stitches in his head?

Well, it seems that the brothers in law in this family like to fall off roofs. Well, maybe the word *like* isn't quite accurate, but they seem to fall off a lot of roofs lately.

Yesterday Franco's mom called us to tell us that Riccardo, Franco's sisters husband (the one with the twins and Vittoria) fell off his roof. Apparently he went up on top of the garage to clean off the roof, and when he stepped down on the ladder to come back down, the ladder kicked out from under him, and he feel 3 meters to the ground. A nighbor saw it happened, and called the pharmacist across the street, who called an ambulance.

The medics came, Riccardo still laying on the ground, and put him in a neck brace, and took him to the hospital. Luckily nothing was broken. Not a thing. They decided he must have grabbed the gutters as he was falling because his fingers were all cut up, and in doing that, he helped his fall.

So, major crisis averted. They are in the middle of expanding their home, and have been living at Franco's moms house for the last couple of months. Had he broken his pelvis (which was a concern) then he would have been off his feet for 6 months. Luckily, the doctor said he should be good as new in 10-15 days.

Considering how they always say these things happen in threes, I am banning all home repairs for a while. Crap, I wanted Franco to paint our house... well, maybe just the spots we can reach without a ladder.

In other news, Franco's dad said next year he will ask the comune if we can build a house on their piece of property on the other side of the river. If they finally allow us to build, we can finally have our house, with a huge piece of land. I have been searching online looking at house plans. haha I am keeping my fingers crossed.

This is the plan I like, with a few alterations. For one, I would make the family room bigger, and not make the seperate study. Maybe just one big room. And knock out that little wall between the breakfast nook. Anyway, that is a ways off, but it is fun to think about it.

We are going to a wedding this weekend. Matteo is a cousin of Franco's, and is one of Franco's god-sons. We went to his brother's, Michele, wedding last year. They just had a baby, last month.

Man, in big families, there is always something going on. haha

crochet la ta-ta!

2007-08-22T09:39:00.000+02:00

Since it has been doing nothing but rain for the last two days, I have had plenty of time to finish the second boobie for Tina.

**Ho fatto questi per la mia amica con cancro di seno, e deve avere il doppio masectomy le mese prossimo. Lei ha un cancro molto aggressivo e raro. Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Ho trovato l'idea per Tit-bits qui e qui. C'e una blog post in italiano qui.

I also finished writing up the pattern. I have never written a crochet pattern before, so I hope it is ok. I used a partial pattern that I found online to get me started. It was written by Pepperkitty and was written to make an octopus. I should tell her it became a boobie. hehe

Here is the pattern: Crochet la Ta-ta

Hook: H/8 5.00mm

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft soft pink and brown

Brown yarn (Nipple)

Round 1: Chain 2, Single Crochet 8 into second chain from the hook or use magic loop and work 8 in loop. (8 total stitches around)
Cut brown yarn leaving 6"

Pink yarn - introduce pink yarn

Round 2: *1 Single Crochet in one, 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (12 total)
Round 3: *1 Single Crochet in one, 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (18 total)
Round 4: *1 Single Crochet in two, 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (24 total)
Round 5: *1 Single Crochet in two, 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (32 total)
Round 6: *1 Single Crochet in three, 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (40 total)
Round 7: *1 Single Crochet in three, 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (50 total)
Rounds 8-14: Single Crochet around

Round 15: decrease *1 Single Crochet in three, Dec 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (40 total)
Round 16: decrease *1 Single Crochet in two, Dec 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (32 total)
Round 17: decrease *1 Single Crochet in two, Dec 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (24 total)
Round 18: decrease *1 Single Crochet in one, Dec 2 Single Crochet in 1* around (18 total)
Round 19-21: Single crochet around.

Cut working yarn about 15" long, bring it through last loop.
Stuff and shape to your liking. Mine weighed about 37 grams each when finished.
Now, thread your working yarn, and work it through every stitch (18) now draw closed, and secure.
Shape the boobie again, till it looks right.
Now, make an i-cord 12" long. Sew it to the 14th row (counting pink rows) down from the nipple.
With the tail from the start of my work, I stitched around nipple, to make it more *perky*.
PDF version available by request.

If you make the pattern, please let me know how it worked for you, and I would love to see your finished ta-ta. Also, any suggestions would be welcome. :OD

back from mykonos!

2007-08-20T10:53:00.001+02:00

Hi ya'll! We got back Friday night from our two week fabulous vacation in Mykonos. It was so nice and relaxing (and fattening!) We did nothing but - lay in the sun, either on one of the glorious beaches or by the pool at our hotel, eat wonderful Greek food (and some pizza and Thai too!), and watch movies, read books and sleep. It was great!

Our hotel (Petasos Beach Hotel) was really nice - although we at first were checked into a room that didn't have a sea view (which we reserved) so we had to change rooms a couple of times. I will write more on that later.

View from our hotel room

Our pool, at 8:30 in the morning.

The beach closest to our hotel is Platis Gialos, which we found out is where all the *famous* people hang out. We saw a famous Greek singer (she had a break down on the beach because she just found out her brother passed away, which is how we found out who she was). We also saw a couple of actresses that work for the STAR channel in Greece. We only knew who they were because they had a camera man following them and making a spectacle of them. Franco thought they were probably porn stars. haha

Franco enjoying Patis Gialos beach by day, and by night.

The beach seems crowded but if you walk to the end of the beach, you can find super nice comfy lounge chairs and there is a lot more room. There is also a mini mart on the beach so you can buy your beverages and snacks there, for a lot cheaper then ordering from the cocktail waitresses (and yes, you can do that). We didn't go to this beach the first week, because it didn't seem very nice, but actually it was a very nice beach.

There are many good restaurants on this beach, but our favorite was Nikos. They had great pasta, souvlaki, pizza, salads, and mousaka. We ate there many times. There is also a very good restaurant in the town of Mykonos, Opa Tavern. They had fantastic salads and souvlaki. We ate there a couple of times as well.

Paradise and Super Paradise Beaches are the most famous ones on the island, but three are much nicer beaches elsewhere. Paradise is like a giant disco on sand. If you are in your 20's and single, go to Paradise. If you are in your 30's and single, go to Super Paradise. If you are married or older, and don't want to hear house music all day, go to Agia Anna Beach. That beach is wonderful, quiet, and the water is fantastic. There is a taverna restaurant built into the rocks, serving fresh fish. Our waiter even took a break and dove into the water, right from our table.

Agia Anna beach, view from above, overlooking the taverna restaurant.

Octopus for lunch People have asked if Mykonos is beautiful, and my answer is yes and no. It is a small, dry as a desert island with hardly any green. But the white houses and little tiny churches and the beaches are wonderful. So, if you want history, culture or sightseeing, I wouldn't recommend Mykonos, But if you want fantastic beaches and even better food, then this is your place. However, it is kind of like the European version of Cabo. You can get the same thing a lot closer (if you live in the states). But if you live in EU, it is perfect!

Franco in the town of Mykonos, which is quite cute.

I think I gained a few pounds on our trip, but I did manage to lose a lot of hair. I started out with pretty long hair, which was driving me crazy in the heat and wind, so I got it cut shorter, which I absolutely hated, and then got it cut short! And I love it! So fast, so easy and so cute. hahaha It doesn't look great in this pic, since I had been on a scooter, and in the water and wind all day, but you get the idea.

I have been doing laundry since our return, everything was filthy! Sandy and salty. We went for a bike ride yesterday...I must work off all those Mykonos pounds. And all those gelato, pasta and bread pounds from before. haha We got caught in a temporale on the way home. And it rained all night. We are definitely not in Greece anymore!

Hope everyone is having a fab August!
Opa!

we are outta here!

2007-08-02T23:40:00.000+02:00

We leave tomorrow morning for Mykonos. It is raining here today. Perfect timing. haha

Have a great couple of weeks, ya'll! I am going to be so tan!

i'm a schmoozer baby...

2007-08-01T10:43:00.000+02:00

Hey I got my first blog award! Stacy has bestowed upon me the coveted "Schmooze Award".

"What is that you ask? Well, to quote Stacy, who quoted Avery who quoted Jessica - “...schmoozing is the natural ability 'to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection. Good schmoozers effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way.'

I told Stacy I was very glad to learn I was a schmoozer...and not a loser! hehe

So now I get to pick 5 bloggers who have the power of the shmooze.

1. Nikki in Positano @ the life i choose - A transplant from England, living in Positano, she lures you in with hilarious stories of her daughter, her love, her adventures with the locals, and even sweet but heartbreaking stories of her *mum*. Her writing style, and funny plotlines leave you wanting more.

2. Bittersweet - I have no idea what her name is, but she writes the cutest stories to accompany her adorable little crocheted items, intertwined with events happening in her life. She also includes some health food info and free patterns. Her creations are absolutely adorable, and so are the little stories!

3. Jenny @ ljc fyi - I think Jenny probably gets recognized where ever she goes by fans of her blog. She is one of the all around most craftiest people I have never met. She shares fun new products she found, travel adventures, stories and pics of her cat and dog, and her husband. Her posts are short but fun and she always leaves you coming back for more.

4. Cyndi @ Re-boot - I think all who read Cyndi will agree that she is definitely a schmoozer. She writes very sincere, heartfelt posts that leave a lump in your throat. She can be funny too, but I think she usually makes me cry, well at least tear up a bit. haha Her husband is pretty funny, too. She has the world's wackiest cats, too.

5. Isela @ Purling Sprite - Isela is one of the most giving people I have never met. She spends hours helping loom knitters, creating patterns, new stitches, she has even appeared on knitty gritty, and her husbands builds the nicest knitting looms (of which I own many!). Her stories are about her family, and her love of knitting and looming. She is so friendly and sweet, and even makes you worried when her kids are sick. She does so much for the looming community, while raising two small kids. She is great!

There are many other blogs I could add, but the directions said 5, so 5 is all I will do. However, any blog listed on my site is a fav of mine! :OD And because of this, I just discovered a new expat blog, Jessica, who is from Spokane. Can't wait to read her blog!

So now, if I've got this right, I post the directions to participate:

1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that have schmoozed you into submission.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the award.

3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Power of Schmooze Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

Thanks again Stacy, for making me a schmoozer!

hats for tina!

2007-07-30T00:22:00.000+02:00

Carrie emailed me today, and they have set a date for the *hat party* for Tina. The date for her masectomy is scheduled earlier then previously thought, so the party is now August 6.

Some of you have requested an address, so you could send her a hat. If anyone would like the address, please email me: sara_in_italy at yahoo.com and I will send you the address.

I have only finished one hat, and one boobie so far, so I have to get busy! I don't have much time to get them in the mail.

Arlene email me this video, and I found it on youtube. It is a Komo News 4 story about Inflammatory Breast Cancer. It isn't pretty, but it is a must see. And if you don't know what I am talking about, please read my previous posts about my friend Tina.

Buona salute a tutti.

more on my friend tina

2007-07-26T09:47:00.000+02:00

I called Tina yesterday. It was so great to talk to her. Like always, she was postive and funny and she has a really great outlook. She had a round of chemo on Tuesday, so she was not feeling very well yesterday, but you would hardly know it. We had a long talk about her cancer, and she explained to me how it progresses and spreads. It is in her lymph nodes, so they will have to be removed as well. She has chosen to have a double mastechtomy, because once you have breast cancer, you are at a very high risk of it returning. And with her form of cancer, they can't determine yet if it has spread to other organs.

If you haven't read yet about this form of cancer yet, you really should. It is critical to diagnosis this early, and can't be found with your usual *lump test*. I asked her about getting implants right away, but I guess this form of cancer is also in your skin, so you lose too much of it in the surgery to do implants right away. Down the road it is a possibilty. We joked about her getting Pam Anderson boobies.

She lost her hair almost immediately. She is completely bald, after only two treatments. But she sounded like she was *ok*, and she is strong, and I know she is just as beautiful without her hair. She said she can cope with the loss of her hair, her breasts, and even suffer through what will be a crappy year, but the thought of her children losing their mother is the very hardest of all.

Tina is very positive, and is getting some help from her friends, and family. She said Carrie was providing tons of valuable info on health and nutrition. Tina is going to a support group, and a nutritionist next week. I guess it is very overwelming all the foods and vitamins that were once good for her, now can pose problems.

We aso discussed the effects this is having/will have on her 18 year old daughter. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to expect from your teenage daughter in this situation, or info for teens about mom's with cancer? I figure teens can be very scared, but react in very teen like ways... you know, like a pain in the ass. hahaha I did find an information brochure online for teens.

I told her how glad I was that she came to Cabo with me for my 40th b-day. It was great to spend that time, just having fun, and relaxing. And I told her when she is feeling better, and all this is behind her, to come to Italy, and I would buy her all the gelato she can eat! (how about a reunion girls??)

She asked about all the gals that were in Cabo with us, how they were all doing. She asked what was new in our lives. I told her about Peg buying her new house, and Kristi's new puppy (and the tragic doggie story), I told her Jewel was still flying the world, but I haven't talked to her lately (and miss her!) and Tina mentioned she met a guy she wanted to set Jewel up with. hehe We had some giggles about that trip - especially the truck load of Mexicans that drove by daily to get another peek at Tina, topless. haha

Tina doesn't have internet at home, but is getting it in about a week. Once she is online, I will send her my blog, so she can read all your well wishes.

We also discussed why the hell so many young women are even getting breast cancer, and men getting prostate cancer. Like I have said in the past, we need to find a cure, yes. But we also need to find out why this is happening. I think someone, somewhere knows. Articles are written, then disputed, then new findings are revealed then refuted. All in the name of profit, don't you think?

But I am really starting to believe (my friend Kim) that our microwaves, computers, clocks, all of our electric appliances and wires are to blame. And the hormones and/or chemicals they have been putting in our foods for years. I don't know exactly what IT is, but I know it IS something. And I KNOW someone knows. And it very well could be a combination of all these things, all the things that someone knows increased the risks of breast and prostate cancer, but bury the truth.

Just like Erin Brockovich knew about the contaminated water.... I think companies know, but cover it up. It has been a discussion for 25 years. And wrt electriciy, the electric compaines do studies, and then determine the studies are inconclusive. But hey are the ones doing the studies...

Because dang it, I am getting pissed. I want to know what causes prostate cancer, and why my friend Tina has breast cancer, and my mom's friend Pat, and Ricki's sister in law Paula, and Jennifer, and Laurie's milano SIL, and Amanda's MIL and aunt, and all the other men and women out there. And don't even get me started on leukemia and kids, and all who have been lost around my family, including my mom's friend Teresa who passed away at 33, or Brenda's brother in law Brad, who passed away in his 20's.

Because like I said, I really believe now that *someone* knows why. I don't believe anymore that it is just a part of life, and an illness that you can get. I think there are proven, known, causes. And someone has to explain why profit is more important than, for example, my friend Tina.

house update

2007-07-25T16:56:00.001+02:00

We saw the house yesterday and it is so cute. It has a perfect sized yard, a huge garage and laundry area, a little cute bathtub downstairs, a BBQ in the backyard, built in air conditioner, alarm system, a huge kitchen, fireplace, and an elevator.

However, the upstairs bedrooms are pretty small. It is more like a bedroom and an open office. Also, there are no stairs. Only the elevator. Which is kind of freaky, if the power goes out. And if you take a bath downstairs (there is only a shower upstairs) you have to walk through the living room, and take the elevator upstairs to get dressed. Which is not a major problem, but a little weird.

I really liked the house, but agree with Franco that the rooms are too small. It has a lot of pluses, but some weird negatives. Another negative is the guy wants almost the whole cost of the house in cash. We could probably do it if we sold our current house, but Franco would rather hold on to it. Especially since this is not the *dream house*. And it is weird the guy wants so much in cash.

I think if the house were $100k cheaper, it would be perfect. However, if it were $100k cheaper, it would have been snapped up. It is too small for a family, but too expensive for the location and size. I think it would be perfect for an older couple without a lot of stuff... I love the yard though. It was perfect.

So, I think we are going to pass. I also did a lot of looking yesterday online and you can get houses a lot bigger for the same price. It is too bad though, because the guy really did a nice job, and it has a lot of great features. He just wants too much money (to recoup the money he put into it) for the small size of the house. Sad, huh? hehe

In other news, I watched the CNN/You Tube Democrat Debate today. There were some funny video questions, some funny responses from the candidates, and some serious questions. Overall I think the format was cool. I like the idea, and it came off well. I do think it would be better if there were fewer candidates, but I guess we have to wait till after the primaries.

I really liked the responses by Hillary, Edwards and Biden. Right after the DNC a couple of years ago, I was really impressed with Obama, like a lot of people, but I am losing enthusiasm for him. I just think he is too junior (and I know everyone says that, but it really shows, in my opinion.) I think in 4 or 8 years he has a much stronger shot, and should save his time and money, and wait. Because after (hopefully) 8 years, he will have more experience, and a lot of the doubters will be behind him. Hillary waited until it was her time, he needs to do the same, in my opinion.

I was never much of an Edwards fan, mostly because I didn't listen to him much, but I really liked the things he said in this latest debate. And Joe Biden was cracking me up, and also impressing me with his *speak the truth* outcries. He seems kind of like a nice, funnier, kinder, more honest (democrat) better looking version of Cheney - a hard ass.

The other candidates (especially that wacky Kucinich) say might say things that are relevant/interesting/or sound good, but I don't see them as president. And that cranky old Gravel, he really reminds me of Cheney. haha I figure they have done good in their states, but I think they should stay there. They all seem pretty extreme.

One thing I like about Hillary is I think she is realistic about issues, such as Iraq withdrawl, healthcare and schools. I think she has witnessed first hand how things work, the time it takes to get things done, and has some good ideas on how to try to fix them. I think it is easy to stand in a debate and say, "we need to get out of Iraq now!" But I think she is one who understands all the things necessary to do that. To me, she is a democrat with a hard-ass side. And that is what I think we need.

At this stage in the game, I would like to see a Hillary/Edwards ticket, with Biden serving as Secretary of something, or advisor. I am sick and tired of Bush's administration in general, and most recently this, and quite frankly I am ready to see a woman in charge. And I know, I know, many of you will want to comment about the evils of Hillary. But I don't really want to hear it. haha

I knew Bush was bad news, I knew it back in '99-2000. I knew he wanted to revenge his dads failures with Saddam, I knew he was about oil. I knew he was manipulating the American people into blurring the lines between Iraq and 9/11. I knew the American people would support him in going to Iraq, but I also knew they would turn on him after a few years. I predicted so many of the outcomes, it kind of amazes me. haha

I remember telling some friends why I was voting for Gore and not Bush. I said I didn't know much about Gore, I knew he was a tree hugger, and I wasn't afraid of him. I was afraid of Bush. He reminded me of the character Martin Sheen played in Dead Zone. And while he hasn't pushed the red button, he has taken away many freedoms, ruined us in the eyes of the world, and is now violating the 5th Amendment and many think taking away the right to protest the war. Not to mention all the other messes and conspiracies, but I won't go there right now. (I am getting more political then I meant to.)

My point is that I pretty much predicted all of what happened with Bush as president, so I feel I can make my own opinion about who I think is best to serve as my next president. Because in my opinion, half the country was wrong when they elected him, twice.

Wow, where did that come from? haha

So did you hear Lindsay Lohan was arrested again (yesterday) for a DUI and cocaine possession? Of course you did, cuz it was all over the news.

a house, a hat and a boobie, oh my!

2007-07-23T19:40:00.000+02:00

I have been searching for some patterns for chemo caps for Tina, and found some really nice ones on a site called Head Huggers. I made one hat for her last night. Since the hat party is in September, I went with fall colors.

While searching online for patterns, I came across titbits, a knitted prosthesis for women who have lost their breast/s to cancer. Sine the pattern is for knitters, I decided to try and crochet one. I figured if I can crochet little chicks and bears, I should be able to knit boobs. This is my first try. I think it came out pretty good. I need to make a partner for it.

After I make a few and perfect the pattern, I will write it up and post it, for anyone interested.

I haven't called Tina yet. I am waiting until I am a little bit less upset. :OS

Tomorrow we are going to see the house for sale. Here are a couple pics of the house. Isn't it cute. There is nothing infront of it but a bike trail and park. I will keep you posted.

Ciao!

our friend tina

2007-07-22T10:54:00.001+02:00

Last night, (after returning home from a fun night over at my friend Kim's house, where she made us a yummy dinner) I found this email in my inbox. It is from my friend Carrie, who has been a friend of mine (good lord, since like 1980). The email is about our friend Tina, who I met through Carrie. Tina is one of my girlfriends that went to Cabo with me last year for my 40th b-day. (Picture of Tina in Cabo)

Carrie's email was beautifully written, so I wanted to post it, as a reminder to us all. I have never heard of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, and after reading much about it last night, apparently many other women have not, either. I urge you to google it, and learn the symptoms. It is not found by the usual lump.

Dear Miss Sara,

Tina has been diagnosed with (Stage 4) Inflammatory Breast Cancer. She found out about 4 weeks ago after feeling some tightness in her left breast- went in for an over due mammogram and found the cancer.

She's undergone one chemo treatment, another this Tuesday. She'll undergo a total of about 16 treatments to isolate the cancer, then probably have a double masectomy.

Her hair has begun to fall out in chunks- she cut it real short in the meantime, but will probably be hairless in about a week.

I'm going to be planning a hat and scarf party for her- inviting friends and family to celebrate her beauty, plus recieve a beautiful hat or scarf from each of us.

Since you make such beautiful hats, I thought maybe you would like to participate. I'll send you the details about the date of the party- probably in September. If you have a trip to the states planned, I would love it if you could make it. :-) (wishful thinking).

Anyway- its a reminder to us all- when in question, move through the fears and go get checked.

Live life everyday as if its your last, and never, ever underestimate the power of positive thinking, the powers of nutrition, the power of self healing. And most important, never take for granted the amazing gift of friends and family.
Much love,
Carrie

So, please get informed. And please, send good thoughts Tina's way. She is a beautiful and postive friend, wife and mother of three. She is also in excellent health and a strong woman, so I know she can beat this. She just has to.

seriously? seriously?!

2007-07-16T17:57:00.001+02:00

Seriously, there is a pharmacy inside the grocery store at Iper Seriate. Finally. You can actually, finally buy aspirin and cough syrup at the grocery store. There is even a pharmacist, white coat and all. However, you can't get prescriptions filled. One step at a time, people.

And today, I went grocery shopping at Esselunga, and I found Haagen Daaz mini-cups ice cream in Cookies and Cream. And Twinnings Indian Chai tea.

You know, if it wasn't for all the people speaking Italian, I would barely know I was in Italy anymore. That might sound like a bad thing to some of you, but trust me, living here, it is nice to feel more *at home*.

I think that is why my blog is so boring lately. It really isn't an expat blog anymore. I don't feel like a newbie, who writes about all my crazy italian adventures hardly at all anymore. I guess I am too settled now. haha Trust me, I had lots of expat type stories when I moved here....

I went on a bike ride yesterday. We rode to Franco's moms and stayed for lunch and dinner, then rode home. Worked out pretty good for us. haha I love my bike! It has been years since I rode, and it is so fun. It is like being a kid again, like when you are in a swimming pool! And I am so glad I bought the bike shorts - they have saved my buttocks! (you have to say *buttocks* like Forrest Gump) haha

Oh! And I finally busted out my crochet hook and made a hat for Franco Saturday. The weather has been SOO hot here, I stayed inside and crocheted all day. It is 37 degrees outside right now. HOT! (My Indian Chai iced tea is hittin' the spot!)

Hey, the new Harry Potter book is out now, right? Did anyone get a copy? Does he die at the end??? Wait, don't tell me. No, tell me. No, don't. No, I want to know.... Do I?

jeffrey dean morgan...

2007-07-11T11:36:00.000+02:00

otherwise known as Denny Duquette, I just found out, grew up in my 'hood. I just finished watching my Grey's Anatomy Season 2 dvds last night, and was quite upset over the ending! Obviously I am a year or so behind, but I am hooked on Grey's. I can't believe Denny died (well, actually I fugured he was doomed when he proposed to Lizzy, but still! I loved his character) Anyway, that was sad, and I can't believe how they left us hanging with Meredith and Derek. Oh the drama. haha I loved the addition of Chris O'Donnell too. His character was cute.

Anyway, having just finished the series, I had Denny Duquette on the brain, when I saw pics of Britney Spears' new mystery man. No one knows who he is, and although I don't really care, I thought he resembled Denny. So I googled Denny to see if he really did look like the guy in this pic:

Finds out Jeffrey D. Morgan and I are almost twins. We were both born April 1966. We grew up on the east side (WA). We went to rival Jr. High Schools - he went to Rose Hill, I went to Kamiakin. We went to rival high schools- he went to Lake Washington, I went to Juanita. We both graduated in 1984. He got into acting accidently. I got into advertising accidently. We both moved to California. He became a famous actor. I act like I am famous. haha

So, obviously, he can not be the guy who has been hanging around with Britney Spears. Because my *almost twin* would never do that!

tuscany food reviews

2007-07-09T17:22:00.000+02:00

When we went to Tuscany last week Franco and I stayed at a cute hotel in Castegneto Carducci called Hotel Bambolo. It is especially great for those who ride bikes. Franco brought down his new bike, and took a couple of rides, and said the hills and scenery were wonderful! We had a nice stay at their hotel, and they have a wonderful pool in the back. It is a 3 star, not very fancy, but it was perfectly located for our trip. The best thing about the hotel is the restaurant, Antica Osteria del Bambolo, across the street. We had a couple of tasty dinners there, including my filet, that was like butter! It was huge, like a baseball cut, and cut with a butter knife. I enjoyed it with a nice glass of wine (for 18 euro!).

We also had a marvelous dinner in San Gimignano at Ristorante bel Soggiorno. The food was amazing, as was the view. I started with an appetizer of thin sliced potato layered with goat cheese. It was cheesy heaven.
Then I had the best fish I have ever eaten in Italy - it was a nice big filet of Branzino topped with toasted almonds, served on a bed of spinach. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of it. I think I ate it too fast. ahha It was a wonderful dinner. I don't remember what the other two dishes are, that Franco and his mom ordered, but they were pretty.

For my third food review, we went to the beach one day and discovered that we were too late to eat at a restaurant. Apparently EVERYONE stops serving food at 2:30 except for a little sandwich place a block away. At first we were a little annoyed, but after we tried the sandwiches, we were quite happy. I can't remember what they were called, but the bread was so good! it was kind of fried and delicious. Does anyone know what these are called? We were at the Marina.

Now, no visit to San Gimignano is complete without a stop for gelato. I went to my favorite gelateria,

although I was sad that my favorite flavor was not there - chocolate, orange, cinnamon. However, I managed to find a few flavors I liked.

we're back!

2007-07-02T23:11:00.000+02:00

Just a quick hello, to say we have returned from our FABULOUS four day holiday in Castagneta Carducci. Oh man, the weather was wonderful, the wine and food spectacular. The sea water was warm. I am a bit tan. Franco rode his new bike a couple of times. We visited San Gimignano, Bolgheri, and some other small towns, All in all, we had a very relaxing, wonderful time.

This was the whole group (sans kids), although not everyone was there for the entire time. Starting left to right: Jacapo, Ricki, Mauro, Sara (me) Franco, Nandine, Sergio, Doug, John, Crystal and John. Franco's mom took the photo, so she is missing.

We went from 36*C today when we left to 16*C when we arrived in Bergamo. Nothing like a 20* difference to shake you back to reality and out of vacation mode.

I will definitely tell more tomorrow. I have to make some restaurant reviews and talk about our hotel too! But for now, I must sleep. Vacation is hard. haha A domani!

off to the beach!

2007-06-27T15:42:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow Franco and I are heading off to Tuscany to spend five days at the beach. We will be meeting up with my sister in law, Ricki, and her family, along with about 16 other people. It should be a fun time. We are also planning on going to San Gimignano for a little sightseeing (and DEEEElish gelato!) haha

I am pretty exhausted from hanging out with my niece and nephew for a week. Dang, kids are a lot of work. ahah We took them to the park yesterday, and it wore me out.

Today I am just packing and getting ready for our road trip. I will post some pics when we return!

Have a great rest of the week!

400th anniversary of ardesio

2007-06-23T17:58:00.000+02:00

Today Franco and his dad and uncle walked from Alzano to Ardesio for the 400th anniversary of the Sanctuary of Ardesio. Franco's dad wanted to make the trip, so off they went...at 3am this morning. They arrived around 10:30, it is about 35 kilometers. Zia Giuli and I went to pick them up, and then we all (including my sister in law, and her family, who are visiting from Seattle) went to lunch at the agriturismo owned by Giaciomo's cousin. We had a fantastic lunch, including tiramisu. Yum! haha

Franco is now napping. We came home, he took a shower, and dropped right to sleep. I think I would be dead after walking 7.5 hours...

I have been running around with my sister in law, Ricki, and her kids since they got here. We even went to the pool, and sat outside, and played in the kiddie pool with Jessica and Lorenzo. The weather has been fantastic, super hot.

We might go out to dinner tonight, but I am guessing that Franco is going to be too tired. Hopefully he will rally and we can go for a bike ride tomorrow. (Franco got me a new bike!) *I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike!* I had to go buy some bike shorts though, because after one day (22 kilometers) I think I broke my butt. haha it has been years since I rode a bike.

Monday I am going down to Alzano on my bike, and Ricki, Zia Giuli and I are going for a ride, and to do some shopping. If I survive, I will post more later. haha

Ciao! Buona Domenica!

i definitely have a better understanding...

2007-06-18T10:01:00.000+02:00

of why we used to see so many Vietnam Vets homeless, living on the streets, panhandling. It really is sad how we use them and then just toss them out. Our soldiers should be given the best care, the best pay, and our highest gratitude. But instead, they are over-medicated, written off or forgotten.

I read this article today about the care (or lack of) given to soldiers returning with PTSD.

"Calloway felt naked without his M-4, his constant companion during his tour south of Baghdad with the 101st Airborne Division. The year-long deployment claimed the lives of 50 soldiers in his brigade. Two committed suicide. Calloway, blue-eyed and lantern-jawed, lasted nine months -- until the afternoon he watched his sergeant step on a pressure-plate bomb in the road. The young soldier's knees buckled and he vomited in the reeds before he was ordered to help collect body parts. A few days later he was sent to the combat-stress trailers, where he was given antidepressants and rest, but after a week he was still twitching and sleepless. The Army decided that his war was over."

It makes me sad to know that in a few years we will have a whole new generation of vets, struggling with mental turmoil, living on the streets.

no time for posting lately...

2007-06-13T11:17:00.000+02:00

Sorry, I have been a bad, bad blogger. I have been so busy walking the line with my *Free Paris* sign, I haven't had the time to post.

I also just returned from Albania. It was a quick trip, but I did pick up a cool new Timex watch with the Stars and Stripes on the face. Some guy was shaking hands with everyone, and his watch just happened to fall in my pocket. *shrug* hehe

I have just been doing stuff around the house - cleaning, ironing, the usual. HA

Seriously, I have been working for my brother again, doing lots more projects, so I have been busy! We are still fine tuning the web sites, and making some changes, but they are coming along nicely. They had some professional photos taken of the houses in Cabo, and they are beautiful! I want to go back! I am also working on a huge brochure, an ad, some online ads, and promo items. They keep me busy! Check out the web site (so far) bcsvillas.com and the home pages for Toro and Luna Nueva. They other two are not started yet.

OK, back to work! Plus it is time to start lunch. Hope ya'll are doing well!
Ciao!

again I ask...

2007-06-07T18:58:00.000+02:00

how can you not believe in Global warming? The whole world does. Even Bush believes in it, he just doesn't want to admit to it, or do anything about it. And why? Because he profits from the very things that cause global warming, perhaps?

G-8 OKs 'substantial cuts' in warming gases
U.S. blocks firm targets, but summit cites goal of halving emissions by 2050

"Group of Eight leaders on Thursday agreed on a plan calling for "substantial cuts" to greenhouse gas emissions, but the compromise with President Bush left France's leader wishing a stronger stand had been taken.

In terms of targets, we agreed on clear language ... that recognizes that (rises in) CO2 emissions must first be stopped and then followed by substantial cuts," German Chancellor and G-8 host Angela Merkel told reporters.

The summit text confirmed that the world's leading industrialized nations would act to stem the rise in global warming gases, followed by "substantial" reductions — the most serious commitment to date by the United States, the world's largest carbon emitter.

The European Union believes 50 percent cuts are needed to ensure that global temperatures do not rise more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit this century above pre-industrial levels, a threshold it says could trigger "dangerous" changes.

Experts have said that would require a global reduction in emissions of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050."

an inconvenient truth

2007-06-04T20:03:00.001+02:00

I watched the Al Gore powerpoint movie last night, and now I am sitting here in the dark. Yikes, we're doooomed! hehe Seriously though, we better get our act together! I don't want to live in an oven...although my moms house might become lake front property. hmmm haha

I already switched some of my lightbulbs, and I am trying to get Franco to buy a Prius, and I try to line dry most of my clothes. And I hardly ever drive. And I turn off lightbulbs when I am not in a room, and...I will turn down the thermostat in the winter. And I will not use our air conditioner unless it is super super hot. (Although it might not work anymore because I kind of hit in while backing out of the garage...but that is another story.)

Serioulsy, I don't know how people can think that global warming is fake, and that we don't need to do anything about our over consumption and waste. EVEN IF global warming isn't true (which I don't know how you can think that...all the top scientists in the world agree that is IS true - it is only Bush and his band of oil goonies that say it isn't true), but even if it isn't true, what in the hell is wrong with reducing emissions, pollution, crap in the landfills, getting off foreign oil, etc. AT LEAST you can turn off excess lights, line dry some of your laundry, unplug all your chargers when not in use, etc. That isn't putting money into anyone elses pockets, but yours.

I don't see anything wrong with treating the planet better, and reducing pollution.

I don't see anything wrong with breathing clean air.

there’s something in the air in rome...

2007-06-01T21:19:00.000+02:00

Cocaine.

ROME - Scientists have discovered particles of cocaine and marijuana, as well as caffeine and tobacco, in the air of Italy’s capital, they said on Thursday.

Read more about it here on msnbc.com

And in related news, Bush is coming to Rome next week. Coincidence?

I'm just asking....

i'm a white bread kind of girl...

2007-05-31T16:31:00.000+02:00

But since beginning my get fit 2007 campaign (haha) I decided to try Barilla Integrali (whole wheat) pasta. I have held off for a long time on going whole wheat. I always thought the pasta would seem grainy (like pezzocheri) or something. Well, I am happy to say that I tried the spaghetti today, and it was delicious. I am still not completly sure on why this is better for you, but at least I felt healthier by association.

Yesterday I babysat the twins again. They are so good, and so cute. Giuliano loves music and every time he hears it, he starts dancing. They are both walking now, but Greta a lot less then Giuliano.

As far as knitting/crocheting goes, I managed to pull out some yarn, and set it on the chair, with the intent of making something. That is as far as I have gotten. I am dying to try out my new crochet hooks, Happy Hooker pattern book and stitch markers...but it is too hot.

Have I mentioned how much i LOVE my lasik eye surgery?!?! It was one of the best things I have ever done. No more glasses, no more nose aches from my glasses, no more dirty glasses. I do have to use eye drops quite frequntly for dry eye but it is improving. I love love love having had the surgery. I highly recommend it, for anyone who is considering the surgery. And if you are in Washington, I highly recommend the Lomas Eye Clinic.

Dr.Lomas operated on my brother 30+ years ago, and he is still in business. He has performed over like 35,000 lasik proceedures or something like that, and he did my surgery. The whole staff is great, very kind, and patient, and calming. And I loved the valium they give you before the procedure. ahha (Crap, I just noticed that for the month of May they are giving $1000 off the proceedure. Man, I am a month too late!) If you are considering it, now is the time to do it! (I sound like an ad. ahha) The procedure was over in about 15 seconds per eye. It was so easy.

Alrighty, that is all I have for now. Ciao!

memorial day.

2007-05-28T14:31:00.000+02:00

Voices of the Fallen: The war in the words of the dead.

Honoring the Fallen: A Tribute to US Soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Remembering the Fallen.

British military casualties during Iraq war.

Remembering those who lost their lives in the Iraq war, Italy.

Remembering those who lost their lives in the Iraq War.