view at lunch

I'm a faster walker

What a beautiful day it was today.  GP and I went up to the mountains to snowshoe.  Grace rode up with friends to cross-country ski.  It was brilliantly sunny and so warm we sunbathed at the "refuge" hut after lunch before heading back down the mountain again. 


Yesterday we spent the day car hunting.  These are the autos we've gone through since arriving in late August.  GP's company ordered a new car for him in the summer but it hadn't arrived when we got here so we started off with lease #1 which was replaced in October by lease #2 after a minor accident involving a sudden stop (not me).  On various occasions we also borrowed my in-law's car if I needed it and GP was away for work.  In December the new car finally arrived, a long-term lease that was part of his contract.  Then last week began with one job terminating (there goes the new leased car), another job beginning, a car accident (still not me), a new rental, and now, as of yesterday, a car of our own.  Of course this being Italy you don't buy a car and drive away with it.  There's paperwork.  A weeks worth.  We won't actually get the car until a week Monday so tomorrow we have to exchange the company leased car, (the 4th), for a car which we will rent until we can pick up the car we bought.  Mind you I still don't have a car and can't get one till I pass my exam.  So we bought a Chevy!  Never did I think I'd own a Chevy but American car companies make models for export that they don't sell in the US and they are quite nice.  Two of our rental/lease cars were great Fords and this new car is terrific.  Sporty, comfy and super efficient.  It runs on natural gas which is pretty much non-polluting.  To encourage people to buy these vehicles the government waives excise taxes on them.  It's a great idea, like closing city limits to autos that don't pass certain emissions tests, and closing centers for authorized vehicles only.  I wish the States would do more of this sort of thing.  I'm off to do some practice exams for my driving test.  Joy.  xxoo me