April is almost over and most of our time is spent with Josie, the boxer pup. She does require lots of the attention, and luckily we can give it to her. Next month when our prep for the move begins, I am afraid we’ll have less time on our hands and we’ll have more broken and chewed up things than we have now. Now Josie has been very good, only chewing on her own chew toys and not really venturing in the trouble land. Here is the video of Josie on this Saturday morning. She is adorable.
Silvana just posted a new video on FB of her new baby, Josie. I’ll try to add a link here.
She is really gonna be a great dog for all of us.
These two (silvana & josie) are like backward Siamese twins. Born separately but now growing together more each day : )
Soooo….
We are off to Cali today. Hollywood area. Gotta get Jackie set up in school. In life.
The trip is a welcome break for me. Would be for Silvana too if she would relax about the dog : )
After all, Josie can only destroy the whole house while we are gone. And, I’m pretty sure she has a set of blueprints/plans for the house under the deck. In her LABoratory.
We may have named her wrong. Jackie has a theory that the name you choose will ‘rhyme’ with the dogs true personality. Josie = Nosie, etc..
But if that’s true, her name could easily be Weevil.
We are spending last two weeks in Daytona Beach, staying on the boat while working on the house. My dad has joined us and I think he likes it. He ended up buying himself a duplex, just 4 miles north of us, Holly Hill area. Pretty cool since they have sold their place and don’t have place to stay.
The other morning, right before we took off to work on the house, manatee family of four has visited us. It was so cool to see them that close. We have heard that manatees like this marina especially since there is a fresh water well under one of the sheds. When we visited the marina first time, there were couple manatees with the young around but they did not stay long then. This time they came really close, we fed them fresh water and they played with us (or around us). Great experience. We spent almost an hour filming them and taking pics. Sometimes they were all on surface and sometimes only the big came up to play with the water hose. The baby (4 ft long) has come up couple times but not too close. Still very afraid of unknown.
Here are some pics and I’ll upload video little later when I have faster internet.
You know the old song, right? Written/released back in 1972 by a dude named Johnny Nash, it goes….
‘I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all the obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day.
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day.
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day.
Look all around, there’s nothin’ but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin’ but blue skies.
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day.
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day.
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day….”?
Well….if you don’t know the song….I want to talk to you.
I think you must have been on the kind of deserted island I’ve been looking for : )
And now that you know this song….you know why I’ve been looking for it….
Talk to you soon….
(ironically, I can’t find a pair of sunglasses anywhere….)
Yeah! That is correct! We got us a new dog, a little boxer/lab mix-boxador, girl name Josey! I knew we would get a puppy. I have been thinking about it, talking about it and I was looking for it. Yesterday after we spent the day in downtown Dallas, we came home and I looked up on Craig list; and there it was, the add. Little puppies, 3/4 boxer and 1/4 lab, free to good home. When we saw the pics we knew the drill. Email the owner. Call and get the directions and go get the pup. That is precisely what we did. By 7pm, Josey was in the house grabbing everyone’s attention. She is 8 weeks old, big and heavy. Seems very smart and loves human companion. She is also looking for other dogs. Two paps are not really happy about her, but they will get used to her. At least Mel will have to. Lilly is going to leave us soon so it won’t be an ongoing problem. Lilly is moving west, CA with her owner Jackie, our stepdaughter.
It has been couple of days since we have Josey and we are so in love with her.
If surf is home on the water, and turf is home on land, then technically we have been surf and turf for a while. But we think (especially Don) that turf in Dallas did not count. The greater the distance, the thicker the mud.
What good is dirt if you get stuck in it!?!?!?
We think Daytona Beach qualifies big time. If you bulldoze a few buildings (which we’ll gladly do), we can see the ICW and Grace from our little house!
Here are a couple of pics of the house and the boat!
LETS A NEW CHAPTER BEGIN!!!!!
Home and Grace in the same location, Daytona Beach!
Life is an ocean
And each of us has a boat
We try so desperately to keep afloat
And sometimes the water’s quiet
Then other times it’s not
It depends upon the winds
in which we’re caught
And I’m trying not to be afraid
Of having my course delayed
By a hurricane that just
might pass my way
And I’m learning how
the weather behaves
As I cut across the waves
With the wind blowing
gently in my sail
As I hold on
firmly to the rail
When the sea grows angry
I know there’s still some hope
In the anchor at the end of my rope
And I’m proud to be a sailor
I don’t care what others think
When I tell them that my
boat would never sink
And I’m learning how to ride the tide
And how to throw up over the side
Because sometimes it feels better
when you do
And I’m learning how
the weather behaves
As I cut across the waves
With the wind blowing firmly in my sail
As I hold on gently to the rail
Now it’s funny how it happens
When I pull my boat ashore
I always end up setting sail once more
For I need to find a direction
To satisfy my heart
I’m counting on my faith
to be my chart
There’s been many times
my boat’s been tossed
And many times that I’ve been lost
But I always end up
where I’m supposed to be
And I dream about a bigger ship
And taking a more relaxing trip
Enjoying the water so blue
But I guess for now this little tiny boat will have to do
Yesterday around 3PM we finally arrived in Daytona Beach and Aquamarina. This will be our long term home port. We are so glad to be in covered slip. Grace could use the break from the elements. Now we got some work to do!
Wait is over.Finally we are back aboard Grace and taking care of business. Don has changed oil in the engine and I have washed every piece of clothing, blankets, towels and sheets. Grace was suffering from the humidity. At the times, it looked like it rained inside.
Today we are going back and do some more cleaning. We have an old dehumidifier and we had it on for last couple days. It actually works.
Tomorrow we are moving Grace from New Smyrna to Daytona Beach. New home for Grace is Aqua Marina. Nice covered slip and quite area. After she is under cover, we can do some more work without worrying about the weather and the elements. Sweet!!!!
Several years ago, before I was introduced to this beautiful life on water, I had a daydream I was going to pursue. I still might, who knows!
I have been working on this plan in my head and on paper for a couple of years. Lets say I was going to do it! This is blog about 4-6 weeks traveling through Europe. About what route I would take and how much it would cost.
Week 1: Fly to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (one way ticket $450), and from there visit my uncle who lives in Bagnolet, the eastern part of Paris. I would to stay there for several days and revisit Paris. The city is so interesting that staying just a couple of days wouldn’t simply do. While staying in Paris, I would buy a Eurostar ticket ($95 -http://www.eurostar.com) to London, England and spend a couple of days in the Royal Eagle Hotel (cost $80). I would love to spend more than a couple of days but England is too expensive. I would have to cut my trip in half in order to afford longer trip through England. By the time I got back to Paris, my first week would be over. Time to move on!
EUROSTAR
Week 2: Rent the cheapest car possible and start driving. ($540 for 4 weeks -http://www.autoeurope.com). First destination would be Saarland, Germany. I’d visit my sister in Saarlois. And also visit Schmelz, the place I lived between ’92 and ’97. While staying at my sisters, I would take day trips, first to Trier, historically called Treves in English. It’s old city between the river Mosel and wine country. Second trip, I would drive to Luxemburg which is less than 80 mi away from Saarlois. On my way back from Luxemburg, I’d stop in Saarbrucken and eat at Gastehaus Erfort located on Mainzer Strasse 95, Week 2 would be over faster than I would want it to be.
SCHMELZ, SAARLAND
Week 3: Back on the road and driving North. I have to visit Amsterdam for a day or two (one night at Hotel City Garden $65). Then continue driving east to the next destination Randers, Denmark. I have friends there and would like to visit them. On my way to Randers I would like to make a stop in Hamburg and stay over night. Hamburg is the city you would want to visit if you are in the area (Hotel Mercedes $50). When I get to Randers, I would let my friends take me around since I really don’t know much about Danmark. After leaving Randers, I would drive east and stop in Coppenhagen. That would be day stop. Since I would leave Randers early in the morning, I would arrive in Coppenhagen no later than noon. Along with spending all day browsing Coppenhagen and I’d take the E20 over to Malmoe, Sweeden. I visited this city back in ’92 but only for short while, all I remember is that I thought Malmoe was the cleanest city in the world. I would like to check that out again. I would only stay one night because Sweden is expensive (Stf Malmoe City Hotel, $90). I think the night in Malmoe would conclude week 3.
RANDERS, DENMARK
Week 4:Time to go south. Since I am one half Slavic and one half Italian, I need to go and visit the former Yugoslavia, where my mother is from, and Sicily, where my father was from. It would take me at least a day to drive from Sweden to the former Yugoslavia to lets say Vojvodina, which is a part of modern day Serbia. I’d make a stop in Novi Sad and Belgrad, just for a good breakfast ($3) and lunch ($7). If you know this area, then you know what I am talking about. The food is awesome in this part of the Balkan region and if you are trying to count calories, then forget about it. I do have cousins in Belgrad and I would probably try to hook up with them and stay the night, if not, then I’d stay in a hotel (City Hotel on Rableova, $54). Early in the morning I’d head SW towards Bosnia and Herzegovina, to visit my favorite city Sarajevo. I’d need at least 3 days to visit all my family and friends, and by the time I left, I’d probably weigh 10 lbs more. I wanted to squeeze in a visit to the Adriatic region in week 4, but I think it would need to run well into week 5. Continuing to drive south, I’d make sure and stop in the city Mostar and eat cevapcici on the famous bridge named Kriva Cuprija (Restaurant Kriva Cuprija $7). Further south and driving thru Herzegovina should be a real joy. By the time I’d arrive in my hotel in Dubrovnik it would be evening (Hotel Kompas $60). The next day would be spent on foot, strolling down the Stradun and walking through endless streets. I love Dubrovnik. If I could, I would live there. In late afternoon, I would leave that old city and drive north. By the time night would fall, I would be in Split, about 250km N of Dubrovnik. After a quick bite, I’d retire for the night (Hotel Slavija $81). Split is worth visiting and by 2PM next day I would try and see at least the City Museum. Week 4 would be over.
DUBROVNIK, ADRIA
Week 5: I continue driving North towards Slovenia because I would love to visit Pula, about 330km North of Split. Pula is the largest city in Istria, part of Croatia. The city has a long tradition of wine making, fishing and ship building. I’d visit Fort Stoja which was built by Austria, and I’d spend a night in Hotel Histrija ($85). The next afternoon I’d leave and drive to Trieste, Italy. Trieste is located North of Pula only 125km. And I would only have a dinner there ($10). The rest of week 5 and all of 6 would be spent in Italy. There is so much to see and enjoy, any less than 10 days would be crime. Next stop, Venice – 125km or little over 2 hours driving. Very late in the evening I’d check in San Marco Palace Hotel ($80). Venice is a city that should be visited over several days.
I would try to see the main parts in a day and leave in late afternoon. After spending the night in the Arena Hotel ($75), I’d walk the streets of Verona. I’d have to visit the Verona Arena – I’d hope to be in Verona when some kind of musical event is scheduled. I would stay another night in Verona ($75) and drive out in the am and take a really nice slow drive down the E22 to E45 and to Bologna! I’d have lunch in Bologna ($10) and then take off to Florence. Florence is the capital of Tuscany, the place I wanted to see the most. So much to see and so much taste! To visit the Historic Center of Florence would be such an experience. Also, I would have to go and visit some shops and try to look fashionable. After spending the day in Florence, I would hit the A1 and drive to Rome, a short drive (less than 3 hours). I’d check into the Hotel Navona ($80) and make plans for my next day: Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Domus Aurea, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column, Trajan’s Market, the Catacombs, the Circus Maximus, the Baths of Caracalla, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Ara Pacis, the Arch of Constantine, the Pyramid of Cestius, and the Bocca della Verità. I would stay three days in Rome. ($160).
FLORENCE, ITALY
Week 6: After a great time in Rome, I ‘d be on my way to Sicily to visit my family; 8 hours of driving to Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, (Sicilian: Baccialona Pizzaottu) which is a town of about 50,000 inhabitants on the north coast of Sicily, Italy, 40 km from Messina, towards Palermo. During this week I’d visit Caltanisseta, where my Grandpa was buried and where my Aunt still lives. On my way there I’d stop in Tonnarella, where my father was born and buried. Most of the time I’d spend with my brother’s family in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.
BARCELLONA POZZO DI GOTTO, SICILY
The flight home would be out of Palermo where I would drive on day 7 of week 6.
Total Cost: $880 ticket from Dallas to Paris, and from Palermo to Dallas. The rental car – $540, and gas would be over $650. Hotel stays, public transportation – $1230. I’d try not to spend more than $10 on food per day, so hope not to spend more than $500. The cost per person should be no more than $4000 plus $1000 spending money. If there is a second person, than rental car and fuel would be split and that would be saving me $500 .
