I'm gone again

Okay, everyone.....I'm signing off until around 7 August. I'm going to Canada for the next few weeks and will be almost totally removed from technology......yipppeee! Okay, really I'm not that excited about being removed but I'm looking forward to being on vacation again...hehehe. Alright, hope everyone has a great rest of July and first part of August. Till then, I'm signing off.

I made it!!!

5 miles baby!!!!!! Woo-hoo!!

Amazing experience

Okay, I just got back from a wonderful restaurant here in Corpus Christi, Mama Mia's. It was an Italian restaurant owned by a full Italian. I was curious to know where the owner was from and he came around and said he was from Lago di Garda just 4 hours away from Aviano. He also served in the 3rd infantry of the US Army. It was a wonderful meal. We told him about David and how he had died in the crash at San Lucia di Piave. He was moved and kissed me on the forehead 3 times. He also shared his grapa with us (which has not happened in 8 years). Then to top that the whole meal for three of us was on the house!!!!! I am speechless! It is a humbling experience to meet someone who recognizes the sacrifice of my husband. I am so honored! He asked me to bring a picture of David back to his restaurant so he can display it on his wall of American Heroes. I will do it for certain next week! If this doesn't sound quite right it's because of the grapa.

P.S.

Dad says hugs and kisses to my other daughter Rachel!

Dog Days

View of the Harbor Bridge.....nice pic for Corpus

Mom and Dad fell in love again over baseball!

Leah after her haircut and bath......beautiful!

Che Bella!!

We went to the Hooks game last night. Hooks won......GO HOOKS!!!! Today I ran another 4 miles. The legs didn't want to work all that well though. I pushed it and am sore a little this afternoon. Came home and planted my Italian geraniums finally. Also shaved the dogs. Tonite I'm going fishing with Nick. He has to catch and identify 2 fish for his Boy Scouts. I don't know if I'll be much help in the identification, it's been a while since I've been fishing and I usually catch rocks and piggy perch.....oh well, it will be fun anyways.

Running Update

Got up late this morning 9:30am (I'm suprised the dogs let me sleep in, that is not like them). Ran around and did some errands. I had to by dog food which has become considerable more expensive since the mama dog now has ailments. She is doing perfectly fine though and loves her new wet food diet. I ran out of Bella food this morning, so she got wet food also. She was so excited! She sit there while you are making Leah's food and looks at you longingly. She is such a drama queen. Anyways, I finished working on my sewing chest yesterday. All except the final coat of tongue oil. I went to run today.......4mile in 44 minutes. I probably could have run 5 but just didn't feel like it. 5 tomorrow!!!! I had to go to the gym out on the base because it is just too hot to run outside. The humidity is like 100% right now....uuugghhh! I was actually suprised that I was able to get a treadmill. I went at like 11:15am and thought that it might be hard because of the lunch crowd. Actually, there was hardly anyone in the gym. That's the NAVY for you though. I guess they swim....hehehe. Just kidding to all you Navy folk. Alright, going to a Hooks game with the family tonite. We have seats behing the pitcher--8th row. My dad's friend gave them to us (they are his company tickets) so we have been told to behave ourselves. Us not behave ourselves......nahhhh.

I've been busy catching up on paperwork today. I had to take the car in for 20,000 mile maintenance. Can you believe I drove over 5,000 miles on my vacation to NNY. Oh my, that was a long trip! I faxed back my job acceptance letter, so I'm locked in to an August 11th start date at the hospital. I'm both nervous and excited about returning to work. I really do love nursing. I spoke with the manager last week and she seems very nice. She is actually an Air Force reservist, so she has some idea about the whole military thing. I think I was meant to work on this floor to start. I had to explain what had happened (mainly because I had a lapse in employment). She was so understanding that it really put me at ease. Yesterday, I worked all day on refinishing a sewing chest I bought in NY at the auction. I'm very excited on how nicely it is turning out. Tomorrow I will go to home depot for some gloves to stain it and some moss baskets to plant my geraniums that I bought in NY. They are the vining kind that we had in Italy. I was so happy to find them, because I've never seen them here. My run today went well. Only 2.5 miles running and 2 miles walking because it was so hot. Tomorrow I'm going to run in the morning or at the gym (depends on when I get up). It rained this evening and has actually turned really nice......no humidity. I love the rain :)

4th of July

I'm going to take her home :)

Kathy and Hailey.

Kathy on the seadoo.

Yesterday, I went to spend the day at my friend Karen's on the lake for the fourth celebration. I had a great time. We swam, ate BBQ, and had a few beers. Good friends, good food always equals a good time. Corinne came down from Austin and we spent the night at Kathy's. Kathy got a new dog......a chocolate lab puppy (check this out Liz). She is Hailey and is 7 weeks old....oh my goodness how cute she is. Just to keep you from running out and getting one, she has pee peed on Kathy a few times so far :) I want one anyway though. Not yet though, mom and dad would string me up by my toes!

NY Pictures

I really enjoyed my trip to NY. I can't explain it in words except it was good for my soul. I miss everyone I met terribly, but I'm also glad to be home with my family and friends here in Corpus. I can't wait to visit again and I can's wait for visitors.......As for the future, I've hired on with a travel company and am going to do a contract here in Corpus starting in August on a medical/surgical-urology unit. I'm nervous about working, but also very ready to return to this normal thing in life.

Pooped pups on the way home.

The Amish are everywhere.

Liz buying her house

Fountain in town park, Canton, NY

You have to be careful when you hike in the Adirondacks, there are panthers, bears, and blue ninjas in the forest. The appear when you least expect it.

View from the High Peak. Beautiful!

Hiking in the Adirondacks. We climbed one of the high peaks.
2 people, 4 dogs

Grady thinks he is much smaller than he is. He is standing on the console in the 4 Runner.

Taking a rest by the Parliment building.

I had no idea that Canadians had a statue of Liz up in Ottawa, go figure :)

Starbucks, Ottawa, Canada

Playing speed scrabble one night.

We went on a garden tour of Potsdam on 21 June.

Margaret (Liz's mom) and the peony's. I think this is my new favorite flower. What an intoxicating smell they have. When I got home mom told me my grandmother used to grow them and they were beautiful!

Elena, Liz, Mark, and Me at the Hard Rock in Canada.....what a good baby!

Niagra Falls, Canada

I had such a wonderful time spending time at the farm. It belonged to the assistant pastor of Liz's church. Everyone I met was so wonderful and caring. I really enjoyed everything about her church and the people that make it up.....WOW!

This is a future dinner for the family.

Trying to figure out if it is a boy or girl.

Sunday at the farm

Coming home from the auction....I think we bought alot
(this is a Suburban, we even had to tie the doors closed with rope)
I'm hooked on auctions now!

Driving thru someones garden......not sure whose.

I think all the dogs wore each other out. Grady needs a
pillow downstairs......I'm looking out for you Grady :)

Testing out the kayak and the life vest.

Everyone's flowers were amazing. This one was blooming at camp.
Liz's mom has quite the green thumb.

Dyllan and Grady tuckered out after swimming.

Leah doesn't swim all that well, so I had to get her a doggy life vest. She didn't use it much but Bella loved the water.

Swimming at camp

Sorry these took so long to post but here our the pictures of our trip. Just to let everyone know, Leah is doing better. The vet thinks she may have pancreatitis. I am changing her diet and giving her Maalox and Pepcid ac. Hopefully, this decreases the inflammation of the pancreas and helps prevent anything life threatening. They drew blood and it was negative for the disease, however, the vet said that schnauzers are notorious for this diesease and just because the blood test comes back negative doesn't mean she doesn't have it. It just may be a mild case right now.
Now here are the pictures.........

I'm Home

I made it back to TX yesterday. No traffic or car problems. The dogs did well on the trip. Although, Leah did develop diarrhea on the way home. So today we have a vet appointment. I just want to make sure everything is alright with her as she is getting older. Well, I have to get ready for the appointment, but I will be back on later today posting pictures and things. Hope all is well.