Christmas 2009-Navidad 2009

We spent Christmas in our house ,near Wilmington,NC,in the company of Patty's kids and significant others ,plus the two grandkids ,Anthony and Benjamin.
The weather was cool and cloudy but we had plenty of fun.As you may see in the pictures,we were not too serious,eh?

Twins- Mellizos

Last weekend we went to the RDU area and had the opportunity to visit with Fabrizio and family.I am attaching pictures. These newborns have gained already 4 lbs in a month and they are eating like lions. I heard the parents are looking into having two and three jobs to keep up with the food and diapers....However,both parents are very happy with their angels.
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El fin de semana pasado fuimos a la zona de Raleigh-Durham.Tuve la oportunidad de visitar a Fabrizio y familia.Estos mellizos ya subieron 4 libras de peso (2 kgs) en solo un pes y estan comiendo como leones.He oido que sus padres estan contemplando tomar dos o tres trabajaos mas para poder afrontar lo que comen y los paniales.

Visit to Virginia

At the beginning of December we went to Virginia.First,to the north to visit Corina,Eddie and Emilio and Viviana.While there,we were caught on a snowfall that lasted the whole day and it was quite beautiful. The children,disputing themself for the attention of our visit,but we had a good time. Then we went to Hampton,where we visited with Daniela,boy firiend and the kids,Mateo,Diego and Chenelle.We had a good time sharing few hours with them.
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Al principio de diciembre fuimos a Virginia. Primero al norte,a visitar a Corina,Eddie,Emilio y Viviana. Mientras estabamos alla,nos toco una tormenta de nieve de 10 cms,pero hermosa.Los chicos,disputandose la atencion de los abuelos,pero la pasamos bien.De alli fuimos a Hampton,en donde visitamos a Daniela,con su novio e hijos,MAteo,ya de 13,Diego y Chenelle. Pasamos unas horas con ellos,compartiendo unos buenos momentos.

Asheville visit

In the fall of 2009 we went for few days to Asheville,North Carolina in the ountains.
It was a wonderful visit,surrounded by the beautiful and vibrant colors of the changing leaves.The visit to the Biltmore house,built after a french castle,was very impressive and it took about 4 hours to complete.
There is a significant and active art community there,and we were able to visit the studios of a potter and of a painter.Both artists were glad to show us around and the pieces they have done.

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Al principio del otonio de 2009 fuimos a Asheville,NC,en los Apalaches.Fue una visita maravillosa de unos pocos dias,rodeados de los colores del cambio de la shojas de muchos arboles diferentes.La visita a la mansion Biltmore nos llevo unas 4 horas y es impresionante el edifcio,que esta copiado de un castillo frances.Asheville tiene una gran comunidad artistica,muy activa. Pudimos visitar los talleres de un ceramista y de un pintor,quienes,ambos nos mostraron sus obras.

Tropical storm IDA

For two days we have been under the tropical storm fury.A lot of rain and a little wind.
However,we have been lucky of not have had any hurricanes passing through here this year.And it is awsome.So,we croos our fingers!

Por los dos ultimos dias hemos estado bajo la furia de la tormenta tropical Ida.Una pila de lluvia y un poco de viento.Sinembargo,hemos tenido suerte de no haber tenido ningun huracan pasando por aqui.Es maravillosos.Pero todavia, cruzamos los dedos...uno nunca sabe.

The Twins

The Bianchi twins are here.Barely in the 5 pounds range but healthy and.....ready to play soccer. Well,not quite yet.The good thing is that everybody is doing fine,the most important issue.
Now comes a long period (40 years) of adaptation to have two new members of the family.

Oak Island Art Guild

Last Sunday we went to the art show organized by the Oak Island Art Guild and they gave me an Honorable Mention for one of my watercolors. It was good to see that I stood at the level of other very good artists.Good experience.

small engines

I started two weeks ago with a course on "Small engines repair" at the community college.
The instructor gave me an old lawn mower,not working. After helping me to take it apart,we cleaned the carburetor and,.........miracle!...now it works. I'll try to sell it on Craig's list.
Also,I posted a request for used small engines in the Yahoo page for our community and got 5 (five) engines!
I had to put a stop to the incoming offers.

Empece hace dos semanas en un curso del Community College de Wilmington para aprender a arreglar maquinas chicas,como cortadoras de pasto,sopladoras,etc.
El instructor me dio una maquina usada de cortar pasto y despues de desarmarla y limpiarlo..........Oh milagor,anduvo!!
Luego publique un pedido en Yahoo de mi barrio para pedir maquinas usadas que no funcionaban y me dieron 5.Tuve que decir basta.
Ya les cuento como sigue la historia.Pero la primera cortador ade pasto la pondre en Craig's list que es un sitio de la Web para vender y comprar cosas.

Career day

They invited me to go to Leland Middle School today for a career day.
It was a very interesting experience. I was asking the kids what were their plans for after high school and the responses were quite different.Some were very focused and knew what they wanted to do.Some others were vague and undecided.
One kid,with a long hair and very ragged told me:"I want to get a lot of money".The same kid,did not konw what he wanted to do,.....to get a lot of money.
Others had the delusion of being successful,multimillion dollars professional athletes,although the majority wanted to get to the success line without much thought on how to get there or how much work would it take.
I worry about the future of mankind.............!!!

Ed B

My family

Bill,Michelle,AJ and Ben- Patty and AJ

John and Ben - AJ and Ben

Daniela and Ed

Diego,Mateo,Ed and Chenelle

Patty,Mateo,Ed,Diego,Chenelle

Viviana,Corina,Emilio,Eddie

Corina and Ed



Patty and Emilio

Fabrizio,Ed,Leigh Ann

(From behind) John
Bill,Patty,Julie
Michelle

Patty and Ed

Art Show

This coming Saturday November 7 I will present three watercolor paintings

at the Art Show sponsored by the Oak Island Recreation Center.

This is a juried contest and show.It will be the second time that I have the opportunity of showing my paintings.

Here are the pictures.(reverse order)

Third picture is called : Union Cafe and shows that historic restaurant on the waterfront of downtown Wilmington,NC.Taken from a night time photograph.

The second picture is called : French Quarter,and it was painted from a photo I took in New Orleans several years ago.It was early morning on a Sunday.

The first picture is called: Dust; it is a semiabstract painting of the electron microscopy appearance of dust .

Photography Show

Next Saturday November 7 I will displaying two photographs at the main Wlimington,NC Library.This is a Photo show sponsored by the Cape Fear Camera Club.It will be opn to the public for two weeks.

Here are the images of the photographs.

El sabado 7 de Noviembre presentare dos fotografias en el Show patrocinado por el Cape Fear Camera Club de Wilmington and la Biblioteca Municipal de Wilmington,NC.

Estara estara abierto al publico por dos semanas.