Blogger: 101

I have been playing around quite a bit today with Blogger and what you can do with customizing your site, etc.

I am not going to go into anything too much right now, but I wanted everyone to know that my site is Currently Under Construction. I have learned things over the day that I can't even get to in just one evening...making changes to my template, layout, colors, fonts, etc. I am learning CSS and HTML as I go and it is really interesting to me....difficult, but interesting.
Well, anyway, sorry that my sidebar is all in disarray....I am working on some new lists and as with most things, it will take some time.

Thanks for checking out the blog so far and keep checking back for new stuff and updates!!!

I am really excited about my new format of breaking links down into types of "spaces"...I like, I like!!!!! My mind is spinning with creative ideas and Giuseppe is getting aggravated that I am not snuggling, so gotta go....

As my sister says..."peace from the middle east!"

Love, d:)

An Audi and the Road to Dib(b)a

We took our first road trip since being in Dubai...out to Oman this past weekend. For those of you who don't know where or what Oman is, it is one of the neighboring countries, a Sultanate (thus it is ruled by the Sultan of Oman, Sultan Qaboos), to the East of the UAE, along the Gulf of Oman. Geographically, Oman is separated into 3 parts: Muscat, Madha and Musandam...there is the main region which houses Muscat, the capital city, which lies strictly along the Gulf of Oman, there is a very small speck where the city of Madha lies, which is actually within the UAE, and finally there is the northern tip, Musandam and the capital, Al Khasab.
This is where we traveled to.


Musandam lies at the furthest east point of the Arabian Peninsula and is completely separate from the rest of Oman by the UAE. It lies directly south of Iran and controls the main navigable stretch of the Strait of Hormuz, through which the largest percentage of the world's crude oil passes (articles range from 40-90%, so we will just say "largest"). It is simply amazing, with breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf to the West and the Gulf of Oman to the East, straddling the Hajar Mountain range in the middle. The highest point of the Hajar Mountains lie in the Musandam Peninsula, where they reach over 2000 meters. They are referred to by the locals as 'Ru'us al-Jibal' which literally means "heads of the mountains." As you will see later, we actually drove through the Ru'us al-Jibal, and hit 2087 meters, in Wayde's Audi!
Warning: Don't try this at home! ;)


So our trip began leaving Dubai City and then the Emirate of Dubai all together, traveling through the Emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al Quwain and Ra's al Khaimah - seeing some beautiful mosques, cows walking in the middle of the roads in R'as al Khaimah and a family of camels to boot - finally arriving in Oman.



Upon entering Musandam (Oman), you immediately take notice of how unchanged and unspoiled the landscape is...this area is known for being largely untouched by the modern world, and it shows and feels it. There are small quaint fishing port towns all along the coast, literally with 2-5 homes, some with villas that sit with the mountain range behind and a crystal clear view of the bluest waters of the Arabian Gulf out their front door. Just incredible! And there are these little fishing ports along the coast, tucked into the beaches of the Gulf, with small wooden boats and colorful torn pieces of fabric and blankets in them, just banked up on the shore waiting for their owners...so neat. Even the boats seem to have a story!



Our first stop in Oman was about 30 minutes in, stopping at a beach, all of us running to the waters edge to feel the warm clean water! Unexpectedly, we spent over an hour there, picking up shells, just walking in the water, taking photos of this serene beautiful jewel with towering mountains and turquoise water, chasing the little silver fish in and out of the water, and bothering a few crabs along the way! It was awesome and playful and childish, such a welcoming experience!



Back in the car, we headed back on the road to our final destination, Khasab. We took lots of photos out of the sunroof of the beautiful mountain forms, sometimes feeling like the rock was just slithering or marshmallow-ing off the mountain, ultimately, causing us to name each type of rock-form we saw - slithering rock, marshmallow rock, slipping rock, demon rock, deck of cards, etc. I felt like I was in a movie, finally realizing that there is no movie ever made that is this good! There were mountain goats everywhere, and the sky was this 'crazy' shade of blue...

We arrived in Khasab, passing the Golden Tulip Resort and Spa along the way...we tried to get some rooms there, but they were all booked up (although we ended up eating dinner and breakfast there), so the nice concierge called and booked us rooms at the Khasab Hotel...and on our way we went for another 2.5 km, right to the center of the little town of Al Khasab. We meandered our way around a few rotaries, and pulled up to the luxurious Khasab Hotel, Christmas lights strung around the sign and trunks of the palms. We parked and walked in and the good thing was, it cost 1/3 the price of the Golden Tulip, so....we took two rooms (only after seeing them, not loving them and quickly realizing this was no Ritz, to say the least), asked where we could get some food and, around 10pm, settled in for the night.

(PS...Apparently the best food was at the hotel restaurant, highly recommended by all of the hotel staff - where you can order chicken fingers and veggie spring rolls and wait 1 hour to get them. Needless to say, we took our chance, and regretted it for the next 2 days. So we headed to the Golden Tulip for their buffet, which we also regretted for the next 2 days. Overall, I don't recommend stopping off in Khasab for good eatin' unless you want American Fried Chicken...they honestly have that.)

The night broke into another beautiful 'crazy blue' and sunny morning in Oman, and we headed back to the Golden Tulip for some espresso and free breakfast (don't ask) before hitting the road....the road to Dib(b)a that is. I spell it with "b(b)" because depending on what part of Musandam you are in, or even more specific, what part of Al Khasab and surrounding areas you may be in, the spelling changes from 1 "b" to 2 "b's" and even with an "e" at times, like Deba. So we ate and took some photos off the terrace, and headed out, back past the Khasab Hotel toward the sign that said Dibba with an arrow pointing left. We took a left and about 30 feet to the left, the road changed from paved to dirt. I made a bet with Wayde for 1 dh that the road would be paved again, for sure. Needless to say, I lost BIG TIME.




So we drove. At one point, Giuseppe called out that we should turn around, that the Audi was not going to make it around this one turn, where the dirt was soft. I said no way. Let's go. And so we went. 2 to 1. And not only did the Audi make it around that turn, but it made it 53.3 kms into the Hajar Mountain Range, reaching points of over 2000m, with nothing but towering mountain side and steep, dropping cliffs keeping us on the 1 lane dirt road. A few pee stops along the way, and we made our way to the old river basin in a valley between the towering mountains. That is where we stopped for a snack, comprised of an green apple for me, and sausage and crackers for the boys. At this point, we figured we were almost 1/2 way to Dib(b)a, and we would be good until we got there. So we ate, pee'd and hopped back in the car.

Unfortunately, this is where our journey on the road to Dib(b)a sort of ends. About 15 kms ahead of us was a military check point. We should have known something was going on when another car that was also making the trek flashed their lights at us...as if to signal some trouble or something. However, we took the chance, and like those before us, were stopped by a young Omani man with a machine gun strapped to his side, asking us where we were going. We told him we came from Khasab and were headed to Dib(b)a. He said "No road to Dib(b)a." But we were sure HE was wrong (ha!), and proceeded to tell him that we had just come from Khasab and he pleasantly asked for our passports....a glimmer of hope. He spent about 2 minutes staring at Giuseppe's passport and again, said "No road to Dib(b)a. Go back to Khasab."

For a little while, as we made our way back up the steep and curving dirt road, we chatted about all the possible reasons he would not let us go. "It must have been because we didn't have an SUV, maybe the road is really bad." But the travelers before us were turned away, and they were in a small SUV. "Maybe because we are not locals, not Arab, just tourists." But the car before us had 4 locals/Arabs. That can't be it.

So we blamed Giuseppe. Clearly, it must be the Italian. I mean, he looked at his passport the longest!!! I'm kidding. (Note: when we arrived home that night, we checked on-line and realized that there was a military check point and NO ONE was allowed through. We figure this might have something to do with the whole lots-of-oil-passing-through thing...;) )


As we headed back to the border, we stopped off again at the beach so that the boys could take a swim in the Arabian Gulf (the salt content is so high, Wayde actually became a buoy!) and I walked, collecting shells, spotting a dead ram along the way. How it got there gave us something to ponder on our 2 hour journey back home to Dubai. (Our best guess - and clearly the most obvious answer - is that it clearly jumped from the mountain, bounced off the jersery barrier, slid through the water culvert and landed on the shore...or maybe it fell off a boat!)

In the end, our journey was without regret, 100% - even though we never made it to our final destination. We went off-road in an Audi (like real off-road - none of this riding through the dunes or driving on the hardcore rock-hill at the Range Rover dealership...), climbed to the highest points of this incredible mountain range, touching the sky with our fingertips and ultimately, and most fulfilling, being able to tell this story and create memories for ourselves to be able to tell our kids one day.

Can't wait to share with you all our next exciting journey...and all the stories we will have and the memories we will create!!!!

Byeeeeee....love d :)

PS: check out our Flickr account for all the pics...it is taking a lot of time to put in a picture for each event, so I will get to it over the next few days...but until then, go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellablu2007

There's life in the water...

We went out to Al Muna Restaurant in Mina al Salam Hotel at the Madinat Jumeirah last night for a drink...after a verrrrrry long and tiring day.



The original plan was to go this nice little bar/lounge deck area to just relax, however, came to find out that there was a dress code, which none of us were following - no shorts, caps or slippers (aka. flip-flops). So, we happily and quietly left - aside from mentioning to the waitress on our way out that there were a number of other guests that happen to be sitting at the bar in shorts and slippers, just an FYI...ahem...

It ended up being a blessing in disguise as we made our way over to another eatery (Al Muna) along the water-way...where we were seated immediately, outside, along side the water, facing the color-changing Burj Al Arab...all to find out that there was a magnificent buffet going on inside, to which we took full advantage of. There was sushi, Lebanese, Indian, American, dates and sweets and desserts galore, fresh fruit and crackers, and the boys were able to have a cold beer as we sat, relaxing and chatting away for 4 hours.

Part of our discussion was based around the experience of 'water' in Dubai...Dubai locals, as well as tourists, really love water, and since Dubai was built from the desert, all of the water features, besides the Arabian Gulf, are little man-made water-ways, pools and canals that run through many of the developments and hotels around the city...with water taxis (abras) carting people from one cafe to the next.

Ultimately, Wayde was mentioning how disheartening and slightly disturbing it was for him to be surrounded by water, and yet within the water, there was no water-life...fish, seaweeds, nothing. If you look close enough, and simply take it for was it is, you are essentially watching boats in very large in-ground pools. Strange, and surreal, if you ask me.

However, to our pleasant surprise, as we grabbed our bags and walked back around the canal to leave, there in the water we spotted hundreds of small fish, and a dozen sea turtles, with some babies! It was awesome, and reassuring for Wayde, I am sure, that we were not in fact, just sitting by a large in-ground pool, but there was actual life existing in this shallow man-made body of water.

If you are like myself (or Wayde, who also grew up by the ocean (Maine) although I can't speak for him), it does feel slightly fake and disengaging to be part of a city where you are not sure if the salty smell from these canals is real salt water, or just chemicals. And I think last night gave us the glimpse of hope that, although still very surreal and nothing like the Atlantic coastal smells and sounds, Dubai is doing its' best to be as authentic in its' creations as possible.





Bye...d:)

Reminder

I will be constantly updating the I Spy Dubai blog, so please keep checking back.
We see new numbers all the time, and I thought that I would keep a running log...hoping to get all 1000!!!
(Note: We hear that the first 50 are the real important ones, most likely the Sheikh and his family...)
Love d:)

I Spy Dubai

Ok, so here is the deal.

In Dubai, there are 2 things to recognize with license plates:
1. If the number is a 5 or has a 5 in it, that is a good thing, since 5 is the lucky number here.
2. If the number is less than 1000, that makes you verrrrrrrry special, or important, or close to the sheikh or just wealthy enough to have possibly bought a number that low...

So, the story is that when Giuseppe and I first arrived here, Wayde informed us that if we see a number less than 1000, and certainly numbers like 5, 55, 555, or perhaps 15...well, then we most likely are passing someone very important, and if we see the number 1, well, that is Sheikh Mo himself. So, we started taking notice of these particular cars when we see them, and as corny as it sounds, we get excited and talk about it and kind of get giddy....well, mostly me, but Giuseppe and Wayde take recognition and think it is cool...

So, in order to share with you our sightings, I decided that I will keep a consecutive updated post (with the possibility of pics along the way, if I can remember...) of all the cars we see with license plates less than 1000 and the type of car, and certainly any that are in the family of 5's...

Soooo, here we go...each time I update, the new ones will be in a different color than existing orange list...

1: White Mercedes Benz G Class
5: Black Rolls Royce
(00)6: Black Range Rover Vogue
15: Porsche (need to check that one again...)
24: Silver Mercedes G Class
27: White BMW X5
32: Silver Range Rover
34: Black Range Rover Sport
41: Gold Chevrolet Tahoe
62: White Mercedes S500
64: White Bentley
72: Silver Range Rover Sport Supercharged
78: White Range Rover
84: White Range Rover Sport Supercharged Vogue
96: Black Range Rover Sport Supercharged
100: White Ferrari 360/Black BMW 750 LI
127: White Mercedes G Class
180: Champagne Hummer H2
188: White Range Rover Sport SuperCharged
214: White Toyota Land Cruiser
215: Black Nissan Armada
223: Champagne Porche Cayenne Turbo
230: White Mercedes G Class
232: White Range Rover Sport Supercharged
243: Green Bentley
345: White Porsche Cayenne
255: Black Jaguar KJ6
256: Mercedes Benz SL500
266: Silver Porche Cayenne Turbo
272: Champagne Range Rover Supercharged
293: White Mercedes SL55
297: Champagne Toledo
361: Gold Ferrari 453
373: Black BMW X5
402: White Mercedes CL500
416: White BMW X5
423: Silver Suburban
431: Black Mercedes E200
433: Black Lexus LX 470
452: White GMC Sierra/White Range Rover Sport
457: White Range Rover
473: White Porsche Cayenne Sport
484: Black Range Rover
485: Black Rolls Royce
488: Champagne Toyota Fortuner
529: Black H2
547: White Mercedes S500
551: White Mercedes G55
552: Champagne Mercedes ES
555: Black Mercedes 6-series Convertible
561: Maroon Chevrolet Corvette Z06
586: White BMW 5 Series
593: Champagne Toyota Land Cruiser
604: Champagne Range Rover
606: White Lexus LX470
680: Black Mercedes S350
697: White Mercedes G Class
742: Black Mercedes Benz G Class AMG
756: White Porsche Cayenne Sport
788: White Toyota Land Cruiser
793: Black Mercedes G Class
802: Black Range Rover
837: White Range Rover Vogue
845: Black BMW 745/White Range Rover Sport Supercharged
858: Champagne Mercedes S500
867: White Mercedes S280
887: White Porsche Cayenne
888: Black Range Rover Sport SuperCharged
894: Black Range Rover Sport Supercharged
899: Black Range Rover Sport Supercharged
911: Black Porsche Carrera
913: Black Range Rover Sport SuperCharged
919: Red Range Rover Sport SuperCharged
926: White Range Rover
928: White Range Rover
942: White BMW X5
948: Silver BMW 545i
949: Silver Range Rover SuperCharged
950: Silver Mercedes S350
978: Yellow GMC Sierra
980: White Audi S8
983: Red Ferrari F430
984: White Mercedes S500
989: White BMW X5

We're gettin' there...I can't wait to see Sheikh Mo's White Mercedes G-class with the #1!!!!
Byeee....d:)

Developing Dubai

Well, it turned out that CityScape Dubai 2007 was more about developers and the people that have money to invest in what they are developing, than about architecture and the design of the city. It was slightly disappointing, although we did have some great conversation with some good people, handed out business cards and got tons of bags of goodies....and good bags too...these nice thick paper bags with designs and logos and cutouts, filled with brochures and discs - one company even had a book bound of their work!!!!! Crazy, and waste of money since they basically do graphics for other peoples' work...

After being there for about 1.5 hours, we walked outside to get a cab, and this Lexus pulled up and gladly took us back to our apartment...and well, he was the best part of the day! His name is Aamir, and he was so gracious and happy and chatty and has essentially offered us his services anytime we need, and handed us his business card...Dreams Luxury is the name of his service...so tacky and Dubai! But good guy, and told us all about his family, and well, it is was just a nice end to a slightly disappointing adventure!

Ok, that is all...going to do laundry...I hate hate hate hate our laundry machine!

Byeeee...d:)

POSIT heads to CityScape/Dubai 2007

Well, Giuseppe and I are heading off to the Dubai International Exhibition Centre in a few hours to represent POSIT studio/dubai at CityScape...we have to get all dolled up, and we are essentially going for the day to talk to people and network...as they like to say in the US, networking is everything (in most fields.) Well, to put it bluntly...in Dubai, it is the only thing.

Who you know here and who knows you means the world here, and it can get you everywhere and anywhere you want to be. It seems apparent that Dubai lacks a certain deep history, perhaps like, say, Boston or Chicago, where buildings are old and money is older. Here, everything is new. Money, buildings, people, the city. So, as a new city with new people and new ventures at every turn, it is therefore highly advantageous to every single person to know as many other people as possible, to create lasting relationships, and use money wisely so that one day, there will be old money and established relationships and buildings that have become landmarks...

So, wish us luck in meeting many people and making a great first impression...we look good, we feel good, we got our handouts and business cards....and we're off!

I will write later when we get back to let you know of our great success...(or failure, but I just don't see how that is possible, with Giuseppe's cute face and my new hair cut!!! Ha ;D )

Byeee....d:)

Green for Good

Hey everyone! Today is Blog Action Day and unfortunately, my day became very, very busy designing a brochure for CityScape Dubai (http://www.cityscape.ae/) and also getting somethings done for Giuseppe and I, like health insurance! YAY...we are soooo covered!

Needless to say, it is now late and I am beat and have a bit of brain-block, but didn't want to neglect Blog Action Day since I am passionate about the environment and creating a future that we are proud of, both on a global level as well as an individual level, so...

I have decided to, at the very least, post some sites that I would love for you all to check out. They mostly pertain to design - interiors, graphics, furniture, fashion, etc. I have a true and deep passion for creating beauty in everything we do and every place we are (hey, don't fault me because I am a Libra ;D ), so check out these links....

{psssst...I have snuck in a few vegan, yoga and hippie-inspired sites as well, just to keep things fresh and give props to everyone keeping not only a healthy perspective on the environment, but also on their own spiritual selves!}

Stay Green for Good and enjoy!!!!!


http://www.ecomall.com
http://www.massivechange.com
http://cityofsound.com
http://www.worldchanging.com
http://www.treehugger.com
http://www.eco-furniture.com
http://www.yogabasics.com
http://www.theabundancesite.com
http://www.yogaatsantosha.com
http://www.inhabit.com
http://www.moderngreenliving.com
http://www.re-modern.com
http://www.withthecurrent.com
http://www.velocityartanddesign.com
http://www.urbanecoinc.com
http://www.getwithgreen.com

UNITEnvironment

Hey everyone!
I just signed up for BlogAction Day, and this year the theme is the environment...October 15th, 2007 will mark this day on-line, and there are thousands of blogs from all over the world that are participating in some fashion...some donating, some just promoting, and some just writing about something related to the environment that means a lot to that person/blogger/company, etc.
So please check back here on the 15th so you can see what means a lot to me...
My blog title will be "Green for Good..." and you will have to check back to see what good I try to do and will continue to make efforts towards helping keep a safe, clean and healthy environment!
Bye!

It's my party

Well, yesterday was birthday 28, and it was great!

The weather was beautiful and the heat is really cutting down now, so it is really enjoyable to go out in the day...Giuseppe and I spent our day out and about at the Festival City mall over the Al Garhoud Bridge, getting some little things at Sephora and looking at shoes, and then heading to HyperPanda (they don't have super-markets here, they have hyper-markets!) for some house items....we also drove around a new development near IKEA (not sure we like it...), but we did get some good pics of the new buildings and the golf course, neat stained-glass water feature, and some lady with an umbrella! You need those out here, you know? You can see them all on our flickr account (for those who don't know it, it is: www.flickr.com/photos/bellablu2007 I can invite you to see them all if you haven't been invited already, so let me know!!!)

As for my birthday, breakfast was at mOre, a neat place in the Al Marooj Hotel right around the corner from here...then for dinner, Giuseppe took me out to sushi at this totally amazing place called Tokyo in the Emirates Towers (where Sheikh Mo has his office!). We got a private room where we had to sit on the floor and take our shoes off and just enjoy eachothers' company and have drinks and eat a lot of excellent food. We haven't had the chance of having sushi here yet...actually that is a lie...we did have sushi, just not GOOD sushi, so I don't count it. So, this was our first "good sushi" experience and I had been dying for some really good, fresh unagi and sake (those are eel and salmon), and that is just what I got. Giuseppe, of course, had his signature tako nigiri and tempura prawn maki roll, and although I only have a picture of our EMPTY plate (that is a good sign!), we utterly enjoyed it all.

And the waitstaff was extraordinary, in fact, the first few minutes, I don't think we actually knew who would be waiting on us-there were so many people helping, whether to pour the Italian bottle of water, placing our napkins on our laps, handing us menus, and offering red slippers to Giuseppe for his feet after taking our shoes off. Although we find the service unmatched here in Dubai, Tokyo really set a high standard yet to be experienced...needless to say, we will be certainly go back!

After we ate, Wayde came to join us for more drinks and gossip before he had to leave to go back to Boston this morning (it is 12:50pm here for all of you who are not yet accustomed to our time difference, we are 8 hours ahead of EST)...the chef made a special dessert for me with a little "Happy Birthday Danielle" tag made of chocolate and after a few lime daiquiris and some hot sake, we were ready to call it a night...so I now say goodbye to my birthday and HELLO to a wonderful year of being 28! So far, so good! Talk to you all soon again..check out the pics below of our night...xoxoxox

Caught in the Middle

The Middle East, that is. 3 weeks ago, this past Sunday, my husband Giuseppe and I moved to Dubai, UAE. This amazing opportunity errupted and we jumped in...both feet, no looking back...and here we sit, in the Middle East! Who would've thought that 3 months ago, at our wedding, on 7/7/07, that this was in the stars for us! It is amazing, surreal and extravagant in all aspects of the word. Let me brief you a bit on my initial reaction to moving here...HUH?

However, that was not my first reaction to arriving here...it was more like WOW!

That is where the 'extravagant' part comes in...the lifestyle, the people, the spaces, the architecture (that is why WE are here), the beauty, it is all extravagant. It is tip-top, over-the-top, glitz and glamour to the uttmost...everything is done and overdone and then overdone some more...just to seemingly make sure that there is nothing that can top what 'it' may be...whether a hotel or development or the new Dubai Mall across the street from where we live. An oasis built from nothing but a lot of golden sand, a place where just years ago, there was nothing but some dreams and visions of the Sheikh at the time, a little treasure box that is now encrusted with precious tourists all looking to make their mark on what is the biggest booming city on Earth.

No kidding, 1/4 of the world's cranes are here in Dubai. There are so many buildings being designed and constructed here that they literally ship in thousands of labor workers from India and Pakistan daily to keep up with the pace, which is still not doing the job, being that some projects are said to be a minimum of 3 years behind schedule. It nearly seems impossible since everywhere you look, every place you go, there are workers. They work day and night, round the clock, on everything from malls to condos, to an island oasis shaped like a palm tree and the world's tallest tower, The Burj Dubai. As I like to describe to my family, it is "one big construction site." Albeit for some camels crossing the street to their training track just 10 minutes outside the city.

Overall, we absolutely have embraced our move to Dubai, and are thoroughly enjoying where we live...the area is called Old Town, Burj Dubai, and it is centrally located to everything! We can get to the camels in about 10 minutes, the beach in 20, the desert in 40, the Mall of the Emirates in 15 (The Dubai Mall, a 12.1 million s.f. space is being built across the street from us!), IKEA in about 15 and we have our own little souk right in our development, with restaurants, grocery stores and designer glasses and clothing boutiques, in addition to traditional tea shops, cafes and local arabic goods...ie. The Camel Company! They sell everything camel! Giuseppe and I have been lucky enough to travel and explore around a bit together, getting used to the 6-lane highways, speeding BMW's and Ferrari's and how nothing is located related to a street, but rather landmarks...the streetscape changes each day, so it is utterly impossible to tell someone to take a certain street/road/boulevard when tomorrow, it may not be there! Crazy, but true!

So we live in Yansoon 3, one of the many buildings in Old Town, on the 3rd floor with this incredible view of the Burj Dubai out of our balcony, and what is soon to be Old Town Island and The Boulevard, which will soon be a water and grass filled oasis where we can walk to open-air cafes and markets, the Dubai Mall and many water features along the boardwalk. I feel very safe and enjoy the gym, pools and relaxing environment that are all part of what we now call "home."

Although our hearts are with our families and friends back home, we are making this an opportunity of a lifetime, and can't wait to see what is to come, so stay tuned...

PS...I turn 28 tomorrow, October 11, so send some good wishes my way as I ring in MY new year in my new found home with a wonderful future and life ahead of me....Buon Compleanno a me!