Haven't posted for a while due to the simple fact that we haven't been doing much. Springtime has arrived with grey, wet days here in Italy. I have been rearranging some dates for a big sailing vacation we are going to take in French Polynesia when we leave here this September. Since I moved some dates the yacht charter company told me today they had to upgrade our boat ( no extra charge, darn!) This is the boat we will be visiting Raiatia/Tahaa, Huahine and Bora Bora on. Hopefully everything works out with moving etc. Since I haven't seen the sun in a week, here's a picture of the nice sunny atoll of Rangiroa were we plan on staying the week before the sailing trip.

For dessert we indulged in Gelato. Another food I will miss when we leave. There's so many.

Here's me and Noodles, my favorite dog. I also sat down this past weekend for a couple of hours of Halo . I don't actually play any other video games, but this one is an addiction My goal is to beat it before we leave when I'll sell my 220 volt X-box. Everybody is entitled to one vice................

Had our first spell of nice weather this weekend. I got out on my first group bike ride of the season Sunday and rediscovered a route I'd been on once before, but couldn't seem to find again. That sounds strange, but with the roads over here, it's hard.

That afternoon, we had our friends Micheal, Laura, Tiziano, and little Alex over for lunch on the patio. Grilled seafood and some really good vino bianco.

I was told by our friend Spring today that this blog wouldn't accept comments and sure enough, that function was turned off.... and here I thought no one cared. Thanks Spring! It's fixed now so feel free to say hi.

Here's a picturesque view from the town of Sacile which is where we live.

I saw the first signs of spring the other day even though the weather has been crap. These brave things popped up in our flowerbed so winter must be coming to an end. It can't happen soon enough for me.

We did have a few clear mornings last week though. Here are two shots of Piancavallo. On from our house and one from Aviano.

Rode up toward Piancavallo last week at lunch. The weather closed in as we went up so these pictures are pretty hazy. This is looking down on the towns of Aviano and Geiss

Rain and wind were the order of the day today so we spent the day inside. As much as we enjoy skiing, it will be nice to get away from winter for three years after we move. One thing out of the ordinary was this flock of sheep being grazed/driven in the field across from our house. They move these flocks by us a few times a year, usually down the road. This is the first time they've grazed the corn stubble in "our" field.

We ate lunch in town and were home by 3. Kitty enjoyed a good brushing when we walked in.

Here's one of my favorite pictures of Cortina from last summer with out the clouds and snow
Click on any picture to view full size.

Adam brought his trick new skate ski's. He was nice enough to come back and check on Marianne and I often since he was moving twice as fast. After an hour or so of my less than perfect navigation, we started up the trail that is built on the old railbed over the pass. We saw these icicles and I had to clown around.

This Saturday morning we woke up bright and early to go X country skiing in Cortina
A town in the Italian Dolomities about 2 hours North of us. It hosted the 1956 winter Olympics. We picked up our friend Adam at 6 and got there early. The clouds on the mountains were very dramatic. It was snowing a bit but it was pretty sticky which made for rough going at times. The trail network there travels all the way into Austria and is billed as the largest in Europe.