22 Aug: On Saturday the 13th of Aug, we all went on our bike ride walk on the trail & we had a really good time. The girls were their usual excited little selves.
     For the past week or so the weather has turned very hot, into the 90's. We haven't had any good rain lately either, but this is typical for August. So for me to get my exercise or do something outside, we go out late in the afternoon or night. Bill being an early morning person, he usually rides his bike then. This past Saturday we drove to Col Alto in the area of Piancavallo, which is the local ski area. Col Alto is above Piancavallo & is at 1250 meters. We walked a short ways up the hill in an area that was rocky with green patches of grass & some wildflowers, purple campanula or bells & yellow flowers. We saw 2 malghe close to us, which are buildings for hikers & backpackers to stay in overnight. We think that there was one man in a malga, but we didn't venture inside. At the top of the hill we were surprised to see 2 really nice wooden benches at an overlook. Sitting on them & looking around, we saw patches of trees on slanted hills, kind of funny looking. Below far down, we looked at the base's flightline, part of area one, the CRO hospital, the industrial area, & Pordenone in the distance. Col Alto is probably covered with a few feet of snow in the winter. We saw karst which are rocks eroded by underground rivers, causing them to have strange shapes.
     We took photos of the landscape, the malghe, & of each other. The girls were adorably sweet sitting on Bill's lap & next to me, taking their turns drinking cranberry juice. Leaving Col Alto we walked down the path to the car. Bill opened the Mini's hatch & Ted jumped up but not into her box. So Bill grabbed & put her inside. As we looked down we saw little Honey standing up on the back of the hatch with her 2 little arms reaching up & resting on the car, very touching. She is so tiny & short that we must pick her up to place her into the box. After arriving home & viewing the photos, we were surprised how belli they turned out. Once again the pups provided us with wonderful material for our blog & maybe one or two photos on Facebook.
     Yesterday Sunday we went for a night walk rather late to the park. We saw many people sitting on their porches or yards talking to each other, very summer-like. Before going to bed I ate some ice cream & walnuts. Bill had not been buying walnuts at the base for awhile because they have become expensive. But they are much cheaper than at the off base grocery stores. These tasted really flavorful & helped to satisfy my before-bed snack desire.

a malga

Mommy with babies

view from Col Alto, Aviano AB below

trees on slanted hillside

handsome husband with pups

more sweetness

due malghe

view on opposite side of Col Alto

We love our Teddi Bear!

We love our Honey Bird!

27 Jul 11:  I had to take a break from hugging & kissing Teddi in the bed today, to write in our blog.  On Friday the 22nd we went on our bike ride-walk on the trail.  The girls as usual were very excited, especially since Bill had taken them to Dr L in the morning.  Bill said that when he drove up & parked in front of Dr L’s, Teddi “Miss Innocent” jumped down from the back of the hatch like she usually does.  Honey started to come out of her box, saw where she was & wrinkled up her forehead, & then went back into her box, “what a smart girl”!  So Bill had to pull her out of the box.  Honey wanted nothing to do with going to the vet & all that goes on there.  Hon had her anal gland squeezed, & Dr L examined a bump under her left arm, which he said was just a wart.  Dr L trimmed Ted’s long nails.

In the afternoon after parking at San Biagio, for some reason I decided to go down a dirt road that Bill said went by the assini or donkeys.  The road was very muddy with potholes of water which we had to skirt around.  Bill or I walked the bike while the other of us held onto the girls.  Bill would pick them up sometimes so that they would not get too dirty.  They loved being carried by Daddy & were so adorable when I looked at them.  We saw 2 assini on our left.  The road wound around to the right where it joined up with a mostly gravelly one.  Going down this I went too fast while I looked down at my gear indicators (of which I have none on the right handlebar), & I almost wrecked.  My ride had not gotten off to a good start.  Then where the road forked I took the left side which met back up with the paved trail.  Along the trail we stopped for our cranberry juice drinks a few times.  There were very few other people out that day.  As I started to go up a short tough hill, I pushed hard with my legs & realized that I was somewhat out of shape.  Then I went down the paved trail & made a u turn to the left at the end of the trail, where there was dirt & gravel from a farmers' dirt road.  Almost having a wreck, I put my left leg out after braking hard & then the bike & me went sideways to the left.  After that I saw my family coming towards me & told Bill about the almost wreck.  He said “maybe you should stop riding today because your reflexes don’t seem good”.  Then we all went down the trail a short ways & met up at the Mini.

Am Saturday I woke up & couldn't walk, I had injured my left knee on my ride the day before.  I had pushed too hard to go up the hill & I must have sprained my knee when I jammed it on the ground during my stupid u turn.  So I stayed in bed all day with an ice pack on my knee & later used a brace.  Bill sweetly brought me my food & drinks while I took naps or watched t v.  Sunday I also used an ice pack, the brace, rested, & elevated my leg when I could, (RICE).  I'm almost becoming a 1st aid expert but not really by choice.  

We have been having cold weather like March, with the bora winds blowing east of us from the direction of Trieste, where I go to my dermatologist, Dr M.  Ted was afraid to go out one morning to pee or poop.  She doesn't like to get her fluffy blond hair wet or blown around.  The temps have been in the 50's or 60’s & mostly rainy, at least here in Giais within our microclimate.  Bill came home from shopping at the base today & said it was hot there.  

Domani at 09:00 Bill has an appt with Dr L to get the stray brown-black cat that Nerina has been feeding, spayed.  Neri had talked to Bill earlier about wanting us to help her get some of the strays fixed.  She is a very loving, caring person.  Of course to make matters more complicated, the mom now has 3 kittens, 2 gray & one almost identical to her.  I haven’t turned the kits upside down yet to check their sex.  They are skittish of us.  It probably doesn’t help that we have “eau de puppy dogs” all over us.  Yes the kittens are cute & charming, Bill loves to watch them play & frolic.  If they stay inside of our sheltered courtyard they will be safe & should live long lives (?).  Tentatively we plan to have them spayed in November or December.  However, I am still the mommy to 2 pups, no cats!  Neri is their mommy.  

The kits seem to be winding down their nursing, but they are still trying.  They knead their paws on the mom while doing so.  I’ve learned some of this cat lingo from my niece Kelley & younger sis Suzanne who are both ardent cat crazies.  In the meantime the males have been fighting, & Bill says the mom is brave & chases them away.  Nerina hits them with a broom or scopa.  The males could kill the kits so that the mom will mate again, horrible.  Any of the toms could be the bio dad but I think maybe it is a pitiful looking gray one.  He doesn’t look healthy or well fed.  Bill says he looks like he has fallen on hard times.  There is also another grigio cat that is fluffy, looks well fed & is probably someone’s pet.  Sadly fixing these cats is not a priority for so many people.  Their irresponsibility causes problems for others.  None of these strays belong to anyone in our courtyard but somehow they have ended up here where previously there was only Hon, Ted, & Laura’s Guappo, a bello black & white boy spaniel.  As an attempt to laugh at a potentially sad situation Bill said "the mom will go into early menopause", or as my cousin Jamie says "she will have a hysterectomy"!  She just kills me whenever she says that.

2 Aug, Tuesday:  yesterday Bill & I went to the base where we ate a delicious lunch at the Mensa.  We had risotto with saffron which gave the rice a pretty yellow color, & I also had a piece of cake.  I’ve never learned the names of all the Italian cakes & pastries, so I must do more important research.  Then we did some errands & shopping before going home.

Update on the cats:  Bill was wonderful to take the mama presto mattina Thursday to her spay appt.  He held the kennel box which he had washed out earlier, while Nerina dropped the mama inside.  They had to do some fast thinking & work to outwit her suspicious nature.  Later that afternoon, Bill paid Dr L & then later Neri gave him the money, 100E which is about $150.  Bill then gave her the receipt.  It would be great if everyone had neighbors like Neri.  I am also happy that we could help out in some way.  After Bill brought her home he let her out of the box.  She had self dissolving stitches & was given an antibiotic shot & a pain med.  Dr L said that she is a half wild cat & would probably try to run away, which she did.  I’m so used to dogs where if we bring them home, they stay.  They are smart enough to know where their bread is buttered.  I’m much more comfortable with having my little luvs inside with me.  Neri said “si perda un gatto non mai” which means one never loses a cat, they always come back.  We laughed at that.

After the mama ran away & took the kits with her, they were spotted by our vicina to the back of us, Germana.  Then the next day we all saw them perched up on an old stone wall, about 12-15 feet high, which divides our cortile from hers.  They were just looking down on everybody with their cat eyes & their pointy ears sticking up.  As of yesterday they seem to be back & forth from here & Germana’s.