Back in the U.S.A.
On April 5, 2007 we returned to the United States after two years of living in Italy. We arrived at Baltimore International Airport and had pre-arranged for a car to drive us to Milford, Delaware, our new home. Spring was just arriving in this part of the world and trees and flowers were budding everywhere. The explosion of colors was completely unexpected and we marveled at the variety of blooming trees in shades of pinks, whites, reds and purples. Daffodils and tulips graced front yards, even as snowflakes fell on that unseasonably cold spring day.
We spent one night in the local AmericInn and the next day picked up our house keys, borrowed a blow up mattress and a little TV from Shirley, who had managed the rental of our townhouse. First on the agenda were getting a cell phone and finding a new mattress to replace the blow up and within a few days a giant moving van showed up to deliver the rest of our belongings that had been in storage since we moved out of our house in Phoenix, in February 2005.
The next weeks were spent unpacking and settling in. After the bedding we bought new computers and had all the data transferred from the laptop, our lifeline in Italy, now on its last legs. We bought cars - a used Toyota Camry for me and a cute denim blue PT Cruiser for Bob. We shopped for furniture for Bob's office and a computer desk for my studio. After a frustrating couple of weeks and many phone calls and failed attempts later, we got hooked up to the Internet and had phones and cable TV lines installed.
Every week, at least once, we have taken a drive to the beach, just to walk on the boardwalk and put our toes in the sand and in the water. That has to be one of the best things about being here! Rehoboth Beach is a real east coast beach, with an old-fashioned boardwalk and beach grasses, bordered by those slender slat wood fences that meander along the edge of the dunes. There is a bandstand in the center where music concerts are held on summer nights and all the fattening beachy foods can be found, like French fries, hot dogs, ice cream and salt water taffy and fun beachwear shops that sell everything from swim suits and towels to t-shirts and beach shoes. You can get a henna tattoo painted on and buy some really cool kites and beach toys. Restaurants abound and we have found a few we like so far, like Jakes, with its seafood specials and sliders (mini hamburgers that come in threes with a side of fries!).
We perused the outlets stores along Rehoboth Boulevard south of us where there is also a Home Depot and a Lowe's Home Improvement store. We drove to Dover Mall, around 20 minutes north of here and to Christiana Mall, a bit further, several times now getting to know the area and trying to find sources for all the things we need to furnish and finish our home here. We've been on a quest for window coverings and new slipcovers for our sofa and think we have finally found what we want and have decided to re-upholster our two other chairs in the living room for a fresh new look, without totally replacing everything. We are still trying to maintain the "live cheap" lifestyle but it's been hard, since this new place is different from the old house and in spite of all the things we have, there are still many things we need, like new bookshelves that were built into our old house and furniture for these two studio/offices.
In addition, we went back and forth to Richmond several times to see our son and granddaughter Kyla who turned 3 at the end of April. We've had a great time and thank our son for making room for us. Being able to watch Kyla grow up is the real "best thing" about being here.
Thanks for stopping by!
Rosemary and Bob
We spent one night in the local AmericInn and the next day picked up our house keys, borrowed a blow up mattress and a little TV from Shirley, who had managed the rental of our townhouse. First on the agenda were getting a cell phone and finding a new mattress to replace the blow up and within a few days a giant moving van showed up to deliver the rest of our belongings that had been in storage since we moved out of our house in Phoenix, in February 2005.
The next weeks were spent unpacking and settling in. After the bedding we bought new computers and had all the data transferred from the laptop, our lifeline in Italy, now on its last legs. We bought cars - a used Toyota Camry for me and a cute denim blue PT Cruiser for Bob. We shopped for furniture for Bob's office and a computer desk for my studio. After a frustrating couple of weeks and many phone calls and failed attempts later, we got hooked up to the Internet and had phones and cable TV lines installed.
Every week, at least once, we have taken a drive to the beach, just to walk on the boardwalk and put our toes in the sand and in the water. That has to be one of the best things about being here! Rehoboth Beach is a real east coast beach, with an old-fashioned boardwalk and beach grasses, bordered by those slender slat wood fences that meander along the edge of the dunes. There is a bandstand in the center where music concerts are held on summer nights and all the fattening beachy foods can be found, like French fries, hot dogs, ice cream and salt water taffy and fun beachwear shops that sell everything from swim suits and towels to t-shirts and beach shoes. You can get a henna tattoo painted on and buy some really cool kites and beach toys. Restaurants abound and we have found a few we like so far, like Jakes, with its seafood specials and sliders (mini hamburgers that come in threes with a side of fries!).
We perused the outlets stores along Rehoboth Boulevard south of us where there is also a Home Depot and a Lowe's Home Improvement store. We drove to Dover Mall, around 20 minutes north of here and to Christiana Mall, a bit further, several times now getting to know the area and trying to find sources for all the things we need to furnish and finish our home here. We've been on a quest for window coverings and new slipcovers for our sofa and think we have finally found what we want and have decided to re-upholster our two other chairs in the living room for a fresh new look, without totally replacing everything. We are still trying to maintain the "live cheap" lifestyle but it's been hard, since this new place is different from the old house and in spite of all the things we have, there are still many things we need, like new bookshelves that were built into our old house and furniture for these two studio/offices.
In addition, we went back and forth to Richmond several times to see our son and granddaughter Kyla who turned 3 at the end of April. We've had a great time and thank our son for making room for us. Being able to watch Kyla grow up is the real "best thing" about being here.
Thanks for stopping by!
Rosemary and Bob
Comments
So glad to get an update on your lives. Sounds like you are busy making a new home and life for yourselves stateside. I hope to see more of your art. I bet there are lots of beautiful vistas to paint in your new area. Welcome back!
thank you for your new message. We wish you all the best in your new home and hope we will meet again either in USA or in Germany. Best wishes from Ingrid and Helmut in Regensburg.