Ieri ed oggi ...

Yesterday and today ... very different days, but both wonderful ones. Friday was a short school day for the students (just Italian for two hours in the morning), so after lunch I ran errands with a few of them to the local COOP (co-op). After that, Dr. Webb and I worked on documents and to-dos for the school during the majority of the afternoon. I have really enjoyed working with her each day - we have so much fun working together, it seems almost dishonest to call it work!

Mid-afternoon John Rose brought us tea and cookies for refreshment mid-workday. I asked him if he would help me find a husband that would bring me tea and cookies in the afternoons, but he replied that unfortunately he was the only one - so I was out luck! Dr. Webb and I kept working until around 6 or so, but at that point John Rose came and said we needed to come and enjoy a little market that had been set up in the piazza, and perhaps an afternoon prosecco (a deliciously fizzy, white wine) as well :) So off we went to enjoy the cooler air brought by a light breeze, peeks at the wares of various vendors, and a pleasant hour of good conversation at the piazza bar.

Around 8 o'clock we made our way back to the palazzo for a community dinner of leftovers - it was wonderful! All the leftovers from our lunches this past week were pulled out for everyone to enjoy a second time; I ended up eating the rest of my calzone from Thursday's pizzeria outing and then treated myself to a helping of panna cotta, which was divine. Even after the eating was finished the group - which included most of the students, Dr. Webb, and John Rose - just sat around the table and talked in true Italian form. It was such a relaxing way to wind down on a Friday evening into the weekend mood.

Today is sabato, but my body still woke me up early! Just after 8 a few of the students and I accompanied Dr. Webb and John Rose on a long but enjoyable morning walk in the countryside just outside the city walls.


I put up more pictures on my picasa site, so be sure and check them out when you get the chance! The rest of the day has been laid back and restful, "full," but of "busy nothings" as Jane Austen would say, not of to-dos. Most of us had a late breakfast due to the walk or sleeping in, and then I spent some time in my room straightening up and getting ready for the day. After that, one of the students and I tackled the task of hooking up the DVD player, which was sitting sadly neglected in its cardboard box. The successful connecting of TV to player required that we "test" it out, naturally, so a handful of us curled up on the beautiful new furniture in one of the lounges and watched Casanova - a classic favorite in the school's Sansepolcro movie collection because it takes place entirely in Venice - and stars Heath Ledger :)

And now most everyone is taking it easy, working on homework, and, quite likely, also facebooking. I am waiting for a text from Sara that says, "Come over!" I got to see her and the kids briefly this morning when they stopped by to say hello, and I also got to see Sara's mother again, which was wonderful. I have missed that whole family so much! But it looks like this afternoon/evening I will get plenty of time with la famiglia Falaschi, and until then, I plan on catching up on some reading in my room over Tootsie Rolls ...

That's all for now! A domani!