Ciao From Italia!

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Hello PT!

I have been away for a very long time but have been lurking for a few weeks and decided to pop in and say hi! All is well with my family. We moved to Italy 5 months ago. Draker likes it here. He has made a few new doggy friends that he plays with several times a week and some new human friends as well!

Andrew, Drake, and I are still travelling all the time, visiting new places, trying new foods, and experiencing life and the world. I have to upload some new pictures to share.

Drake turned 7 this year and is doing great. He keeps amazing me with how gentle and calm time and patience have made him.

I am out of town until next week, but here is one of Draker (for the fans, of course!)
This one is about 7 months ago with his uncle Michael, Andrew's brother.
http://a586.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/57/l_e2894b750e9455ab09412587afe84261.jpg

[pitc9]

Yes, it has been a VERY long time!!
It's so good to hear from you and it's great to hear you're still traveling the world and living life it the fullest!! :D
I hope there's more pictures!! :p

[Cinder & Smoke]

Andrew, Drake, and I are still travelling all the time, visiting new places, trying new foods,
and experiencing life and the world.

HI, Drake!!

Still the Doggie World Traveler, huh?
Tell the Folks you'd like your OWN lappy-top 'puter -
so YOU can do a better job of keepin your PT Buddies up to date!

Is you Dad still in the Millitary?
Hope you're ALL staying Safe & Healthy ... Please keep us *posted*!

;)

[kittycats_delight]

Ciao also from Italy. It is nice to see another PTer from my neck of the woods. I am in Vicenza. The new manager where my hubby works (he works for AAFES) was sent from Aviano. Are you enjoying Italy and settling in? Doing ok with the language? Or did you speak it before coming here?

Drake is a gorgeous boy. :) Hope to see more of him.

My name is Michelle BTW and would be glad to tell you some places to visit if you want. :)

[cloverfdx]

Oh wow what a pleasant suprise :D. Great to hear from you, safe travelling.

[anna_66]

HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!

What a nice surprise:D

I've been wondering how you and the family are doing. I'm very glad to hear your all doing fine and having a wonderful life.

Thanks for the pic!

Lots of hugs to Draker and you too Souraya!

[Logan]

This is a welcome surprise, Souraya!!!! :) Italy? Last time we heard from you, I think you had come back to the States, and I was so in hopes of having the opportunity to see you. I don't see much chance of that happening if you are in Italy! LOL!!!

Drake looks wonderful, as usual. I'm so glad you guys are having a good time exploring a new country.

Details, Details, please!!!!!

I can't remember the last time that we talked, but things have changed a lot around here. We've had a lot come and go since the last time we caught up, I think. It has not been an easy couple of years, for sure. I know you know Scott and Helen, and Honey, Butter, Roger and Milly, though. Our Lilly, Zipper, Mimi and Murphy have left us, though. :( Ben is a Golden Retriever, a rescue boy, who joined us about two months ago. Mack is an English Bulldog, who we got as a puppy, over a year ago, after we lost our Zipper (rescue Golden boy).

Logan, Scott, Helen, Honey, Mack, Ben, Butter, Roger, Milly and Otto

[lbaker]

Oh Souraya!! You have no idea how much you ALL have been missed. I have gone through serious Drake withdrawls and almost afraid to ask too many questions. I was out of touch for a bit myself and was afraid to ask when I re-established my PT connection. More pictures when you have a moment (yeah, I know, I'm a fine one to ask for pictures when I haven't even figured out how to post pix myself :rolleyes: ). So what's up with you and Andrew and Drake in Italy? For how long? I will second Phreds Q.... Andrew still in the service? When you three return to the States we are all going to have one HE..ck of a meeting!! I'll be the one with bells on :D

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Thanks for the warm welcome back. I have no excuse for being away from PT now expect for my travels. So, I hope to be around more.

Andrew is still in the military. He loves Aviano and is so happy with his new assignment. He loves to fly and his new job takes him to many new places every week. He is away alot, but at least he is safe and not deployed again. We were terrified of the possibility, which is why we chose Italy.

I am not working and therefore a bit bored most of the time. A few years ago I really got into cycling and competing so I train everyday and we live at the foothills of the Italian Alps, so we climb, hike, and camp regularly. Out of pure boredom, I discovered another passion that still has the closest people to me confused. Gardening! My yard looks amazing and I grew my first herb garden and summer vegetables this year! The positive thing about not working is that I am so active and have all the time for Drake. He is my constant companion and I love spending so much time together. We garden together and pick fruit of our trees (he loves figs!), go to the lake, have scheduled weekly play dates with his friends, among so many other fun activities.

Michelle, I would love to meet you. I have never been to the base in Vicenza, but drive past the town all the time. I am a big fan of Verona and go there frequently. I will PM you and we can have a small Italy PT meeting!

These are about a year old. From last summer when we visited my grandparents in FL. Drake has his summer lion haircut :

http://a151.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/76/l_9e286d93bf157edce5df2eac264e13b6.jpg

http://a868.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/83/l_4ed9666bfdd20c15ee54990d15ff565b.jpg

[Ginger's Mom]

Drake is gorgeous. You haven't posted much since I have been a member, but you have posted enough so that I know Drake is not only handsome, but also a very adventurous pup that always seems to know how to have a good time. Hope to be hearing a lot more about him and you from now on.

[RobiLee]

OMG...it is so great to hear from you! It has been so long. I am so happy that things are going well for you. Sounds like you are keeping yourself very busy with your new hobby and all the hiking, climbing and cycling. Geesh, I wish I had your energy. I'd just like to hang out with you for awhile so I could get into shape...lol.

I'm extremely happy to see Drake!! What a handsome boy he is and I've missed him. Please don't stay away for so long this time. You have to keep us up to date on things. We always love hearing about your adventures.

Hugs and Tailwags...Robin, Katie and Tori. :)

[AdoreMyDogs]

Wow it's been a long time, Souraya. Welcome back :) Drake is stunning, as always. How neat that you get to travel so much, and what a fun place to call home!!!

I still have Kersey, my GSD/Rott mix, but Graham is now playing at the rainbow bridge. I added a new pup to the mix, Boone. He's a GSD. And added a skin kid 7 months ago, too, of which you've probablly seen pictures if you've been lurking :)

So nice to see you again, welcome back and keep the photos coming :)

[Kfamr]

It's so great to see you guys! Glad all is well. Boy, Drake sure does live the life, travelling all around!

I don't think you've met my newest boy, Mufasa, you can see him in my most recent picture thread. :)

[lizbud]

It's great to hear from you again. I'm so glad you both are well & happy.
Drake is just as gorgeous as ever I see. :) Please do pop in to PT more often.
You have certainly been missed.

[JuniorxMyxLove]

aww he is handsome!
I've always wanted to go to italy. but, other from canada when i was 4, I have never been out of the country. and i can't go to germany with my german class this year, so it looks like it's staying that way.
oh well.


Are you enjoying being in italy?!

[Bengalz]

Welcome back! You and Andrew and Drake have been thought of so often here at PT - it's good to know you're safe and enjoying life as you should :)

Souraya, the photos are beautiful - I love the one of Drake and Andrew - so precious. And Draker with his puppy cut :) what a cutie! Please tell him (again ;) ) just how gorgeous he is :D

Stay well and keep in touch.

[Vermontcat]

It's so nice to see you posting again! :D
I'm happy to hear that you and Andrew and Drake are all doing well.
Italy is just beautiful, I hope you can post some more photos soon.

[K9karen]

Hi Souraya! I'm so happy to hear from you, as I've thought of you guys often, and prayed that Andrew was safe. Drake, of course, is as handsome as ever! I'll bet he has more stamps on his passport than me! :p

Thanks for the fantastic pictures! Congrats on your excellent gardening skills and cycling! Keep in touch! Lots of hugs to all of you from me and Mz Logan!

[Karen]

Welcome back! Don't tell Drake I chuckled at his "haircut" photos, okay? He's just usually such a handsome boy. I am glad you and Andrew are safe and in Italy! Thanks so much for checking in, sending you big hugs!

[crow_noir]

Hey, thanks for checking in. It's wonderful hearing from long time PT members. Congrats on finding wonderful ways to fill your hours.

Drake is beautiful as ever.

[Rachel]

What a pleasant surprise to find this thread! Your name (or Drake's) has come up a number of times in posts so though absent, you have not been forgotten. We would love to see pictures of your garden, where you live, etc. Hopefully you are taking plenty to record all the wonderful memories you are making in your travels. God's speed to you, Andrew and Drake (who must have frequent flyer miles by now).

[cyber-sibes]

Hello again! So nice to see those pictures of Drake (love that lion tail!) and hear about some of your adventures. Drake is such a handsome boy. Will look forward to seeing a few more posts from you? Don't forget your camera for that mini-PT meet! ;)

[Alysser]

Drake is awesome! He looks like a wolf. He's absolutely gorgeous, what a sweetie. :D Welcome back to Pettalk! I hope you stick around some more. I went to Italy in 2005, and I loved it. It must be so nice to live there.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Karen, I even chuckle at Drake's summer hair cuts. He goes from devistatingly regal and handsome to utterly cute and silly in the one hour it takes to groom him :) We didn't cut his hair this summer and he seems to have done very well. So, I think he won't be getting anymore hair cuts for a while.

[ChrisH]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/CwmmawrJet/Smiles/wave.gif It's so good to see you back on here, Souraya, and the gorgeous Drake of course. :D

[sabies]

Good to hear from you Souraya! How exciting to be in Italy. Drake's passport definitely has more stamps than mine (ok I still need to get one). Congrats on the new hobby, I think gardening is fun.

I have a friend who gives here cat a summer lion cut. I thing those are the best!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Hello Souraya! How good to see you and Drake again....

[ramanth]

Well hello stranger! It's so good to hear that you, Andrew, and Drake are doing well. :D

I'm so jealous of all your travels. And what lovely photos of you and Drake. :D Love that lion cut of his. :D

[Cookiebaker]

Wow, its so great to hear from you and handsome Drake!! :D Thanks for sharing the pictures -- they are great!! :)

[beeniesmom]

Salve!
It's nice to see another fellow Italian on PT.
I used to live in Caserta. I miss it.
carmen