Where do I begin? Much has happened and yet nothing has happened. What I mean is daily living, studying, visiting, walking, shopping :)... all takes up my days and each day seems to be special and unique while still being just a routine. Each day is such a gift, and seeing and talking with those I've come to dearly love here, is always so refreshing.
I will try to post in as chronological order as possible, however too much time has passed to include as many daily details as I perhaps would have otherwise. Anyway, I will start with November 11, which would have been my father's 93rd birthday. Thirteen years now he has been gone. Time marches on. When my parents passed away, I suddenly felt propelled into that generation. Up until then, I had still thought of myself as 'young'... even though the mirror kept telling me something different; my head and heart still didn't recognize it. But, I am very happy to still be young enough to enjoy my time and opportunities here in Italy.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014. Again, up early to get my studies finished as I needed to walk to and take the bus to Mafalda's. I caught the #19 at the Stazione today and Stefano picked me up at the stop... Thank you Stefano!
Wonderful lunch with
AnnaMaria, Crengutsa, Stefano and Mafalda.
Finished up lunch and dishes around 2:45pm, then we all had an Italian
siesta. Around 3:45, I walked over to
Cristina's and had some time with her and the children before church at
6pm. Back home around 8:30, fixed a bite
of supper, more studying... but had a coffee in the late afternoon, so couldn't
sleep. Ended up staying up way too
late. Oh well, I can sleep in... did I
ever say, I Love being Retired!!! Love,
love, love this simple, leisurely lifestyle!
I don't have an excess of money, since my income is drastically reduced,
but living simply, I hardly even notice!
It is wonderful!
Thursday, November
13, 2014. Morning has broken... and yes,
I did sleep in. Decided to just make a
brunch (combining breakfast and lunch), since I would be leaving early again
today to the Chiropractor. I made french
toast! Haven't done much of that type of
cooking since I've been here in Italy!
It was yummy and I even had some Organic Canadian Real Maple Syrup! Found some at one of the markets here... one
of the few imports I've seen since I've been here.
Now, I must get to
studying and the day is slipping away.
Will write more when I return this evening, if I have anything more to
say :)
Stopped by the Lab on
my way to the Chiro for a short visit with Miscioscia's. Always nice to see them. Caught the bus back after my appointment and then
had a nice stroll down all the shops.
Always amazes me how many people come out in the evening and shop or
just sit on the benches. Thousands of
people milling around! Also, Lungomare
is always full of people as well as centro.
Before I got all the
way back home, I checked in at the supermarket for a couple things, then came
home, made a wonderful salad, got on the computer for a while and had a 'war of
words' with my friend who wants to learn English and me Italian. We are constantly correcting each other
:) Came down to who could say it the
'Best' .. most politely.... hee hee, not sure who won... good for a laugh this evening anyway.
Did my studies early this
morning, so I could leave the house a bit early to catch the #53 bus to my
appointment with the Chiropractor. I
catch this bus at the Stazione which is only about a 15 minute walk. When I catch the #1 to Caputo's, I have about
a 22 minute walk to that stop. I can
catch the #19 from the Stazione and it will also take me to the stop near
Caputo's and Mafalda's. Now that the weather is changing, I take the shorter walk to the bus.
Friday, November 14, 2014. Yesterday, I had invited friends and a new contact to dinner with me at a Restaurant (La Battigia) I found on one of my walks. It turned out to be a very nice one and a lovely evening was had by all. Teresa and Luigi, Marco & Cristina, and Damiano... the manager of my apartment complex. Great food, great visit. It is still hard for me to get used to the late dinner hour here. Our reservation was for 9pm, and by the time everyone arrived, it was around 9:30pm. Then all meals are served in courses here and I am not talking about just restaurants... never, never in any home is a complete meal put on the table all at one time. The people here in Italy look at my pictures of tables in America and see all the food on the table and always remark on it. Every sit-down meal in Italy is never less than a two hour meal... usually 3 hours. Anyway, needless to say, we had a very late evening :)
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Needless to say, after such a late evening the night before, I had a bit of sleep-in, then the usual, study, walk, etc. Also, now that the laundry is available on the weekends, I was able to get my laundry done during the day, and my apartment cleaned up before Sunday. Also, much translation prep work for me on Saturdays for the meetings on Sundays, as I have the language barrier thing going on :)
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Cristina and I. Love this girl ! I also posted this on facebook... it is now my profile picture and here are the comments that were made
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November 19, 2014
I will include the following note/email I received and my reply, as it is easier than rewording and retyping it:
Gail to Carmen:
Wish I'd thought to ask if you need anything sent to you for the holidays that you can't get over there?! Anyway, here's list of places to get 
Thanksgiving 
dinner 
around the world (outside USA, of course). Rome is where it's at in Italy. Will eat a few bites for you (in Oak Harbor with my family) just in case you can't make it to Roma. 
Tho, am sure you're very resourceful in getting it real close to real thing if you wanted to (chicken instead of turkey, squash instead of yams/sweet potatoes/pumpkin, etc.) Let us know what you end up doing!
Thanksgiving dinner around the world (outside USA, of course). Rome is where it's at in Italy. Will eat a few bites for you (in Oak Harbor with my family) just in case you can't make it to Roma. Tho, am sure you're very resourceful in getting it real close to real thing if you wanted to (chicken instead of turkey, squash instead of yams/sweet potatoes/pumpkin, etc.) Let us know what you end up doing!
Carmen to Gail:
Gail you are so thoughtful and sweet!!! I will not be in Rome and currently have no plans here to celebrate since this is not their holiday. I have not seen any turkeys in any store either... a few on the streets, but none in the stores :) Eat some for me... especially the dressing, my favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving! In addition, Special Meetings start soon here and I have been invited to many lunches and dinners, so I think that will be feast enough!!! Won't be American style, however, I am okay with that. When I go back to US to visit, I will have someone make me a full on Thanksgiving dinner, no matter what month it is :) :) :) :) :)
You be very careful going over the Pass and being on winter roads ! I've been following the weather over there and it doesn't look 'healthy' !!! Lots of wrecks! This sure makes me love being in Bari and 70 degrees !
I really thought my baseball days were over, however, I managed to 'catch' a bad head cold this week. Now it has moved into my lungs, so cough, cough, cough. I am eating loads of garlic, so now I smell Italian!!! Sleeping a lot, staying in mostly, except for short walks to get some fresh air. Taking Echinacea, superfood, lots of fresh lemon and honey in hot water, fresh pineapple juice, putting Eucalyptus Oil on all my tissues and also rubbing on my chest in the shower. Going to be cured or killed !!
Doing laundry today. Yeah!! The apartment management finally agreed to let me use the laundry on Sat & Sun during the day! Before, we could only use it in the evenings between 7 & 11 PM and if anyone else was using it, could take a few days to find it available. But now having it available on Sat & Sun, I don't have to stay up so late and I can wash my sheets without having to wait half the night to get them dry so I can put them back on my bed. I would buy another set, however, sheets are very, very expensive here! The set I bought, cost me $150 Euro ! Crazy!
I have a Chiropractor appt at 4 today, but not sure I will go. Depends on how I feel this afternoon. Not sure today my head can take the pounding I get when I ride the bus. I don't think they use shocks over here !!!!! Now more studying...
Take care dear friend and thanks for your love, care and concern! HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!
Hugs, 
Carmen
CarmenNovember 23, 2014
Wasn't expecting the feelings that came on this day. Caught me a bit off guard. Spent a most of the day on Skype and Facebook 'visiting' with family and friends in America. I will just copy and post the facebook comments here, as they are many :) I think my feelings were expressed that day :)
November 28, 2014.
Next day, Friday, I went to Mafalda's.
November 29, 2014, Saturday
Having made the decision to head to the mountains for the winter holidays, it now became necessary for me to buy something to wear. I did not have any snow clothes or boots at all. I did not even have a coat! Teresa also had the same problem, since it had been 15 years since she had been to the mountains. So in the late afternoon/evening, we went to Decathlon and purchased what we could. However, there were things I needed they did not have, so I ended up ordering them from the US, then had to pay shipping twice, as they don't ship to Italy. Anyway, called on my dear US friends there to mail them to me as soon as they arrived in hopes of receiving them in time for the Holidays. Thank you Heather, Gail, Cindy, Dale for doing this and also for the other goodies Gail!!
November 30, 2014, Sunday
At Mafalda's, Sun. evening after bible study. Tonya, me, Luigi, Mafalda, Giacinto, Nicola
Hotel Boscolo Bari
Everything is fully geared up for Christmas here in Bari. This the Hotel Boscolo Bari, just down the street from my apartment. Not missing the cold weather in the USA. It has been 75 here this week. Had dinner with friends at a Restaurant last evening and had a lovely walk along the sea getting there. Love living near the sea and sure enjoy not having to deal with winter! However, they tell me it could get colder in Dec & Jan. I asked "how cold" and they said it could even get down to zero C. Of course, zero is 32 degrees F., so that would just be freezing :) . It is funny to me, to see them all wearing winter coats when it got down to 60 degrees F the other night :) For me, it felt wonderful and balmy !
December 1 - 21, 2014.
December 1, 2014
Nothing cheers a woman up more than shopping, so that is just what Cristina and I are doing today!! We had a great time at the IperCoop Mall. Actually had a bit of a laugh when one of the clerks thought I was an American Actress and Cristina was my shopping helper here ! Ha Ha... I think she was just trying to get my money!! Well, it worked ☺ I have lost a considerable amount of weight and I actually had very few clothes to wear! Found some great sweaters and tops, but no skirts. I had a couple that I purchased in a smaller size just before returning to Italy in August, so was really glad I had done that!
There is a big supermarket here as well, so looked for some of the things I would need for the baking I planned to do, however, no success. There are just some things I am unable to get here in Italy, so I just learn new ways to cook. :) All in all, a successful day.
December 2, 2014
Normal routine today, except had to go one last time to the Chiropractor before he left Italy for the Holidays. He is from California (been here 18 years, married to an Italian). Anyway, also stopped off at the Lab afterwards. It was getting dark and I was dressed warm and in slacks, as I had walked, so decided a scooter ride was just the thing to finish off the day. My first here in Italy! Hadn't been on a 'bike' for a good long time... it felt exhilarating. Not something I'm likely to do again anytime soon, but "when in Rome/Bari"... There are thousands of people scooting around on these things over here.
December 3, 2014
Cristina's folks had come to visit from Greece in October, but just within a couple of days, they recieved word that her mother had passed away and they had to return to Greece immediately. They were unable to return to Italy until end Nov/ first of Dec. I was really happy to see them again, since I had not seen them since my visit to Greece in June. They are absolutely lovely people and I am so glad we got to spend some time together here. They speak no English, or Italian, I speak no Greek, but thanks to Cristina and Marco, communicating is not a problem as they speak all three languages fluently. Her folks want me to come visit them in March or April this year... not sure if that will work at that time, however, I will make another journey over there as soon as I can. I also want to spend more time in Greece and travel to other parts, Athens, etc. I especially want to follow Paul's travels when I get an opportunity.
Toula and me
My daily walk along the promenade in front of my apartment. Love living on the sea, have never had this privilege before and I can't get enough of it ! Also posted it to facebook... copied the comments below, as I know several of you are not on facebook.
December 5 - 6, 2014
My dear friend Teresa took very ill and was quite worried, as well as her family. She was having what appeared to me to be a gallbladder attack. Nothing to do for it on the weekend, so I suggested doing a cleanse, which she did. I spent the day and evening there with her, returning home about 11pm Saturday evening. Anyway, she had some relief and went to the Doctor on Tuesday. The diagnosis was as suspected, so we waited a week and did the cleanse again. That time she had great success and seems to be doing great now. As we were planning to go the mountains together for the Christmas Holidays, we were all very happy that she was feeling well again !
Ever wonder how they get the furniture up these small stairwells and into these upper floor apartments? Well if you did, wonder no more!! This is how it gets done !
December 7 - 10, 2014
Everyone gearing up for the Holidays here in Bari. I was in the shops and couldn't believe these prices when I saw them. I just had to take a picture...
Cavier $2000.00 Euros !
Other pictures of my walks around the "Old City" of Bari. Tiny narrow streets. Just love wandering around and checking out all these old places. Also taking pictures of my usual walks as I don't always have my camera with me.
This leads to the old church and city
December 11 - 17, 2014
Very busy time now, with all my daily routines and the special visitors coming to Bari to make the Special Meeting rounds. I had the special privilege of having meals with several of the friends, as the workers made their rounds.
December 12, 2014, Friday
I promised Mafalda I would bring American pies for dessert for supper on Sunday after Special Meeting. There were to be about 25 of us. As all the people who had worked with me at the PUD all those years know, I love to bake pies and share them!!! But this was new challenge for me here in Italy ! First of all, they don't eat or make pies here in Italy. They don't even have a word for PIE in Italian. No ready made pie crusts in the freezer section, no vegetable shorting , no shredded coconut like I am used too (found some that was almost powder!) No cloves or ground ginger that I could find. Then to make it even MORE difficult, I do not have an OVEN! Since my apartment is actually a vacation rental, they didn't feel like anyone would use an oven I guess, especially, when a bakery is on every corner and some in the middle of the block as well. Easier to buy a treat than to make it here in Italy. So on this day, I prepared everything, made up my pie crusts with butter and put them in the refrigerator, pre-made all my pie filings and refrigerated them as well. Apple, peach, coconut cream and pumpkin (cinnamon only and I used cream cheese. It was delish!!) Next day, Saturday, I bagged/boxed everything up and took it with me when I went to Teresa's for lunch. Late in the evening after everyone had left, I 'built' my pies and used her oven to bake them. Since I didn't want to cart them back to my home that night, and since she was going to Mafalda's on Sunday as well, I just waited and took them the next day. They were a smashing success, if one believes all the lip smacking that went on Sunday evening ;)
December 13, 2014
What Teresa made for dinner ! It was yummy ! Risotto potato frutti di mare
Yesterday, I had made a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies to take to lunch today. They were very good and everyone liked them, however, for me, I am used to USA chocolate chips, not these tiny little flat things they have here :) Anyway, they didn't have anything to compare them with, so they liked them... especially Luigi. He ate several ☺ The leftovers I took to lunch on Sunday and shared them there.
December 14, 2014, Sunday.
After Spec. Mtg. in her home on Sunday, this evening about 25 stayed for supper. Now let me tell you, Mafalda is AMAZING !! She is 82 (I think or more) and she has prepared a feast for this many people, and not only that, she had twice that many there all day and also for lunch !
Stefano and Danny on entertainment duty ☺
Mafalda, Carla, AnnaMaria, David, Danny, Stefano...
Had been a long day for Aurora and Roberto!! Expending some energy!
December 15, 2014, Monday
Got up early and went to Mariella and Nicola's to help her prepare lunch. Poor David had a dentist appointment that morning and wasn't able to eat anything.... however, I had sent the left over pies home with Mariella the night before, and when she served them, David made an exception for that... tooth ache or not, he had a piece of pie ! ☺ He had bought some ice cream on the way back from the dentist and Carla also had some with her pie! They are not native Italians and appreciated good 'ole' American Pie and Ice Cream... as did I !
December 16, 2014, Tuesday
Danny K came by my place and we took a long walk down the promenade along the sea and had a great time of visiting ! We hadn't had much time to visit since my visit to Rome in October. Was also hoping to meet up with Damiano, however, he had a water problem in one of his rentals and was unable to meet us, so made arrangements to meet up with him the next day.
Danny's Italian is amazing... why am I having such a hard time with this crazy language!! We started studying about the same time. Granted, Danny speaks 4 languages and many I have spoken with say Italian is especially hard for American's, but, between he and Crengutsa, I am beginning to feel a little 'stupid' ! I just console myself... I have 'great' English!!
December 17, 2014, Wednesday Lunch
Lunch at Cristina and Marco's today.
Around 3 pm, Danny and I, along with Hans walked over to Mafalda's to pick up the car left there. Then Danny and I drove into Bari to meet up with Damiano. He took us to a very nice coffee shop near my apartment (Damiano's office also is just around the corner from me). Was nice they got to meet each other and we all had a great visit for little over an hour, then Danny and I needed to leave for the bible study that evening at 6pm. Damiano expressed interest to come with us, however, he had a prior commitment.
Roberto, Cristina, Marco, Tim, Nicola, Mariella, Toula, Aurora, Danny, AnnaMaria, Maria, Hansruedi. David, Enrico and Carla left on Tuesday on the train to attend a funeral in the North, so were not here the last two days of visiting rounds.
After Bible Study, supper at AnnaRita's and Daniele
Daniele and his mother AnnaRita.
Another very loooonnngg day! They brought me home around 11pm I think it was.
David and Enrico get back tomorrow and then head for Sicily for Specials there. Carla went on up to her area in the North.
What a wonderful week it has been!! Loved my time with all these wonderful dear people and all my wonderful privileges.
Now Holiday time is almost here.
December 18-19, 2014, Thursday
December 20, 2014, Saturday
Okay, that is all for this post. Next post will be the Holiday pictures taken in Molveno, however, any of you who are on facebook will have seen some of them already.
The weather is still delightful as seen by this picture taken on my walk on December 20th. Still wearing shorts and hanging out at the beach, however, the water has definitely gotten too cold for swimming. Lots to do today, as tomorrow is:
December 21, 2014, Sunday, and I'll be gone all day, then on Monday evening 22nd, (actually around midnight) we head to Molveno for ten days in the mountains, in the snow; skiing for them, sledding and just being for me :).
Sunday evening AnnaMaria called to make sure I was coming back ! She wasn't sure if I was leaving Italy or just on Holiday and she cared enough to call. She is a dear soul!
Interesting that while we were in Molveno, Bari actually got snow. It snowed in the night and was gone by 5pm the next evening. Liliana said they only get snow every two or three years and it never stays for more than a few hours. The only time I will probably ever see it snow here and I was in Molveno and missed it!! By the time I arrived back, I was talking a walk in my shirt sleeves!
These pictures were posted by Cristina:
Hopefully after I get caught up on my blogging, I stay caught up, because remembering all these details is almost more than my old brain cells can handle!!
Next post December 22-31, 2014 and a couple of January 1st. 2015
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