So, to sum up...Sometime in February (possibly early March, but most likely, in February), Alle and I will indeed be taking that leap into madness - I mean, marriage - together. Alle wants us to take a little wedding trip (just two or three days, afterward, if he can carve the time out of his schedule at work), and we'll go back to Firenze to stay a couple of nights and take the train to Siena or Pisa to sightsee.
I'm looking forward to this on so many levels, I can't begin to tell you...
Now, if I can just learn enough Italian to cope... LOL!! Well, I'm pretty far from being adept, or anything like that, but I'm understanding a bit more each week... Not enough to venture out on my own, but enough to say please and thank you, "Nice to meet you", hello and goodbye, or to find a restroom or order a drink, etc. Last night we went out with Alle's workmates (and a former workmate and his wife - incidentally, they're the Italian version of Don and Jacqueline!), and I understood quite a bit of the conversation. However, it would take me so long to suss it out, I would get terribly behind and then have to start over again. Fortunately, Roberto was seated on my right, Alle on my left, and they both kept me entertained in English when it was obvious I couldn't keep up. Camillo (the Don double) also made efforts to keep me in on the conversation, and his wife smiled at me a lot and was quite friendly.
The dinner started at 8.30, and we left at 11.30. I can't begin to describe everything we ate (I can't remember what much of it was called), but basically it was a ravioli type of pasta, some of it with green filling, some of it with pumpkin (too sweet even for me!) and then some noodles, served with tomatoes and venison (buck), fried polenta, french fries, vegetables, and then several meats (I didn't have any), including rabbit and donkey(!), and zuppa inglese for dessert. (A pudding, of sorts, with cookies soaked in sherry, or some such alcohol - someone please educate me!! It was good, though...)
By the time we left I was exhausted and full. Alle and I came home and had a cup of Orzo each (a coffee-like, but caffeine-free drink), watched the end of The Green Mile (dubbed in Italian, of course) and retired to bed. This morning, he was an hour late getting up for work, but he made it in time for the meeting at nine.
Well, I've rambled on long enough, this week. I look forward to hearing from any and all of you, and I hope this hasn't proved too boring for your collective endurance. I'm off to study, read and draw, and then to get ready for another dinner, this time with Alle's friends, the baby-faced Manuela and the lovely (radiantly pregnant - UGH!) Serena, parents of the adorable Jada and all-around nice folks. I'm looking forward to it, can you tell? :) They're great fun, so inquisitive and good-natured, so I reckon it'll be a good evening out.
That's it for now...unless further developments warrant...
Ciao, everybody!
Vi voglio bene!
Kim