Those of you who know me know I can’t stand Sports.  Never have, never will.  And do you know why?  Because of the very thing that occurred today.  We had it all planned to cross town to go to the New Mexican place for brunch and a margarita.  I could taste it all…the crunchy flautas, the soft guacamole, the creamy cheese..the tangy and salty drink.  All day yesterday I could think of little else.  No breakfast today…just thinking about that food I have missed for almost three months and my first margarita in ages and ages.  I was nearly salivating as we walked to the bus stop.  Oops, no busses.  The street was blocked off.  So we walked to the next place to catch the bus that would deliver us to Mexican food heaven.  Got there…none of the regular busses arriving.  Finally, I got on one of these ‘differently numbered’ busses to ask when bus 62 would arrive.  The busses had all been cancelled and the city center closed…for the Rome Marathon!  Who are these crazy people who run in Rome?  It’s hard enough to walk in Rome on these wonky cobble stone streets.  So, totally,dejected, we walked back towards home and stopped at one of our favorite little places and had lunch.  Then home and just bummed out all day.  Sports…dumb sports…and one of the dumbest is running…just wait til those knees go…

After having an almost warm shower, we hopped on the bus and went to a building next to the Quirinale…the Presdient’ Palace.  There is a Matisse show.  Lots of his paintings, sketches and costumes for the Ballet Russe were displayed.  We saw a film in French with Italian subtitles.  One of the funny things…there was a Moroccan embroidered blouse that he put in painting after painting for a couple of years.  It was like he was obsessed with that blouse.  After that show, we walked over to see Trevi Fountain.  Before arriving there, I saw a sign pointing to an ancient ‘City of Water’…so we went to see it.  It is a complex building that was discovered during the renovation of a cinema.  It contains a house or condominium and part of an ancient aquaduct.  All underground, with part of the city of Rome built over it.  Very interesting and well worth a visit.  The different layers show evidence of Nero’s Fire, the Sack of Alarico and the siege of the Goths.  Pottery, ancient Roman glass, coins, statuary, vessels and marble columns are displayed.

Looked at Trevi Fountain…covered with scaffolding for cleaning, had lunch and headed home.  This evening, I had  dinner with the wonderful couple who owned the hotel where we had school when Evan and i came  here in 1996.  We stayed here for over two months doing a semester abroad with NorthLake Jr. college.  Evan started college, and I was one of 4 older ladies who attended.  There were 22 kids.  Fell in love with Loretta and Vittorio and their three daughters. The two older girls were young teenagers, and the third daughter was only 3.  We have kept in touch over the years and now the girls are grown and the oldest is expecting the first grandbaby in September.  I’m excited that I will be here for the event and hope to wait at the hospital with Loretta and Vittorio. We had a wonderful dinner…a huge appetizer tray with Buffala mozzarella, bruschetta, melon with prosciutto, fried zucchini, fried eggplant strips, fried zucchini flower and some rice balls.  Then we had Pasta with cacio and Pepe…cheese and pepper.  I was stuffed.  Don’t know how they eat as much as they do.  They drove me home, and headed back to their home in Manziana…about an hour north of Rome.  Great day and a great evening.  In bed to read a bit and sleep.  MEXICAN food tomorrow.    Good night…buona Notte.

We have electricity and will have a hot shower in a couple of hours!  Miracles do happen!

Where shall I start this lovely Friday morning…we still have sporadic electricity and have a Luke warm shower…and I do mean Luke!  Finally get a call that the plumber/electrician will be here at 10:30.  Andy and I take turns going up to the roof to watch the solar eclipse…I don’t take the piece of cardboard with the pin prick hole…so I see nothing.  Back down to wait on the man.  He arrives Italian time at 11:30.  Not the same man as yesterday.  He looks around, calls Gabrielle the leasing lady and I hear him telling her something about being paid.  Andy and I have already decided we are NOT paying a penny for whatever is wrong this time.  Finally he explains what the problem is….the BILL has not been paid and the electric company has cut the watts from 3000 to 500.  With 3000, every appliance works.  With 500 just a ventilator for life support, I guess.  Not the water heater, microwave, coffee pot, washing machine, heater in bathroom, hairdryer or lights in more than one room at a time.  So we call Gabrielle to find out what is being done to fix this problem and at first she tells me the landlord didn’t pay the bill…then the story changes…he lost his credit card and forgot to tell the creditors of a new account number.  Uh huh.  It was someone else’s fault last month when the wifi was turned off because his wife forgot to pay the bill.  So, we are told it will be fixed within 24 hours.  That means no shower in the morning…and maybe not even tomorrow night.  Tomorrow is Saturday…we will see if the 3000 watts are restored before Monday.  These Italians don’t work fast on a work day…we will see about the weekend.  I told a friend today, I didn’t come to Italy to camp out.  

I left and went to the Quilt Store and got some fabric for the Block of the Month Quilt the group is making.  Imagine me needing more fabric!  Had a nice visit with the Quilt Store owner, Barbara and her assistant, Sofia.  Found out that most of their quilt supplies are NOT is metric, but from the US.  That will be helpful…to me.  I couldn’t figure out the Metric System in the 4th grade – or whenever it was they sprung that foolishness on us – and I sure can’t figure it out now.  

I met Andy at the Salad Place, but Vince wasn’t there.  We are worried that he has quit less than a week after opening.  Sure hope not.  The place next door said they could do Vince’s Caesar salad, but we decided we would come back later for what we know is good.  Went across the street to a place we have been wanting to try.  Andy wanted a T-bone steak.  Too big for one person, so we split it.  As she said, It ain’t Ruth’s Chris…or Al Biernets for the Dallas folks. Won’t be needing another steak there.  We had a side of cooked chicory…won’t do that again either!  Now…a Small World event.  During dinner, an American couple come in.  We get to talking while they wait on their pizzas to go.  They recommend a new place they think we will like…it is Vince’s salad place!  They met him at a party awhile back.  

Think the rain is coming again tomorrow for almost a week.  Too bad we had to waste a half day to find out the bill hasn’t been paid.  We move in 10 days.  Thought I might have to sit on Andy today to keep her from packing! But as Evan said…Would that all problems could be solved in a week and a half!  Or as a dear friend once said,  ‘If you can solve your problem with money…you really don’t have a problem.’  He died of AIDS.  Pretty powerful thought.  I try to remember it.  

Good night all.

Today, we walked over to St. Peter’s to find out about a tour of the necropolis under St. Peter’s.  And about having a mass said in St. Peter’s for my dear friend who died last week.  Bonnie Winikates was 89 and a devout Catholic and I think if I can get this done it will please her family.  Especially if Papa Francesco says the Mass.  We went to the Swiss Guards as I had been instructed by a Swiss Guard the other day.  And who should be there but the same SG.  We were both surprised to see each other.  When I first talked to him he was a couple of blocks away at another SG post.  He speaks perfect English. Asked him today where he was from and he said he was Swiss, and I commented on his perfect English…and he said, ‘My Mother is from Long Island.’  Anyway, we could get no information today because it is the feast day of St. Guiseppe- I think that is St. Joseph and all offices are closed -church offices, that is.  

We hopped on the bus and went to near Piazza Barbarini to see an exhibit of Richard Avedon photos in an art gallery.  They were stunning.  Many old actresses I had never heard of, but many famous people I had…Twiggy with long hair, Jackie Kennedy in 1956, Sophia Loren, Penelope Tree, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn and one of Marilyn Monroe.  Andy and I both commented on how lost and sad she looked.  All captured in a moment of grace, movement and beauty…and the beautiful gowns they were wearing.  Vintage but classic.  There was a separate room with colored photos of a beautiful woman posing with a dressed skeleton…very macabre and almost disturbing.  The woman’s clothes were stunningly elegant, but she and the skeleton were posed in very rundown, dirty, shabby scenery sets.  

After that, we went to a Lebabese restaurant and had lunch.  Had been there before and really liked the food.  Hummus with lamb chunks on top, baked chicken livers in a heavy pomegranate sauce and Andy had an appetizer plate and I had grilled lamb and rice.  The chicken livers were just outstanding!  I would love the recipe and maybe something will be found on Google.  That will be my meal next time we go.  

Came home to find out the lights were off in our apartment!  Called our leasing lady and she got an electrician over right away.  He finally determined the water heater has a broken sensor and was causing the electricity fuse box to trip.  We have lights now, but no hot water until it is repaired.  He thinks that will be tomorrow.  We shall see.  A hot shower is one of the simple joys of my life and I will miss it.  Boiled water over the stove just isn’t the same…but better than nothing.  At least we aren’t sitting in the dark freezing.  Today it was almost 70 degrees and sunny…just beautiful.

That’s it for today, unless something exciting happens.  Good night, folks.

Wow!  What a day I had.  I took the subway across town to meet a new friend I met at the quilt store last week for the weekly quilting bee.  Not knowing how long it would take to get there,  I showed up 2 hours early.  So I walked around the area.  And what did I find?  A MEXICAN RESTAURANT!  Be still my heart.  Was just saying yesterday how much I missed MEXICAN food and an occasional margarita.  So I popped in and had flautas with guacamole. They were the real deal.  

Then I met with my new friend, Paola and we went to the quilting bee.  About 25 ladies were there, working on different projects and all talking, loudly, at once and it was so much fun! Everyone welcomed me and I sewed on my projects and made new friends.  The group meets every Wednesday, and I’ll be there unless we have a trip planned.  And, speaking of trips, I’m going on the annual Quilt Trip on the 19th of April, and I’m joining Socia Quilt ITALIA, which I think is their Guild.  They started a block of the month last week, and I’m going to do that project.  Little houses and embroidered trees with birds.  Very cute.  

Took the bus home and had a bite to eat as I write this.  Taking a shower and hopping in bed.  Just a great day in the neighborhood.  What more could I want but MEXICAN food and quilting?  Well…maybe American crispy bacon!  But two out of three ain’t all bad.  Good night.  

Andy and I are OFFICIAL!  We got our residency cards today.  Went to the police station and our names were on the list.  We went in, gave them our fingerprints…AGAIN…and they made another copy of our passport, we signed some papers and got our card!  I looked at my card when I got home and saw that my birthdate was wrong.  Not only am I now a citizen of Rome, but I’m 4 years YOUNGER!  And I will NOT be going back to inform anyone of the error.  

Made tomato and bread soup for lunch…so good.  Diced yellow onion, diced garlic and sauté in olive oil about 4 minutes.  One jar or tomato basil spaghetti sauce, one can of smashed tomatoes, simmer and stir.  Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar…keep simmering.  Add an 8oz tub of Greek yogurt, stir.  Remove from heat, stir in salt and pepper to taste.  Stale bread cubes in bowl and pour soup over and garnish with fresh chopped basil.  

Fixed Rosemary chicken, sautéed zucchini with Parmesan, and mushrooms in red wine for dinner.  It was a chilly, overcast day again and we enjoyed the comfort food.  Supposed to have sunshine the next three days.  We are ready for it.  

That’s all the excitement for the day!  No more ‘take a number’ wait, wait wait and wait some more!  It’s almost a let down to finally have our card…but not quite!

Good night, all.  From two new Citizens of Rome

It’s still raining here.  Rained yesterday and we went to eat Indian food for lunch.  One the corner by the restaurant, we noticed activity in a flowering tree.  A whole row on both sides of the street of Apple trees in bloom and the activity in the tree was a flock of wild parrots. They are small and bright green.  We came home after lunch to read, sew and nap.  A lazy Sunday.  I fixed a salmon salad and we had it on crostinis for dinner.

Today we cleaned house and washed and changed sheets.  Even in Rome we have to take care of the basics.  Stopped off at a favorite place for lunch…lasagna…and found out it is the owner’s birthday.  While talking to her today, found out that her husband had an accident 4’years ago and is blind and can’t work.  Then her 4 year old daughter died two years ago.  We were all on the verge of tears!  Too sad.  After lunch, Andy and I stopped  by a store and got her a box of orange scented soaps and took it back to her for her birthday present.  She ran to the back and came back with a huge box of pastry and offered us some.  So nice.

Another day of laziness, reading and sewing.  Out for dinner of a pizza.  Home in bed now and supposed to rain again tomorrow.  I’m going to the close grocery store in the morning for a few things and plan to cook a couple of dishes tomorrow that will be good on a chilly, rainy Tuesday.  If there is a break tomorrow in the rain, we will go to the police to check on the official permit to stay!  Wish us luck.  Good night!

Today, we went to the Oriental Museum for the Iranian art exhibit.  There was a big crowd and they were all jammed into a small room to watch a film.  It got hot, there was standing room only and we got tired of waiting.  And we knew the whole thing would be in Italian or Farsi…so we looked at the permanent exhibits and left.

I went to the quilt shop across the street and a lady was in there with the quilt top she had finished.  I admired it and asked if there were a quilt group I could join and sew and visit.  The lady, Paola said I certainly could come and gave me directions and her email and phone number.  The group meets every Wednesday at 3:30.  So between now and Wednesday I will look up sewing and quilting terms and learn them.  I very excited to meet these ladies and sew with them…and speak Italian.

When we were on the bus today, I noticed a big round circle on the validation box.  When you get on a bus, you stick your ticket into the box and it validates the ticket with time and date.  We don’t do this because we have a monthly pass.  We do put our pass over a circle at the subway to open the stile.   But today, I said to Andy, ‘I wonder if we are supposed to put our card up to that circle here on the bus?’  We did and a green light came on. Then, not ten minutes later…the bus police got on to check our tickets!  They took our monthly bus cards and put them over the circle and handed them back.  I’m not sure anything got validated but at least we weren’t hit with a 50€ fine!  I think the green light meant our card was valid for the month.  On the first of every month we take the card and pay for another month and it goes on the card.  It’s like a plastic credit card in size.  But funny that I should notice the circle on the box for the first time and the bus police get on for the first time since we have been here.

We went to two churches today.  One was St. Paul’s within the Walls.  It is Anglican-Episcopalian.  There was a small orchestra practicing for a concert this evening.  Then we went to St. Prudenzia church.  One wall of the church looks as if it has been built into part of an ancient Roman viaduct.  There seems to be quite a bit of restoration of fading and almost gone frescoes.  It looks to be a very old church.  Across the street, we found another stumbling stone commemorating the life of another Jewish victim of the Holocaust.  We are finding that some of the stumbling stones have a marble plaque on the wall commemorating the person as well as a huge wreath on the wall.  I don’t know why some have the plaque and wreath and some don’t.  If I find  out – I’ll let you know.

Coming home, a man was standing right beside Andy, and I was standing across from her.  All of a sudden, I saw the creep’s hand inching into Andy’s purse.  I yelled for her to move her purse.  It was zipped so he got nothing, but they are good at unzipping!  He got off at the next stop and I called him a very un-lady like name!  He knew I saw him and I’m sure he thought of a name for me!  

We ate at our friend, Vince’s restaurant again tonight.  The Caesar salad with lots of anchovies.  Delicious and so fresh.  He gave us capers like I have never seen.  Instead of the tiny, salty ones in brine…these are as large as olives, green and no added salt.  

Tomorrow is the Ides of March….the day Caesar was assassinated at Torre Argentina where the cat sanctuary is.  The healthy cats who live at the sanctuary play and sun themselves among the ruins.  Even tho my kitty, Raptus has only three legs, she can go out to the ruins.  The special needs cats have to stay inside so it is safe for them.

That was our day.  Have a good evening, All.

Another Friday the 13th..we had one last month too.  Remember…anytime the 1st falls on a Sunday there will be a Friday the 13th.  Worthless Trivia.

Today, we went to Three (3) churches!  The first and second are right together at the beginning of the Roman Forum.  They have never been open when I passed by…but today they were.  Not sure what one church was called, but the other seems to be dedicated to Mary…like the other million churches in Rome!  As usual, beautiful with lovely mosaics and lovely little chapels.  We walked past the Forum and the Coloseo…they are cleaning it, so there is a lot of scaffolding around parts.  Last year, on April 1st, I received a daily Italian post I subscribe to that told the amazing news that in order to raise money to preserve the Coloseo, 25 luxury apartments were being developed along the wall.  They were to be the most expensive property in Italy.  I nearly broke out in hives…I wanted one…I would sell everything I owned just to have one of these tiny apartments.  Just before I started hyperventilating, I got to the end of the article…yep…April Fools Day!  They got me!  Oh well…it was exciting to dream on that one for a minute!  Then we continued on to the Basilica of San Clemente.  The floors of this church are like the ones in St. Mark’s  in Venice…all marble quilt patterns in different colors.  There is a lovely apse that has a band of sheep circling it, just like we saw in Santa Maria of Trastevere last month.  Did the same artist do both?  Or is one a copy?  I don’t know.  Below this church is an underground home with a pagan altar and a pagan sarcophagus as well as many Christian frescoes.  All of this was covered in the 4th century to build the Basilica.  Unfortunately, there are only tours for groups, so we had to just read small plaques to figure out what we were seeing.  Hopped a bus and headed for our area and ended up back at our new favorite restaurant…where Andy had a salad of arugula, Gorgonzola, walnuts, Parmesan cheese and a wonderful balsamic dressing.  I had a scooped out avocado, mixed with shrimp, Roma tomatoes, onions, lettuce and a delightful dressing.  We love this place and Vince the chef.  Back home to read and recuperate.  Until tomorrow….Oh, before I forget…last week two American girls were caught carving thei initials in the walls of the Coloseum.  Did these morons check their brains with their baggage?  The fines will be quite hefty…hope they lift their passports and never let them back into Italy again…maybe a ‘No Fly’ list for idiots who think they are entitled…I think they made a selfie…MORONS!