It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Okay, okay, it's still 80 degrees out. But here's the deal, by November the post office is absolutely bombed with mail and packages. Besides our online ordering, grandma wants to send her famous Christmas fudge and Aunt Sally wants to send you the sweater she knit with love. They just get overwhelmed and the mail slows to a near halt.

So what is the best way to make sure you get all of those "must-have" items here in time? Order early.

September may seem a little early. And maybe it is not necessary to order right now. But I'd at least start looking into it soon. My advice is to get your orders in by October. Just sayin'.

And if you have time in November, maybe volunteer a few hours at the post office to keep things rolling smoothly. They can always use the help!

The Hairy Heartbeat of Your Home

{Yes, I totally stole the title from the More Than commercial. Unless of course you haven't seen that commercial.....in that case, it's completely original.}

I was particularly worried about shipping our dog to Italy from the U.S. I had heard horror stories of people being turned away at the airport, for any variety of reasons, left scrambling to find care and transportation for their pets. And quite honestly, I can say that I have seen this first-hand a few times...and for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, things went quite smoothly for us, but I attribute that to a great deal of research and preparation. I was a nervous wreck about it and making sure that I had every contingency planned for soothed my nerves!

My advice is START EARLY. If you even think that you may be getting orders overseas, go ahead and get your dogs or cats chipped if they aren't already. Specifically, your pet must be microchipped with an ISO 11784 or 11785. Huh?! Yea, I don't know what that means, but I do know that Homeagain microchips are recognized in Europe and in the States so that seems like the easiest way to go. Widely available, reasonably priced, easy to continue registration online. Easy peasy.

Are there other options? Yea. Easier options? I can't imagine it.

In addition to being chipped, dogs and cats must also have a current rabies shot. The shot must be administered between 30 days and 11 months from the date of travel. While I do not see it on the checklist from the vet clinic, my dog also required a blood test that had to be completed at least 3 months before depature. Because there are specific dates and timelines that must be met, it can feel like you're doing some sort of paperwork limbo.

If your base has a veterinary clinic, rely heavily on their knowledge of the process. They've done this before and they have all of the regulations at their fingertips. {Though I still researched the topic to death! Did I mention I was a nervous wreck?}

The vet clinic at our losing base had very limited number of available appointments and was generally difficult for me to use. So, I got all of the documents that I needed from them and used my civilian vet to accomplish all of the necessary shots and bloodwork. Because she was not familiar with the process of pet exportation, we worked closely, I explained the process, and then I had all paperwork double-checked by the base clinic. Totally worth the extra legwork!

Ouch! Don't remind me!

After all of the shots, chips, bloodwork, x-rays, MRIs....okay, maybe it wasn't all THAT bad, but after all the actual work is done, you will still have to visit either your base clinic or a USDA-accredited vet to complete your pet's Bilingual Veterinary Health Certificate {Pet Passport}. This is accomplished within 10 days of travel. The certificate expires 10 days after the date of the vet's signature.

You really should plan for delays in travel and wait as late as you can before getting this completed, that is to say, as close to your actual date of travel as possible. My husband got stuck in Germany for 2 days while traveling with our dog. There were mechanical problems with the aircraft. He didn't know how long he would be there. Her paperwork was for Italy ONLY which meant he needed to get to Italy before those 10 days expired. {Did I mention I was a nervous wreck about the dog?}

All ended well though. They made it here safe and sound.

There is a lot more to say about bringing your pet to Italy and I plan to cover that in the next few weeks. There are differences in commercial and AMC rules regarding pets. There are weight limits, required fees, and equipment guidelines that must be met. Hopefully, having some of this information will help you have fewer sleepless nights than I did.

Last Day of Freedom

Today is the first day of school here at Aviano. So what did we do on our last day of freedom?

A whole lotta this

We went to Lignano! A gorgeous beach town about an hour from the Aviano area.

A little info about the beach. You can rent a spot {chairs, umbrellas, etc.} for prices ranging from about 5 Euro to 18 Euro, or so. These are areas that are already set up along the beach. You choose based on the row, i.e. how close you are to the water. The closer you are to the sea, the higher the price. Though we found all of the prices quite reasonable. To give you an idea, we rented 2 chairs and an umbrella in Row 2 for 15 Euro. It was comfortable. I've grown used to having no personal space in Europe, so I was glad to see that these were spaced a couple feet from one another. It didn't feel at all crowded even though there were quite a few people there!

  



Flags indicate wind warning

Dude selling faux designer bags



 

After a couple hours of beach time, we wandered across the street to a cute restaurant called Isola Smeraldo. It had great indoor and outdoor seating. You could either order fresh baked pizza or go through the cafeteria-type line that had tons of fresh seafood. It all looked delicious! We got a couple of pizzas. And I don't mean to bombard you with prices, but our family of four ate for only 20 Euro! With this being a tourist town, I was really surprised at how inexpensive things were.

So after our wonderful meal, we decided to take a stroll around the area where we saw THIS!

  

 Oh yes, we did! We totally rented this for half an hour {10 Euro} and pedaled around Lignano. Touristy? Yes! A little dorky? Yes! Totally fun? Absolutely!

So if you've been avoiding the beach because you think maybe you're not fit enough...

Or young enough...

  Or, ummm, normal enough...

Then you're really missing out!

Kids Eat Free on Sunday

Back-To-School Kids' Brunch at La Bella Vista on Sunday, 28 August, from 1030-1330.

They will have activities and movies for the kids.

Kids 12 and under eat for free!

{with parent's club membership}

Missing Michael's or Hobby Lobby?

Well, I'm not going to lie. I really REALLY miss my favorite craft stores from the U.S.! A LOT! But there are supplies to be had if you know where to look. This is, by no means, a complete list of places, but it's a good start. There's probably a fabric or art supply store in your town. And you know, if you're really crafty, you're likely to find items that you'd like to craft at any variety of places!

First, on base, we do have the Arts and Crafts Center. It is small, but offers a pretty wide-range of supplies. Scrapbooking, knitting, jewerly making, and stamping supplies, and more are available at the craft store. They also offer a handful of classes, like photography, jewelry making, and card making. There are occassional children's classes that my kids LOVE!

It has to be said that the craft store is on the pricey side. I love and frequent it, but I know that I am paying for the convenience of having supplies readily available.

I will say though, for the products I buy {mostly paper products and stickers}, they carry high quality brands. So I'm sure that drives the prices upward a bit too.

Also, if there are particular items that you are looking for, they are very open to suggestions and custom ordering.

Like them on Facebook to get up-to-date information on their classes and new stock!



The next stop is the BX. Its craft supplies are, meh. Limited. There is one aisle with primarily Martha Stewart craft supplies and small amount of crafting paper. Again, what they have is good quality, but there really is very little.

Leaving base, two stops not too far from the gate are CenterCasa and Bricofer. Both are on SS-13 and both have promising crafty goodness!

CenterCasa is a home supply store...dishes, pillows, frames, decorations, etc. It has a lot to offer that I will cover later in a post dedicated soley to it, but for now let's focus on the "craft" aisle. They offer a lot of artificial flowers and flower arranging supplies.

 

      Lots of artificial
          flowers!

They also have a decent selection of ribbon {not really what you'd use for hairbows, more for decorations and other crafts}.

Paints and Brushes

The last stop for today is Bricofer. Bricofer is a chain of hardware stores. The two I've visited both have well-stocked craft aisles. These pictures are from the Bricofer on SS-13 in Pordenone, which is the nearest to base, but you may live closer to a different Bricofer so look around your area. I tend to shop at the one in Spilimbergo which is smaller but closer to my house in Maniago.

Bricofer carries craft paints and painting supplies, stencils, beads, glitters, and decoupage supplies. They also have a pretty good selection of picture frames. A lot of what they carry isn't to my taste, but when I'm searching for craft supplies I keep my mind and eyes open!

Stencils and Paints

Decoupage Papers

Other places that I've found a variety of crafting supplies, while I'm here far far away from my true love, are garden stores and local department stores. Of course you can always order online if you are needing specific items, but if you're short on time it's good to know there are a few local options.

Happy Crafting!



Neigh, Neigh Good!

Yummy for your baby's tummy!

Decoding Your Italian Home

"You turned the microwave on while the dryer was running?! What were you thinking?"

"Okay, let me think...I need to bake and do laundry. I'd better unplug the computer."

Don't be surprised if you hear yourself saying things like this when you're getting settled in your new home! You may be shocked to find out what items can and cannot be used at the same time in your house. And each house is different! I'd love to give you the "code". Nothing would make me happier than to make a list.

Dryer+TV+Computer=OK
Microwave+Oven+Vacuum=OK
Computer+Air Conditioner+Dryer=BAD!

But I can't! Our electricity goes out nearly every Monday afternoon because that is my big laundry and cleaning day. At some point during the day, I will try to microwave lunch while I'm both washing and drying laundry, or vacuum while the dishwasher is running. Then, I'm stomping outside in my slippers, grumbling while I flip the switch. Allora!

When you move into your rental, you have the option of paying a ridiculously high amount to increase the amount of electricity your home can consume. Not only do you pay to have the amount raised {an electrician has to physically come to your home and reset some things on your meter}, but you also have to pay a little more for the actual wattage that you use. Sooo...you pay for the convenience of not having to unplug your fridge anytime you want to run the dryer!

Here's the kicker...We did this! We paid more than I'd care to admit to have our limit raised and it still pops on a fairly regular basis. We are in a brand-new very energy efficient home....and it still pops. It can really get frustrating!

I cannot tell you whether or not it is worth your money to increase the amount of electricity that you will be able to use in your home. It will depend on your family size and lifestyle. Most of all though, I think it depends on the amount of disruption you are okay with in your daily lives.

So is it worth the extra expense? I'd have to say, for us, yes it has been worth every penny. I cannot imagine how difficult things would be if we hadn't!

Hang in There!

If you're coming from the U.S. and haven't left yet, rush out RIGHT NOW and stock up on as many of these as you can get your mitts on!

These will become your best friends when you start to decorate your Italian abode. Why? Because the walls are made from a cement-like material and, short of drilling, these are the easiest way to hang things.

Nails are absolutely a no-go! I bent several in the beginning. Worse than bending them though....they chip away at the wall material with each swing of the hammer and make some nasty looking holes. Holes that are quite likely to be expensive when we leave! {Oops!}

The velcro picture hangers from 3M have been a real life saver! They really can hold a lot of weight and have held up for a full year now.

The BX carries a limited variety of hooks, but I have not seen any of the velcro picture hanging strips there. I haven't seen either at local stores. So stock up before you come!



The 3M hooks even withstand the weather! This puppy has been on my exterior door for a full year now. 



I have had limited success with these. You wet the cloth portion at the top which has an adhesive and press it to the wall. After the adhesive has dried, hang your item. Simple enough. I have used these for a few small frames, but never anything that would cause devastation should it fall.

In my experience, these do tend to stick up higher than the pictures. They blend in with the the color of my walls, so for me it's not a problem. I'm sure you could paint them if that was an issue though.


I purchased these off base, I believe at a hardware store.

Adhesive picture hanger....in action! Can you even see it at the top? Blends in pretty well!



These are what you are advised to use on your walls when you get here. {Or at least we were}  Bad advice!

The idea is that you hammer those short metal pins into the wall and hang your item from the hook. The larger size ones have those metal bits and you use a small nail in the center as well.

"Ummm, didn't you just say nails are bad?" Why, yes! Yes I did!

These little buggers are a major pain in the tuchus. The troubles with these things are too numerous to list here. I have had things fall, pounded craters into my walls, and used way too much adult language trying to get these to work.

There are probably other ways to hang items on these walls, but I'll put my money on the 3M hooks every time though. So far they haven't let me down and I know that I can take them with me when I go.

In the event everything in my house should fall immediately upon posting this though, I will pop back in with a different review I'm sure!



{The good folks at 3M don't even know I exist. These are solely my opinions based on my experience with these products.}

Knife Festival

Just a few images from Maniago's Knife Festival this weekend.....

A lot of....

Well...

                                                                                                     Knives!

If you missed the festival and are wanting some of these world-famous blades, no worries! There are shops all around Maniago selling them every week. So head on over and do a little shopping....

{This is where I shopped during the festival!}

                                          

If only I could make this scratch & sniff! 

8th Annual Maniago Coltello in Festa

This weekend, 20-21 August, our little town of Maniago is celebrating with a Coltello in Festa, or Knife Festival. Maniago is famous for its blades! There is even a museum here chronicling Maniago's knife-making history.

The festival will be held in city center. I saw the tents and stages going up yesterday. Hope to see you there!

Check out this awesome site for more details about this fair, and many other happenings in and around our area!

43rd Aviano-Piancavallo International Folklore Festival

 Last week, the city of Aviano held an International Folklore Festival. There were events each evening with a lot of traditional dancing and music from countries around the world.

 Here are a few shots of some of the dancers and musicians 



 





Wish I could tell you which country each group was representing. They weren't identified, but I did see signs for Panama, Argentina, and Sardinia.

These guys were doing their rendition of "Stop in the Name of Love".

{kidding!}

The dancers and music were great! Such a wonderful cultural experience right in our own backyard. Even the drizzle didn't dampen the festivities!





You're Not in Iowa Anymore

What is the most common sight when you leave the gates of Aviano AB?

It's got to be this, right? Gorgeous vineyards with budding grapes just waiting to be turned into your favorite Pinot or Cabernet or whatever you like flowing in your glass. I mean you're in Italy. Gotta be vineyards.

Well, don't be surprised if, instead of feeling like you've gotten off the plane in the Mediterranean, you feel like you're in the Midwest. This is what you are more likely to see.

CORN! CORN! CORN!

It's everywhere! I genuinely felt like we were driving through Iowa again when we got here last year. It was quite a shocker! Having been to the Mediterranean in the past, this is not what I expected nor is it what I saw in my previous travels. Northern Italy may not be quite what you have in mind when you think of Italy.

But look just beyond that corn.

Look at those beautiful mountains. Those are everywhere too!

And there are lovely vineyards....just not as many as I imagined.

What's going on around here?

One of the first things I did when researching our new assignment to Aviano AB was sign up for the Weekly Wyvern. This is a weekly report sent to the email address of your choice. Anyone can sign up! The weekly report includes happenings on base, as well as the local area.

It also includes a link to The Compass which is a semi-monthly newsletter with tons of information about the local area. Of particular interest are the travel reports in each newsletter. The lucky folks who write these articles travel throughout Europe and give us all the juicy details.

So, go, get to it! Sign up now....

Subscribe to the Weekly Wyvern, an e-mail sent every Friday with news, information and upcoming local events. To subscribe, e-mail your information to 31fw.panews@aviano.af.mil.

Free Movie Friday Night

This event is BYOB {Bring Your Own Blanket}!

31FSS is hosting a Movie-In-The-Park event at the Area F ball field. Should be a fun time for the family!

Welcome!

If you've found this site, it's probably because you're on your way to Aviano AB, Italy. Hooray! You are quite likely the envy of all your co-workers, family, and friends. Hurry get your passports and get ready to slow down!

Wait, what?

Italians are perhaps the most relaxed people I've ever encountered....unless they're in their cars. So let's take this slow, slow journey together through northern Italy. Off we go......