Tonight we went to the restaurant downstairs and they started bringing in the table settings from outside and moving the tables and umbrellas close to the building.  The street was being cleared for the Procession of the Giant statue of the Madonna of Carmine.  This huge statue of Mary and Baby Jesus are enclosed in a huge ex-voto I guess  it would be called….a huge gold wooden frame that surrounds them.  It appears to be at least 20 feet tall and 10-15 feet wide.  The frame is carved with cherubs and has golden rays shooting out around the statues.  Beautiful flower arrangements on two sides in front and all across the back of the frame. They are both richly dressed in lace and have gold crowns on their heads.  First there was a Mass at 5:30 at the church where this statue resides.  Then the procession came down our street.  First came the police cars with lights flashing.  They would block a cross street from traffic cutting thru. Then came hundreds of priests and nuns all saying the Rosary together.  Every now and then the whole procession would stop and a band would play.  It was either a police or military band.  Then people would sing and they would move on.  One priest would ring a bell and the giant statue would  be lowered.  Another bell and it would be raised and moved some more.  The statue was carried by about 20 men – 10 on each side and it was obviously very heavy.  It was very old and very beautiful.  Probably over a thousand people followed behind the statue.  They turned the corner at the end of the street and were gone.  As was I.  But it was another serendipitous event in Italy.  And another feast day.  And today is Little Augustus Minshall’s third birthday!  He is a darling French Bulldog I started taking care of the day he came to live with Stacy and Christian.  I actually took care of him for almost a week before Stacy ever knew he was there.  Happy Birthday to my little friend!