How we found Blackie and Brownie

One day in December 2006 I was at my grandma's house and I went to go to get the eggs. I heard a sound like "miu miu". It came from inside the hay. I was kind of scared. Then I said to my mom, "we have mice". When my mom and me looked in the hay we saw 2 little puppies, one was black and one was brown.

They were the pups of Lea, which is the dog of my grandpa. Here's a picture of them when they were two months old.

Blackie and Brownie

My dogs' names are Blackie and the other one Brownie. Their last names are "40 below" and "46 below". They are brother and sister and about two and a half years old. We sometimes go outside and play. They are always getting into trouble. Usually they go to our neighbors house and they bark at their dogs.

My Karate Class

Today at 6 p.m. I went to karate class. We start class in a line, but since we have a competition on Sunday, June 1, the teacher was talking about that. So, while I won't tell you everything he said, but anyway, today we learned a really cool technique where you do "maigheri" a Japanaese word that means kick, I think: One person kicks and the other person grabs his leg and then grabs his kimono and pushes him onto the ground and punches him in the chest (not real punching).

Then, there's this technique that we've been working on for a while for the contest. It's called taniuscidon (or something like that!). The first thing you have to do is the salute, then do the moves in the shape of an H (two punches (with walking)to the left, two to your right, then three passes of punching/walking, then do one more and say KAII, which is to express anger and then another two punches/steps to the right, then left, then another four passes, then say KAII again, 2 to the right and then say Yamee, which means rest in Japanese.

My trip to Trisulti

Today I went to Trisulti. First in the morning at 7:20 we went to the church where my Boy Scouts meet. Then we started to go to Trisulti with a whole bunch of cars. There were three "lupetti" (little wolves) in each car. I went in the car with my dad and two friends.

So, we started to go to Trisulti. It took about thirty minutes. Near the end the road was very twisty and turny because we were climbing the mountains. When we finally arrived we went to a field next to the church of San Domenico. Then we played some games and sang songs. At 10.00 a.m. we went into the church. Inside there was a bunch of cool structures and paintings. There was one where there was a group of people kneeling down before three saints, but I don't remember their names. In the front of the church, by the altar, there was a picture of a lady with two boys. In the middle there was the altar, the priest and a cross. The priest said the mass.

After that we went to the snack bar where we did a few things. First, when we got under that roof, our leader told us to get out our Caccia (hunt) notebooks, which is where we keep all our Boy Scout notes. Then we wrote then sang a song, which I recorded on a video.

Then, when the rain finally stopped, we went out onto the patio where we played "Croccodile battle". After that, one of our leaders came running to us. He said there was a deer that we (as little wolves) had to catch. They had put out "tracks" (sticky papers) that led us to the forest. Inside the forest, Akela (our leader) said that this kind of deer, if he touches you, you're out of the game. While we were walking into the woods, we heard a strange sound, like a deer, so we ran towards it. Finally we found the "deer", but it was just our assistant leader dressed like one. We ran after him, but we had to be sure that we didn't get touched. To catch him we had to get his two horns and his tail. Then one of us got one of the horns. While I was trying to get the tail, I got touched and was out of the game. Then another one of us got his tail, but by that time it started to rain again so we had to go back inside. This was the most fun thing we did all day.

So, we waited for the rain to stop. In the meantime, we took a bathroom break and ate our lunches. I only ate candy. I didn't feel hungry, but later I was starving. After that we went outside again. We played more games. In one we each had a different color tail, and we played with a ball. We played that until our parents came. I was tired to death because I hadn't eaten. I went back to Frosinone with my Dad and with two different friends in the car.

Finally we arrived back at the church that we started out in (Sacro Cuore, Sacred Heart) early in the morning. There I made my official "Promessa". First Akela called two other new members. Then he called me. I went into the middle of the circle, had to say "buona caccia (good hunt) which is our salutation. Then I had to go around the circle and three kids asked me three questions: What are the rules? (Lupetto listens to the older wolves, not to himself), What is the motto? (Do your best.) Then the final task was to actually tie a square knot. Then I went to Akela and said the Promise: With God's help, I promise to do my best, to be faithful to God, my parents and my country, to observe the laws of the pack and do a good deed to someone everyday (in Italian, of course!). Akela gave me my bandana and my badges for my hat and shirt. From that moment on I was an official Lupetto (before that I was a cucciolo, which means a pup). After that I wrote the Prometto for one of my friends who needed to say it next week. (A good deed!) Then we went home. I was really tired and hungry. But I was glad I had such a beautiful day.

An exciting tomorrow!

Tomorrow is going to be great because I'm going to Trisulti with the Boy Scouts. It is a monastary in the mountains not too far from here. I guess we will do a lot of walking. My Mom says the forest there is beautiful. At the end of the day I will be in the ceremony to get my Italian Boy Scout bandana and a star for my cap. I'm actually a Lupetto (little wolf). I'll be sure to post some pictures!

A Normal Day...

So today started out good. I went to school at 9.30, which is an hour late, because I do English work with my mother at home on Saturdays. I came back home at 1.00. I ate pasta for lunch. Then I watched TV. I studied the Promessa for the Boy Scouts ceremony tomorrow, and then wrote on my blog. That is it today and it was kind of boring. I have karate on Tuesdays and Fridays. Soon I will get a yellow belt!

My pineapple

I have a pineapple top that I'm growing. Here's how i grew it...

1. Get a pineapple , cut the top off. Eat the bottom, but leave the top out in the sun for 2 days to dry up a bit. Then put it into sand that you have in a pot, cut side down, water it and wait.

2 When you see that the pineapple has roots put it into a bigger pot. If you have it in a big pot already, leave it in the pot.

3 If you're lucky a flower will come up and it will turn into a pineapple.

good luck!