6.27.2010

Today my inbox was full of interesting shit. A picture of mom in her new convertible -sex- an email that made me cry a little from miranda and a letter from the school in Zamora, Spain. So much to say, so much I cant say. First off, mom you looked good. Not as good as I looked on my bike on the way to church this morning, but you looked good. Did I mention it is hard to ride a bike in a short dress? I asked Mary to forgive me (just kidding mommy) for my over exposure.



Speaking of overexposure, I went to hakuna matata with the camp a few days ago and some kid poked me and said Bianca. That means White. And he walked away.



I made cinnamon toast for dinner last night and again this morning. haha its been a hit.



Miranda, you asked if I get lonely and yes, I do. I have become an observer instead of an interactor. Because I am with the family everyday, I hang out alot with older folks (like your age darl) and i cant speak well yet so i always feel like im eavesdropping. I sit by myslef alot when I get tired of just smiling and pretending to know whats going on. But, lucy and luca are so great in translating, including me, etc. They couldnt be better hosts! Whats been amazing is that I see all of yall in everything. There is a man who looks exactly like big nig Randy and he installs swimming pools by day and when the moon comes out, he turns into the piano man. Yep, mr. george italia plays and sings at weddings, bars, parties etc. and he is hilarious! Lets see ... my shower curtain is penguins frolicking in the antarctic (amber) my neighbor and her baby sister are precious and look like mallory, Walter is andy reincarnated, as i grow more comfortable with the people i know, i get weirder and weirder and say anything that reminds me of abbey, Lucy asked if AK is japanese (??????????????????????????????????) and whats else ..... theres more Ill have to think of later.



This weekend and monday and tuesday are some kind of holiday so everytihng is closed and they are having festivals at night. They close down the square and people wine and dine; there is a stage set up for singers, pinocchio the play and a wedding dress fashion show.

Switching to past tense now because its thursday .. pinocchio was fantastically funny, the music was great and I knew half the actors and singers. There was also the wedding dress show which was local girls modeling their moms dresses and it was terrible. terrible. terrible. mostly funny terrible, but there were a few girls who thought this might be the show that makes their modeling career. I am sad to report they are still in town working at bar/gelateria Snoopy.

Wednesday I went to Mirabilandia ("Like disney world but smaller!") and they really meant smaller. There were two bigs rides and a dungeon drop called Space Shuttle Columbia. I didnt ride it because it exploded over Lufkin one time and it felt like bad Karma. But in all the trip was super fun, i got to see the man i love and had mickey ds fries.

And omg Dolly Parton is on Letterman. O M G Ak. I am so happy. She is in pink satin. head to toe. God Bless Dolly and her World. Splash country and a grist mill??? UGHHHH my first child will be named dolly.

Lorenzo colored the grout with a black marker today (I should have just ridden Columbia.)

The sexual tension between me and my crush in dynamic. When he gets his drivers liscence (Dolly just referred to the titanic) hes taking me out. If its okay with his girlfriend.

I made cinamon toast again today.

AND I MADE SIMPLE SAUCE its so good shlee:

boil tomatoes until they are soft and the juices are boiling
put them in the de-pulper thing(basically remove the skins and press them through a fine pulper)
heat ev olive oil and fine chopped garlic for a sec
add tomatoe juice and the goodness that sticks to the mesh thing
add fresh basil, oild and salt.
simmer until its thickened a bit

Thats all and its amazing. For better flavor, use smaller varieties like grape or cherry.

Also, thank you letterman for acting as my main American news source.

I have so much to tell you! more coming xxx

6.15.2010

So, im not very motivated to write ... ever. unless its when i finally sit down late at night in my room. You see, I dont have much personal time. I wake up around 7:20 and get the kids ready for estate regazzi (two week day camp), we bike Lorenzo to school (today's fit was one of the more epic ones) and then to the church next door (the bar connects the two.) Estate regazzi lasts until noon, then home, lunch, laundry and nap. Back to camp until four, pick up Lorenzo, bike home, snack, keep the tv off, keep the kids out of the candy and plum cakes (twinkies without the cream) and play outside. Around 4:30, the neighbor Greta will come by with her two girls Rebecca and Raquele (who look exactly like mallory gibbs without teeth --- gooooogeous) and we play and play and play until dinner. Then we eat ... clean ... argue ... clean ... and lately going on bike rides, watching soccer etc. Last night, we watched italy v Paraguay, ate watermelon and beer (from the church bar) came out around midnight and bathed and put away the babies. Then i crawled into bed and died. Did I mention the church has a bar? It is run by old people who volunteer their free time, which is probably like all day long. Anyway, I had a really good dark beer from Denmark last night called ... ceras? maybe? Do your research ak (b double e double r-u-n). haha. So, life is a little crazy. And Im really tired a lot. Did you know espresso is drank here about eh 6 times a day? yeah. with brown sugar, sometimes milk, always biscotti (cookies. What is this biscuit booshit? If you cant put gravy on it, its not a biscuit.) soo as you see, my full time job is busy. Oh, did i mention estate regazzi? If you dont understand, go to a country where you dont speak the language or know anyone, go to the local VBS at church and hop in there. And let them touch your hair. They like it. Make sure they know its 'naturale' and they really want to become your friend. The guy in charge of the microphone learned my name the first day and always adresses me in front of everyone (hallo Aleeeesa. How are YOU!) and then makes me dance this stupid lunch dance. But i secretly really enjoy it. :) I have a crush on a boy who is 14 and emo, my friends all have braces and pimples, annnnd lets see Walter pantsed me and I wasnt wearing any trendy boys ... highlight on my week. Italy, meet my ass, ass meet Italy.

So, two my wonderful 8 followers, life is gooooood. I do miss the bachelorette and hearty breakfasts but im learning so much. Culturally, linguistically and personally, Im growing in so many ways that just cant happen at home, and that is what I had hoped for.

6.11.2010

I was sitting on the back patio with the kids and the little neighbor kids and thought teaching them heads and shoulders knees and toes would be fun. So im singing by myself like an idiot and they are just staring at me when Rebecca spits out from between her two missing front teeth: "Papparazzi???" Thank you Gaga for being so trendy boy international.
Trendy Boy: (N) A boy who is known to be well-dressed and wearing the latest fashion. In Italy a trendy boy probably has Pumas and a fitted Armani tee.
Trendy Boy: (N) Tiny whitey-tighties that come in a variety of colors with a black waistband bearing TRENDY BOY in white. May be confused with all other undies in the house; look for skidmarks to determine if they are Mom's or baby's.

6.08.2010

Italy is great, the mosquitos are great, the food is great, the dunlap disease is great (my belly dunlapped over my jeans) and communicating in multiple languages is great. Really. I love it here! The funniest things happen and I just smile as this whole new little world goes on around me. I woke and and Antonio (the oldest, sweet little boy) put milk on the stove for me. Oh good. Do I like warm milk? absolutely not. But then, he put brown sugar in a cup and made me an espresso shot ("George Clooney's Espresso Machine" he said) and then added the warm milk and just smiled at me. The family is so attentive and sweet in so many ways.

This morning I took Lorenzo (almost four; he is the baby and talks to me ALOT in fast Italian and loves superman) to school. I have a bike with a baby seat and a bunch of kids who dont look like me! It is great.

More dunlap to come. Ciao xx

6.01.2010

Let the countdown begin!


Welcome friends and family to my blog appropriately named "Whale Outta Water."

This nickname came along one day as a few of us were enjoying the beach in Barcelona. Me, AK, Lauren and Ashley were the only ones in swim suits, but we were determined to take advantage of the first ray of sunshine we'd seen since arriving to Europe. We were eating to-go from Organic is Orgasmic, a restaurant at the market in Las Ramblas and enjoying being with the locals and pigeons, hanging out, catching some rays and raising some eyebrows. Somehow that day, white and carb-loaded, I became Whale, and it stuck.

So as always, the Maastricht crew is joining me as I begin my first au pair experience in Italy. I will be living north of Bologna in a small town (even smaller than Lufkin!) called Castello d'Argile. Lucy and Luca and their three boys Antonio, Walter and Lorenzo Maria have been grateful enough to take me in as their eldest daughter-babysitter-moocher-teacher-townwhore. Just kidding about being the town whore -- but they did tell me they have some nice Italian church boys waiting for me. HAllELUjAH!

I land in Bologna Monday morning so until then I will be reading my pocket-sized 'get-rich-quick' language guide and thinking about more borderline-inappropriate comments to make that may make you blush. And like they say on Sex and the City 2: Forbidden experience ahead. I'll do my best to keep it g-rated.

Aren't you gonna miss me :)

Ciao Bellas xxx