Happy Halloween to everybody!!
Ever since I was little I have enjoyed Halloween because it is the one day you can be anything/one you want to be. Italy started celebrating this day about five years ago so it hasn't really caught on yet. I wanted to make this a special day for the boys so I planned a "carnival" for them after school. When we got home we dressed in our costumes, the night before I had made Fil's ghost costume out of an old sheet, Ruggie dressed as batman and I was a black cat. (I have posted pictures) I had them come into the kitchen and we made sugar cookies. I found some m&m's in the cabinet and made a batch with them. While we waited for the cookies to bake I had them bobb for apples. Ruggie wouldn't cause he thought you had to eat it and he doesnt like fruit. Fil did it though and finally got one. The night before I had drawn a spider web and 2 spiders and cut them out. After the apples we played pin the spider on the web. They seemed to like this game but it was getting late so we had to go trick or treating before the people had left. We were only suppose to go to three families in the building and they were expecting us so that's why we were on a schedule. When we got back they ate all their candy (despite what I told them to do). The cookies had cooled so we decorated them and before we finished Pat came home. I was really glad because even though we were having fun Ruggie was a little monster dressed as batman. He had thrown things in the kitchen, cracked some eggs in the fridge and just been ugly in the way he talked to me. So I was glad to hand them off to their mother. Pat carved a pumpkin and lit it, it was our center piece for dinner. After our simple dinner I packed my bags for Florence tomorrow!!
This was a great and memorable Halloween...even if I had to deal with a little monster.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Go to the Mattresses
After three consecutive days of rain, Saturday proved to be a beautiful sunny day. During the morning I stayed home and did my chores in peace. Alberto took Fil and a friend to the mountains for a walk and Pat went shopping with friends. Ruggie stayed with me and he played while I finished my chores. Pat came home for lunch and then I was free for the rest of the weekend. I stayed in my room for awhile and rested, but left at 4 to meet Barbara. We took the tram downtown and then walked along the Po River. We crossed the river and walked a couple of miles up to a church overlooking the city. On our way we met a couple that goes to my church so we stopped and talked for awhile. At the church we took lots of pictures because the sun was beginning to set and was just breathtaking (I have posted the pictures on the picture website so check them out). We walked back to the main part of the city and then took a bus back to my apartment. We watched a movie in my room and then went to our favorite restaraunt close to our homes for pizza. Another relaxing day in the city but it was nice to walk around because we are trying to save money for our trip to Florence on Thursday.
Sunday was the laziest day I've had in a long time (like before coming to Italy in May) and I loved every second of it!!. The time changed for us so I slept in until (the new) 9:30. The house was silent cause Ruggie spent the night with his grandma and Fil was at boyscouts for the day. Pat and Alberto went our after breakfast and I hung out at home looking for interior jobs in the US on the internet. I made a wonderful pasta lunch and then got ready for another afternoon with Barbara. Andrea let me borrow the movie, Il Padrino (The Godfather) and since I had never seen it I thought while the house was empty would be a good day to watch on the big tv in the living room. Unfortunately, we didn't finish before the family came home so we stopped it and sat around the living room and talked. Barbara really enjoyed meeting the family and Fil asked to stay for dinner ("leave the gun take the cannoli") so she sayed for homeade lasgna. The parents went out later so Barbara stayed and helped me clean the kitchen. After I put the boys to bed we finished the movie. We then called it a night and "went to the matresses". Nothing like starting another week, "Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday...."
(I kinda liked the movie if you can't tell)
Sunday was the laziest day I've had in a long time (like before coming to Italy in May) and I loved every second of it!!. The time changed for us so I slept in until (the new) 9:30. The house was silent cause Ruggie spent the night with his grandma and Fil was at boyscouts for the day. Pat and Alberto went our after breakfast and I hung out at home looking for interior jobs in the US on the internet. I made a wonderful pasta lunch and then got ready for another afternoon with Barbara. Andrea let me borrow the movie, Il Padrino (The Godfather) and since I had never seen it I thought while the house was empty would be a good day to watch on the big tv in the living room. Unfortunately, we didn't finish before the family came home so we stopped it and sat around the living room and talked. Barbara really enjoyed meeting the family and Fil asked to stay for dinner ("leave the gun take the cannoli") so she sayed for homeade lasgna. The parents went out later so Barbara stayed and helped me clean the kitchen. After I put the boys to bed we finished the movie. We then called it a night and "went to the matresses". Nothing like starting another week, "Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday...."
(I kinda liked the movie if you can't tell)
Friday, October 26, 2007
Stick a fork in me I'm done
It's sad to say but I always hate Thursdays because I work all day and have the boys all alone until they go to bed. Most Thursdays are fine but I always dread them like I use to dread Mr. Campbell chemistry tests. This Thursday was fine but the freezing rain for the second day in a row was making it hard to get up and around. Once I got to work I continued to work on this apartment in London. The exciting thing about it though is the library I have been drawing (was designed before I got to Italy) did not get approved by the borrough committee, so we had to purpose the client other options. Five new options to be exact! But the cool thing about redrawing is my boss is actually letting me design the options. We collaborated on the ideas but I still get to give my ideas. This hands on approach is making more excited about the project and we are almost in the phase of picking out all the finishes and furniture so now that I am begining to see what the end result will be I am really hooked and the hours just fly by. I looked at the clock and it was time to eat lunch and when I finished lunch I began to work and before I knew it it was time to pick up the boys. When we got home I put in a movie to keep them calm for an hour before we went to basketball practice...oh how I love you Disney. After bball I fixed a simple dinner and we had chocolate pudding Mekayla made for dessert. I tried to get the boys to bed early cause I wanted to try and watch Greys Anatomy in Italian but by the time I got them to bed I was too frustrated to focus on the fast speech. Not an extremely eventful day but not as bad as I always think Thursdays will be, exactly like those tricky high school science tests.
Today was still raining and cold...three days non stop rain. Fortunately I love rain but it is hard to wake up with no sun like I'm use to. This morning I woke up at 10 till 7 and I guess I shut my alarm off cause I looked at the clock and it was 10 till 8!! I jumped out of bed and hurried to the kitchen just sure I missed breakfast. To my surprise Pat was just starting hers and Fil just got to the table....so we were all late this morning. Work was awesome today. The client approved one of the five options and I have moved on to the fourth floor. I am currently working on a staircase and trying to design it in a partictular way that it is half spiral and half regular. This project is proving to be more difficult everyday trying to figure out weird angles of walls, stair diameters, and trying to master everything using metric system. My boss is really patience and works me through things I don't understand. She also stops at different times of the days and tells me helpful hints I might need to know in the future...general things that will make me a better designer and business woman. Today we designed a shoe cabinet that will hold 100 pairs of shoes!! I told Pat and she said she wanted one too :-) When Ruggie and I got back from Gymnastics we waited for Pat and Fil to get home cause they went to buy food for our special dinner. Fil wanted to do burgenoun (sorry can't spell French..one language at a time) it's like fondue but you dip raw meat in hot oil and wait for it to cook. I always wanted do this but I never imagined doing it with three kids (their eleven year old cousin Marta came over too). We had sausage, pork, chicken, and beef and four different sauces to try. I little tip for you out there that want to do this....it is not a good idea to have five years olds participate. By the time the meal was over I had a headache and wanted to use one of those skinny forks on me. It was a good lesson in patiences though. I didn't get upset I just sat back and watched the chaos. I drank a little red wine and had ice cream for dessert to try to calm my nerves. Stick a fork in me I'm done and going to bed....Yeah it's the weekend
PS I added some photos that I took last weekend so check those out when you have time
Today was still raining and cold...three days non stop rain. Fortunately I love rain but it is hard to wake up with no sun like I'm use to. This morning I woke up at 10 till 7 and I guess I shut my alarm off cause I looked at the clock and it was 10 till 8!! I jumped out of bed and hurried to the kitchen just sure I missed breakfast. To my surprise Pat was just starting hers and Fil just got to the table....so we were all late this morning. Work was awesome today. The client approved one of the five options and I have moved on to the fourth floor. I am currently working on a staircase and trying to design it in a partictular way that it is half spiral and half regular. This project is proving to be more difficult everyday trying to figure out weird angles of walls, stair diameters, and trying to master everything using metric system. My boss is really patience and works me through things I don't understand. She also stops at different times of the days and tells me helpful hints I might need to know in the future...general things that will make me a better designer and business woman. Today we designed a shoe cabinet that will hold 100 pairs of shoes!! I told Pat and she said she wanted one too :-) When Ruggie and I got back from Gymnastics we waited for Pat and Fil to get home cause they went to buy food for our special dinner. Fil wanted to do burgenoun (sorry can't spell French..one language at a time) it's like fondue but you dip raw meat in hot oil and wait for it to cook. I always wanted do this but I never imagined doing it with three kids (their eleven year old cousin Marta came over too). We had sausage, pork, chicken, and beef and four different sauces to try. I little tip for you out there that want to do this....it is not a good idea to have five years olds participate. By the time the meal was over I had a headache and wanted to use one of those skinny forks on me. It was a good lesson in patiences though. I didn't get upset I just sat back and watched the chaos. I drank a little red wine and had ice cream for dessert to try to calm my nerves. Stick a fork in me I'm done and going to bed....Yeah it's the weekend
PS I added some photos that I took last weekend so check those out when you have time
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Afternoon with Picasso
Monday was a good day even though it is always tough to get back into "babysitter" mode after my relaxing weekends. Ruggie had a play date with his little friend Leonardo in the afternoon so at 4 I took him to the park while we waited so Fil couldn't kill him. Right before we left the house, Fil hit Ruggie and busted his lip, making it bleed...deep sigh....I left the punk at home with Mekayla. Every few minutes Ruggie would ask me when it was time to go to Leo's house and I felt bad that he had to wait an hour and a half but it was better than having both boys couped up in the house. Finally it was time to go to Leo's house! I love that kid...he is three going on 25. Everytime I see him in the park with his nanny he always shouts, "Ciao Lindsey" (and he pronounces my name better than most Italians). I dropped off one kid in time to pick the other one up for Basketball. Alberto said he would pick him up so I went back home and had some alone time while I waited for the family to get home. We had a quiet dinner at home and then I met Barbara in the park. It was her birthday so we decided to go for some gelato and spent over an hour just talking over our amazing desserts. Reluctantly we both went back to our homes to rest for another busy day of child care.
Tuesday
The days are starting to get colder...which I love. I was on a mission to finish my drawings at work and succeded!! I finished all but two rooms of the top floor. Feelings somewhat productive I went home and met Ruggie there. He had gone to the hospital with his mom to get vaccine shots and then he stayed at home until I got off work. We went to his music lesson with another mother and her two sons, they are four and two so needless to say the car ride is a long and loud. While I was waiting for the lesson to finish I went to a store that is sorta like Wal-Mart and looked for ideas for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately they didn't have as many things I was looking for so this Thanksgiving might be lacking a few traditional dishes (depending on what side of the scale you are on that might not be a bad thing). We had another nice family dinner where we discussed current events and daily activities. Even though I don't like cleaning the kitchen after every meal, it is nice when Alberto sits in the kitchen and talks to me while I wash the dishes.
Wednesday
Today was rainy and cold but perfect day for a hat so I was happy I didn't have to fix it. Mathilde came back from London today so we were very busy trying to correct drawings and discussing what she learned from our clients while she was abroad. The day flew by and before I knew it I had to go get the boys. I always carry an umbrella but I took it out two days ago so of course it rained while I walked to their schools. I was a little suruprised when I got to Ruggies school because Alberto's mother was there with Ruggie waiting for me. The sat in the dry warm car while I waited outside for Fil. She gave us a ride home and then stayed for a few minutes. Fil and I were suppose to go to the modern art museum today but he threw this huge fit and would not go. Finally I bribed him to go and his grandmother gave us a ride. There was a special exhibition on collages, and since I have made several with the boys, Pat really wanted me to take Fil. The collections was wonderful. Collage art is some of my favorite (and the only pieces I like by Picasso-in contrast to his cubanist paintings). They had two of his and a whole wall of Matisse. My family has two prints of Matisse so Fil was excited to see something he knows. He really enjoyed the show and we had a nice time, even if we had to walk home in the rain. After dinner I had to work on some more drawings because when I left work today I saved my stuff but when Mathilde opened the folder the work was not there. I checked my files on my computer and the same thing...not drawings!! I was very upset and embarrased to call her and tell her they weren't there. I know I saved though and think it has to to with our server because we have had similar problems in the past-just not whole days of work gone. Surprisingly the second time around didn't take me very long and I think it looks even better than the first drawing did. I enjoy my work and drawing on my computer but I couldn't help to wonder how much fun I would have if I was creating a collage...oh well maybe this weekend I will make one :-)
Tuesday
The days are starting to get colder...which I love. I was on a mission to finish my drawings at work and succeded!! I finished all but two rooms of the top floor. Feelings somewhat productive I went home and met Ruggie there. He had gone to the hospital with his mom to get vaccine shots and then he stayed at home until I got off work. We went to his music lesson with another mother and her two sons, they are four and two so needless to say the car ride is a long and loud. While I was waiting for the lesson to finish I went to a store that is sorta like Wal-Mart and looked for ideas for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately they didn't have as many things I was looking for so this Thanksgiving might be lacking a few traditional dishes (depending on what side of the scale you are on that might not be a bad thing). We had another nice family dinner where we discussed current events and daily activities. Even though I don't like cleaning the kitchen after every meal, it is nice when Alberto sits in the kitchen and talks to me while I wash the dishes.
Wednesday
Today was rainy and cold but perfect day for a hat so I was happy I didn't have to fix it. Mathilde came back from London today so we were very busy trying to correct drawings and discussing what she learned from our clients while she was abroad. The day flew by and before I knew it I had to go get the boys. I always carry an umbrella but I took it out two days ago so of course it rained while I walked to their schools. I was a little suruprised when I got to Ruggies school because Alberto's mother was there with Ruggie waiting for me. The sat in the dry warm car while I waited outside for Fil. She gave us a ride home and then stayed for a few minutes. Fil and I were suppose to go to the modern art museum today but he threw this huge fit and would not go. Finally I bribed him to go and his grandmother gave us a ride. There was a special exhibition on collages, and since I have made several with the boys, Pat really wanted me to take Fil. The collections was wonderful. Collage art is some of my favorite (and the only pieces I like by Picasso-in contrast to his cubanist paintings). They had two of his and a whole wall of Matisse. My family has two prints of Matisse so Fil was excited to see something he knows. He really enjoyed the show and we had a nice time, even if we had to walk home in the rain. After dinner I had to work on some more drawings because when I left work today I saved my stuff but when Mathilde opened the folder the work was not there. I checked my files on my computer and the same thing...not drawings!! I was very upset and embarrased to call her and tell her they weren't there. I know I saved though and think it has to to with our server because we have had similar problems in the past-just not whole days of work gone. Surprisingly the second time around didn't take me very long and I think it looks even better than the first drawing did. I enjoy my work and drawing on my computer but I couldn't help to wonder how much fun I would have if I was creating a collage...oh well maybe this weekend I will make one :-)
Monday, October 22, 2007
Now That is COOL
Another busy intense weekend...
On Saturday I slept in and then did my weekend chores. I had to buy bread at the local bakery instead of going to the veggie and fruit market. I am friends with the women that run the bakery and love TRYING to chat with them while I wait for my bread. When the kids got home from the pool we had a simple lunch with the all five of us which hasn't happened on a weekend since the beginning of September! It was nice to eat as a whole "family". After lunch I met Barbara and her two girls and Balbina at OUR park. Parco Valentino is our favorite place to go so we decided to take the girls and let them run around and work out some energy. At 6 we went back to their house and started baking chocolate cake and I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The only bad thing was the recipe called for a stick of butter and apparently the sticks are bigger here cause the cookies were as flat (and greesy) as pancakes (but still tasted good). Andrea and I went out for pizza so that we could finalize plans for our trip next week. Next Thursday is All Saints' Day and there is a 4 day weekend. Andrea, Barbara and I are going to Florence, Pisa and Sienna. I am really looking forward to it. After dinner we went back to Barbara's and finished watching a movie they were in the middle of and then sat around and talked until almost 2 in the morning.
Sunday was jammed packed. In the morning around 11, Pat and Alberto's friend, Luca, picked me up and we went to an art exihibition of contemporary African art in an old Fiat warehouse. Some pieces I really enjoyed but overall the art was not my taste. Lots of bright colors and surprisingly lots of glitter paint. We also went to the permanent collection which I loved. There were a few Matisse, Picasso, one Manet and one Renior. These painting were much more enjoyable for me than the African art. We ate a quick lunch in the food court and headed to Superga, a little town or suberb of Torino located on a hill overlooking the whole city. We went inside the huge church and walked up the 1000+ stairs to the roof for an amazing view of the city and surrounding areas. I had to get back to the city because I was meeting Barbara and Balbina for a night of fun. We met at the bus station and went to the other side of town to one of the three Olympic Ice Palaces to see a gala ice skating show with the famous skaters and the 2006 men's gold medalist from Russia. He was amazing and the first routine he did was to a Pavaroti song that literally made me cry. Many of the skaters danced to Pavaroti and other Italian opera songs. It was great to actually see some of them in person after I have watched them for so many years on tv. After the show we went to our favorite pizzeria and talked with the owner while we ate. Barbara and I ended our night with gelato even though it has been getting really cold here lately.
A very cool weekend-in more ways than one!
On Saturday I slept in and then did my weekend chores. I had to buy bread at the local bakery instead of going to the veggie and fruit market. I am friends with the women that run the bakery and love TRYING to chat with them while I wait for my bread. When the kids got home from the pool we had a simple lunch with the all five of us which hasn't happened on a weekend since the beginning of September! It was nice to eat as a whole "family". After lunch I met Barbara and her two girls and Balbina at OUR park. Parco Valentino is our favorite place to go so we decided to take the girls and let them run around and work out some energy. At 6 we went back to their house and started baking chocolate cake and I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The only bad thing was the recipe called for a stick of butter and apparently the sticks are bigger here cause the cookies were as flat (and greesy) as pancakes (but still tasted good). Andrea and I went out for pizza so that we could finalize plans for our trip next week. Next Thursday is All Saints' Day and there is a 4 day weekend. Andrea, Barbara and I are going to Florence, Pisa and Sienna. I am really looking forward to it. After dinner we went back to Barbara's and finished watching a movie they were in the middle of and then sat around and talked until almost 2 in the morning.
Sunday was jammed packed. In the morning around 11, Pat and Alberto's friend, Luca, picked me up and we went to an art exihibition of contemporary African art in an old Fiat warehouse. Some pieces I really enjoyed but overall the art was not my taste. Lots of bright colors and surprisingly lots of glitter paint. We also went to the permanent collection which I loved. There were a few Matisse, Picasso, one Manet and one Renior. These painting were much more enjoyable for me than the African art. We ate a quick lunch in the food court and headed to Superga, a little town or suberb of Torino located on a hill overlooking the whole city. We went inside the huge church and walked up the 1000+ stairs to the roof for an amazing view of the city and surrounding areas. I had to get back to the city because I was meeting Barbara and Balbina for a night of fun. We met at the bus station and went to the other side of town to one of the three Olympic Ice Palaces to see a gala ice skating show with the famous skaters and the 2006 men's gold medalist from Russia. He was amazing and the first routine he did was to a Pavaroti song that literally made me cry. Many of the skaters danced to Pavaroti and other Italian opera songs. It was great to actually see some of them in person after I have watched them for so many years on tv. After the show we went to our favorite pizzeria and talked with the owner while we ate. Barbara and I ended our night with gelato even though it has been getting really cold here lately.
A very cool weekend-in more ways than one!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Rough Ride
By Thursday I was still feeling under the weather and decided to stay home from work. The beauty of that decision is that I can work from home because all the files are saved on my computer. However I slept from 9-1 and only worked from 2-3:45 until I had to pick the boys up. After I got the boys home Fil said he wasnt feeling very well either and the boys were very calm at home, reading books and laying on the sofa. I continued to feel bad and as the hours dragged on my dizzy spells became more intense. The parents go to Tango every Thursday so I knew I had to be with the boys all night and was hoping the spells would stop. We didn't go to basketball because Fil was still feeling bad. We had a simple dinner and to my happy surprise Pat came home to help me put them to bed and I decided to work a little on my drawings for my design job. But the spells increased so I went to bed hoping the ride would end when I woke the next morning.
Friday,
Happy to report the ride had changed from the spinning teacups to the carousel. I went to work and tried, in vain, to catch up on my drawings. When I got the boys from school Fil and I had our daily battle on doing homework. The plan is to do homework after lunch while Ruggie takes a nap. I got Ruggie to sleep and Fil started his homework. He finished most but was having a hard time finishing the last, losing attention with each new math problem (I don't really blame the guy he was doing almost 2 hours of homework). At 4:45 I took Ruggie to gymnastics and left Fil at home crying and screaming. Right before we left I told Fil he could play on the computer for 30 minutes until I had to leave for gym and that when I left he had to get off cause he's not allowed to be on without supervision and Mekala was busy cleaning the house. He agreeed but when time came to quit he wouldn't and threw a huge fit. When I got back from gym I was worried that he may never talk to me again, but his second personality kicked in and he was this happy sweet little boy. Friday night the family went to a memorial mass and dinner with their whole family, so I stayed home and fixed an American breakfast for dinner and worked/played on the computer. Friday ended with me completely dizzy free and am hoping it stays that way for the rest of the weekend cause this cowgirl is tired after the rough ride of Thursday and Friday
Friday,
Happy to report the ride had changed from the spinning teacups to the carousel. I went to work and tried, in vain, to catch up on my drawings. When I got the boys from school Fil and I had our daily battle on doing homework. The plan is to do homework after lunch while Ruggie takes a nap. I got Ruggie to sleep and Fil started his homework. He finished most but was having a hard time finishing the last, losing attention with each new math problem (I don't really blame the guy he was doing almost 2 hours of homework). At 4:45 I took Ruggie to gymnastics and left Fil at home crying and screaming. Right before we left I told Fil he could play on the computer for 30 minutes until I had to leave for gym and that when I left he had to get off cause he's not allowed to be on without supervision and Mekala was busy cleaning the house. He agreeed but when time came to quit he wouldn't and threw a huge fit. When I got back from gym I was worried that he may never talk to me again, but his second personality kicked in and he was this happy sweet little boy. Friday night the family went to a memorial mass and dinner with their whole family, so I stayed home and fixed an American breakfast for dinner and worked/played on the computer. Friday ended with me completely dizzy free and am hoping it stays that way for the rest of the weekend cause this cowgirl is tired after the rough ride of Thursday and Friday
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Bring on the Heat
Monday was the official day that Torino's heat got turned on. Until then though I have been fine at night with one blanket and a light jacket during the day. However, my work is like a icebox and am hoping the heat works before I freeze to death (a slight overreaction). Pat told me on Tuesday though it hasn't really been that cold so we are not turning on our heat out the house. I am just wondering how cold it has to get to have heat. Today was in the 50's and I would have enjoyed some heat while getting ready to go to work.
Today was a fabulous day at work. Mathilde and I went to a potenital client's office to talk about a project he is currently working on (has been working on for over 3 years). He is now at the point for interior designers. The meeting was in English which made me even more excited. The project is extremely exciting and challenging. Because the project is in progress I am not allowed to reveal what exactly it is, all I can say is it is located to the EAST of Italy and is hospitality related. After the meeting we went out for lunch at a nice little cafe. Unfortunately what I ate didn't really make me feel well and by 5 I was feeling really bad. It caused me to have dizzy spells. I wanted off the ride but continued until the late evening. I was feeling better by 8 but the boys started screaming and fighting so I went into a relapse. Pat and Alberto had company over for dinner. The boys and I ate before the guests arrived. When they all (10) showed up I was wishing I was wearing camo so I could just fade away. I don't like being in big crowds when I am suppose to be taking care of the boys and they are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I feel like I'm not doing my job very well and it makes me uncomfortable. I finally got to escape to my "super hero cave". I can't believe the week is almost over but I am ready for this weekend because my friends and I have a few plans in the works but I will blog about those later....so stay tuned.
Just in case you lost count I will be back in Texas 2 months from TODAY!! Yeah!
Quick story:
We were playing hide the thimble last night (we didn't have a thimble so we were hiding a Shrek action figure). Ruggie went first and hid him IN the VCR. It took me 20 minutes to rescue him, but don't worry he is recovering and the VCR still works...crisis averted.
Today was a fabulous day at work. Mathilde and I went to a potenital client's office to talk about a project he is currently working on (has been working on for over 3 years). He is now at the point for interior designers. The meeting was in English which made me even more excited. The project is extremely exciting and challenging. Because the project is in progress I am not allowed to reveal what exactly it is, all I can say is it is located to the EAST of Italy and is hospitality related. After the meeting we went out for lunch at a nice little cafe. Unfortunately what I ate didn't really make me feel well and by 5 I was feeling really bad. It caused me to have dizzy spells. I wanted off the ride but continued until the late evening. I was feeling better by 8 but the boys started screaming and fighting so I went into a relapse. Pat and Alberto had company over for dinner. The boys and I ate before the guests arrived. When they all (10) showed up I was wishing I was wearing camo so I could just fade away. I don't like being in big crowds when I am suppose to be taking care of the boys and they are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I feel like I'm not doing my job very well and it makes me uncomfortable. I finally got to escape to my "super hero cave". I can't believe the week is almost over but I am ready for this weekend because my friends and I have a few plans in the works but I will blog about those later....so stay tuned.
Just in case you lost count I will be back in Texas 2 months from TODAY!! Yeah!
Quick story:
We were playing hide the thimble last night (we didn't have a thimble so we were hiding a Shrek action figure). Ruggie went first and hid him IN the VCR. It took me 20 minutes to rescue him, but don't worry he is recovering and the VCR still works...crisis averted.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
STOMP into the weekend
Friday took awhile to arrive but when it did it went by fast. After work I picked the boys up and we ate lunch that Mekayla fixed and then I put Ruggie down for a nap. I was so tired on Friday that it took everything I had not to fall asleep with him but I had things that needed to get done so I couldn't take a nap with him. Once he was asleep I snuck out and helped Fil on his homework. Pat came home and took Fil to the dentist, while I stayed with Ruggie. For Ruggie's afternoon snack I made peanut butter cookies. He liked them but the rest of the family didn't because they aren't use to peanut butter. At 4:30 we went to Gymnastics. Another American au pair was there with her kids so while they were in class we sat and talked for awhile. When we got home Fil was there with Mekayla but she left at 7. I had both boys for 30 mins and they were absolute terrors!! I'm not sure if they had too much sugar or what but they were bouncing off the walls out of control. Luckily Pat came home and I got ready to go out. Andrea and Barbara and I went to STOMP the broadway play. I had seen the show once in Lubbock during college and was really excited to see it again. Barbara and Andrea both really liked it. It was great to sit in the show and know what was going on without translation. There are no words spoken just the universal sound of music...made by banging on pots and pans. After the show we went to a posh pizzeria and then walked around the center of town.
On saturday I did my chores while the boys and Pat were at the pool. I went to the open air market to get fruits and veggies. I went to a new stand to get fruit and made some new friends. They were really nice and tried to speak English-this consisted of goodbye but hey you have to start somewhere. When they got home we ate a simple lunch and then I was free for the weekend. I met Barbara and Balbina by the bus and we took the tram to Parco di Valentino...my FAVORITE place in the city. Inside the park there is a castle that was built for a world fair in the 1800's and inside there are some shops and displays. Andrea met us there and then we walked to a huge fountain, The twelve months, which has statues of the 12 months around the edges. We stopped at at cafe for a drink and then Andrea dropped us off on his way out of town. We went to my favorite Kebab place and said hello to Nahdeeb. (He remembered) We got some ice cream and then went back to my place and hung out for awhile.
Today Balbina went with me to church. The pastor wasn't there this week but a guy read a scripture and we sang a lot of songs. I'm not sure if she liked it but hopefully she will come back when the pastor is there cause it is different when he preaches. She was having a hard week with homesickness so for lunch I fixed her American mac and cheese and peanutbutter cookies for dessert. For the rest of the day I plan on being lazy and finishing my book.
Best quote of the week:
Me: "You are really hyper"
Ruggie: "But I don't want to be a viper"
On saturday I did my chores while the boys and Pat were at the pool. I went to the open air market to get fruits and veggies. I went to a new stand to get fruit and made some new friends. They were really nice and tried to speak English-this consisted of goodbye but hey you have to start somewhere. When they got home we ate a simple lunch and then I was free for the weekend. I met Barbara and Balbina by the bus and we took the tram to Parco di Valentino...my FAVORITE place in the city. Inside the park there is a castle that was built for a world fair in the 1800's and inside there are some shops and displays. Andrea met us there and then we walked to a huge fountain, The twelve months, which has statues of the 12 months around the edges. We stopped at at cafe for a drink and then Andrea dropped us off on his way out of town. We went to my favorite Kebab place and said hello to Nahdeeb. (He remembered) We got some ice cream and then went back to my place and hung out for awhile.
Today Balbina went with me to church. The pastor wasn't there this week but a guy read a scripture and we sang a lot of songs. I'm not sure if she liked it but hopefully she will come back when the pastor is there cause it is different when he preaches. She was having a hard week with homesickness so for lunch I fixed her American mac and cheese and peanutbutter cookies for dessert. For the rest of the day I plan on being lazy and finishing my book.
Best quote of the week:
Me: "You are really hyper"
Ruggie: "But I don't want to be a viper"
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Case of the Mistaken Identity
The day started like all the others, Nancy Drew (aka Lindsey) finished clearing the breakfast dishes and started to prepare the little detectives in training for their "slueth" school. Nancy went to work and had a normal day without any signs of what would happen on the way to basketball practice....
Two weeks ago Nancy's parents invited two friends, Luca and Balbina, over for dinner. At the end of dinner Nancy and Luca exchanged numbers so that they could do something one weekend. Last Friday Luca asked her if she wanted to do something this coming weekend.
Before leaving work today, Nancy made the mental note to contact Luca about this weekend. On the way to basketball practice, Nancy was going over her mental to-do list and remembered to contact Luca. About that time they were passing a familiar face. "Ciao" said Nancy. "Ciao, how are you? said the face. "I'm good, I have been meaning to call you so that we can do something this weekend." Nancy told him. "Really? What are you purposing?" "We should hang out this weekend, which day is better for you?" "Um, Saturday would be better, do you have my number?" "Yes it's saved in my phone." "Okay ciao" the face said. As the three amateur detectives walked down the street, the older boy, Fil asked Nancy who that guy was. Perplexed Nancy answered, "Luca, don't you remember him from the other night?" "Yes I remember Luca but that was not Luca that was another guy!!" "What?!, Who was that then?" During basketball Nancy racked her brain to figure out who that was that she just told that she would hang out with this weekend. Finally it dawned on her that the "face", Remo, was a friend of her friend Christiana, who lives in the apartment above hers. Now that the mystery is solved, LINDSEY has no idea what to do about this weekend!!
Now you know the rest of the story and yes this is a true story. I cannot believe that I mixed up the two guys identities and have never been so embarrassed. Oh well at least the mystery is solved.
Two weeks ago Nancy's parents invited two friends, Luca and Balbina, over for dinner. At the end of dinner Nancy and Luca exchanged numbers so that they could do something one weekend. Last Friday Luca asked her if she wanted to do something this coming weekend.
Before leaving work today, Nancy made the mental note to contact Luca about this weekend. On the way to basketball practice, Nancy was going over her mental to-do list and remembered to contact Luca. About that time they were passing a familiar face. "Ciao" said Nancy. "Ciao, how are you? said the face. "I'm good, I have been meaning to call you so that we can do something this weekend." Nancy told him. "Really? What are you purposing?" "We should hang out this weekend, which day is better for you?" "Um, Saturday would be better, do you have my number?" "Yes it's saved in my phone." "Okay ciao" the face said. As the three amateur detectives walked down the street, the older boy, Fil asked Nancy who that guy was. Perplexed Nancy answered, "Luca, don't you remember him from the other night?" "Yes I remember Luca but that was not Luca that was another guy!!" "What?!, Who was that then?" During basketball Nancy racked her brain to figure out who that was that she just told that she would hang out with this weekend. Finally it dawned on her that the "face", Remo, was a friend of her friend Christiana, who lives in the apartment above hers. Now that the mystery is solved, LINDSEY has no idea what to do about this weekend!!
Now you know the rest of the story and yes this is a true story. I cannot believe that I mixed up the two guys identities and have never been so embarrassed. Oh well at least the mystery is solved.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
DO-RE-ME-FAcile
Doe a deer a female deer... Facile in English means easy.
On Monday things went pretty smooth at my first job but we are getting closer to deadlines so I am working on drawings seems like non stop. The frustrating thing is once I think I have finished a specific room there turns out to be corrections. As I finish a certain floor, Mathilde sends the files to the client and then he signs off on all designs and makes corrections so it is nice to know that I am redoing these drawings for a real person and not a professor like in college.
I took the boys to basketball in the evening and watched Fil learn how to do a reverse dribble. Watching the kids makes me miss playing even more and I hope that I can play sometime soon. Pat called to ask about an adult class but the women practice in a town outside torino. So the only team I can play with are all the men and I haven't decided if I want to do that or not yet.
On Tuesday I was in charge of taking Ruggie to music class. His music school is about 30mins from our house by bus. I was a little worried about it but I am much more confident about riding them than I was in June or July. We took a bus from the college close to our house and it must of been at rush hour because I think the entire student body was on the bus. I felt like sardines. Once we found the school (only had to ask for directions once) I signed Ruggie in and waited for his teacher. The music school in called the DO-RE-ME-FAcile school and teaches kids about rythmns and the basics before they start learning on instruments. They play games and sings songs but when they are a few years older they will begin to play the violin. Ruggie did not want to go inside and started crying while holding on to me in a death grip. I finally got him calmed down and stayed with him until the class was almost finished. We took the sardine can back home with no problems and stopped to play in the park because the weather has been amazing. Fall is my favorite time of year but here in Italy I think Fall is even more gorgeous. The trees are beautiful vibrant colors and the temp. is perfect..."all you need is a light jacket."
Today when I came home from work I picked up the boys and Nonna Deana was waiting for us at home. She was preparing lasagna for the coming week. While she and Mekeala worked in the kitchen, I took the boys to play in the park. For dinner we had homemade crepes from the other grandma. They were filled with ham and tomatoes and cheese. For desert we had nutella crepes...Buono!! So far this week has been uneventful but hopefully I'll have more adventures to blog about soon
On Monday things went pretty smooth at my first job but we are getting closer to deadlines so I am working on drawings seems like non stop. The frustrating thing is once I think I have finished a specific room there turns out to be corrections. As I finish a certain floor, Mathilde sends the files to the client and then he signs off on all designs and makes corrections so it is nice to know that I am redoing these drawings for a real person and not a professor like in college.
I took the boys to basketball in the evening and watched Fil learn how to do a reverse dribble. Watching the kids makes me miss playing even more and I hope that I can play sometime soon. Pat called to ask about an adult class but the women practice in a town outside torino. So the only team I can play with are all the men and I haven't decided if I want to do that or not yet.
On Tuesday I was in charge of taking Ruggie to music class. His music school is about 30mins from our house by bus. I was a little worried about it but I am much more confident about riding them than I was in June or July. We took a bus from the college close to our house and it must of been at rush hour because I think the entire student body was on the bus. I felt like sardines. Once we found the school (only had to ask for directions once) I signed Ruggie in and waited for his teacher. The music school in called the DO-RE-ME-FAcile school and teaches kids about rythmns and the basics before they start learning on instruments. They play games and sings songs but when they are a few years older they will begin to play the violin. Ruggie did not want to go inside and started crying while holding on to me in a death grip. I finally got him calmed down and stayed with him until the class was almost finished. We took the sardine can back home with no problems and stopped to play in the park because the weather has been amazing. Fall is my favorite time of year but here in Italy I think Fall is even more gorgeous. The trees are beautiful vibrant colors and the temp. is perfect..."all you need is a light jacket."
Today when I came home from work I picked up the boys and Nonna Deana was waiting for us at home. She was preparing lasagna for the coming week. While she and Mekeala worked in the kitchen, I took the boys to play in the park. For dinner we had homemade crepes from the other grandma. They were filled with ham and tomatoes and cheese. For desert we had nutella crepes...Buono!! So far this week has been uneventful but hopefully I'll have more adventures to blog about soon
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Gavi
Balbina and I boarded our train at 8:10 and by 8:25 were flying through beautiful Italian countryside on our way to Novi. An hour later when we arrived at the train station, we met Pedro and Sandra. They picked us up and took us to their house in the small town of Gavi. (only 10 minutes from Novi) The town has a little over 5,000 people and is divided into two sides: the newer side built about 100 years ago and the old side built in medival times or a little after...maybe around 1400's can't remember) When we arrived at there house I nearly fell over when we entered. It was the most inviting warm beautiful space I have ever seen. They have lived in over 10 countries and have traveled to so many places that they have lost count. Their house is a tangible scrapbook of their travels and is amazing to see all the wonderful treasures they have accumulated over 60 years. Once I got my breath back we went for a walk around the town and visited the local church and the city hall because last night they had the grand opening of the new building's renovation. They weren't too happy with the new site because the mayor used the money to improve the city hall but has done nothing for the sewer system or roads....
We stopped at a cafe for a morning cappucino and then finished our walk. Our conversation felt like I had known them all my life. We went back to their house and talked some more over a wonderful glass of sparkling white wine (my favorite). Gavi and surrounding areas are known for their white wine and the countryside is filled with vineyards. We went down to there sun deck for a wonderful lunch Sandra prepared for us. We had spinach pasta with a white mushroom sauce, a typical Peidmont meat dish, salad, gelato with strawberries and almond cookies. After lunch we went for a ride up to the highest point above the city and took some pictures (don't worry I will let you know when they are put on the website). Then we drove through the areas filled with the vineyards. They dropped us off at the largest outlet mall in Europe and we did a little shopping. The trip was a success because I bought a pair of ski pants and matching gloves for an incredible price. The pants are awesome because they have the Torino 2006 winter olympic sign on them and make me look like I was an olympian ("I coulda been a contender"). They picked us up and took us to Novi where we had tappas-Happy hour and then to the train station. Our train was late so Sandra transfered our tickets to another train and we arrived at almost the same time as the first train. Overall this was one incredible trip. They were so warm and friendly and made us feel right at home.
A very relaxing day for the end of a long hard week.
We stopped at a cafe for a morning cappucino and then finished our walk. Our conversation felt like I had known them all my life. We went back to their house and talked some more over a wonderful glass of sparkling white wine (my favorite). Gavi and surrounding areas are known for their white wine and the countryside is filled with vineyards. We went down to there sun deck for a wonderful lunch Sandra prepared for us. We had spinach pasta with a white mushroom sauce, a typical Peidmont meat dish, salad, gelato with strawberries and almond cookies. After lunch we went for a ride up to the highest point above the city and took some pictures (don't worry I will let you know when they are put on the website). Then we drove through the areas filled with the vineyards. They dropped us off at the largest outlet mall in Europe and we did a little shopping. The trip was a success because I bought a pair of ski pants and matching gloves for an incredible price. The pants are awesome because they have the Torino 2006 winter olympic sign on them and make me look like I was an olympian ("I coulda been a contender"). They picked us up and took us to Novi where we had tappas-Happy hour and then to the train station. Our train was late so Sandra transfered our tickets to another train and we arrived at almost the same time as the first train. Overall this was one incredible trip. They were so warm and friendly and made us feel right at home.
A very relaxing day for the end of a long hard week.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Ain't Got No Bugs On Me
A quick note: for all reading whose mother tongue is not English, the title to my blog is not proper English, merely an old saying...so don't use :-)
This week has been a blur. After the stomach bug hit Ruggie and Pat, I have been eating an orange a day and drinking orange juice for breakfast in an attempt to build up a vitamin c wall to defend against any foreign viruses. So far this tatic has worked and like the title suggests I have not caught a cold or "bug" yet. Pat stayed home from work on Tuesday but by that night she was feeling much better and had her appetite back. On Wednesday I was swamped at my day job and had to bring some work home. After dinner I retreated to the dining room table to work while Alberto worked in his room and Pat went to an apartment building meeting. I still didnt finish all my work that night but made more progress on Thursday. When the boys and I came home from basketball Mekela, the new house cleaner, had prepared dinner and set the table!! It was so nice not to have to prepare dinner. The boys were being great and we had a lot of fun playing. I put them to bed and Ruggie spoke English to me. His favorite question to ask people is "How do you say zucchini or gnocchi in English?" He knows that both words are the same in both languages and he wants to trick people.
Friday was a hard day at the first job because my boss was gone again to London and working alone seems to go slower. However, Fridays are only three hours long so by the time I really get in the groove of things (or the coffee kicks in) it's time to go. I picked the boys up and Mekela had lunch ready for Fil and me. After lunch I layed down with Ruggie until he fell asleep and then checked on Fil while he finished his homework. At 5 I took Ruggie to his gymnastics lesson and watched him learn how to do a cartwheel. The lesson is at the same gym as basketball practice and I love going there because they have it set up like a museum. The building is the oldest gym in Torino and is best known for the Olympic training facility it was first opened to be. The athletes that train there could possibly be olympians in the future (not sure this includes my boys) but some of the older gymnists look as if they compete on a regular basis. When we got home, Mekela had fixed a pizza and put it in the oven. We talked for a little while and we help each other with Italian and English. I really like her and think that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Pat was suppose to arrive at 7:30 so we listened to the radio and danced around the kitchen. I put one of the boys' bandannas on and did a little beat boxing. I think they thought their babysitter had lost her mind...but I thought it was off the chain.
Pat finally showed up 10 after 8. The boys got tired of waiting so I let them eat the pizza. When the parents got home we fixed some pasta and had a nice meal just the three of us.
Today I slept in until 9:30!! So wonderful. After breakfast I did my daily chores and then went to the open air market to buy fruits and veggies. I love going because it helps me face my demons and practice my Italian in public. I know the lady I buy from and she always greets me with a smile. The boys and Pat were still at the swimming pool so I had enough time to take a shower and get ready for the day. For lunch Pat fixed fish (the whole thing..eyes and all) in the oven. When I got to the table I was relieved that my piece had been cut up and could not look back at me. After lunch I met Balbina so that we could go to the train station to buy train tickets for tomorrow. We are going to a small town in the South of our region, Gavi. Alberto's cousin lives there and her husband works with Balbina's mother. It is because of this couple that Balbina and I met. We are going to leave early in the morning and spend the whole day. They have something planned for us to do even though we have no idea what that might be. We are both excited to meet them and spend the day. I promise I won't let a whole week go by before I blog about our trip. After we got our tickets we met Barbara downtown and spent the day in the center. We went to the Po River and walked beside it, taking pictures and enjoying the amazing scenery. For dinner we went to a pizzeria Balbina and I discovered a few weeks ago. When we walked in there was one other couple eating. I asked for a table for three (in Italian) and the woman eating with her husband said "Hello how are you?" (in English) so I guess it's pretty obvious I'm not Italian, but I still can pretend. We had a nice conversation and she helped translate with the waitress...even though we didn't really need it cause we all understand Italian for the most part. The food was wonderful and we made friends with the owners. I now have two restaurants I know the owners and plan on going back soon. It started to rain after dinner so we parted ways and called it a night.
I will leave you with the best quote of the week:
Fil "I don't like dogs."
Me "Me either"
Fil "I don't want one for a pet, I want a tiger."
Me "I'm allergic to cats"
This week has been a blur. After the stomach bug hit Ruggie and Pat, I have been eating an orange a day and drinking orange juice for breakfast in an attempt to build up a vitamin c wall to defend against any foreign viruses. So far this tatic has worked and like the title suggests I have not caught a cold or "bug" yet. Pat stayed home from work on Tuesday but by that night she was feeling much better and had her appetite back. On Wednesday I was swamped at my day job and had to bring some work home. After dinner I retreated to the dining room table to work while Alberto worked in his room and Pat went to an apartment building meeting. I still didnt finish all my work that night but made more progress on Thursday. When the boys and I came home from basketball Mekela, the new house cleaner, had prepared dinner and set the table!! It was so nice not to have to prepare dinner. The boys were being great and we had a lot of fun playing. I put them to bed and Ruggie spoke English to me. His favorite question to ask people is "How do you say zucchini or gnocchi in English?" He knows that both words are the same in both languages and he wants to trick people.
Friday was a hard day at the first job because my boss was gone again to London and working alone seems to go slower. However, Fridays are only three hours long so by the time I really get in the groove of things (or the coffee kicks in) it's time to go. I picked the boys up and Mekela had lunch ready for Fil and me. After lunch I layed down with Ruggie until he fell asleep and then checked on Fil while he finished his homework. At 5 I took Ruggie to his gymnastics lesson and watched him learn how to do a cartwheel. The lesson is at the same gym as basketball practice and I love going there because they have it set up like a museum. The building is the oldest gym in Torino and is best known for the Olympic training facility it was first opened to be. The athletes that train there could possibly be olympians in the future (not sure this includes my boys) but some of the older gymnists look as if they compete on a regular basis. When we got home, Mekela had fixed a pizza and put it in the oven. We talked for a little while and we help each other with Italian and English. I really like her and think that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Pat was suppose to arrive at 7:30 so we listened to the radio and danced around the kitchen. I put one of the boys' bandannas on and did a little beat boxing. I think they thought their babysitter had lost her mind...but I thought it was off the chain.
Pat finally showed up 10 after 8. The boys got tired of waiting so I let them eat the pizza. When the parents got home we fixed some pasta and had a nice meal just the three of us.
Today I slept in until 9:30!! So wonderful. After breakfast I did my daily chores and then went to the open air market to buy fruits and veggies. I love going because it helps me face my demons and practice my Italian in public. I know the lady I buy from and she always greets me with a smile. The boys and Pat were still at the swimming pool so I had enough time to take a shower and get ready for the day. For lunch Pat fixed fish (the whole thing..eyes and all) in the oven. When I got to the table I was relieved that my piece had been cut up and could not look back at me. After lunch I met Balbina so that we could go to the train station to buy train tickets for tomorrow. We are going to a small town in the South of our region, Gavi. Alberto's cousin lives there and her husband works with Balbina's mother. It is because of this couple that Balbina and I met. We are going to leave early in the morning and spend the whole day. They have something planned for us to do even though we have no idea what that might be. We are both excited to meet them and spend the day. I promise I won't let a whole week go by before I blog about our trip. After we got our tickets we met Barbara downtown and spent the day in the center. We went to the Po River and walked beside it, taking pictures and enjoying the amazing scenery. For dinner we went to a pizzeria Balbina and I discovered a few weeks ago. When we walked in there was one other couple eating. I asked for a table for three (in Italian) and the woman eating with her husband said "Hello how are you?" (in English) so I guess it's pretty obvious I'm not Italian, but I still can pretend. We had a nice conversation and she helped translate with the waitress...even though we didn't really need it cause we all understand Italian for the most part. The food was wonderful and we made friends with the owners. I now have two restaurants I know the owners and plan on going back soon. It started to rain after dinner so we parted ways and called it a night.
I will leave you with the best quote of the week:
Fil "I don't like dogs."
Me "Me either"
Fil "I don't want one for a pet, I want a tiger."
Me "I'm allergic to cats"
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Bug
Today came a little sooner than I would like. The dreary weather is really making it hard to get up in the mornings...not to mention the cold house. Apparently the city turns everyones heat on the 15th of this month....oh spoiled Americans with our heaters and ACs ready to use at the flip of a switch. Work was productive but Monday's are hard cause three hours really fly by. Over the weekend Ruggie got a stomach bug and threw up both days. He stayed home from school and stayed with his grandmother until I got home from work. I spent the day playing board games with the boys and during the afternoon Fil and I practiced English for an hour and he helped me with my Italian. He's a good teacher too. Before Fil had to go to basketball practice we all made collages cutting pictures out of old magazines. They really seemed to like this craft and it kept them calm for over an hour. Our new housekeeper started work today and took Fil to bball. Pat was suppose to pick him up at 7:30 but at 6:45 she came running into the house and straight for the bathroom. She also got the stomach bug and I haven't seen her since 6:45. Alberto came home and fixed dinner for the four of us. We are trying to break the pattern of this bug passing from family members. Knock on wood.
Holy cow it's October 1st....time really flies when you live in a foreign country :-)
Holy cow it's October 1st....time really flies when you live in a foreign country :-)
In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue
On Sunday I met the girls at my house at an early 7:45 in the morning. Our train left for Genova, Chris Columbus' (and Renzo Piano-for all you architecture majors) hometown at 8:20. We got to Genova around 11 and had to get a cappucino to start the trip. The weather was really cloudy and even sprinkled on us for awhile. We walked around the city just stopping when we saw something interesting. After breakfast we looked at an art exhibit outside of Chinese contemporary art. We walked for awhile and asked for directions to Chris' house. The house was tiny but the tour guide said that it was big for the time period even though Chris' family was considered poor. After the house tour we went to the city's duomo (cathedral). It was closed on Sunday but we stayed in the courtyard and listened (and sang) to this guy playing Beatles songs on his guitar. We went to the port and walked around watching street preformers and looking at street vendor treasures. We decided to go to the aquarium-the largest in Europe. Amazing!! I loved it even though it brought back bad memories of Christmas shopping...people everywhere and little kids screaming for gift shop goodies. The exhibits were really interesting and really well organized. Towards the end we were so tired from fighting the crowds that we left and found a nice little cafe on the harbor to eat a terrific lunch. Call me inhumane but I really had a craving for seafood after going to the aquarium so I had pasta with shrimp. For desert we had strawberries with the best vanilla gelato I have ever had in my life. We were regenerated after the break and decided to tour the Royal Palace. For some reason they weren't selling tickets but we managed to get a FREE tour of the palace. This (of course) was my favorite thing in the city. The rooms were incredible and I couldn't help imaging the kings and queens sitting in the rooms. The art was incredible and had some famous pieces that I studied in college so it was nice to see them up close and personal. The tour took over an hour so afterwards we had a little time left to get some gelato-I realize we eat a lot of this stuff but it is out of this world!-and walked down one of the main streets. We went to the train station to wait for our train and bought dinner to picnic on the train. Our train took a little over 2 hours so we got home at 11. It was a great day despite the cold rainy weather. Another weekend finished-back to work.
Queen Pin
Saturday Sept. 29, 2007
Oh to sleep in is a wonderful thing. I was able to sleep until 9 and then fixed myself some breakfast. Pat and the boys went to the swimming pool at 10 and said they would be gone for an hour so I thought I would take advantage and get some things accomplished. I throughly cleaned my room (dusted, vaccumed, new sheets, the whole nine yards), took a shower, cleaned the kitchen and made the boys' beds. I even had time to read my book because it turned out that they didn't get back until 10 till 1 p.m. This was great cause I get off at 2 on Saturdays. We had a nice lunch outside on the patio and then I cleaned the kitchen again. I spent a couple of hours on the computer and then at 4 met Barbara and Balbina for an afternoon of fun. We went to the train station to buy our tickets for Sunday and then went walking around the center. They were having a huge book sale and poster sale. Most of them were antiques and rare books...times like this I wish I could read Italian. We decided to get some gelato and visited the Royal Palace. At 7 we headed back to Balbina's dorm (which is two blocks past my house-very far from the center) We ordered pizzas for dinner and ate them at a picnic table under the stars. After dinner we took the bus to a bowling ally/arcade that was actually really nice and full of games. The bowling company was Brunswick Bowl (which is what Lubbock's lanes are so I felt at home). We started to bowl the first game and I was having a hard time warming up. I hadn't played since my 22nd birthday, but I finally got in my groove and started to take names!! We were bowling next to five guys and two girls and I ended up with a higher score than all of them. Barbara had only bowled once but towards the second game she was getting pretty good and even had one strike. We knew we had to get up early the next day so we decided to go home early-11. I had a good time (not just because I won both games) but the next day my arm was really sore....no pain no gain right?
Oh to sleep in is a wonderful thing. I was able to sleep until 9 and then fixed myself some breakfast. Pat and the boys went to the swimming pool at 10 and said they would be gone for an hour so I thought I would take advantage and get some things accomplished. I throughly cleaned my room (dusted, vaccumed, new sheets, the whole nine yards), took a shower, cleaned the kitchen and made the boys' beds. I even had time to read my book because it turned out that they didn't get back until 10 till 1 p.m. This was great cause I get off at 2 on Saturdays. We had a nice lunch outside on the patio and then I cleaned the kitchen again. I spent a couple of hours on the computer and then at 4 met Barbara and Balbina for an afternoon of fun. We went to the train station to buy our tickets for Sunday and then went walking around the center. They were having a huge book sale and poster sale. Most of them were antiques and rare books...times like this I wish I could read Italian. We decided to get some gelato and visited the Royal Palace. At 7 we headed back to Balbina's dorm (which is two blocks past my house-very far from the center) We ordered pizzas for dinner and ate them at a picnic table under the stars. After dinner we took the bus to a bowling ally/arcade that was actually really nice and full of games. The bowling company was Brunswick Bowl (which is what Lubbock's lanes are so I felt at home). We started to bowl the first game and I was having a hard time warming up. I hadn't played since my 22nd birthday, but I finally got in my groove and started to take names!! We were bowling next to five guys and two girls and I ended up with a higher score than all of them. Barbara had only bowled once but towards the second game she was getting pretty good and even had one strike. We knew we had to get up early the next day so we decided to go home early-11. I had a good time (not just because I won both games) but the next day my arm was really sore....no pain no gain right?
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