Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Gucci
Here is my little friend "Gucci". I am sitting faithfully blogging and surfing, and she is keeping my lap warm. Isn't she just the cutest little putty cat? I think so.
Meow
A Beer and a Smile
To all those who say "I have got the life" I say to you emphatically, "Yes I do"!!!!
After an attempt to ski on basically slush I called it a day with a nice cold one! I mean how can you go to Austria and not enjoy the local culture! Beer followed by a nice lunch of spit fired roasted chicken and a plate of pommes frittes, and life was golden! Did I mention it was +15° C? To those of you in the states that is around 65° F. Who bothers to ski in that weather?
Cin Cin! (in other words Cheers!)
After an attempt to ski on basically slush I called it a day with a nice cold one! I mean how can you go to Austria and not enjoy the local culture! Beer followed by a nice lunch of spit fired roasted chicken and a plate of pommes frittes, and life was golden! Did I mention it was +15° C? To those of you in the states that is around 65° F. Who bothers to ski in that weather?
Cin Cin! (in other words Cheers!)
Easter Portrait 2005
Here we are Easter Sunday in Seefeld Austria. Notice the distinct lack of snow? Having traveled nearly 500 kilometers of Autostrada with dreams of thrashing the slopes, we instead found ourselves settling for long wet walks in the forest.
We did attempt one day of skiing, only to find mashed potatoes instead of snow. After a few tumbles in slush Sarah and Anna were done for the day. Only saving grace was the lovely sunshine and 15° C temps. At least we got a jump-start on the summer tan.
We had a nice stay at Hotel Diana with Sonja and Mikka. Sarah and Anna enjoyed visiting with their cousins, Elizabeth and Caitlin. The Easter Bunny was his/her usual overgenerous self and we were all in a diabetic coma for the ride home.
Hope you all had a nice holiday!
Cheers!
We did attempt one day of skiing, only to find mashed potatoes instead of snow. After a few tumbles in slush Sarah and Anna were done for the day. Only saving grace was the lovely sunshine and 15° C temps. At least we got a jump-start on the summer tan.
We had a nice stay at Hotel Diana with Sonja and Mikka. Sarah and Anna enjoyed visiting with their cousins, Elizabeth and Caitlin. The Easter Bunny was his/her usual overgenerous self and we were all in a diabetic coma for the ride home.
Hope you all had a nice holiday!
Cheers!
Monday, March 21, 2005
A Big Thumbs Up!
Overall, we agree with the Gladiators and their Emperor. We unanimously give Rome a big thumbs up! Kudos to Anna for getting this pic for free! If you want to take these photos you must pay the price, their service is not for free! Our Anna is a good Crockford in the making!
For those who may be wondering where Sarah has been....She was skiing last week with her friend's family. Promise to blog those tomorrow!
For those who may be wondering where Sarah has been....She was skiing last week with her friend's family. Promise to blog those tomorrow!
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Rome in Bloom
Sam, Anna, and yours truly, spent a glorious weekend in Rome. We had wonderful warm weather and bright sunshine. Saturday afternoon after having seen all that there is to see in a day in Rome we had the opportunity to experience a live anti-war protest up close and personal. Most of you, who know me near and dear and have insight to my political views, might appreciate the irony in this image. It was taken by Sam while Anna and I were sitting enjoying a gelato. Sam took many photos of the youth demontration in Rome, but this image summed up the carnival atmosphere of the day. Talk about an educational experience! How do you explain this image to an inquisitive 9 year old? Anna was less than impressed, all she wanted know was.....Where do they all go to the toilet?......Hmm....What would you have said?
Ciao!
Ciao!
Ringside Seats
Anna and I ringside at the Anti War Manifestazione in Rome. We left Piazza Venezia and the protesters thinking of gelato and a nap at the hotel. Bad move. Notice the Polizia? They are escorting the demonstration in front of us! Now how will we get back to our hotel? Our route of escape has been blocked! But like the weather, if you wait 5 minutes it can change. We spotted a whole in the ranks and made for it!
Good Tourists
Here we are pointing out the finer points at the Colosseum in Rome. Anna was the ever attentive student....Yes Anna, they kept lions and tigers in cages....Yes Anna, they fought Gladiators and Gladiators fought each other....Yes Anna, usually someone died....Yes Anna, it was very cruel....Yeah Mommy, but why did they do it?
Good question.
Good question.
Trevi Fountain
Finally, Anna at the Trevi Fountain. Can't you see her enthusiasm! Having seen it for the third time it might of lost its charm.
Can anyone explain to her why you need to throw the coin over your shoulder? She was most upset at having to repeat the exercise. The first time she turned to look. She had to see the coin go in the water! Second time she made me watch. Third time....well it sort of lost the charm! Here is hoping that at least one of her wishes came true!
Can anyone explain to her why you need to throw the coin over your shoulder? She was most upset at having to repeat the exercise. The first time she turned to look. She had to see the coin go in the water! Second time she made me watch. Third time....well it sort of lost the charm! Here is hoping that at least one of her wishes came true!
Monday, March 14, 2005
Crockfords on Ice
Look at the Crockford girls on their skis! This photo was taken just a few weeks ago in Davos, Switzerland. Little stars! Yesterday Sarah set off on another ski adventure with her friend Virginia and her family. They are on "settimana bianca" (white week = ski holiday) in Civinia - as in the Matterhorn. This is Sarah's first trip away from home without her family. We miss her already. OK, not yet...Maybe by the end of the week!
Yesterday, we had some bad news about another Crockford on skis. Granddad Crockford, aka Tom, who is on his annual ski holiday in Lapland with Mimmi, aka Maisa Crockford, and their friends, suffered an unfortunate accident while cross country skiing. Tom, Maisa, and another friend, had a run in with a snow drift on the trail and fell. Tom suffered a dislocated hip and had to be airlifted by helicopter to the hospital. Seems he will be there for awhile, so he is being transferred to a hospital in Helsinki for his recovery. He is going first class in an ambulance! What an adventure! We are thinking of him and wish him a speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, Sam and I are very much looking forward to our upcoming ski trip. During the Easter holiday we will be with Sonja and her family in Seefeld, Austria. Let us hope we have fair weather and safe skiing!
Yesterday, we had some bad news about another Crockford on skis. Granddad Crockford, aka Tom, who is on his annual ski holiday in Lapland with Mimmi, aka Maisa Crockford, and their friends, suffered an unfortunate accident while cross country skiing. Tom, Maisa, and another friend, had a run in with a snow drift on the trail and fell. Tom suffered a dislocated hip and had to be airlifted by helicopter to the hospital. Seems he will be there for awhile, so he is being transferred to a hospital in Helsinki for his recovery. He is going first class in an ambulance! What an adventure! We are thinking of him and wish him a speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, Sam and I are very much looking forward to our upcoming ski trip. During the Easter holiday we will be with Sonja and her family in Seefeld, Austria. Let us hope we have fair weather and safe skiing!
Before
One of the most wonderful things about living in Italy must be the food. The daily fruit and vegetable market can bring any gourmet to tears with its display and abundance of fresh choices. Early Saturday evening I ventured out with Sarah and her friend Silvia Misley, to do my shopping for Sunday dinner. Here is Silvia displaying the lovely lettuces. Credit Sarah with the photo.
After
With the good goes the bad, and one of the more distressing aspects about life in Italy, is the chaotic atmosphere and the drama that goes with it. The daily contradictions faced everyday enhance the experience. I illustrate this with the this photo taken at the market Saturday evening. Garbage! Yes it is picked up and yes we do recycle. It is just not at the levels of other European countries or anywhere in the United States I have lived. Pictured here is the aftermath of the daily fruit and vegetable market. The garbage is piled high in one spot at the end of the day in order to be carted off. Fine, but notice that nothing is separated for compost, plastic, or cardboard. Again credit for the photo goes to Sarah Crockford, 10 years old. Could we have an artist or budding environmentalist on our hands?
Update: March 15, 2005 Found this tibit while reading the news this morning. Seems my observations on conservation were on the mark. Maybe instead of spreading the WORD nationally Italians should WORK locally? There is hope, the study does show a general awareness....Maybe action cannot be far behind?
ENVIRONMENT: 52 PCT OF ITALIANS NOT WELL INFORMED ECOLOGICALLY
(AGI) - Rome, Italy, Mar 14 - Environmental themes are scarcely known by Italians, insomuch that a very high percentage, 52 pct declared to know them very little or not at all. Atmospheric pollution, the nuclear issue and waste management are the themes that preoccupy the most (natural disasters, climate change, water pollution and pollution caused by industry are perceived with less seriousness ). The environmental situation is critical according to 80 pct of Italians who however think that in 57 pct of cases they can personally contribute to protecting the environment. This is some of the data presented today in the convention on "Environmental communication", resulted by research done by the ISPO (Institute on Public Opinion) on behalf of the Environment Ministry. The study monitored, from May to November 2004, the level of sensibility of Italians towards environment from which it emerged that 80 pct of them consider the national environmental situation to be very or quite critical, while only 10 pct considers it little or not critical. Nevertheless, 65 pct of interviewees considered the environmental theme the most important or one of the most important ones to work on. It is especially national and local TV channels to spread information on environmental themes (according to 60.1 pct of interviewees), followed by magazines and newspapers (39.3 pct) and radio channels (19.3 pct). Environment Minister Altero Matteoli said: "This research allows us to know what Italians think of the environment. It is a necessary instrument of work to favour the process of environmental communication to start a fruitful dialogue with citizens and politicians. The sensibility of Italians to environmental themes grows and with it a clear, transparent, concrete and easily accessible communication should grow". (AGI) -
141930 MAR 05
Update: March 15, 2005 Found this tibit while reading the news this morning. Seems my observations on conservation were on the mark. Maybe instead of spreading the WORD nationally Italians should WORK locally? There is hope, the study does show a general awareness....Maybe action cannot be far behind?
ENVIRONMENT: 52 PCT OF ITALIANS NOT WELL INFORMED ECOLOGICALLY
(AGI) - Rome, Italy, Mar 14 - Environmental themes are scarcely known by Italians, insomuch that a very high percentage, 52 pct declared to know them very little or not at all. Atmospheric pollution, the nuclear issue and waste management are the themes that preoccupy the most (natural disasters, climate change, water pollution and pollution caused by industry are perceived with less seriousness ). The environmental situation is critical according to 80 pct of Italians who however think that in 57 pct of cases they can personally contribute to protecting the environment. This is some of the data presented today in the convention on "Environmental communication", resulted by research done by the ISPO (Institute on Public Opinion) on behalf of the Environment Ministry. The study monitored, from May to November 2004, the level of sensibility of Italians towards environment from which it emerged that 80 pct of them consider the national environmental situation to be very or quite critical, while only 10 pct considers it little or not critical. Nevertheless, 65 pct of interviewees considered the environmental theme the most important or one of the most important ones to work on. It is especially national and local TV channels to spread information on environmental themes (according to 60.1 pct of interviewees), followed by magazines and newspapers (39.3 pct) and radio channels (19.3 pct). Environment Minister Altero Matteoli said: "This research allows us to know what Italians think of the environment. It is a necessary instrument of work to favour the process of environmental communication to start a fruitful dialogue with citizens and politicians. The sensibility of Italians to environmental themes grows and with it a clear, transparent, concrete and easily accessible communication should grow". (AGI) -
141930 MAR 05
Friday, March 11, 2005
Italy and the EU
Today I received a funny link from our good friend Joanne - pictured here with her husband Silvio. It is a very funny take on life in Italy compared to the rest of Europe. After veiwing it you might think twice about what it means to live "la dolce vita".
http://www.infonegocio.com/xeron/bruno/italy.html
Joanne is a very proud Canadian and Silvio is her wonderful Italian husband. They are always the most gracious hosts at their summer home in Tuscany. If you would like to know more about them and maybe find a photo or two of us enjoying their famous hospitality, go to her web site.
http://www.fattoriaresta.too.it/
Arrivederci!
http://www.infonegocio.com/xeron/bruno/italy.html
Joanne is a very proud Canadian and Silvio is her wonderful Italian husband. They are always the most gracious hosts at their summer home in Tuscany. If you would like to know more about them and maybe find a photo or two of us enjoying their famous hospitality, go to her web site.
http://www.fattoriaresta.too.it/
Arrivederci!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Lunch with Barbara
Today I had a lovely lunch and a good gossip with my "best friend" Barbara and her dog Sam. What are the odds that I should move all the way to little Chiavari and find a friend that looks like my sister, with a dog named Sam, and a daughter named Anna? Eerie?
Here she is waiting for me in the Piazza where there is the daily fruit and vegetable market. Aren't they a cute couple?
Here she is waiting for me in the Piazza where there is the daily fruit and vegetable market. Aren't they a cute couple?
Benvenuto
It is amazing to realize that it has been almost 5 years since we moved to Italy. Time has raced by and technology has taken off. With this blog we hope to stay in touch and share our lives with our friends and family both near and far.
Benvenuto! Welcome to our blog!
The Crockfords
Benvenuto! Welcome to our blog!
The Crockfords
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
