Today was our last day of school and the last of our good-byes.  Sadly our German friends are heading back north after a two year stint here.  We'll miss them.  We had dinner with the grandparents and then came home to another soccer match on TV.  We've seen someone from our school in almost every match as the players from Juventus are from all over the world.  Tonight it was a player on the Uruguayan team.  His daughter is in kindergarten.  We fly home tomorrow so this is my last entry till September.  Strange but leaving is a little bittersweet this time.  It must be because many good friends won't be here when we return.  Next year will be very different.  Ah well.  Soon home.  I can't wait for that fresh sea air.  Till later!  xxoo me

One more good-bye party today and really - at this point my liver is shot.  Today's fest was a good-bye to the teachers heading off to foreign shores.  There was sparkling wine accompanying trifle, cookies, cake and ice-cream.  This was after school, before the official dinner, (which I skipped).   I need a diet vacation.  I want water and lettuce for a month.  After a season or three in Italy, without a break, I am up to my gills in food and wine and and and.  Tomorrow is my last day of work.  Tomorrow night is a good-bye dinner with the grandparents.  Then blessedly summer, where if I behave, I can control my in-take without too much temptation.  It is dangerous being in Italy and having so little self control.  Damn.  Two days and we head home.  Hope I make it....  xxoo me

Three cheers!  Italy won against England the other night.  I actually stayed up to watch it live on regular TV from 12 - 2 a.m..  As Italy won, we now have 20 euro discount at the supermarket.  Yup, they do that. Then the US won last night!  Who woulda thunk it?  Down to our last couple days before summer vacation.  GP went to the supermarket to spend our World Cup discount by buying us our favorites before we leave.  For me it's Tomino, a creamy spreadable cheese you drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs.  For Grace it's salami and breads.  There are certain things you just can't get at home.  But at the same time I can't wait for my first lobster and peanut butter ice-cream!  The supermarket was a whirlwind of activity because everyone has to use their World Cup discounts.  They were buying stuff up like it's Armageddon.  People were fighting over the last pieces of bread.

Sunday, we had a BBQ at friends who live in the next town over.  I always find the house thing surprising.  Italians, maybe all Europeans, simply require so much less space than Americans.  The friends we went to are unimaginably wealthy.  I know no one even vaguely in the same ballpark in the US.  But they live in a two bedroom place most of the year.  ( Mind you it's one hell of a place but still.....)  I think this fixation with space is ours alone.  I can't wait to get home to my little house that seems so spacious right now.  xxoo me