Visit to the States

It dawned on me that I haven't announced Fabri's & my visit coming up.  We'll be in the Washington Area from the afternoon of Friday, April 3 to the late evening of Sunday, April 12 (Easter).  We have a few plans so far, but I'm hoping after this announcement we can get pencilled in to some more calendars.  Wednesday, April 8 we're going to the O's - Yankees game in Baltimore with Sweetums and her newish BF.  Then Thursday night we're having Passover with the family in Olney.  For Easter we're going to Aunt Pam's (I assume).  Otherwise we have no plans.  We might have to go to the Italian embassy to translate some documents and have them sent over here to Italy.  We also plan on doing a LOT of shopping.  Basically I'm chomping at the bit to go on a shopping spree.  Hooray for making euros and spending dollars!  Comment or email me to make some more plans!  USA USA USA USA!

Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day.  It's funny that it's called International as I've never heard of it outside of Italy.  The yellow mimosa (pictured above) is the official gift of International Women's Day here in Italy.  Fabri and I bought a small potted tree yesterday for our balcony.  Yesterday we bought all sorts of stuff for our balcony.  We got a nice teak table with four chairs, some more pots and dirt and more flower seeds!  Today we treated the new furniture with teak oil.  It was fun getting dirty and getting stuff done around the house.  We also got rid of the last of the packing material from my shipment.  Getting ready for spring!

On Friday I taught 3 classes in Cuneo in the afternoon finishing at 7:30.  Then I came home and changed and Fabri and I met Giovanni, Brunella, Lulu, Gaetano & Detta for pizza in Monsola near Savigliano.  Lulu is in her terrible twos and was at first shy and upset about being to dinner with us.  She wouldn't even look at her aunts & uncles!  What a little baddy.  But she got over it and started behaving eventually.  I taught her Itsy Bitsy Spider which she really liked, especially when I made the itsy bitsy spider with my hands.  After dinner we invited everyone back to our house.  I made a big batch of popcorn and then played with the baby.  Oh, you know what Giovanni did when he got to our house?  He came inside, picked up the dish of candies and threw them up so they landed all around the room!  Giovanni is CRAZY.  He picked them up of course, but he's an animal that one.  But it was a lot of fun.  

Last night we had 3 members of the band Schneeflock.  Schneeflock is Mickey's band & Mickey was the best man in our wedding.  Anyway, we had Pej, Steo & Mickey over.  They're all friends of Fabri's.  They were going to a concert at this bar/club just a block from our house and we told them to come to our place first.  We had some drinks and showed off the house to Pej & Steo who hadn't seen it before.  Then we all went to the bar.  This pretty famous singer was supposed to be playing an acoustic set starting at 11 or so.  Well sometime after midnight he finally hit the stage.  Instead of singing the songs that made him famous (what everyone was there for) he read his diary loudly and horribly to bad music with a lot of background (not unplugged).  It was horrible!  Fabri plugged his ears.  We grit our teeth through the first song, but then a mass exodus started and we heard that he planned on continuing with his performance for the whole night.  Fabri and I decided we were out of there and joined some friends outside complaining about the performance.  Steo was there and he was really sorry for me because I couldn't even understand the monologue.  So Fabri and I headed home, but we still had fun.  It's good to go to a dive bar/music club and drink a couple of beers with some friends.

We don't have many plans for this week.  I'm teaching classes on Thursday night and Friday evening/afternoon.  I'm volunteering at the museum Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.  Hopefully we'll find lots of fun stuff to do too!

Pictures!

I finally got around to loading some random photos from my camera to Picasa.  You can see Fabri, Gaetano & I bottling the wine we made back in October at the end of the Wine Time album.  I am dressed ridiculously in Fabri's soccer clothes, so that's always good for a laugh.

A couple of weeks ago we made Bugia at Fabri's parents' house.  Bugia is basically fried dough with powdered sugar on top.  It's a dessert typical of Carnivale.  You make the dough and then you flatten it out with a pasta press.  Then you sort of knot it in a particular way and fry it in oil.  We actually made batches two Sundays in a row.  Fabri and I have been completely bombarded by desserts and I'm gaining weight again instead of losing as I had been.  Boooooo!

Part of the dessert problem is that when we go to friends' houses for dinner they always make dessert(s) AND when people come to our house they always bring desserts!  The worst is when we go to a friend's house, they serve us dessert and then they make us  take some of the dessert home with us!  Basically it doesn't matter that we don't buy or make desserts, we still get thwarted and end up tubby!

Here a picture of the cake our friend Roby made when her and her husband Lorenzo came for dinner one night.  It's pretty cute but she left the ENTIRE thing at our house.  The frosting and designs were done in marshmallow.  She had to buy special dye paste to get the colors, but she was sad that she couldn't find red, only orange.  I think the effect is still pretty good though. Speaking of Roby and Lorenzo, when they were over for dinner Fabri told them how we were going to rent a truck to pick up my shipment from the US in Milan.  Lorenzo's Dad apparently owns some sort of trucking/courier company and Lorenzo had to go near Milan to pick up something related to that.  He said they had a big truck that would hold everything no problem and he would be happy to take us to Milan to pick up my things.  Well Fabri and I were excited to accept because that saved us about 150 euros for renting our own truck and that meant we wouldn't have to drive the truck either.  So on Monday we met at 11 am in Savigliano in front of the Motta's house and headed out.  We stopped a little after noon at an Autogrill for some sandwiches.  We arrived at Lorenzo's stop outside of Milan just before 2.  We had to wait about fifteen minutes but then they brought out these sheets of plastic with the forklift and stuck them right in.  Then we headed around the Milan beltway to the other side of the city.  An hour later we were driving around looking for CFG Overseas, the company with my stuff.  We had to call their office because it's actually impossible to find without directions from the company.  There isn't even a sign visible from the street!!  It's behind another building and we didn't see the sign for the business until we were in their parking lot.  First Fabri and I went upstairs and saw the jerk who we've been "working with."  He seemed pretty scared of us.  Fabri and I both were wearing angry faces.  We asked him how much the additional bill for storage was going to be and the guy said it was only about 20 euros which is sooooo not right, but makes us happy.  We have two theories on this.  Either he was lying because he was afraid of us and we're going to get a crazy high bill in the mail or the American company that I complained to (who never responded) spoke with them and they discounted the fee based on that conversation.  Either way we haven't actually gotten the bill yet, but if it's something we're not willing to pay, we will be contacting an attorney again.   The most important thing is that we have my stuff!!!  It's already unpacked and organized.  Some things got packed up and put in the basement and the boxes are still on the balcony, but the house does not look like a tornado hit it.  I haven't brought the boxes to the recycling yet because it's been raining all week!  Hopefully this weekend it will be nicer and then we will clean off the balconies.   One last thing,  I have set up my blog so that some of you will get an email when it's been updated.  There are only 10 slots for email addresses for this feature (which is dumb).  Please let me know if you got the email or if you didn't and would like to.  Otherwise keep checking back for new updates!

General Update

Last week Fabri and I kept pretty busy.  We had 3 dinner parties at our house, went to one dinner at a friend's and I taught my class & worked at the museum 2 or 3 days.  Fabri was on call so he was working very long hours and had to work on the weekend.  Sunday we went to lunch at the Motta's house and then walked around a flea market in Racconigi.  The prices were way too high, but I did find one thing, a lime green piggy bank for 2 euros!  Soooo cute.  

I skipped ahead to Sunday, but I wanted to talk about Saturday too.  We had a fancy Melting Pot style dinner party with Fabri's cousins Gaetano & Giovanni, their significant others, Detta & Brunella & the baby Lulu.  We started with fondue with bread, apples, celery & cauliflower.  Then we had hot oil & hot broth to cook broccoli, beef, sausage, turkey, chicken, potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots in.  They do the oil (bourgionne) here often, but they had never tried the broth before and that went over really well.  In fact, everyone agreed next time we don't even need the oil.  So that's good and healthier.  

Fabri and I had some bad news yesterday.  I shipped all my stuff to Italy back in December.  The American company I chose was very friendly and helpful.  They responded instantly to emails and I felt comfortable handing my stuff to them.  Basically their Italian agent that accepted my stuff is horrible.  They are doing everything to draw this experience out and charging us more & more money every day.  First they never contacted me when my items arrived and they told us they didn't have to.  Then they sent us a bill which we did not understand and asked for some explanation and a reduction.  They never responded to any of my emails about that, but Fabri & I weren't in a huge rush because we were waiting for my items to clear customs.   They were supposed to contact us when my items cleared customs and of course they didn't, so we called several times yesterday and finally spoke to the right person who told us that they don't allow customs to begin their process until after we pay their bill!!  We're going to end up spending so much money and we're really upset that these people are such dubious assholes.  I wrote a strongly worded email to the American company I contracted with complaining about their Italian agents who are holding my items.  I reviewed the protocol that my company sent me and the Italian agent is doing anything how we were told they would.  I am waiting to get a response from them and am expecting it today.  Meanwhile Fabri contacted his friend who is a lawyer in Turin and after we get my stuff (on Monday hopefully) he's going to contact  the company and maybe we can recoup a little of our losses.  I'm not very optimistic about that, but it made Fabri feel better, so that's good.

Anyway, I'm trying not to think about the condition my stuff is in.  Just a few more days.  

Tomorrow I teach my third class.  I'm looking forward to it; I like the students.  Then we're having dinner with friends.  Fabri and I have been spending a lot more time with couples then his general group of friends.  I think that's a good & bad thing.  Fabri and I have never been over-drinking and clubbing people like a lot of his single friends.  The couples are more like us inviting people over for dinner or going to restaurants together.  It's a whole different life stage and we just have to make sure not to alienate Fabri's single friends.  We had a single girl dinner last Wednesday when 4 girlfriends came over for fajitas.  Next step is to have some boys over I guess.  Or more dating couples...  Whatever, these are the things we have to think about.  And of course how not to offend anyone.  Such is life. 

I think I've gotten to the random babbling stage of this post, so I'm going to sign off here.  Leave me comments or I will pout a lot!!

Mountain Climbing Practice

We had some seriously gorgeous days last week.  It was warm and sunny with a clear sky.  The mountains looked amazing and I got bit by the springtime bug.  Last Sunday Fabri and I went to this discount store I really like (sort of like Big Lots or Tuesday Morning) and bought a bunch of pots and dirt and gardening tools.  I am ready for spring gardening.  In fact, I am going to plant some daffodil bulbs this week!  

Then on Wednesday I just couldn't stand looking at the gorgeous mountains with the sunlight reflecting off the snow covered peaks and not get closer.  Fabri got home from work and was relaxing on the couch when I walked up to him and said I'm going for a walk.  He asked where too and I said further up the Saluzzo hill than I've been before.  We bundled up (it's still winter after all) and headed out on foot.  We began by walking up the hill of old Saluzzo passing Il Bichio on the way.  

Then we made our way up a very steep hill to the old main square of medieval Saluzzo.  There we found the old town hall and the castle of Saluzzo.  It had been a prison which was recently moved and the castle is now being restored for visitors.  There are few different walking trails that leave from the castle so we decided to try out the shortest one to San Lorenzo church.  As I was panting and climbing and enjoying the views when Fabri mentioned that a nurse he works with goes hiking/climbing a lot.  The trail to the top of Mount Viso is a relatively easy one and we should ask her to take us sometime.  I thought that sounded pretty cool, but Fabri and I had started out on that trail before and did NOT get very far.  So we resolved to do a lot more walking and climbing and practice so we can go this summer and make it to the top!  By the way, Fabri doesn't remember this conversation, but I won't forget it.  

On our way to San Lorenzo we took a wrong turn and ended up walking through a small development of villas over looking the mountains and the valley.  They all had beautiful yards and gardens and Fabri and I discussed buying a villa on a hill someday.  I can't wait to have a big yard to turn into insect habitat!  When we got to the end of the neighborhood we knew we made a wrong turn and went back to climbing up, up, up!  When we reached San Lorenzo I was a little disappointed because it's not visitable.  It has been transformed into a vineyard, but that did offer some nice photo opportunities.  

Then we turned back and headed home stopping to take some photos of Saluzzo.  The duomo was very beautiful from up there and it was really interesting seeing it in relation to the rest of the city from that angle.  We took another route down which was less steep and therefore easier, but I was getting a cramp in my leg and was happy to stop for a tea and croissant at a bar at the bottom of the hill.  

Next time we're going to try the longer trail and go more prepared.  Bottle of water, comfy clothes, good shoes.  But it was great to get out in the sun and even though my legs were sore the next day, it was good to get the exercise.  

This week is not like last though.  It is back to being overcast and cold.  In fact on Monday I almost didn't get out of bed because it was so cold!  I probably wouldn't have if I hadn't said I would be at the museum on Monday.  Hopefully this weekend and next week will get better.  If it's not going to snow, then it should be spring!  That's what I think anyway.

Anywho, here's the slide show of our hike: Enjoy.

Professoressa

If you recall, last time I wrote I mentioned two interviews at English language schools.  The first one spent the first half of our interviewing trying to sell Fabri on this English in the Hospital class they have and she eventually mentioned that I would be teaching it if Fabri helped to drum up interest.  She said they don't really have anything for me now, but she would pass any translating work they get my way because they don't do that and then said if I'm still looking in September, I can take over their school in Saluzzo because the girl who runs it now will be going off to get married or something like that.  So that interview was a little strange.

There was a space of about 2 hours in between the two interviews, so Fabri and I walked around Cuneo.  We did a little shopping and a bit more window shopping which is always fun.  Then we went to a bar for a cappuccino and a hot chocolate.  

The second interview went very well.  Basically they told us about the job, complimented my CV and asked when I could start.  So that went pretty well.  I'm now teaching at the Wall Street Institute.  This past Friday I began my training and sat in on two lessons at the school.  Today I went for two more lessons with a different teacher.  Tomorrow evening I go for one more lesson and a big more training before I teach my first class on Thursday evening for 2 hours.  I'm going to teach at a company in Savigliano (I don't know which yet).  

Meanwhile, I'm still volunteering at the museum.  I go three days this week from ~9:30 to ~1:30.  That way I get plenty of insect time.  The weather has started warming up (though some people are predicting one last snow storm), so soon I can start collecting again and work on my own collection at the museum too.

Anyway, Fabri is very proud.  We started looking for a job for me in mid January and in less than a month I'm volunteering at a museum and teaching.  That's not bad.  I'm mostly happy to be teaching so that I can hopefully meet new people my age and make some friends of my own.

Workin' in a coal mine goin' down down down

In Italy the IDs have everyone's occupation as well as height, weight and eye color.  Mine currently says looking for work, but I told the woman who made it that wasn't correct, that I'm a princepessa.  Well, my days as a princess are numbered because Fabri's making me look for work.  He claims it's because I sit at home complaining about being bored.  

I have already started volunteering at a natural history museum near here.  (Storia Naturale Museo di Carmagnola)  I emailed an entomology professor at the University of Turin about 5 years ago when I was finishing up at SMC to see if there was a chance of my doing a master's in Italy.  That obviously didn't work out, but he was very nice and we emailed again a few months ago to see about possible opportunities for me when I moved here.  He hooked me up with Gianfranco, the entomologist at the museum.  We all met 2 Fridays ago.  We went around the museum, discussed research, and looked at the insect collection.  Then we went to lunch and took a field trip to a green house near the museum where Massimo, the university professor keeps and propagates his cactus collection.  Afterwards Gianfranco invited me to come to the museum as often as I like and curate the lepidoptera (butterfly & moth) collection.  So I've been going 3 days a week for 4 hours in the morning. 

In addition to looking for entomology work, Fabri and I have gone to several language schools in the area and inquired about work there.  In-fact I have 2 interviews tomorrow in Cuneo!  Fabri is going to come with me and then we're going to go out to dinner at this restaurant we liked up there.  

Speaking of Fabri, he had a hellish week this past one.  He had a night shift on Wednesday and bad cases for the hospice.  Then this weekend he worked even more than he does during the week!  He worked a boxing match with his dad for 13 hours on Saturday and 10 hours Sunday.  Tonight is his last night shift because he quit that job.  So we will be celebrating that and making sure this week is nicer than last in every way!