Happy 5th Anniversary!!!

That's right! We're off to the Dolomites to celebrate 5 years!!! It's marvelous to know that the A&Z adventures have only just begun <3

Here's a peak at the gifts we exchanged... each has his own opinion about which one was the hottest ;)

We haven't been to the sea since last December! And even then, it was one night, in the dark, to see how much damage flooding and mud slides were causing... 

A few weekends ago we stopped for a few hours on the way home from Tuscany in order to get the lay of the land and meet with some of the workers who are heading up the construction projects that eventually need to be done. 

Come on down to La Caletta! 

Down the first group of stairs...

Now for the 2nd set of stairs...

Onward down the 3rd group of stairs...

Here we are on the 4th leg of stairs and nearing the end...

Turn right to head down the last stretch of stairs....

And finally here we are! 

La Caletta's back garden

La Caletta from the back - yes, you will note there are still more stairs...

These stairs that lead to...

Now watch your step we're nearly there...

Yes, yes, you can see it now...

The stairs lead right down to the sea! 

It is wonderful - even on a day of rough weather as it is today

Imagine you can hear the waves crashing against the cliffs :)

Sea Fever  by John Masefield I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky and all I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by; And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sails shaking, And the grey mist in the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.  I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull’s way and the whale's way where the wind’s like a whetted knife And all I ask is a merry yarn From a laughing fellow rover, and quiet sleep and a sweet dream when ere the long trip’s over

Sabbioneta

On the way back from one of our recent trips to Tuscany we needed a driving break and so we stopped in this really cute little town Zeno knew about called: Sabbioneta.

It has some of the loveliest doorways! What a nice calm town... Ahhhhh... 

Zeno in one of the doorways

In real life the flowers on the balcony along this street really sprung out with color! 

I love how they left the brick remnants where an old arch used to be...

One of the streets was called Victoria! In honor of my niece :)

City walls

Town square

I found a night in shining armor! Zeno took him out frist thing ;)

The remainder of the turret where the soldiers protected the city from attack

Old house

I liked it's upstairs balcony

I always like wood on yellow

Nice red window flowers!

Z :)

What a nice place where you don't have to worry about people steeling your bikes if you leave them unchained in the street!

Another nice door way

Balcony flowers outside the old inn

A Cedar of Lebanon outside "Victoria's" entrance gate

Zeno looking small in relation to the gateway

Rooftop upon rooftop up to the church spire

Sabbioneta! 

It's a peaceful little village :) I'd aspire to live in such a place one day! 

Neighbors think I'm crazy...

I've gotten into the habit of meowing to one of our bushes when we come home from work :) That's right! What's that? It's not just the neighbors? You think I'm crazy too?!!!! 

Well, hey! What would you say if the bush meowed back? 

Ah, Ha! Got you there didn't I? :D 

When Italians go on vacation for a month or two in August they often don't know what to do with their pets. Hence, many of them are kicked out onto the street to fend for themselves. Little "Panna&Salvia" as we named her (see below) decided that our garden was as safe a haven as any since she found herself disowned. Panna&Salvia stands for "Cream&Sage". This name came because at first she didn't trust us much and liked to hide in our sage bush :) She didn't come out and make friends until I offered her a saucer of heavy cream! Girl after my own heart. For the record, she completely turned her nose up at "plain milk" only panna will do. 

So, I meow at our bushes when I come home because if she's around she'll meow back and come out for a nice good petting. She's a sweet one! I still worry that she's not street wise enough to make it on her own poor little one... but she's not the worst tradgedy of the summer. One of my friends saved a kitten who had been tied up in a plastic garbage bag alive and thrown out with the trash. I can't believe people can be so cruel! 

Here's Panna eating her cream

Mmmmm! That's good stuff! 

Scary Spiders!!!!

I met this guy in Tuscany.... AhhhhhhhHHHH! I didn't like him so much even though Z said he wouldn't hurt me. He sure looks like he would! Save yourselves!!!! 

Scary Spider Sittin' on the Rosemary

the Family Box!

On our multiple drives to and from Tuscany we have to stop at least once during the 5 hour trip in order to refuel. On one of our return trips we discovered that if we fuel up at the Super ERG we get a Family Box!!! Full of all kinds of little goodies for families - a drink, travel stain removal, cheerios, pasta, hard candy, hand sanitizer, travel kleenex... :) 


We'll, on our most recent trip, we needed to refuel and I was driving. Much to Zeno's chagrin, I didn't want to stop until I found a Super ERG so that we could get the Family Box! :) Of course ;)


"Such a kid..." Zeno moans, shaking his head and smiling indulgently.

Behold! The Family Box

Projects from today and this week

The excitement of Lydle coming to live with us for a while has really inspired us to tackle some projects we just keep setting aside. For instance, this week, we decided to pain "Lydia's" room!

Here are some before and afters - before is the gray and after is the sugar paper blue :) It's a pretty cool color! Even the name, you see, way back when, sugar used to be sold in blue paper sacks. Hence, in Italy this color will be forever known as Sugar Paper :) 

This view before...

This view after :)

Left wall before...

Left wall after :)

Zeno painting the ceiling! 

Grey corner before...

Blue and White corner after! 

Radiator before...

Radiator after :D

Zeno after ;)

All we have left now is to put up the molding around the top of the ceiling where the white and blue meet :) And, of course, paint the trim, but we figure we can do that together with Lydle when she comes ;)

Instead, today, I tackled our "plate project"! We had so many plates going around and there are just the two of us, so I saw this great plate display on a wall and decided it would be perfect for our unfinished kitchen walls. Here is the result - before and then after:

wall before the plates

plates aranged in pattern on the floor... 

And they're up! 

And looking quite nice I must say :)

 Being in the hanging stuff on the walls mode, I took the opportunity to put up a few little knickknack shelves I'd painted and decorate them with teacups and saucers. They turned out quite nice too! 

No more projects this weekend. I'm about to hit the laundry, and tomorrow, hopefully you'll get some footage of the world championships of fireworks!!!