june 30

i've started to write on here several times and just never finish.

we're still busy doing the casting thing. tomorrow she only has 2. that's kinda nice. we'll get out of here around 9:15 and hopefully be back before 1. sometimes they call and give her a couple more while we're out - we hate that. we luv the casting - could be a potential thing - we just hate having to do one more thing outside. it's been over 80 degrees every day. i know it's hotter at home - there's humidity thrown in over here. i carry a backpack with stuff in it and so of course i have the nice "sweaty back" look. it's disgusting.

she's leaving again on friday. this time she'll be staying overnite. i can't remember the name of the town. she's doing a runway presentation. it's like a runway show, but not really. i don't know the difference.

we've been people watching on the train and bus. we always try to see who's twin we see. today it was mr. treanor and my sis-in-law melissa. there's been a ton more but we haven't kept track.

byebye everybody.

been here 2 weeks now. it's getting a little easier. thank god for skype.

jill is still doing castings everyday. tonite she is in verona doing something with "datch".

my mom left this morning. it was hard to say goodbye. she called to say she made it and was heading home with my dad. i wonder if they did the whole running into each others arms thing - eewwwww. just kidding - i bet my dad is happy to have his woman home. now he doesn't have to do laundry anymore :)

love skype - it's my new best friend. especially today/tonite with jill gone. i've talked to cheri and nanci. even had a great chat with my friend deanna.

good nite all -

Weds., June 16

just found out jill will be doing her first runway show in milan - she'll be doing wedding gowns on friday. very exciting!!

we had another step on our ladder of success with learning the metro. we discovered the underground train tunnel that leads to our "home" station. now we don't have to walk 15 minutes in the rain!! (yes, it's raining here)

please understand this metro thing is freaking insane. there's 3 different subway trains, 3 different colored busses and the one big blue train. to go to these castings we have to go to the garibaldi station or the zara station - it depends on which part of the city we're going to. garibaldi gets us to to the red and green lines - zara gets us to the yellow line. you better make sure you are on the right train or you have to get off and switch sides. we usually get off of those lines and get on a tram or bus. you better make sure you're on the right number or you're really screwed. that's more walking. some of the castings are 10 blocks away from where we are getting off. it's a bit of a bitch right now with the rain.

have a great day everybody - it's 8:48 a.m. u.s. time. we're getting ready to eat dinner!!

ciao, ciao (we're learning the language too) hahahaha

Weds., June 16

saturday when we were at the duomo, this guy came over and asked if we wanted our picture taken. we told him no thank you and we kept walking. he started throwing seeds at our feet so the pigeons swarmed us. we kept moving away and he would throw more. i said "what an asshole" and i think he heard me - he threw more at us.

my mom had to exchange american for euros so we went to this little exchange place. the fee they charged to do it was over 20%. she told the lady she should be ashamed of herself for not explaining the fee before exchanging the money and that they were thieves.

living on noodles, salad and cheese sandwiches. we were excited to find salt and pepper. bought some bacon today - we'll have blts for dinner tonight. the best find so far - (next to the little bags you fill with water to make ice) are the sea salt and pepper pringles.

off we go to jill's second casting for the day. all of you are still in bed at 3:43 a.m.

i'm in ....... i'm in

we arrived at the airport here no problem. then we see our driver, filippo. he was holding a sign that said "jillian biber" that was pretty funny. then we had problem. he thought he was only getting jill so he had this little car and couldn't fit us all in it. my mom had to take a cab and meet us at our apartment.

what an experience. we are learning so many things.

they do not sell ice here. we were freezing water in a ziploc and then we found these bags with circles in them. they freeze round ice balls. very cool. the other thing we learned - you have to pay for your grocery sacks. the night before the lady slid all of our stuff down the conveyor and stared at us. that's when we saw people grabbing bags before checking out. we thru everything back in the basket and grabbed a couple of bags. we left - no big deal. next day we grab our bags and load everything up on the belt for the guy to check us out - he wanted my bags - i thought cool, he's going to bag for us. uhhh no he charged us for them and then handed them back to me. now we know we stole 4 bags from the other store.

if my mother and i would've bought those skechers that trim your thighs and butt and stuff - we be really skinny by now with all the walking.

jill has castings every day. the city of milan is huge and the places we have to go are spread out everywhere. out of the 10 places we have had to go - i think i've been frustrated 3 of them. i just couldn't figure out what tram or train or bus to take. a few people speak some english and can help us. others just point which way to go.

the people in milan have been nice and helpful. they speak more english than we speak italian. with all the hand gestures and finger pointing we are making our way around.

ANYBODY SEEN A WALMART AROUND HERE???

testing testing