Well the Italian government has fallen - AGAIN.  It won't affect our daily lives so it's no big deal.  I just find it funny that an entire congress will just throw up their hands and say, "That's it!  I'm outta here!"' and walk out.  Oh well.  We went to dinner at some friend's last night and though much of the conversation was politics, no one was at all worried about the prospect of not having a sitting government for the next who-knows-how-long.  I have no idea what it's all about.  There are so many parties wrestling for power and so many different high government offices, I can't keep track.  And to be totally honest, I don't really care to.  I am certainly not going to vote here because it would be a blind, uneducated guess.  I'll leave Italy's future up to the Italians.

Our dinner was marvelous.  Gianni works for the telephone company but would love to be a gentleman farmer.  They have a hilltop house with a vegetable garden, fruit and nut trees.  They make as much of their own food as they have time to do.  Last night there were vegetables they'd grown, bread and gnocchi he'd made, a nut cake from their own hazelnuts.  All they need is to be making their own cheese, (they had some made by a friend in Sardenia), and they'd be all set.  Everything was yummy and I ate too much.  It is now 9 a.m. and I'm preparing a roast for Sunday lunch with the grandparents.  Such decadence. 

Sunday mornings are the only guaranteed quiet time in Italy.  It's because they're wedged between two big meals.  Saturday night is the evening when friends get together, which inevitably means dinner, and Sunday lunch is the traditional family time.  Right now everyone is either sleeping off last night or preparing for today.

It finally rained last night and has cooled down some.  There is the slightest change in color on some trees.  I do miss our brilliant Maine autumns!  xxoo me