When we were in Crede, Colorado last year (2017) (Gloria, Teresa, Rick and Kathy, Jimmy and Carole and Kay) we had a discussion for another vacation together! We decided to go to Tuscany to celebrate our 70th birthdays. Rick Norton was in charge of acquiring the venue and he scored a WOW! The following pictures include:
Rick and Kathy (Dailey) Norton (Class of '66)
Kay Norton (Rick's sister in law - widow of Mike Norton, '63)
Alison (Jinx) Substance
Geoff and Teresa (DeArza) Gauger (Class of '66)
Chris and Kathy Braeunig (Class of '66)
Jimmy and Carole Dieterich (Class of '66)
Jeff and Meg Lindley (Class of '66)
A Note from RICK:
Good morning all. I'm still on Italian time so thought I would put some of my thoughts on paper.
- We arrived as friends with high expectations and after a couple of weeks I heard nothing but WOWS and we left as friends. And the discussion included religion and politics, the 2 big no nos. No conversions but we may have found some common ground.
- The Villa to me was a high point. Thanks Kay for the referral. Cannot say enough good things; the attention to detail, the layout, furnishings, the setting and staff.
- Biggest food surprises: Villa's wood fired pizza oven and pear and Gorgonzola white pizza are the bomb; Caramello gelato is hard to be hard to beat; recipes are simple and delicious; eating multiple courses will be challenge to implement at home and worth the effort.
- Tuscany's country side, medieval style cites and relaxed lifestyle set a mood that is infectious. These Italian people are like Chamber of Commerce ads; they are fit and attractive people.
- Our tour guides gave us the history, background and personal stories that I would have missed on my own.
- I came to understand how the history of Italy is depicted and preserved in the churches.
Italy was extraordinary spectacular for all the senses! Think of it as a hole in one or a last second game winner shot from half court
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| The Villa in Tuscany |
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| The guys on the patio |
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| Jeff and Rick in Cooking Class |
Cooking Class
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| Group dinner in Montepulciano |
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| Group dinner at the Villa |
The many dinners with authentic Italian Food and Pizza from the pizza oven in the Villa
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| Sienna |
Visit to Sienna
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| Kathy and Chris Braeunig at Assisi |
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| Kathy and Chris Braeunig and Kathy and Rick Norton |
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| Megg and Jeff Lindley |
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| Jeff being funny (I think) |
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| Megg and Jeff Lindley |
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| Chris and Kathy in front of the Wood fired pizza oven in the Villa |
Just a short note on our little side trip to England. We stayed in Horham, a village that housed the 95th Bomb Group, of which my Dad was a part of. Go to their website or Youtube and see what we saw in the buildings that were restored by one guy. There was a short video had Dad in it – 1943, in color, in flight uniform, with his crew of the Zoot Suitors and the then Col. John Gerhart, who my brother was named after. There is a story around everything we saw but to see Dad in a movie that was made before we were born was emotional, to say the least. More to come. Still winding down and want to send you guys more emails about Italy and the most excellent time we had.
There was a church in Horham that was built in the early 1200’s with 8 bells, the most of any church in England.
Site to see 95th Bombardment Group Museum we went to
Jeff and Megg Lindley
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