The annoyingness named Stud

So I bought these pads from Petco that cats sleep on and collects their fur so it doesn't get on the furniture. I'd like to show you how Stud uses one of them....

He's supposed to lay on top of it, but obviously he won't. He has another one which he sleeps on top of. He's on the terrace now and it's a bit chilly out but the bugs were terrorizing him.

Michael is doing well. The guys are getting sick with allergies and some with fluish symptoms. They have a countdown started, down to about 13 weeks. My patio furniture arrived at post so now I have to get it home for the terrace. I'll post pictures when I get it.

Hope all is well with each of you. Until next time...

For Kathy Koza....

My parents are in DC until Tuesday and I was able to speak to my cousin Kathy yesterday, and she was complaining that I haven't updated in a while. So here's an update.

My parents are in DC with my dad's side of the family burying my Aunt Jo at Arlington. She passed away in November and because she was a Captain in the US Army, she has the honor of being buried at Arlington. My parents never took Andrew or I to DC, and I don't say that to be mean, but I actually looked at flights to fly over for 4 days but they were a bit expensive. I know they'll have a wonderful time seeing all the sights with everyone, and they will have the honor of witnessing a military burial. At her funeral an honor guard came and did the flag ceremony. It was a touching and moving experince, one I hope never to experience for a good 80 years.

I went to the orthopedist on Friday, and the MRI said that my ankle is perfectly fine. Now most of us know that is not true. I'm meeting with the surgeon on May 30th, so I'll be able to take my trip to England to visit Jenni and be able to enjoy myself without hobbling all over the place.

Nothing else exciting going on. I need to start driving with my camera in the car. Yesterday on my way to Tammy's, the mountains and Alps were so clear which doesn't happen all that often. I promise from now on I'll keep my camera in my purse.

Michael's updated his blog and seems to be doing well. He was on a walk this past week so we haven't been able to chat online. I'm just waiting for his call.

Until next time.....

Kyle Thomas Wilbur-Hoistad

I'd like to introduce you to Kyle, my friend Tammy's baby, who I babysit every morning.

I tried to video him 'chatting' away with me but as soon as I started the camera he decided to stop. He's 3 months and a big flirt. I take him to PWOC with me on Tuesday mornings and the ladies love him.

Nothing else going on here. I pick up my MRI films tomorrow and take them to the clinic to get read. Hopefully i'll get some sort of news then. The weather was absolutely beautiful today. I actually sat on the terrace and read for a bit hoping that some of my freckles would pop out. Michael's doing well. Check out his blog for his exciting moments. He told me today there's about 100 days left!!

Until next time...

Body Balance

Today I went to a class at the gym called Body Balance. It's a mixture of yoga, pilates, and tai chi. It's taught by a friend of mine who loves to kick my butt! By the end I was a bit sore - used muscles I haven't used in a while - and I realized how much stress I seem to have. When I had my car accident a few years ago I went to physical therapy. At the end I always got a deep tissue massage. The therapist always said that I carried my stress in my shoulders. As I type this, my shoulders feel heavy and I'm trying to relax them. Guess I should see if I can make an appointment with the masseuse on post.

The weather today was gorgeous even though it's calling for rain until Tuesday. Hope all is well with each of you.

Until next time.....

MRIs

Today I had an MRI done on my right ankle. I was told 2 years ago that I needed ankle stabilization surgery. But with an upcoming wedding and move, I decided to put it off. Lately my ankle has been really bothering me and it's been rolling more often than normal for me. I was supposed to go to Germany to visit Landsthul Medical Center and have an MRI done up there. That consisted of the following schedule: April 28th, leave post at 7am, travel by bus for 12 hours to Germany; April 29th, 6am MRI, then get on bus at 845am to travel another 12 hours back to Italy. The thought of being on a bus for 24 hours did not excite me. Especially since I'd have to sit still and I'm convinced I have Adult ADD, I'd probably get very cranky. So I decided to cancel that appointment and go to an Italian facility to have it done.

Well my experince happened today. Normally Michael does most of the translating, but I can get some words. It was an experience to say the least, and that was before the MRI even happened. The poor girl couldn't figure out how to say a word in English. There was an Italian paramedic standing behind me and he was trying to help translate. After a few minutes I got what she was trying to say. We all got a good chuckle out of it, but there were a few annoyed Italians behind me.

I go back next Monday to pick up my films and I'm hoping that I can see the surgeon while he is here from Aviano Air Base. I'd like to get the surgery done as soon as possible. I promise there will be pictures posted of before and after. And maybe someone will take a few during the surgery!!!!! Kinda reminds me of Kyle Townsend's heart transplant. Remember him carrying that photo album around of his heart transplant?? It was amazing to see those pictures.

Well that's about it for now. Time is winding down on Michael's deployment. Yesterday was 11 months deployed. They're going to be going on more walks for about the next 2 months and then it's time to start the progression down the mountain. That'll take a while, but it means it's sooner to him coming home.

Love to you all!!!!

Italian Food

Now I don't post this to make Michael, Andrew, and Donna jealous. I do this because I LOVE Italian food.

This is my favorite pizza, Carciofotto, or Artichokes, artichoke cream, mozz, and tomato sauce. It's lovely. The pizza here is unlike anything you'll find in the states, even New York City. It's super thin, not oily, and a perfect amount of topping. Except tonight the artichokes were large ones. My other favorite meal to order is gamberetti, which is shrimp. There's this one restaurant where I always order the same thing, salad, gamberetti with pasta.

So for those who are coming to visit us in the fall, you will definitely enjoy Crazy Pizza. Hopefully you like seafood too because that's what the Veneto region is known for.

Love to you all!!!!

Nothing really exciting

I'm sorry to say there's nothing really exciting going on here. I'm going to Germany the end of the month for a day. I'm having an MRI done on my right ankle. I've had previous injuries to it and was told 2 years ago that I needed ankle stabilization surgery. So to say the least, I may be having surgery in the next month or 2.

The baby that I'm watching in the mornings is great. My first week with him I took him to PWOC with me. I said to a mother at Bible study that I don't know how mothers with infants do it. It took me forever to figure out how to get myself and him out of the house and not forget anything. She said to me, "It's hard, but you learn. That's why I get up at 4:30 am." Of course my mouth fell open at this sentiment. I can barely get myself out of bed at 6:00 am. But I've been told that once you have a wee one in the house, everything changes in your life for the better. I'm trusting that will be true for me too. I love a good sleep in - just ask Michael.

Speaking of my husband, Michael is doing well. We chat everyday online and we get to physically speak to each other on the phone once a week. The countdown has begun in Kamu - 16 weeks and counting. His walks will become more frequent as the weather gets warmer, which means we won't be able to chat as often. But I'm looking forward to the day when he gets off the bus at post and I can hold him in my arms. Until then, chatting online is almost as good.

The weather's gotten warmer, the cherry blossoms are blossoming, and leaves are starting to pop out on trees. I love spring. I love the idea of newness. We are both looking forward to moving stateside. We're looking at furniture and all kinds of kitcheny things. Know that we think about you all and miss you daily.

Until next time....