Look what happens when you go for a drive!?!

This is not something that would have happened to us in Pennsylvania! We were out for a drive in the mountains. The King thought he saw a dog run by and the next thing we knew we were surrounded by sheep. We just sat there until they went by. It was fun! The King started thinking about fresh ricotta cheese made from sheep's milk! After we were done with our drive he went to the store and bought some and ate it for lunch with some fresh bread!

Litle P is off from school until January 7th, her first day back. She is feeling much better. And she is happy that I set up my computer in her room. I didn't get it on the internet yet. I need a key so I can access the internet thru WiFi. You think the phone company would have given us the number last week. This Is Italy, though. Maybe I have it and I don't know it!

I got the printer hooked up to it and realized I forgot to buy paper. I was so happy to find the store and get a printer at a reasonable price that I hadn't a thought left!

Days go by and I think what did I do today....well, I know what I did today. After I took a shower, I made some scrambled eggs and toast. (You can buy sliced bread here, even hamburger buns!) Then I changed the sheets on our bed and washed them and got them hung out. I helped The King build the computer desk. I set up the computer and messed around with the internet connections!
Then I made lunch. I made sausage with onions and peppers, roasted zucchini (in the oven) and sliced carrots sweetened with agave nectar. Yummy! The food is so fresh. You can taste the difference.
The King decided to go visit his sister and took Litle P with him. I got to mess around on the internet in peace and send some emails and do some posting on my Italian websites that I frequent. I drank a Guinness. love it! I love that I can buy beer, wine and liquor at the grocery store. In Pennsylvania we have to go to a state store for wine and liquor and a beer distributor for beer by the case. Only recently places with a liquor license have been ab;e to sell 6 packs.

The King's middle niece stopped by to see the cabinet in the living room. It looks like this http://www.centroconvenienza.it/index.php?p=40&id=3119 We bought before we moved in the apt. they delivered it and started assembling it and it was missing 2 pieces. We have been waiting for at least six weeks for them to return and finish it, which they did on Wednesday. Caterina also gave me a bag of lemons, oranges and tangerines. I used to pay $1.50 for an orange or a lemon in the US and here people give them away. I wonder what other free stuff I'll get. We have a lemon tree in the yard but the landlord picked eveything that was close to being ripe before we moved in. The tree doesn't get much sun so it is taking awhile for the fruit to ripen. Maybe next week I can pick some. There is also a pear tree and a fig tree. But those are not in season.
A bit ago I made a hamburger for me and LP. You can buy already made hamburger patties too! And American cheese slices like Kraft singles. I have the store brand cuz they were on sale. We had mayo and ketchup and I had French's mustard (I was surprised to find it in the store) and fried onions....
I think that it's for today. I want to go watch some TV on Skyvision. The King is watching coverage of the massive snowstorm on the East Coast of the US. We are glad we don't have to deal with that. Today it was 60 and cloudy. It rained very early this morning and again about an hour ago. It's 8:30 pm now.

Friday...

Little P has been sick this week, so we haven't been getting up for school. Wednesday, The King and his niece took her to the doctor. He prescribed amoxicillin for her. It's a powder that we mix into water. Better than the shots in the butt that The King had to endure when he had bronchitis the week after we arrived!

This morning she went to school so we were up and out waiting for the bus at 8. Then The King and I went into Barcellona (a much larger town) to buy a computer desk and chair for my computer. Then we drove around the city looking for another store called Euronics so we could buy some electronics. We found it. Thank God for google maps!!

Last night we went into Milazzo to go to Carrefour. We needed a printer. Didn't have anything we liked. We got a few groceries. I really like that a person can buy beer, wine and liquor at just about any store!! (For non Europeans: Carrefour and Ipercoop are stores kind of like Super Walmart.) Carrefour is in a mall type building. There is an electronics store called Expert in the building. We were looking at a washer/dryer combo by Arriston. In America we don't have one machine that does both. It was 799 euros. Anyone have one? We looked for one in Euronics but the store didn't stock it. They sell them on their website though. I am not crazy about buying appliances over the internet.

The King is at a job interview. I wonder what is going on...

Here's a photo of Mt. Etna! We took this over the weekend when we were out driving.

It's the snow covered peak in the center. A couple of weeks ago we drove up to the mountains to look at a house and it was very clear that day. We forgot to take the camera. Murphy's law!!

Hey, that looks familiar!

As some of you may know I grew up in south Texas. We have some plants that I haven't seen in awhile. We moved to Pennsylvania in 1978 and I was only back to Texas in 1980 and 1981 (to Galveston).


In Italy these are called Fichi d'India Cactus. In Texas they're called Prickly Pear Cactus. When we arrived the fruit were just coming in season. People eat them here. I remember that ladies would make jelly from the fruit but I don't remember anyone eating them. It's a good thing to eat if you have the runs!! It will plug you up!!

I'm back on the internet!! Yahoo!

We arrived in Sicily on Oct. 21st, almost 2 months ago. It was rainy and ugly for almost a week. Just like the weather in Pennsylvania. We stayed with The King's sister for a couple of weeks or so until the apt we rented was ready.

We went up to the cemetery for the Day of the Dead (that's what I call it - not sure what Italians call it). The cemetery is at the top of a mountain. I took some photos. I took photos of the graves of family members. Cemeteries don't look like this where I come from. People were staring at me. I'm getting used to that!

This is our town. You can see the church at the top of the far mountain and the sea below. It was a baeutiful day. I have better photos of the church on the The King's phone BUT I have to buy a cord to download them onto the computer.

This is it for now..I have to hang out the wash while it is sunny. It's been rainy this week. I hope it's over but I don't think so!!

Taking a small break

This is my last day on the internet until we get there and buy a laptop or use an internet cafe.......

The movers are coming in the morning so I gotta get this computer packed!!

Moving Sale Yesterday

Yesterday we had a moving sale. We did pretty well, got rid of some stuff. My mom had an auction at her place. I din't get to go because I was minding my sale. She did pretty well and most of her house is cleaned out! Our house is pretty empty...another couple of boxes to pack up. The movers are coming on Friday.
Litle P is off from school on Monday and Tuesday. Then she will do lessons on Wednesday and Thursday and she will be done until the end of the month when we enroll her in the new school.
Thursday will probably be my last post for a few weeks until we get settled or I get to use a computer!

Another thing done...

We paid off the truck yesterday. Now I hope and pray that

1. we can get the title before we leave on the 20th and

2. we can find a buyer. We had a couple of calls about it but the people never showed up to look at it.

We closed out the business. So it's officially done!

BTW we sold the laptop.

Moving along..

I thought that we were going to get Litle P's bed sold yesterday but the people never came. Oh well.
Did some more packing. I have some of our stuff in plastic tubs to be shipped and I got into some of them yesterday and took some stuff out and moved some around and added some of the things that I need to pack!
Litle P and I packed one suitcase with her clothing in it! The one carryon is just about ready to go. I have to finish my suitcase. Progressing nicely on that front!
Gotta start getting ready for the moving sale on Saturday. My mom is also having a sale with the Longeneckers on Saturday too. I hope she sells a lot of her stuff!
My sister is coming on Friday night! I had a dream last night that she and her kids showed up at my house in the middle of the night and wanted to go out! Weird! Then I woke up with a hot flash!!! At least it was a better dream than buying lunchmeat at the deli counter in Sicily!
We are selling a Dell laptop for $100 if anyone close is interested. We decided not to bring it along.
I better get breakfast cleaned up and get showered!

New Stove

The new stove is in! Boy, did it ever give The King and Mike trouble! The store where we bought it neglected to give them a little bag full of parts that they needed to install it!

Tomorrow I will be trying out the oven!! It matches the new dishwasher we bought in December.

Laundry Room

We now have cabinets in the laundry room. Too bad I no longer have a washer and dryer! I like these cabinets.

I think that I have made arrangements for all of the utilites to be shut off. Hope I didn't forget anything!

I bought tickets yesterday! yahoo!

I sold my mixer this morning. Someone called about the truck this morning. I hope we sell it! October 10th we are having a yard sale and my mom's having a sale at her place.

The latest

yesterday we closed one bank account. Will close the other on Friday.

Changed the message at the business and on the website telling everyone that the business is closed!

Faxed papers to Litle P's school for withdrawing her next month.

Moved the kitchen table in to the dining room because we sold the dining room table on Sunday. We also sold the washer and dryer and the sofas. The King sold some of his woodworking stuff.
We are getting there slowly.

Afternoon Delight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A81fwLNklSM

Do you remember that song? It came out in 1976, the summer before I started 9th grade. The greatest summer of my childhood. My dad was still in the Navy and we lived in Corpus Christi, Texas.
I spent the summer at the pool. When we weren't swimming, we were playing Spades for hours! My friend, Julianne, was in love with one of the lifeguards named Steve. He was cute. "Afternoon Delight" was their song. One of Steve's friends, Ronnie, liked me. He used to come to church and sit next to me and hold my hand. What a thrill that was. I was only 13. I turned 14 in September. Ronnie was 17 and wanted to date me but my dad said no. Good thing, looking back on it now!
Everythime I hear that song it takes me back. Is there a song that takes you back?

More lights!

The King and his friend from Brooklyn were busy today installing more lighting. We have these on 3 corners of the outside of the house.










This is outside the garage door. It is a motion sensored light.














This is in the laundry room. It's bright in there now!
















We have 3 of these. One in the pantry and 2 in the hallway from the kitchen to the garage.
I think all of the lights are installed now.

The list is getting smaller!

Just finished...

this book this morning. I really liked it. It's the first Jack Reacher novel. He's a ex Army cop who is recently out of the service. He was also an Army brat (I could never figure out why children of servicemen are called brats, God knows 99% of us were not).

He stumbled into a small town in Georgia and is arrested immediately. Turns out the murdered man was his only brother. He won't let that go! He vows to figure out what is going on in this town.

I will be reading more Jack Reacher novels.

Laundry Room

The King ripped up the floor in the laundry room. There were some ceramic tiles in there but we decided to put down stick on tiles instead. The photo is of new wood.

The tiles are down. He has to put a frame around the doorway to the pantry and then finish the baseboard.

This is a close up of the tile. Fake slate! It's pretty and feels good to the bare feet. Won't be expensive to replace if there is an accident with the washer....

Happy Birthday

Today is my birthday. The last one in the US....It's also the first day of fall as it was the day I was born. Litle P and I made a Pecan Spice Cake last night. I actually have a birthday cake.

Yesterday was my BIL's birthday. He was 74 and I'm 47. That will never match again! Funny, huh!

Yesterday I started making arrangements to close out our bills, like the trash, electric and Dish Network. I spoke with the movers 2 or 3 times. That is scheduled! The King worked on the front of the house yesterday while I tried to get some mowing done! It looks like rain today so I don't know if I will get to finish.

Books

Over the weekend I read a few books.
I liked this one full of intrigue and good police work.
Takes place in Manhatten. I wonder if the Ville is real.















I really love Jennifer Weiner. I liked this book except at the end. I felt it was rushed and I did not like the ending. I hope there is a sequel.

















I love Sookie. I love Sookie books. I bought this book in hardback, gasp! It was $13 at walmart.com. Since I ordered Litle P's new MP3 player I figured I have to pay shipping anyway. I am not sure how much it would cost me to order the paperback from amazon.uk next year.
The end of this book made me cry. Sookie gets caught in the fairy war. I CANNOT wait another year to find out what happens in the next book!

My new passport

I received my Italian passport in the mail! Yahoo! BUT it's in my maiden name. Italian women do not change their names like we do. After 24 years, I must use another name. I can't scribble my name without THINKING anymore.
Remember how it was after you got married and you got to write Jane Smith instead of Jane Doe? It's gonna be weird!

I just heard...

that our buyer's buyer got the loan approval. So it's really on!! Their settlement is October 19th.
I have been waiting for this to start getting things done.

The Help

Last week I read this book. I really liked it.

Here's an overview from an ebook store.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women-mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends-view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

I felt that some of the attitudes in this book could be prevalent today. Of course the whites vs. black still exists but also the employer vs. employee attitudes. Or rich vs. poor... Or old vs. young...

Why must some people think they are better than others? Being raised that way is not an excuse. What do you think?

Italian Consulate

Last Thursday we made our last trip to the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia. I applied for my passport which should arrive next week. We also filed our repatriation papers and another paper we need to live in Italy.
We have been going back and forth to the consulate for 4 years. Unfortunately, the consulate may be closing next year.
Another thing off the mental list!

Entry Light

I almost forgot to post this photo. This is the light that hangs in the entry. We have had a one bulb Temporary Construction Light Fixture.

Like this one (since 1995).

I think the new one is so pretty and it throws a lot of light! Although, we have not come into the house when it is dark to see the whole effect.

More work photos

We have a new doorbell! Actually we had a "doorbell" before but it was never wired up to a "bell". We let my mom pick from the 2 sounds since she is the one that has to listen to it! She picked the ding dong sound. The other one was a westminster chime. Not one I want to hear alot.

The King put on a new door to the garage. The original door started rusting and when we redid the sidewalk we had to take the bottom of the door off. It looks nice. The half circle window lets pretty much light into the garage. It also matches the half circle windows on the front of the house. The King painted it white. Looking good!

He also hung the 3 outside lights on the back of the house. They are a little 70's looking! But they through a lot of light!

What's been happening!

We have been so busy. I am homeschooling Litle P until we leave. She started on Sept. 1st. So far it is going as expected since we are using the same program as last school year, K-12 thru Agora Cyber Charter School.

The King has been busy working on the house in his spare time. He should be closing out the business in the next week or so. We still have not heard if the buyer's buyer got their loan. Does it always take so long??? I guess the bank does not care that other people are waiting on them to ok the loan.

The rebuilt deck....

This is the back yard where the bird pen was and a burn pile . All gone. It won't be long until the grass (or weeds) start growing.

Update

Well, we are still waiting to hear if our buyer's buyer got the bank loan. I cannot remember it taking so long when we got bank loans. I hope that we find out by next week.
On Sunday, The King installed the light in the entryway. It is so pretty. My camera batteries died. So as soon as I get into town and buy more I will post a photo. Yesterday, he installed the new doorbell. We have been living here for many years with a doorbell with no sound connected to it. Now we have one, weird!
We finished the deck railing. Now we have to stain it and that is done. He also cleaned up the yard where the birds lived. It looks really nice. Our friend came this morning and took the scrap away. Another couple of things off the list.
I have so much to do but I can't until we get a settlement date. I am starting to run out of patience. Litle P started school on Tuesday so we have that to keep us busy.
I cleaned out the cabinet over the stove this morning while she was doing schoolwork.
Time is fleeting!

More rain...

We are back to the yucky weather. Rained last night and part of today.
I worked with The King for most of the day, getting some of the last parts made and shipped out. I am praying that we are going to actually sell the house and that we are not making a big mistake by closing up the business before the papers have been signed.
We have tons of tools and such to sell, hopefully some of the fellows that came around and said they were interested, truly are interested.
We don't have too much in the house to sell mostly electronics and some kitchen appliances. I think I will have a yard sale in a few weeks.

Goodbye birds!

Our friend and neighbor just took our 2 geese, chicken and duck away. They will be living just down the road in a very good home. Litle P is sad but it was something that had to be done. Now the King has to clean up that area of the yard. Another thing for him to add to his evergrowing list of things to get done before we move.

I did a little more packing today. Trying to decide what we will need when we get to Italy. If we rent a place we won't be able to unpack all of our boxes so I have got to figure out what is necessary to live.

Wish me luck!

We got the rest of the boards last night for the top of the deck. This evening I hope we can get them screwed on.

So busy..

the past few days have just flown by. Yesterday we repacked all of our boxes. Some of them have been in the garage for months and with all the rain and high humidity, they started coming apart. I took some stuff out and moved things around so that I emptied about 8-9 plastic bins. We still have things in the house that have to packed but we will probably be in the house for 2 more months.
I have been getting quotes from shipping companies. I am glad that we aren't shipping any furniture or a whole lot of stuff. It's so expensive!
We didn't get the deck finished because of rain. It had been raining almost everyday. It has been hard rains, terrible thunderstorms. Most mornings have been very foggy. Then the fog clears it gets sunny and hot for a few hours then the downpours start. Very Weird!

I got to read one book, though, Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler. I really liked it. It's the sequel to Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, in which Courtney Stone gets transported into the body of a woman in teh 19th century named Jane Mansfield.
In the second book you learn about Jane being transported into Courtney's body in our time. What a shock it is for her!

Learning Italian

I have been studying harder the last few weeks. I have using online sites and this book.

It's a good book.

But it's still a blur. I can read pretty well but I cannot think to speak it.

I guess that will come!

My library system has a new program called Mango.

Has anyone used it?

Movies

I tried to watch the movie "Blindness" over the weekend. It was gross and disgusting. I could not stand it.
Did anyone see it?

Well, it looks like...

our buyer, my mom, finally got a yes from her buyer. Tomorrow they will be signing some papers. Her buyers must do a house inspection. Do I say we actually sold our house? We haven't signed anything yet.
We have been working on the deck. We have almost all the boards on the top done but we must get some more lumber.
It's hot here right now, up in the 90's. It's not too bad if you are near a fan!

Deck Work

We worked on the deck again last evening until it started raining again. I was hoping to mow yesterday but too wet from the day before. Maybe this afternoon if it dries out.

Julie & Julia

I just finished this book. I loved it. The cooking and doing the blog was a fantastic idea. I could not have done it, though. Could I bring myself to eat offal? I don't know.

The idea eating brains, kidneys and liver really does not appeal to me. And aspic, yech! I can remember aspic from when I was a kid, although I can remember eating one that tasted like V-8 and it was in the middle of the summer and that I enjoyed it.

The adventure of trying all those recipes does appeal to me. I have way more experience with cooking than Julie did.

She clearly stated at the beginning of the book that she is not a cook.

Here's an article about the book and movie.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/210689

I don't really want to see the movie. I LOVE Meryl Streep. But after reading the book I cannot imagine Amy Adams as Julie Powell. I do like Amy Adams but not in this part. I felt the same way about Renee Zellweger playing Allie French in "Appaloosa". Right at this moment I cannot think of who I would cast in that part.

Have you ever played that "game" with books that could or are going to be movies? Everyone has their thoughts on who would play Stephanie Plum if Janet Evanovich's books were ever to be made into a movie. I think Jamie Lynn Sigler would be a great Stephanie Plum.

OR did you imagineJulia Roberts as Georgia (from Friday Night Knitting Club). I just read that she has been cast as Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love. Maybe !?!

We all know that Tom Cruise was miscast in at least 2 films, "The Firm" and "Interview With A Vampire". Brad Pitt would have been the better choice for Lestat.

I started watch "Seven Pounds" last night. We watched about 20 minutes of it and turned it off. What was it even about? Don't know or care! Sorry Will, maybe next movie.

Day before I watched "He's Really Not That Into You". I kinda liked it. If women really acted like Ginnifer Goodwin's character, GiGi, it's no wonder they/she never get/got dates.

Maybe I'm too old. People didn't have computers or cell phones when I was dating back in the 70's and 80's.

Rain

Yesterday no work got done on the deck due to rain. It poured all day.
I watched "Last Chance Harvey" this weekend. It was ok.
Did anyone else see it?

I finished this book this morning.
It's the 3rd installment of the Spellmans.
If you like Stephanie Plum or Kinsey Millhone you will love Isabel Spellman and the crazy Spellman family.
Here's an overview. http://lisalutz.com/revenge-spellmans

Barry Sonnenfeld to adapt 'The Spellman Files'
The Spellman Files is the first novel. I hope itturns into a great movie. I wonder who they will cast as Isabel and her sister Rae.

Rebuilt Deck

Yesterday we went to the store and got some lumber. Since it looks like my mom will be buying our house The King has decided to rebuild the deck for her.

We got the frame up. We had it half done when we realized that the new boards were all different measurements. What is up with that??? So we had to take it apart and trim the pieces and put them back together.

Tomorrow we will start putting the boards on the top. It is supposed to HOT!!!

Sunny day

The last few days have been gorgeous. Thank you God! Low humidity and a nice breeze. It's joyous!
I read a book by Jan Burke called The Messenger. I loved it! It is about a man that delivers the last messages for dying people. I went to the library yesterday and got a few more of her books.
I also read The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. WOW!! This is her first novel. It's great. It's about a woman, Connie Goodwin, who is grad school for her PHD. Her mom wants her to take the summer and clean out her grandmother's house. She finds the name Deliverance Dane in an old bible and starts researching who this woman was. A clue: It is involves the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. http://www.physickbook.com/ Even if you are not a reader you should pick this one up.

I have filled my ipod. It only has 1 gig of memory. I only got 128 songs. I am a little disappointed but I will get over it. I will just have to switch them around a lot! I just added some Matchbox 20 and Clapton, the Stones and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Warren Zevon.
Any music I should check out?

Movies

I watched 2 movies this week.
Inkheart and The Wrestler

Litle P read 2 of the 3 Inkheart books by Cornelia Funke. I liked the movie. It was good vs. evil. Litle P was comparing the book to the movie. I had to explain it is not always the same. It starred Brendan Fraser (who doesn't like him), Helen Mirren and Paul Bettany.

The Wrestler, I did not like. I hated the ending. What ending, it didn't have one ...it just stopped. The wrestler was pathetic. It was sad what he did to his life but he was responsible for it. Mickey Rourke was good in this but I would not have given a best picture award to this film.
Don't waste your time or money.

Margaret Maron

I found a new author to read. I read 2 of her books over the weekend; Death's Half Acre and High Country Fall.

The protagonist is a county judge named Deborah Knott. She always seems to be involved in murder.

Here's her bibliography. http://www.margaretmaron.com/biblio.html

I got an ipod shuffle

I go the shuffle last week at Target. It was almost $49 and I had a $5 off $25 coupon. It is very small! My pinky is larger than the ipod.

I have been busy selecting songs from my over 200 cds to put on it. Depending on how long the songs are it may fit 240 on it.

I have Queen, Beatles, Supertramp, U2, Peter Gabriel, Pink and others on now. Gotta get some Stones and Police on today.

Yesterday I used while I was riding my exercise bike and it was great! I just clipped it onto my shirt. I didn't realize it had a clip until we opened it.

I have not used the earbuds yet. They seem a little large. Maybe today.

Do you use earbuds or headphones? What music is on you ipod?

Weather

With the wacky weather this summer I want to lodge my complaint. I feel like I am living in the tropics or maybe a swamp. It is so humid. It has rained every day for like 2 weeks. Right now we are havin' a bit of sunshine but I feel so sticky! Yech!!
What's your weather like? Is a dry heat really different??

The latest

On Tuesday, Litle P and I went to see the latest Harry Potter movie with my mom. It was very good. But the book was better. The books have so much that they cannot include in the movies, I guess.
Yesterday we did some quick shopping and a trip to 2 libraries. Then home to babysit a friend's little boy. He is such a dear!

On the sale of our home...Quite a few months ago we thought that we had a buyer but after quite some time it turned out that they could not get a large enough loan. So we had to start again.
More Waiting.....

Then at the beginning of July, my mom decided that she will buy our house if she can sell her place. Great, now I don't have to worry about my mom having to fix things on her place. The house she lives in was built in like 1843 or so.
The King called the couple that were interested in our house and told them Mom wanted to sell. They were very excited because they are more interested in her land (they are farmers). They went and looked at Mom's and got back to her the other day (after MORE WAITING).

They want to set up a meeting with the realtors. My mom is going to visit my sister and will be back in a week or so. Now we are back to MORE WAITING...
Everyone out there say some prayers for all of us that this will happen! PLEASE>>>

Working Weekend

This weekend The King finished off the painting in the living room except for the trim around the windows. i think he needs to do one more coat. So Saturday morning we had to move everything out and push the big stuff to the center. No computer all weekend!

Today we moved the sofas back in place so I hooked up the computer in another place in the room.
I read The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw. It was very good. The story was about a girl named Saaski who was a little different, pehaps a changling. This is a juvenile book but it kept my interest. It is one of the selections from Read It and Eat.
I also read The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel. It's another of the Father John/Vicky Holden series. The book was large print. I have a hard time reading those but it was the only copy in my library system. I need to order the next one!

Brimstone by Robert B. Parker

I read this book yesterday. As many of you know I like reading books written by Robert B. Parker.

Brimstone is the third installment in this western series, Appaloosa and Resolution are others. The main characters are Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. They are lawmen.

In this book, Virgil and Everett are searching for Allie French. a woman that they met in Appaloosa. Virgil fell in love with her. But she is trouble. They search through some towns and roll into Brimstone and get hired on as deputies. The town is getting in between two powerful men: Pike, a saloon owner and Brother Percival, a minister.

Everett spies Allie working as a prostitute in one of the town's saloons. He tells Virgil and they rescue her. But things are not fine and dandy between Allie and Virgil. This figures into the main story in this book.

The first book, Appaloosa, was made into a movie with Ed Harris as Virgil, Viggo Mortensen as Everett and Renee Zellweger as Allie. I liked the movie but did not care for Renee as Allie. She didn't seem to bring the part alive. I didn't think she was pretty enough. Maybe it is because Allie is not a likable character. If I knew her in real life I would not be friends with her.

I just finished this book.

I absolutely loved it!!! But I love everything Cecelia Ahern writes.

The story starts with Joyce Conway who just fell down the stairs at her home. She is hurt and is losing blood. Thankfully her father finds her and gets her to the hospital in time....

Justin Hitchcock is doing some guest teaching in Dublin at Trinity and meets Sarah, who talks him into giving blood. He hates needles but sucks it up hoping to get a date with Sarah.

Joyce and Justin run into each other at a hairdresser and there's a spark and some familiarity. You must read this story to find out the rest.

Cecelia Ahern has also written: P.S. I Love You and If You Could See Me Now. She also created the TV show Samatha Who?

http://www.ceceliaahern.ie/

40th Anniversary of Moon Landing

Remember these fellows? I do! My whole childhood was filled with astronauts as was every other kid in the 60's. Did you see the moon landing? "At 10:56 p.m. EDT on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon. This image was taken from the telecast of the event, watched by over half a billion people around the world. Armstrong composed the quote after landing on the Moon."

I always thought that I had seen it live but I would have been asleep but I do remeber seeing a moon landing, I thinkit may have been the last one Apollo 17 in December of 1972.

Do you remember having to drink Tang because the astronauts did too? I will not drink it now!

Or these Space Sticks? I remember they came in peanut butter and chocolate. They were good!

I went to Johnson Space Center on a school trip. It was fascinating. I still love space stuff and science fiction.

Citizenship

In June I got my Italian citizenship! It was a long process in getting it. We went to the consulate to register our marriage but The King's passport had expired. They would not renew it until he proved that he had not become an American citizen. We had to reapply for his green card. His original green card did not have an expiration date so we never knew that they had to be renewed. What a long and frustrating process that was. Finally we got his new card and he could renew his Italian passport.
Then we could proceed with registering our marriage with the consulate. We married in 1985 and should have done it then but we did not know. We had to get copies of our marriage certificates from the county where we were married and have them apostillized (which is an Italian legalization) from the state. Then we gave them to the consulate who sent them to the comune that The King comes from. The comune registered our marriage and sent a paper back to us. At that same time we registered the birth of our daughters. They automatically became Italian citizens.
Then I had to get security clearances from every state that I lived in since my 14th birthday. I had to go to the police barracks and get fingerprinted and sent that to the FBI for another security check. Those documents had to be translated and given to the consulate. I tried to translate them myself but they would not accept them. I found someone in Reading that translated them and we returned to the consulate again. This time the documents were accepted. That was in May of 2007.
YAHOO! Now when we move I don't have to get a visa to stay in Italy with my family. I just have to go back to the consulate and get my new passport. They won't give you citizenship and a passport in the same day, unfortunately.

We plan to get my passport when we file the repatriation papers right before we leave the US.

I'm Back.....

My hard drive crashed....don't know why but it did.


A friend took my computer away and brought it back last Saturday. I haven't done much with it since. I didn't have a computer for over a month and kinda did not miss it. Is that bad!?!

I got this book from the library yesterday. It looked interesting. The author selects books and writes recipes around the stories. I have ordered several of the books she recommends like The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt and The Love Letter by Cathleen Schine. I am excited to try these books. I am always looking for books to read.

I have been continuing with the Spenser series by Robert B. Parker and the Margaret Coel series.

This week I read the new one from Lisa Scottoline, Look Again.

http://scottoline.com/Site/Books/lookagain.html When did people start making "trailers" for books? Am I way behind the times???

I really liked this book. It is about a Philadelphia reporter, Ellen Gleeson, who has an adopted son, Will. One morning she gets a flyer in the mail about missing children. One of them (Timothy) resembles her son so much that she starts to wonder if it is the same child. She adopted Will when he was a year and a half old. She starts to investigate. The lawyer that handled the adoption has killed herself. Ellen tries to find the biological mother, Amy. Her family told her that she could never get pregnant. Ellen's father and lawyer friend both tell her to let it go because she could lose her child if he turns out to be Timothy.

You must get this book to find out the ending!!

Know Italian?

Yesterday my sister-in-law from Italy called. The King was at work so I could not give him the phone. I have to say that I did not do too bad. I understood almost everything she said. But I could not remember how to say I don't understand. I know it will get better when we get to Italy and I am around it all the time.
I have done Rosetta Stone. That helped but it does not teach you to speak conversational Italian. I have books and cds. I have been using a new site on the internet called Byki (just found it last week). I can read some Italian.

Crocheted Market Totes

Here's the latest.

In the photo, I have finished the bag part and have started the top to put the handles on.

Crocheted Market Totes

Last night I had the urge to make something. It is getting too hot to knit. Litle P wanted to know why I haven't finshed her sweater. Like she is going to wear it now!

I remembered that I had seen a pattern in a mag that I wanted to make.

SO I found the magazine and the yarn. I haven't packed all my yarn yet, just in case.

And I got started.

This is what I have so far. I finished one circle and have started on another. You sew the 2 circles together, leaving a space to stuff the netting inside for when the bag is not in use.

I am using a yarn made from hemp, so it should be durable. I can stuff this into my luggage and have a bag to use when shopping whilst waiting for our shipment to arrive (once we have moved).

For a better look at this pattern check out this link ...http://www.knitsimplemag.com/node/163#7 it is about halfway down the page.

Tomorrow I will post another pic of my progress!

Children as Parents

I was just reading this post -

http://suburbsanity.blogspot.com/2009/05/let-them-be-babies-and-not-parents.html

over at Suburb Sanity. I wonder how old the grandparents are? Maybe they are only 30 or so!

It makes you wonder just what is going on. Look at Bristol Palin. She got herself in trouble and now she's a cover girl. She did not have much of an example from her mother who at 44 got accidentally pregnant.

Read this post, it expresses some of my thoughts!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bonnie-fuller/bristol-palins-empeopleem_b_206244.html

You look at one of the top rated TV shows for tween girls - "The Secret Life of An American Teenager" on the ABC Family channel. A 15 year old girl gets pregnant after having sex for the 1st time. This channel used to have wholesome entertainment but that got lost somewhere!

What happened to parenting? You should not be your child's friend. I think that is what happened with some people. They can't say no to their children and let them run wild. Some people stop parenting around age 10 or 11 figuring that the job is done, but kids need parenting much, much longer than that.

What do you think??

What's Cooking Wednesday

Make your own frozen treats - you will save some $$$ and you can get one flavor. Plus you can make them whatever size you want!

POPSICLE:
1 (3 oz.) pkg. Jello, any flavor

1 pkg. Kool-Aid, any flavor

1 c. sugar

2 c. hot water

2 c. cold water

FUDGESICLE:
1 (3 oz.) pkg. chocolate instant pudding

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. cream

2 c. milk
Mix and pour into molds. Freeze.

For sugar-free Popsicles just use sugar-free ingredients and omit sugar.

What if you used the oreo pudding mix, or cheesecake or white chocolate! Yummy!

Popsicle Molds

http://prairiemoon.biz/icepopmolds.html

Check out this link. They have tons of different kinds! Plus more recipes.