Last post from Italia

Well the movers are coming today so there goes the computer. As my last blogging act I figured out why no one could comment and fixed it so if you have any feedback or just want to say hi it should work now.
Thanks to all our friends who made our three years in Italy so memorable. Hope to drink wine with you all again someday soon. We should have some pics from Tahiti to post in about a month after we're resettled in Oahu.

Ciao tutti.

Bryant and Marianne

These are my two best playmates Alex and Noodles from dinner Saturday night at Michael and Laura's house. Probably because all three of us are on the same mental plane.

City bike night

Friday we went to dinner in Sacile with our friends Mark, Ann, Clint and Marie. We all rode town bikes and had a blast. Marie won the contest for loudest bell and I'm not sure but I think I won the most wine consumed competition.

Well, I can't seem to post pictures today. Will try again domani.

Alpini race

Our friend Adam talked me and Clint into doing a relay foot race in the mountains in conjunction with a Festival honoring the Alpini which are mountain regiments of the Italian army. It's a 7.5k trail race with a lot of steep up and down and rough terrain. I was nervous because I'm not training, just working out aimlessly and running not at all. But, we won the military division last year and had to defend the title. It went well. We all ran faster than last year due to drier course conditions and ended up second place. Followed by beer, wine and good food at altitude, you can't go wrong.

Another bike

I brought home a birthday present to myself yesterday. It's a rare, 1952, restored San Marco town bike. It probably weighs more than all our other bikes combined but it rides like a Cadillac. It has all the latest technology like pushrod brakes, generator light with high and low beam, a two tone bell, and a clip on the handlebars to carry the newspaper. It was built in Treviso which is a larger town near here. I've been eyeing it in a little shop in Sacile for a year and figured it was now or never.

Retirement hoopla

Marianne threw a big party last Friday night after the ceremony. It was nice seeing all our friends at one time with lots of beer and wine mixed in. My friend Paul drove up to Austria and bought 5 racks of awesome beer. Marianne bought up half the wine shop in Sacile including a couple huge bottles of the good stuff. Our friends Mark and Anne brought a piniata which I hit hard enough to kill an elephant before it broke. But by god I broke it! Good times! I received lots of beach stuff and a bottle of wine that was put up the year I enlisted, can't wait to taste that one. Thanks Clint and Marie. It was also time to say goodbye to Buz and Christine who fly out to Alaska today. We will be dropping in on you guys next year for some skiing. Marianne and I want to thank everyone for such a big turnout. We're very lucky to have such great friends and will miss you all. Our house is always open to you, especially in Hawaii.

Mom and Tyson in Italia

We did a bunch of day trips around the surronding area and saw quite a bit of the countryside including Venice. Monday night we went to dinner at our friends Olindo and Giovanna for the full Italian experience. Just an outstanding week.

Mom and Tyson's visit

It was a busy week. My Mom and Son Tyson came out for my retirement from the Air Force and all the festivities surrounding it. What a great time we had. The ceremony went smooth, the party rocked, and we even slipped in some sightseeing. It was sad saying goodbye but we'll be out their way next month on our way to Hickam.