~~ CrAZy DaYS ~~

So the last few weeks have been a little crazy...

I have been all over the place...well in Rome but...just going a little rollercoaster ride. Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride...

Today I gave Alessandro his first time out...he decided he wanted to rip up a page in "Lilli e il Vagabondo" (Lady and the tramp), and crumple it up and pretend it was a ball. The book was one of Guilio's from when he was little. It was a little beat up already but still...Let's just say he was one of the best kid's that every took a 2 minute timeout. I was amazed. Anyway...after words I asked him if he understood what he did and he said "yes" and proceeded to give me a kiss and asked me to read him a book. It was cute.

I am still going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which I enjoy. Although, the first couple of weeks after we changed classes it was frustrating because I was relearning things that I already learned, but I stuck it out and the class is ok now. It's only a class of women...A few Americans, whom are very nice, a lady from Russia, she is great...I like her a lot, but my favorite one is little old Lucy...

Lucy is a nun from Holland...She has lived in England for the past 11 years and she has 5 sisters and also had a brother that passed away about a year ago. She has come to Rome to work in a church here that is near the Spanish Steps. Every day for our "pausa" (our 15 minute coffee break) we go to get coffee and she tells me stories. It's great. She has been everywhere in the world helping other people and living her life. She offered to pay for my coffee one day which was very generous...and then the next, and she has offered about 5 times now. I try to pay but she says no...She says she is a very fortunate woman who's brother left her quite a bit of money and she enjoys helping people. It brings her joy. Sometimes I feel bad for her because she has difficulty in class but then I remember how much she has done and how much she has seen in this world and I know that she is strong and it probably doesn't bother her as much as it does me, but still. I enjoy having her around.

Speaking of school...When I go to school I always grab the free Metro Giornale before I get on the metro so I have something to read...although trying to read when you are packed in like sardines isn't the easiest thing in the world...anyway...I read as much as I can about the news from around the world...eventhough I don't understand everything...I came across an article about the Berlin wall...Last Tuesday was the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the wall. There was a small picture that was above the article. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I came out of the metro and walked passed the Spanish steps I realized that the picture and what I saw was the same. A group of students had recreated a portion of the wall and it was there on the steps. It was great. I hope it is still there tomorrow so I can get a picture of it.

In no particular order...

~~I ate a chestnut for the first time...not sure how I felt about it the first time...It kind of tasted like ham...I thought only squirrels at them.

~~We started Sunday Fundays!!! in Rome. I go to a friends house and we hang out and cook, watch movies, games, or whatever is on, and eat...It's great. Sometimes we may crack open a bottiglia di vino or a beer now and then ;)

~~I have attempted to bake cookies with my friend Erin...which we haven't had real success. We've tried both chocolate chip and oatmeal. They always turn into one big buttery cookie...The boys eat them if nothing else.

~~I did a load of laundry and the drain wasn't hanging over the tub, so when I came home with Alessandro after the park there was a little bit of a flood in the bathroom. Not really my fault because the housekeeper was her in the morning and if I would have told him that there was laundry in there maybe he would have remembered to put it back...

~~On a brighter note...Ale is starting to speak quite a bit of English, which is fun.

~~I learned to make flour tortillas...so easy...who would have thought.

~~I realized that when I go shopping for a pair of boots here I shouldn't be too optimistic because I have American calves and they don't fit in most boots...and it's really hard to find a size 41...

~~I have my first real ailment here...a double ear infection. SWEET!!!!

~~I miss my family and hope that my lil bretters, emily, and robert get better soon, especially Robert so he can read the "word of the day" tomorrow at school. Only 10 first graders get to do it all year.

~~I went for what I thought was going to be an easy morning jog in Villa Pamphili with a very tall guy from Holland whose stride was quite a bit larger than mine...let's just say I was sore for about a week afterwards, but it was a gorgeous day! The sun was shining and it was warm.

~~I got another letter from my Grandma Rudy today which brought a giant smile to my face...and made the news of me not being able to work at the bar anymore a little more bearable...still searching for a new job.

~~I bought a new sweater the other day :)

~~I got a great package from my friend LYNN!!!!!!!!!!!! Loved it...I wore the scarf she got me the other day, and the socks today...because all my other ones were dirty...

~~Got news that one of my friends is coming to visit the second week in December.

~~I want to plan a trip to Venice sometime soon.

~~I am going to be babysitting at home friday night so anyone that wants to skype please call me. I will find a lot to do but it would be nice to hear from people :)


Now I have to put some eardrops in and head to bed...it's past my bedtime, and if I want any clean socks tomorrow I better get some sleep so I can get up early and do some laundry.

~~BUONANOTTE A TUTTI~~