Back Online

After two weeks, we have our computer back! We've been having to take quick checks at the Family Center for our email and not a lot of time to email everyone.

Our house that we picked has passed inspection. It is in Cuma (which the Greeks settled) and is down the road from the beach and the Greek ruins. It has 3 bedrooms, a large balcony off of the kitchen and a great view. The duplex overlooks an orchard and the ocean and not much else with a clear view of the island of Ischia. Our next door neighbors are the landlord's sister and brother-in-law, and he's part of the Carabinieri (Italian military police) which equates to no break ins. A big plus! We sign the contract next week and move in the week after. Farragusto (Italian national holiday-the entire country shuts down for two weeks) has ended up only delaying us by a day.

We managed to make it over to Herculaneum a couple of weekends ago. Nicely preserved and smaller than Pompeii. I still haven't figured out how to get the pictures to where I want them, so sorry! Michael wasn't impressed until he heard that it was from Vesuvius that caused all the destruction to the city. Emily had her heart set on Pompeii, but after a few hours of walking around, she was glad we went for smaller. We're aiming to hit the big archeological museum this weekend. She has declared that seeing the Pompeii artifacts at the museum and in combination with Herculaneum touring that it will be "close enough" to Pompeii.

The kids have made a few friends here at the Navy Lodge. Unfortunately for them (Em and Mike), their families have already found and moved in to houses. We've signed the kids up for the Montessori school that is on the same base Patrick will be at and only 15 minutes from the house. They just answered all of our questions and concerns without us asking them. No basketball for either of them until January or February (through the Boys and Girls Club here on base) and the only other offering in soccer which neither is interested in. Emily is going to try out for the swim team in September. She's in lessons now to learn the butterfly and breast stroke, but the coach said she seemed very "coachable" and has a "swimmers body", just some technique work is needed. Keep your fingers crossed.

I'm still doing the things that need to be done here. It seems that there is something that has to be signed up for, turned in, or found at the exchange everyday. From our room to the housing office and back is almost 2 miles (I bought a pedometer), so even if I don't get to the gym (and yes, I'm going to the gym and actually using the equipment), I've gotten some amount of walking in. My weight training program consists of going to the commissary every three days and lugging the bags back to the room (.25 mile with usually two-three half gallons of milk plus bottles of drinking water).

The fires are down, the trash is picked up, and unfortunately the fireworks have slowed since an explosion there a few weeks ago. My Italian is picking up, although all that time in high school French class is coming back to haunt me. I don't really NEED to remember how to say "I'm going to the beach tomorrow" in French, but it sticks out every once in a while.

Till next time, ciao!