One down.. one more to go.

For the past 2 months, we have anxiously been waiting on two "necessities" - a bed and our boxes.

Our crackhouse bedroom

Today is the day that we finally get a real bed.  For the past two months, we've been sleeping on "beds" that would only seem fitting in a drug den.  They are hard, scratchy, and offer no comfort whatsoever.  As I type this, Kevin and our good friend Klaus are on their way to the furniture store to rent a van to carry the new bed to our cozy apartment.  If we had it delivered, it would have been another 2 weeks.  Considering we ordered this bed 8 weeks ago, picking it up was the only acceptable option.  Is it sad that, all day, I've only been thinking of the new bed and sleeping late on Saturday?

As for our 21 boxes which were shipped the 2nd of July, we should hopefully see them next week. My frustration with the company in the UK (and the company in the US for that matter) is immeasurable.  Apparently the delay has been because of a hold up in Customs, which is out of our control.  The frustration comes from the absolute lack of communication, and failure to stand by anything they promise us.  We were told two weeks ago that we would have them last week; then last week, we were told it would be by Friday the 25th.  Now, we are told that it will be next Friday, the 1st.  What is in the boxes, you ask?  Only clothes, shoes, coats, blankets, pillows, towels, dishes, glasses, pots, pans, kitchen utensils, school books & supplies, and personal effects.  We are lucky that it is still warm here (in the 60's today) because all of our cold weather items are in the boxes.

On a positive note, we are going on our first vacation next week.  We are off from school next week, and Kevin and I are headed to Lake Garda in Lazise, Italy, about 20 miles west of Verona.  We are staying at Hotel Castello San Antonio, which is a converted castle sitting on a bluff overlooking the lake.  We are going to rent a car on Monday, and drive the 4 hours down, staying until Thursday.  Who would have ever thought that Kevin and I would be renting a car to drive  to Italy?  Crazy. Anyhow, we are going to meet our friends, Katharina and Klaus, who will be staying there from Saturday to Tuesday.  I'm definitely looking forward to some R&R and Italian food.

On the way back, I've talked Kevin into stopping at the South Tyrol Archaeological Museum to see Outzi, the 5000-year-old man found frozen in a melted glacier in the Alps.  Anyone that knows me knows that I'm very excited about this!!!!   I may even get an Outzi hoodie, if they sell them!  To see more about him, check out www.iceman.it/

Hate to cut it short, but Kevin just called and the bed is HERE!!!!!  Sweet dreams!

Lazise, Italy

Hotel Castello