VACATION TIME!!!

Vance and I are off to Croatia. I'm so excited to see the crystal clear waters, waterfalls and old town squares. Vance can't wait to take a bunch a pictures. It'll be a blast. I'll post some pics when we get back. Ciao ciao!

What happens when you mix helium and stranieri...

The influence of Americans on the Italians and the French! Poor Alex and Gina lost brain cells do to Amberlee, Jenna and I showing them and other Italian friends how to suck helium from the balloons. It was hilarious to see their expressions when they heard their own voices after sucking helium. What good friends we are!

Ode to Friends & Family

I wanted to celebrate all my friends and family. Although I do not have pics of them all, here are a few that I have digitally. I want to thank Casey & Denyse and Corey & Jen for making me an auntie, Mom, Stu, Amy D, Kristie, Meredith, Gwen, Heather, Marcy, Chelsea, Courtney, Dick, Ryan & David for visiting Vance and I in Rome. Charlotte, Rachel & Brandon for making Rome feel more like home, Violetta e Gaby per ci state facendo la vostra famiglia. Bubby, Suzie, Kim, Brandon, Elisa, Brandon for visiting Mom and I in Houston. Darryl, Angela, Harrison, Trisha, Kevin, and Damon for sharing with us your new family. And all my friends at AUR! Of course to Tina, Carl, Kristy and Amy H, love you all and hope that you can share the experience of seeing a bit of Rome one day. Vance, thank you most of all for making my dreams come true...which includes having you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VINCENZO!!

Happy Birthday Vance! The big 30! We had a special day for Vance today. Morning began with me awakening him with kisses, coffee and breakfast in bed. Vance suggested I get all prettied up to take some photos for his stock photos, which of course I did. They came out well, I think. I made a delicious batch of spagetti with a ragu sauce for lunch. Then we hung out in the apartment since it decided to drizzle. The heavens were sad that Vance was thirty! I yelled out the window that it is ok, but it just rained harder. From such an exhausting day, I had to take a nap. Vance played on the computer. We ate birthday tiramisu (which I made myself!) Vance didn't reveal his wish! Hope it comes true! This evening we went out with our friends Francesco and Laura for dinner near the Pantheon. Buonissimo! Vance received a book about Italian Wines of 2005. That'll be handy! And also the autobiography of Robbie Williams. He needs lots of reading material for our vacation in Croatia beginning next weekend. Now it's sleepy time. Nite nite. Sogni duro. Happy Birthday baby!

Stamps & Landlords

I've trekked all over the joining neighborhoods in search for a stamp. But this is no ordinary stamp. No No. It's a tax stamp that is specifically used for permits to stay. After 5 post offices and 3 tobacco shops later, I finally found a way to get the stamp, but it's not a stamp!! Aaagghhh. Hopefully it is what is required, if not, #$@(% &*#&@! I'll find out tomorrow when I go to renew my expired permit. Why does the Italian government make it so hard to obtain a bloody stamp? People need them for passport renewals, contracts, and permits. And of course no one has the same answer as to where to find these precious items. Grrr.

Then there are landlords. We're blessed with a great padrona. She rocks. She lets us be and if we need her, we'll call. Signora Rita came by today to pick up some mail. (I called her to come get it!) She has invited Vance and I to dinner next month. So sweet. I've heard that some landlords can be great big pains in the cullo.

So that was the good and bad of my day. I also had to check up on some ironing. Fun filled day, let me tell you. Hope yours is better than mine! Mine will get better when Vance comes home and I get some lovin'....oh speak of the devil... he just walked in. Ciao Ciao.

Another day...

Ciao guys! Did you have a good weekend? I am still having mine thanks to yet another Italian holiday. Vance and I are just loungin'. Yesterday we went to the beach in Sabaudia, which is about an hour and a half away from Rome. The water was refreshing and beautiful. Our background was a little mountain. We'll probably go for a walk later and take some pictures. Vance found a walking trail not too far from the apartment. Buon Ferragosto!

Swan Lake

Ciao ragazzi! Well yet another day of volunteering at the beach and I only got popped on the butt once by an ole fart. Finished up after lunch and the sun decided to come out and play. It rained off and on yesterday. Fortunately it stopped for most of the ballet that I went and saw. Vance bailed on the cultural experience. :) I had kick ass seats thanks to a sweet family from Texas/Tennessee who needed to sell a ticket (yet another man who choose sleep over culture!) It was lovely. Only slightly weirded out by the bulges of the male dancers...not natural! What do they put in those tights! The prima ballerina was fantastic. The best part, besides the ballet itself, was the setting in the Terme di Caracalla, ancient Roman baths. Really stunning! Well Vance and I are about to begin our second half of "Pizza & Movie night", most likely an Italian flick with English subtitles. (More culture!) Have a great day and happy weekend!

Il mare

I had my day at the beach! I take a walk to the train station, take a train to another station and get on a tram to get to Lido di Ostia. Beats fighting traffic and searching for a parking place. I begin the morning by volunteering at an activity center for the elderly and kids. Italians love the beach. It's adorable. They all arrive by pullman (greyhound buses) and fight for the best spot with an umbrella. 1-2-3- CHARGE!!!! Ole foggies in speedos and bikinis! I wish American foggies were as confident with that 'Che ne frega' ( I don't give a damn) attitude. So so cute in that old, wrinkly, droopy kind a way! I leave after lunch and hit the beach for myself. Take in a bit of sun and laugh as all the asian, eastern indian, and african vendors come 'round trying to sell massages, jewery, sunglasses, bathing suits, wraps, dresses and of course 'Coca, Fanta, Birra. Frescoooo!...Coco Frescoooo!' They are like auctioneers! Impressive!
You can't really surf on the waves...body surfing may work. I try and just loose my top and swallow a bit of salt water! No one notices, there are tons of topless sunbathers. Don't you hate it when you just want to breathe and that damn water goes up your nose. That is why I like being a land mammal! It suits me better.
And did you know that most Romans, at least, have tatoos? They aren't as huge and overwhelming as some americans and my brother's tats, but I think most people I have seen have something or other inked.
People watching is the greatest activity. Young italians guys pushing one of their friends to go pick up an italian chick amidst a group of her friends. And he proceeds to get shut down! Classic beach activity. And of course there is also the paddle ball game which no one seems really good at. More chasing the ball then hitting it back and forth. Entertainment on the Tyrrhenian Sea!
Ok..done blogging...Ciao

THE DEVIL INSIDE...

...every single one of us...the devil inside. OK! Why didn't anyone tell me about Rock Star INXS? Anyone in their right mind and a natural born rocker should be checking out this show. I, the unfortunate one without television (that's a whole other post), just recently discovered this show on rockstar.msn.com/home. I love Jodis, the dreadlocked goddess with a killer voice. I'd buy her album. Really...I would! I'd actually go buy it rather than dealing the the Africans on the corners to get the pirated version. Don't anyone give me the 'stealing from the band' bullshit! I'm paying 5 Euros instead of 25! Non c'e Best Buy qui!

The angel inside me....worked her last full time shift at the university today. Bring on the beach baby. Ahhh, il mare. I'm going tomorrow to the beach and work on diminishing my tan lines. Le tete took a good burning last week, so I have to lube up real good this time. Allora...la prossima volta...

La bella vita...

Allora! L'o fatto! Thanks to my best friend Tina, I am an online blogger. So whoever wants to check of the life of Ressie...prego! If you haven't figured it out already, I live in Rome. Si, vivo a Roma. It's an amazing place. I've been living in Rome with my man, Vance, for the past year and a half. He works at an Italian company and I am going to school...again. You would think that the local hospitals would appreciate an American nurse...nope. Oh well...do whacha can and enjoy life! Buona giornata.