quicklytryingtopostthingswhileihaveinternetatthechurch!

This is the view from our dinner at the Pulcino place on the hill. The sunset was so gorgeous! And I'm pretty sure we were the only people there!

Something don't mix

This morning I learned something the hard way. You can't mix exercise with sight-seeing. I run on this road that might possibly be the most beautiful road in the world, but it's so ful of potholes that if I take my eyes off the road for two seconds to view the gorgeous scenery of Tuscan hills and vineyards, I twist an ankle. I can't even tell you how many times I've done this. Probly 27.

Some things never change

This morning before my fantastic run I was making my bed and I noticed a big white spot on my down comforter. Oh no! Please tell me I didn't do that! Then after a few thoughtful seconds I burst into laughter. I did stain the blanket. 5 years ago. Hanna and I were under the same blanket, eating chocolate in our old house, and some of the goodness dripped onto it, and the clorox bleached a spot in it forever. Thanks for the laugh, Hanna :)

I love these peeps!

Today has been full of great things. I accidentally left my hot water heater on last night, so I had a hot shower this morning, then I found a book that Kristen left at my house called Eat Love Pray, and I started reading it and found it to be just lovely, then I found a new gate that goes directly into my yard from the road so I hopped that one instea of going all the way around to the other side of the property, so I came up to town and got some gelato and found the post office that has been missing, and I was reminded how cheap it is to send things (who knows why, it's just way cheap), then I went to the police office and made friends with a German guy while trying to track down my house keys, (no luck though), then i went and played the piano for a while to blow off some steam, then I went back to the restaurant and everyone got all excited because THEY FOUND MY KEYS!!! (k now you can breathe. That was long, hee). I went in there twice before looking for them, and somehow they showed up this time. I was so happy, I went and bought un grandissimo ascugamano - a huge towel. The price was a bit steep, but I've wanted one for a long time, and i think I would have paid more in the US, considering this thing could practially be used as a bed spread.
I went into the Pinocchio shop to tell the old signore that I found my keys (this old guy has been helping me talk to people and find them, he's so cute), and he wasn't there but his wife was. She handed me a little frog charm. "per buona fortuna" she said :)
oh! Something else happened today that was awesome. I went into the tourist shop an talked to Elisa for a while, and I told her I need something to do. She told me they are lookin for English speakers to show an art exibit to tourists, so I might do that for a little while! I'm just happy to have something to do. I also might be doing English tours of town, which would also be kinda fun maybe. We shall see!
Buona giornatta! Ti voglio bene! Ciao!

Oohhhh shnapp...

So this week my buddy Kristen and her friend Kara came to visit me! Yay! It was SO much fun. Great girls. Anyway, last night we went to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Trattoria Dei Cagnano, and we ate for about 3 1/2 hours. It was incredible. So it was about midnight by the time we left, and when we got home I couldn't find my gate opener anywhere. Uhhh... Hm. So we hopped the fence an went to bed, then today after church I hiked back to the restaurant to get my keys and they weren't there. I don't get it! How did that happen? I wonder how fast Giuliana will take all my stuff and kick me out when she discoversher keys and gate remote are gone... Oh well! I'm learning to love my trials :)
Buona Domenica!

La sole, parte due

Yesterday was absolutely stunning. I went down into the vineyard for a little picnic, and I think I fell asleep down there for a couple hours. I brought the following items: my journal, book, some crusty bread, 2 tomatoes, a delice snack, a pillow, my camera, and a blanket. The sun was just amazing. I laid there as the tomato juice ran down my chin and the little bugs crawled across my open book... This is Italy to me.





I also did a little town-strolling...





Pretty sure I could stare at this all day long.

La Sole!!!

Oh the tower... Every time I walk into the piazza and see it, I give it a weird look. Hello tower, are you really that big? How is this possible? Are you going to fall on me one day? May I please put on my climbing shoes and be the first to summit you? Har de har.



I learned something new about my toes yesterday. They LOVE picnics in the vineyard!!



I enjoyed it throughly

The uploader just stopped working... I guess I'll post this and try it again! gah.

Oh my jumping monkeys, this place is ridiculously incredible. After raining for a week, the weather cleared up today and it is just gorgeous. Not a cloud in the sky. I walked all over, took a bunch of pictures, ate gelato, bought a couple things, and now I think I'm goin to head home to put on my shorts, hang up some laundry, and catch some serious vitamin D.
I'm on my phone and it won't let me upload pics onto here, sorry :( If it is warm tomorrow I'll try to blog somethin intense. I uploaded a few more pics to facebook, so if you feel like looking at something that will make you want to hop on a plane and come here now, check them out! A domani! Ciao tutti!!

And the amazing things continue...

So it never stops raining. Not ever. Therefore, I basically have no pictures. So I'm really sorry, but a little blah blah blah will have to do for tonight! Sorry!
I got home from church today and Giuliana and her dog Luglio were in my house moving everything around, and my furnature was all over my front yard. But I'm used to these crazy random things happening, so it didn't much phase me. Allora!
This morning my friend Ella picked me up at the bus stazione for church, and we drove there in the rain with her daughter Yasmin. We sang at the top of our lungs all the way there. I love those two :) Then I got to church, and all the old buddies were there! Except the Rotelli's, I talked to Simone last night and they had a family party today. Maybe I'll see them next week?? Anyway, Eole, Sorella Nigi, sorrella Rossa, and the Nistri's, and good old Anziano Brando were all there. (Brando was just visiting for the day with his family -- he has an awesome 19 year old sister, and we became instant buds. They invited me to stay with them in Milano in a couple weeks, so I might take a trip up there. Why not.) It was great. CJ's old companion Anziano Busico was there, and I can see why him and CJ got along so well. He's a way cool guy fo sho.
After church Ella, Yasmin and I had some good eatins, then they brought me home and I walked into town to a concert that was put on by my old piano teacher Luciano and a couple of my old friends. But I couldn't stay for the whole thing because it was getting dark and it started to rain, and it wasn't raining when I left my house so i forgot my umbrella.
I was sitting in my usual spot outside trying to blog in the rain, and the guy in the Pinocchio shop came out and told me to come inside! So i'm sitting here with him. It's warm in here :)
Ok I have to go home. Tanti baci a tutti! Ciao!

Running and singing

This morning after going to the market and resisting buying anything, thank you very much, I went on a way long run. What? What's this? Cami running? Yeah weird. But I did. And it was incredible. I went the other way on Acqua Puzzola, then down by San Biagio and around the town then back home. How far do you think that is, dad? 2 miles? Non lo so. Then I went home and made pici and studied for a while and it was quite lovely. Then I needed to dry my laundry, and Giuliana told me to get the dryer rack out of the house we used to live in! So I went in and walked around our old house for a bit. It was amazing. It was also surprisingly bigger than I remember -- maybe because my house now is so tiny and when I lived in that house it felt small compared to living at home?? I don't know.
Everyone just closed their shops and I'm on my way to practice with the town choir! I've never been so excited for a choir practice in my life! Hopefully I will see some old friends, that would be awesome. I'll try to post pics soon! Ciao!

And this is how it goes...

This is my dive! I love it! It's so perfect.

This is how gorgeous I was the morning after I got here


This is just a weird shot I got from outside of my reflection in my front door. I was thoroughly enjoying my breakfast apple :)
Sorry, these pics took about 2 hours to load, and my butt is uber numb from sitting on this rock wall thing, so I'm going to limp home! More tomorrow! Ciao!

I'm alive!!

My computer is about to die, but just though I'd let cha'll know I'm here! It only took a car, plane, shuttle, shuttle, plane, bus, plane, train, train, taxi, and plenti of walking. (Oh my gosh I just said plenti. I mean PLENTY! After one day?! Agh! Plenti isn't even a word!) I accidentally just called dad at 5am. Oops! Sorry Babo! Giuliana took me shopping this morning and it was just awesome. Oh, and I almost died in the taxi last night. The driver was.... hm. So Italian. After driving like that, I have no idea how he is still alive! It was the best.
Tanti baci a tutti! Ciao!

The viagio so far...

This morning I got up at 3:30 finished packing, woke up dad, and we drove to the airport. I figured out that whenever dad is quiet, it's not because he's tired. It's because he's thinking about his bike. There would be silence for 10 or so minutes, then he would say something about carbon or speed or hubs. My pappy is awesome :) The flight to Chicago was pretty uneventful... I had cranberry juice though... That was good... Then I got into Chicago and I had 5 hours before my flight. So I tried resting for a while, but ugh. Those chairs are killer. Then my trusty pilot buddy Pete told me about a "friends and family lounge" so I went and checked it out! And on the way, I totally got my exercise because it was like a half mile away through the airport! I got in there and there were these big comfy chairs and it was all quiet and there was water for under $5, and there were about 6000 Disney movies to choose from. I was in heaven. Then after a few hours I went out and waited to check in for my flight... but since there are so many closed airports in Europe because of the volcano, I got booted off the flight faster than you could say American eagle - the American way. So then the nice dude got me a deal at this hotel, I jumped on a shuttle, check in here at the lovely Comfort Suits (seriously, why do I need two rooms and two TVs? I'm just a little girl!) but aaaahhhhh this bed feels amazing.
Ok I promise I'm going to get better at taking pictures when they matter. The only time I think of pulling out my camera is when I'm bored, and of course there's nothing uber plesant to look at when I'm bored! However.... I did get some interesting shots along my journey today.


Turns out, you don't have to go to Europe to experience unforgettable toilets! All you have to do is be the lucky person to spend enough time in the Chicago O'hare airport to find the jewels such as this. I'm telling you, this one really made me feel like a queen. See that black thing on top with the green light? You wave your hand over it, and the plastic that is covering the seat rotates in a counter-clockwise manor so that your tush can have a fresh resting place at last! Genius. I can't wait to go back tomorrow and experience it again!



I didn't want to go outside (see next photo) so I just stayed in my room and ordered room service. But really, can you blame me?! What else was I supposed to do?! I packed my nunchucks and throwing stars in my checked bag, so I have no way to defend myself around this here neck of the woods.



I love that the only things I can see from my window are a Frannie's Beef and a pub. I was going to try to go to church tomorrow, but it's 6.4 miles away and my phone calculated it would take 2 hours and 6 minutes to walk, and like I said, no nunchucks! Oh well. Pray that my next post comes from Italy!

A couple things before I left

Before leaving I wanted to go kite flying with my buddy lil'mike. If any of you know him, you know that it is impossible to be bored in his presence. Cam came along too, and we all linked arms and practiced skipping across the park and doing summersaults without unlinking arms. By the end of the afternoon, we had groupies. I would have taken more pics, but... I was too busy laughing.

Calvawoochee (aka Calvin)

Tess told me she wanted some pics of her and Cal. So here you go :)
I kind of wish we had a better setting (better lighting, not on folded blankets on the table, etc.) but this kid is so cute, it was like he was posing. Thanks for letting me practice my picture-taking on your awesome kid, Tess! Love ya!

Scootchie Poopie

This is one of the funniest kids I have ever met

1/3 model, 1/3 demon, 1/3 princess

With the perfect amount of pitty lip

And the perfect amount of chins

No fear...

But mostly... The one and only LaineymikelleAaahhbbott!