Not that I'm complaining....but I had to go back to the doctor at the hospital 10 times for post-op check-ups!  Ten!  I've become a regular, just like on Cheers, except instead of sidling up to the bar every week, I take my place on the examination table to get squeezed and poked and prodded.  The nurses recognize me and say, "Oh, back again signora?"  Yup.  Here I am.  I have the routine down pat now.  I know just where to find free parking even though it's the third largest hospital in Italy.  (The underground parking lot for a supermarket across the street).  The place is so huge it would take half an hour to walk around it.  Not that I've tried.  I know just which entrance gets me to day surgery most quickly which is not the one they instructed me to use.  I always carry exact change for my 3.90 euro co-pay that has to be made using a machine that only takes exact change.  I know how to time it so that I don't have too long of a wait, (under an hour usually, which is remarkable as hundreds of patients pass through every day).  I've been reading some great books and have had lots of time for that.....gotta look on the good side, right?   My last check-up was on Thursday and I am NEVER going to have voluntary surgery again!  xxoo me

My darling daughter is on a bus to some remote mountain spot in France.  Her class has a week-long biology field trip to a national park where they will study flora and release rehabilitated fauna.  I don't believe there is WiFi and living conditions will be basic.  I'm not worried about Grace but I'd love to see some of her 5-star classmates washing their underwear in cold water in the sink.  Hee hee.  These are the children of people who refer to their servants by their nationalities, as though they aren't deserving of names.  They say things like "My Romanian drives the kids to school everyday."  At dinner with a group of parents one night a mother of one of Grace's classmates said she didn't know what she'd do without Her Filipino.  I said, "My uncle was Filipino",  and she looked at me like I'd just said "Shoe talk where green table!".   An utterly blank, uncomprehending expression because what I'd said made no sense. Obviously servants are possessions, not human beings.  Jesus. 

This week is practice time for me.  Childless!  Thursday I'm taking the day off work and GP and I will go see the newly opened World Expo in Milan.  Can't wait.  Though they've had five years to prepare for it I'm sure lots of venues still won't be finished.  This is the Italian way.  But we'll go back with Grace in the fall and see what we miss.  Tonight we are off to a reception at the school for the Board of directors, the staff and an international IB team evaluating the school this week.  Another occasion to eat too much.  If I must...  xxoo me

Oh my God what an afternoon!  After school I took Grace and friends into the city where they had to get money back for tickets bought for the Sam Smith concert in Milan that has been canceled because he is getting throat surgery.  GP had bought ME a ticket as well for my birthday, knowing that I love his music.  It would have been the first concert I'd been to in years!  It's cancelled.  Shit.  Anywho.. so while the girls were off doing their thing I decided to look in the shops for some summer clothes.  I went into a small shop in the city center where I have bought things in the past but they didn't have anything that interested me.  I tried on a blouse that didn't fit right so thanked them and started to leave when one of the owners said, " If you aren't going to buy anything, don't bother coming in."  I was so flabbergasted I stood there with my mouth hanging open.  Customer service is certainly not a strong point in shopping in Italy but this was over the top.  I was so angry I felt like I was going to cry so I stomped right off and spent way too much money in another shop where they kissed my ass!    Then I walked by the first shop with my large shopping bag swinging.  I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.  Only not so pretty.  After that exhausting experience I still had to wait for Grace for a while so I parked illegally near our meet -up point with my blinkers on and read.  Alas she was longer than expected and I drained my car battery.  I was parked next to a Taxi stand where about 10 cabs were waiting so I wandered over and asked if any of them could help me jump start my car.  They all looked at me like I was a lunatic and blatantly said "No, we don't do that'.  What the f***?  In the States they would have tripped over each other trying to help.  This is so typical here.  If you are family or a friend people will bend over backwards for you.  But most Italians won't lift a finger or spare a dime for strangers.  GP thankfully was home and came to the rescue.  Grace and I stopped and picked up Thank You pizza on the way home.  I'm never leaving the house again.  xxoo me

Oh, it is a proud moment.  If you go to Twitter or Facebook or YouTube or somewhere, (not up on my teen technology), and type in "bananas at 5SOS concert, Torino", there you will see my lovely daughter and her friend E.  It's just what we've always dreamed of,  Grace to be "the girl in the banana suit".  And I was so hoping for a Nobel Prize......  That was Friday night.  She lost her voice and has barely spoken since.  He he...   Speaking of which, for Mother's Day GP took me down to the sea.  It's up in the 80's now.  Summer is here to stay.  We went to Noli, my favorite little seaside town, and slept in the sun, swam, read a book and ate ice-cream.  Ahhhh.  Heaven.  We left Grace at home, voiceless and doing homework.  As it was Mother's Day I suppose I should have felt guilty about not spending it with my one and only darling child.  But I didn't.  xxoo me

Noli's hilltop castle

look at that water would ja!

one day in the sun and he looks like he spent a month

The wacko upstairs is singing old classics like "Moon River" at the top of his lungs.   Jesus.  His wife must be out because he doesn't dare when she's home.  That's when he sneaks off for a cigarette and a quiet walk.  I just came back from a short walk.  I'm still healing from my operation and trying to get started with the exercise again.  It is so discouraging that months of Pilates and long walks that resulted in a bit of firming-up have disappeared in two weeks of idleness.  It's a damp grey day but so lush and blooming that I keep have sneezing fits.  At times my walk took me through green tunnels that were so heavy with bees they sounded like I was walking under a transformer.  The smells are heady.  Love it.

 Tomorrow is mother-in-law's birthday.  Tuesday is my deceased father-in-law's birthday and their anniversary.  Tonight we are taking her out for dinner and it will be a tearfest.  I am sympathetic.  Honestly!  I just can't stand the drama.  Thank God for wine. 

I've been contemplating the next phase of my life.  I've done childhood.  (Out of my control.) Young adulthood.  (Completely wasted my time.)  Middle years and motherhood.  (Wonderful but alas, nearing an end.)  When Grace graduates and goes off to college in a year I'll be at my wits end.  What to do next?  OH SHUT UP!  (Not you out there in cyber land.  My f***ing neighbor!)  I can't concentrate.  Must go turn on music VERY LOUDLY!  xxoo me