Sorrento & Pompeii

On with the tour of Italy. After we boarded our ship our first stop was the city of Naples. We had decided to see Sorrento and Pompeii. I had really wanted to see the Isle of Capri too but it's hard to see everything in a day. Sorrento is a pretty town. We had lunch at an outdoor cafe, which you have to do when you go to Italy. We bought some Limoncello from one of the vendors. Limoncello is a lemon liqueur that is made in Southern Italy. I had never had Limoncello and thought it was like lemonade so when they gave me a taste, I downed it. TIP--never down Limoncello. It is not lemonade, it just looks like it is.

My sweetie loved Pompeii. He loves history and he was in his element. It was fascinating. I could not believe I was standing in the streets of where Vesuvius erupted so long ago. It really is one of those sights not to miss. I enjoyed our stop in the Naples area but my all time favorite place in Italy is in my next travel log. I love being anywhere on the water, love the ocean etc... Can you guess where it is?

In other news, I had to weigh in today at Weight Watchers. Some of you know I am about 35 pounds lighter then in the above picture. I became a lifetime member in January of this year and have maintained my goal weight. I stay within 5 pounds under my goal, but would like to get another 5 pounds off just so I don't have to worry about gaining a little now and then. The guy that weighed me gave me a little tip and that was to weigh in every week after you become a lifetime member. Maybe that will give me incentive for the other 5 pounds. Does that mean I have to give up my lattes? I don't think so :).

Also my youngest daughter says I only talked about Buttons in my new blog so I am posting a

picture of all my girls, Madison, Melissa and Christina. She's only teasing me but aren't they pretty girls?

Safe Travels,

Joan

Travel Gadget and Cuteness

Update: The President of Portable Travel Profile left me a message in my comments. I called him yesterday to make sure it was really him and the offer of $10.00 off was legit. It was him and the offer stands if anyone is interested. Just contact him from the info in my comments. And if anyone does get this little gadget, let me know what you think of it. Again I have not personally tried this product.

In our newspaper today they had a neat little travel gadget called The Portable Travel Profile. Being new at this I haven't quite figured out how to put a picture on my site but you can go here to http://www.portabletravelprofile.com/. It looks like a cool little gadget that you can put your passport info, credit card and flight info all in one little USB gadget. It costs around $50.00. I have not personally tried this out but I love gadgets and this looks like a good idea.

Also in the category of cuteness, I have to tell you this story. We live in a family neighborhood with lots of little kids. Well, about this time every summer the kids start to get bored and almost always set up a lemonade stand in their driveways. The little girls down the street were quite creative. No plain lemonade stand for them----no way. They were selling rocks. ROCKS.....rocks that they took out of the yard and they colored them pretty colors. My sweet husband and son went down to their stand and bought three rocks from them for 25 cents a rock. I don't have a picture of them selling their rocks but I do have a picture of the rocks on my coffee table sitting with my polished river rocks. I have a feeling these little girls will be successful business women someday.

Safe Travels,

Joan

Big Sweetie & Little Sweetie

My sweetie is totally crazy about another girl and I am okay with it. She's just a tiny thing but she has him wrapped around her little fingers. I am posting these pictures of him with Buttons to make up for the picture I posted yesterday of him eating in Rome. I love the first picture of him holding her. We were in Florida visiting double G (greatgrandma) and Buttons looks so safe and peaceful with her Grandpa. The first picture was back in February and the second was on Grandpa's birthday in June. She is crazy about him too.

Safe Travels,

Joan

Rome

Let's start the travel part of this blog off with a big bang. Last year my sweetie and I went on a cruise in the Mediterranean for our 30th anniversary. I'll write more about the places we went but today let's just talk about Rome. If you ever get the chance to travel to Italy, just do it if you can. You will not regret it. The Italians live life different then we do here in the good old US. They do not hurry things. When you go out to eat in Italy, it is a process that is meant to be fully enjoyed. I like that quality in them. We spent three days visiting Rome before we boarded our ship. Rome is one of those places you won't ever forget. The Colosseum is not to be missed.

The Vatican with the Sistine Chapel are amazing. No pictures are allowed in the Sistine Chapel, but I doubt if you will ever forget the site of it. I tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain, where it is said a tossed coin promises your return to the Eternal City. I certainly hope so. We visited the Spanish Steps with all of the shops all around it. Rome or Roma as the Italians call it will not be forgotten. The Italians have a saying called la dolce vita (the sweet life) and after a little time in Rome you understand what they mean.

Safe Travels,

Joan

Brave New World of Blogging

Okay, so I first decided to start this blog as a kind of travel blog and life blog. Though I am thinking it will be more of life then travel because let's face it we live more than we travel. I am hoping to post different travel destinations, ones that I have personally traveled and ones that I hope to travel someday and in between I'll share a little of my family (especially my baby granddaughter). In the meantime while I figure out this new world of blogging, welcome to my new site!!

Safe Travels,

Joan