Friends, Flowers, and Ferraris
I'm hoping to get all caught up with several "in-betweeners" that have happened in recent weeks, tucked in here and there, but definitely not forgotten.
I adore the sister missionaries, and I always have. There's just something about them that makes me want to hug them, care for them, and support them in whatever ways that I can. Sister Tenney (below on the far right) completed her mission and went home to Utah recently. I invited her and her companion, Sister Vitale (pronounced vee-TAW-lay), over for dinner just prior to Sister Tenney's departure.
During the dinner, Sister Vitale carefully practiced her limited English, with Sister Tenney filling in when necessary. Together they told us the story of when they first met six weeks earlier. Sister Tenney had been serving with Sister Perry, but when Sister Perry was scheduled to be transfered to a new area, Sister Vitale was brought in to take over for her a few days beforehand.
Sister Vitale was brand new in the mission field and was a little discombobulated at the time. She was feeling homesick, and when she learned that we have a military ward here in Vicenza and we all speak English, she became petrified. She is from Naples (Napoli) and only knew Italian and Spanish. Even when she was in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo, Utah, nobody really knew that she didn't speak any English because somehow she managed to hide it in her shyness. Because her fellow missionaries in the MTC were desperately trying to learn Italian, she became a great asset to them, but didn't have much time to learn any English in return.
When she arrived in Vicenza, she struggled to fit in at first. Sister Perry was very motherly and nurturing, patient and "huggy", all characteristics that Sister Vitale needed. But Sister Tenney (according to their shared explanation) was more independent and seemingly aloof. Sister Vitale somehow interpreted this to mean that Sister Tenney didn't want her there, which made her even more upset. She cried a lot those first few days when all three girls were together. Sister Tenney was not aware of this misunderstanding. She just always noted that Sister Perry was quick to step in and reassure Sister Vitale, so she felt that all was being taken care of and therefore she could focus on other things.
After Sister Perry left, and it was just the two of them, they began to meld together as a missionary companionship. They began to talk a lot more, because Sister Perry wasn't there to act as a buffer, and this led to the most incredible friendship. Over the course of 6 weeks, they became like twin sisters, giggling over everything, finishing each other's sentences, and emerging as the best of friends. Under Sister Tenney's patient tutelage, Sister Vitale began learning more and more English, too.
When Sister Tenney's final days started inching closer, Sister Vitale's tears began to increase once again, too. She became anxious and nervous about starting over with a new companion, and she expressed over dinner that no one would ever compare to her best friend Sister Tenney. We talked a LOT that evening, helping her to work through some of her fears and her sadness. I even gave her an English version of the illustrated children's edition of the Book of Mormon, to help her in her studies. She was SO grateful!
A few days later, I picked the both of them up and drove them to the train station. Sister Vitale didn't want to let go of Sister Tenney. But even with tears streaming down her cheeks, she still had the biggest smile on her face because she is strong and determined to be happy in spite of her heartbreak.
Sister Tenney held Sister Vitale for the longest time . . . and it even made ME cry!!
These wonderful young missionaries have left everyone and everything behind to serve the Lord for 18 months (the boys = 2 years). They worked hard for years to save and scrape up enough money to fund their mission each month - a flat amount that covers housing, food, transportation, etc. They often learn a new language in a very short amount of time, and then off they go. On planes, trains, busses, and even tuk-tuks to wherever they are assigned by God to serve.
They still carry burdens with them into the mission: troubled relationships at home, insecurities, disabilities, dyslexia, mental health issues, allergies, physical limitations, etc. But they are willing and wanting to serve the Lord by teaching people about Jesus Christ, so off they go, bringing all of these unwanted burdens with them. They have to adapt to new people, a new language, new foods, a new culture, and a highly organized schedule each day.
They are bound to have some tears at some point . . . some more than others.
As I drove away from the station, I cried a little. I really felt the spirit of these two sweet young ladies. I felt some of God's joy when we form such meaningful friendships here on earth, and I felt of His sadness when the inevitable tears start spilling down our cheeks.
This was an unusual departure this time, because it was Sister VITALE that we put on the first train. She went to Padova for a few days to partner up with another companionship while she waited for her new companion - who was due to arrive on Wednesday. (This was Sunday)
Meanwhile, I took Sister Tenney back to our house to hang out for a few hours until her train was due to arrive. She admitted she was very sad and wanted to cry, but she prefered to cry in private. When I asked her how she would like to spend her time while she waited with us, she grabbed at the offer to play a game. I think she wanted a distraction from her sadness. She told me that she would have plenty of time to cry as she rode the train alone to Milan later . . . Bless her heart.
We played almost every single level of Phase 10 with Scott, eating some snacks and enjoying our time together. She asked us how Scott and I met and how we eventually realized that we were meant for each other. I'm sure marriage isn't too far off in her future, now that she's home and getting ready to start college soon. Any perspective on how to find "the one", and how to recognize that you've found him, was on her mind. How adorable.
She also told me that Sister Vitale had been incredibly uncomfortable and shy about trying to speak any English up until they came to dinner at our house a few days before. But ever since then, Sister Vitale has been speaking up much more confidently. Sister Tenney said that there was a new "glow" in Sister Vitale and that she was grateful for our reassuring words to her. She felt that she could leave to go home more confidently herself, knowing that Sister Vitale would be in good hands. Awww. That was so sweet of her to say!
When I took Sister Tenney to the station, the Elders were walking down the street to meet us there so they could help Sister Tenney with her luggage, and we spotted them as we were driving by. I circled around at the next roundabout, pulled over and put my hazard lights on in the middle of a busy lane ('cuz that's what the Italians do), so that the boys could squeeze into my car. I'm not sure how they managed it, with all of Sister Tenney's luggage . . . but they did. We drove less than one mile with Elder Thacker and Elder Anderson packed like sardines into the back seat, bless their hearts. They helped her get situated at her train platform because they're heroes like that. :)
Within moments, I drove home. The boys walked home. And all was well.
Now, Sister Vitale has a new companion named Sister Howell. We are had them over for dinner on Friday, along with two new Elders that are only here for 6 weeks and then they both go home because they will have finished their two years of missionary service.
And life goes on . . . (Cue the Lion King . . . "The Circle of Life")
We had a baptism recently in our military ward, which is kind of rare. The missionaries aren't allowed to preach to the military servicemembers by seeking them out, but if the servicemember seeks the missionaries out, that is perfectly acceptable.
Reynold came to Vicenza on a temporary assignment while serving as a Chaplain with the Catholic Church. A few things happened that left a sour taste in his mouth, most especially with his own church. He began a journey of seeking out some other churches. I'm not sure if he started with ours, but when he began attending our Sunday services, he found a peaceful place where his answers were met with simple and profound gospel truths.
He is a serious "scriptorian" out of necessity (in order to qualify as a Chaplain), so when he began partnering his studies with both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, he felt increasing joy in his heart. It didn't take him very long to ask if he could be baptized.
The missionaries have gone to visit him regularly, particularly the senior missionaries (Sims), and also the Bishop. His sister-in-law flew over to be there with him as he came out of rehab and returned home. She has been there to cook for him, provide company for him when he gets home from work, etc. The Bishop asked (in our ward chat) if there was anyone who could maybe be a "friend" to HER, as she tries to be a supportive friend to her brother-in-law. I felt good about saying yes, so I did.
Scott and I went to the baptismal service, having only met Reynold once. He is so adorable! He is from Haiti and his accent is thick, so you almost have to lean in and really concentrate to understand what he's saying. The two official languages in Haiti are Haitian Creole and French. There is a sort of West African flavor that intermingles, as well, making his words sound more melodic and even bouncy. Like Jamaica? I don't know how to describe it . . . But anyway, he always has the biggest smile and he is SO HAPPY all the time.
Elder Sim gave one of the talks at the service . . .
We don't have a dedicated font, so it has to be assembled with a waterproof liner and filled up a few hours ahead of time. Below, Reynold is waiting for Elder Thacker (left) to carefully set a chair inside so they could step down into the font carefully. Elder Anderson is on the right. Scott was asked to be one of the witnesses, watching to make sure that every single part of Reynold's body was immersed. Once in a while, especially with girls and their long hair, there might be some part of the body that doesn't go fully underneath the water. In that case, the ordinance needs to be repeated a second time.
I ended up playing the piano for the service, and I did surprisingly well. There was a smaller group than usual at the baptism because it was also Prom Night, so several families were busy with helping their son or daughter to get ready, provide a group dinner, drive them to a scenic spot where photos could be taken, etc. Elder Thacker was prepared to just use the music that's available on Gospel Library for us to sing along with, but I didn't know this at first.
I had noticed that it was 15 minutes before the meeting was to begin, and nobody was playing any prelude music. So I sat down at the piano and opened up the hymn book and chose a few songs that I remembered how to play. While I was playing, Brother Chatterley (a counselor in the bishopric) arrived and asked if I would be willing to play for the service. He had a program with the music already printed on it for the opening and closing songs. I almost fell off my chair when I saw that the opening hymn was "I Believe in Christ", because it's one of the most difficult songs to play! It has all kinds of key changes, flats, sharps, etc. But I haven't sat down at a piano since I was at my house in Idaho Falls last summer . . .
He immediately saw the expression my face and quickly offered, "Or you could just play whatever you're most comfortable with . . ." I said, "But what if this is Reynold's favorite hymn?" He came right back with, "It doesn't matter. When you're the pianist, YOU get to decide what everyone sings." So that's how we ended up singing, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" on the next page. And everything went just fine.
In Sunday School the following day, Steve Lacy, a Colonel in the Army, taught the Gospel Doctrine class. Because it was a 5th Sunday, all the adults were combined and I didn't have to teach my youth Sunday School class - because they were all combined together with the Bishop and other youth leaders. Steve does such a fantastic job when he teaches. He's our Sunday School president, but he also regularly teaches Gospel Doctrine. On this particular day, he combined a basic American history lesson with some scriptural studies about religious freedoms. It was so informative! I wish I could attend Sunday School every time he teaches . . .
After church, we had a Linger Longer, where everyone brought food and we set up the chapel to be more like a cafeteria. Parents of the 6 graduating seniors were invited to bring a few items to decorate a table in honor of their son or daughter. As part of the Relief Society's contribution, I was tasked with ordering an Italian photo book for each of the graduating seniors where ward members could write notes of encouragement and support. Each photo book was basically a heavy duty coffee-table style book, with photos from all over Italy, including Vicenza! I ordered them on Amazon Italy and had them delivered to my house, and then we hauled them to church for the special day.
There are people hidden among us that are struggling with things like addiction, and we often don't even know that they exist. Our ward recently learned of such a person and now he is on our radar. We didn't even have any church membership records for him, to know that he existed, but a concerned family member tracked down our Bishop from the other side of the world to let us know that this person needed some spiritual support as he was going through rehab here in Italy.
Most days, Amy might go for a walk in the neighborhood where he lives, but much of her time is spent in scripture study and reading conference talks so that when he comes home she is in a good place to be a support for him. I reached out to see if she might like to get out and see something with me, and she happily accepted my offer. I picked her up and we drove downtown to walk around the main Piazza and let her get a feel for the historic city where she was visiting.
We didn't have very much time together that morning, though. A repair man was due to arrive a few hours later to fix their washing machine, but then he called at 10:15 a.m. to say he would be at the house around 10:30. Yikes! We were in the middle of downtown Vicenza . . . She told him we would hurry to get back to the house as quickly as possible. First we had to walk back to the parking garage and then drive back to her brother-in-law's house, but we still made it by 10:35. I think we even beat HIM there!!
So we only got to spend a little over an hour together that first morning, but we instantly bonded as we felt comfortable talking about some difficult things and the love we have for our families. She is here for a total of 3 weeks, and we have a few more day trips in the works. We just spent the whole day in Venice on Thursday and it was lovely. (More on that in the next post)
Side note: He came to church last Sunday with Amy and it was a meaningful experience for him. He hadn't been to church in a really long time. It was on the first Sunday of June, a time when members of the ward get up to share a personal testimony of how the Savior has helped them in their life, or a prayer was answered in a special way. He chose a great day to come back to church. :)
In honor of their special occasion, I made a green/white/red dinner for us. It consisted of Burrata Chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The Burrata Chicken was lovely and I would absolutely recommend it. (recipe below) Burrata is like a fresh mozzarella "pocket" with creamy, oozy goodness inside. It usually resides in a plastic container with a water bath to keep it fresh and protected, if you wanted to look for it in the grocery store. You can tear the burrata open and gently place some "blobs" on whatever it is you're cooking up. It is often placed on top of your meat/veggies/etc at the end of the cooking time, sort of as a garnish. You can also cover the pan with a lid to help the burrata get a little more melty if you like. It's SO GOOD.
This is a pretty close replica of how AI gave me a step-by-step recipe of Burrata Chicken:
Since this isn't the exact recipe that I used, I didn't put the burrata in first and then the chicken, as shown in steps #8 and #9 above. I put the chicken back into the pan first, and then the burrata on top of the chicken. I didn't use any red pepper flakes either, as the recipe suggests.
One of my friends in the Tuesdays in Italy group suggested that we meet for lunch before everyone goes every which-er-way for the summer. Even though only three of us showed up, it was perfect. We had much to discuss and it was wonderful! (L to R: Leslie Rollins, Emily Thompson, and Me)
Terry Sim, my friend who is serving here as a Military Relations Missionary, made several quilts for the Gallery Walk. My favorite one was her beautiful patriotic quilt hanging on the wall. (below)
Other entries included paintings, sketches, photography, ceramics, and woodworks. The Art Center did a great job putting this whole thing together. It was spread out across three separate buildings on the base. I noted that a military-based Scout Troop had several entries from the youth of our ward. They each made a clay bust of a human head and they did a pretty good job!
This one was made by Penny Rollins, my friend Leslie's daughter . . . (I think she is 14 yrs old)
One of my favorite new ways to teach my 11-13 year olds in Sunday School is to "crack open the scriptures within the first 5 minutes" and then combine our studies with a whiteboard project. A couple of Sundays ago we were discussing Deuteronomy 8, taking it verse by verse. I had them look for what God is asking of us in each of those verses, and then what are His promises or blessings to us. It proved to be very successful!
They were very engaged the whole time. One of the boys, Rhein Thompson (Emily's son), is SO SMART and full of interesting skills and talents. When I was asking for someone to give the opening prayer, usually everyone is scrambling to be "NOT IT". But on this occasion, he said, "If I give the prayer, can I do it in Italian?" I responded with, "Can you do it reverently and respectfully in Italian?" He said, "Yes." So I said, "Go for it." He did a great job!
He is also one that likes to read his assigned scripture verse with whatever accent he's feeling in that moment . . . LOL. Sometimes he will read in a thick German voice, other times it may sound like he's narrating one of the Harry Potter books in a British accent. But he's never doing it to be rowdy, he just wants a lane to express himself sometimes. I don't mind it at all. I'm just glad he's there and that he's so willing to participate.
During the second half of our lesson time, Scott will lead us in one of the scripture games he created for his seminary students this past school year. He made a scripture version of Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, and a Matching Game. So after we actively participate in our scripture discussion, then we get to play a fun game - but it also encourages plenty of learning! They love it. We usually play in small teams with the boys against the girls.
Isn't this flower stunning? It's called a Passiflora Caerulea, or Blue Passionflower. I saw it on one of our recent walkabouts. Apparently, it's part of a climbing vine that can reach 10 meters in height. The fruit that it produces IS edible, but the flavor is often described as unpleasant, ha ha.
We often pass by this little mini forest on our walks. Sometimes it reminds me of the Sacred Grove. Other times it acts as a nice respite from the heat, as long as you have bug spray on. Otherwise it might be more like the Grove of Death . . .
For a Relief Society activity in the middle of May, I brought some savory snacks for everyone, while Addie Mae provided an assortment of sweet treats. Since we were focusing on Family History and Memorial Day for the activity, I had the idea to make something that tied in with my own heritage, like when we used to do a monthly Ancestor Night during 2020 and into early 2021.
I did a little bit of research for something tasty (and simple) from Switzerland, since Scott and I were heading up there a few days later. I settled on making some Thurgauer Kaseschnitten.
It's basically:
- A good thick bread (French, sourdough, etc) with a little drizzle of apple juice or apple cider
- Thinly sliced apples (I think tart is better)
- Tilsiter cheese slices (pretty much like Havarti cheese)
- Slices of bacon or proscuitto
- Salt, pepper, and paprika
- Sliced green onions
- Then bake for 10-15 minutes
Recipe page here:
Addie Mae started us off with a gathering activity where we attempted to fill in our own 4-generation pedigree chart as best as we could. Prizes were given for those who got the most names; names + birth years; and names + birth years + birth locations. I aced it, of course, but I didn't think it was fair to grab a prize since we were in charge of the activity. :)
After the 4-generation sheet activity, I was able to share a few ways for the ladies to take a "next step" in their family history efforts and answer any questions. I also brought a printed list of some ideas that they could take home and discuss with their families.
I've been working on a special family history project of my own, squeezing it in as often as I can during the past several weeks. I will have it ready for a future blog post next month, so I hope you're on the edge of your seats in anticipation! It has been such a fun way to get to know my ancestors all over again.
The project is called "250 Years Ago . . ." and I have been furiously researching who was in America during the time of the Revolutionary War, did they serve or participate in the War in one capacity or another, and were there any other interesting stories that coincided with that time frame. It has been a lot of fun!
Because I was in the spirit of the 250th anniversary of America to be celebrated this year, I made a new floral arrangement for our entry door at the bottom of the stairs. It's a subtle way to say "I'm American" without drawing a ton of attention to ourselves here.
Down the street from our driveway is a little farmer's market shack, with seasonal offerings during the warmer months. Right now, they're selling asparagus, apricots, strawberries, and lots of cherries. We walked over one day to scope it out, and ended up bringing home some apricots and strawberries. :)
My friend, Brittney Espersen, came back to Italy for a second time and stayed with us again. I met her two years ago when she flew over for her daughter's high school graduation. This time, her son graduated and she wanted to be there to support him. The kids have primarily lived with their father for the past several years, but she gets to see them on occasion. She is the sweetest person you'll ever meet. She is so humble, but SO hardworking. She had to fight hard to get out of some dark places in her past, and has been on the best trajectory for more than a decade now.
I picked her up at the Venice Airport and we spent a short weekend together, before she had to fly back to Columbus, Georgia. But, just as we did two years ago, we made the most of our time together.
We went for a walk up the hill behind our home just as the sun was setting . . .
Scott spent some time helping her with her Physics schoolwork, something she's been struggling with (because her professor has all but checked out near the end of his teaching career). She still needs to do well in this class so she can finish strong with her degree in a few months.
We oohed and aahed over the absolutely gorgeous hydrangeas on one of our walks . . .
I mean, LOOK at all of these shades of pink, lavender, and blue . . .
There are also some bright pink hydrangeas blooming on the north side of our house, where the driveway curves around to the garage . . .
Brittney and I also drove to Soave (between Vicenza and Verona) to visit my favorite olive oil farm in the world: Bonamini. We arranged for Rebecca to give us a tour of the facility and then taste some of their olive oils. Right now, the olives are just tiny little babies and won't be ready to harvest until November.
They use every single part of the olive for something:
- The stems and leaves become compost
- The pits become a heating source, similar to pellets
Have you ever seen the TV series (now on YouTube I think) called "How It's Made"? Well, we were able to see everything behind the scenes, including when the labels were being affixed to each bottle before packing.
Have you ever seen a lemon blossom before? I hadn't . . . Rebecca told us about how her grandmother lost a couple of her favorite lemon trees this past winter, and they weren't exactly sure what happened. Grandma (Nonna) took great care to feed and care for the 2-3 remaining trees, and now they are slowly coming back to life.
Rebecca always does such a great job explaining the history of how olive oil has been made, and how the oxen would slowly walk in circles for hours to make the giant grinder go.
Next, it was time for the tasting table . . .
This was new . . . a worksheet that lets you make a few notes about each product that you're tasting. (See my completed form below)
These are the three types of oil that Rebecca chose for us to sample that morning: Veneto Valpolicella, Vert de Vertes, and Campo di Casa.
My impressions of each oil - what I smelled and what I tasted . . .
Rebecca even shared a recipe that her Grandma (or Nonna) came up with that uses their family's olive oil. For us, she suggested swapping out the San Felice oil listed below, and using some Campo di Casa oil instead. I think you could use any simple olive oil - as long as it's light and mild.
I think these types of glass bottles with the split spouts are meant for an olive oil/vinegar mix . . .
Later that evening, Scott rode the bus with us into downtown Vicenza. From the train station, we walked about 12 minutes to get into the Piazza in the heart of town. We passed by several students who were carefully sketching one of the buildings across the square. I saw some of them holding up their pencil as a guage, checking lines and measurements before adding more details to their sketchbook.
There was also a beautiful couple posing for wedding photos on the lower level of the Basilica . . .
Brittney had plans to meet her daughter and her son at a restaurant adjacent to the Piazza, and after we locked onto where the restaurant was, she found a spot to wait for them to arrive. She told us she'd be fine on her own, and encouraged us to head off on our own little adventure. :)
Scott and I walked over to a nearby cosmetic store where (surprisingly) it's cheaper to buy my face lotion in person than it is on Amazon Italy! (by $5) My face is pretty fussy about lotions and tends to react strongly to anything new. But my skin really likes this particular brand, so I don't mind heading into downtown Vicenza to get another bottle twice a year.
Next, we walked over to the *authentic* gelateria that Anilyn Croft found last June. She was staying with us, along with her parents for a few days. They live in our ward and neighborhood back in Idaho Falls. Ani and her father had signed up for a gelato-making class in Florence, I think, and they learned the differences between REAL gelato and Italian ice cream. The ice cream is very visible to passersby, with large colorful mounds of deliciousness for all to see. Gelato melts more easily, so it's best kept in metal tubs with a metal lid on top. You won't be able to see what you'll be eating until they're scooping it for you. Instead, there will just be a list of flavors posted on the wall for you to choose from. You can still ask for a sample if you're not sure about the flavor.
I chose a medium cup with three flavors: black cherry and chocolate chunk vanilla, mango, and limone. It's a good thing I got to the limone last, since it was on the bottom. It was super sour - and it was awesome!!
We sat on a bench outside the gelateria and watched a DJ and his buddies setting up in the little square for the evening. A saxophonist did a few riffs as he practiced a bit, coordinating with the smooth beat that the DJ was pumping out through the speakers.
Brittney and her son Benjamin . . .
One of the last things we did together was to try and hunt down some lemon seeds. First, we drove out to the large garden center in Creazzo, but they didn't have any lemon tree seeds. I even practiced some Italian by asking someone at the register: "Vendete semi di limone?" The answer was no . . .
She purchased some packets of herb seeds before we left, which made her very happy. (Thyme, basil, oregano, and rosemary)
Then we drove to the Pam Superstore near our house and found some good-looking lemons to bring home. We asked AI how to harvest the seeds for future planting, which was super helpful actually.
She cut the lemons in half and extracted all the seeds while I worked on dinner. Then she carefully rinsed them over a strainer, removing any clinging pulp. Next, we rigged a "drying station" so they would be nice and dried out by the time she needed to fly out in the morning. We placed them on a paper towel inside a bread loaf pan, and then turned on a small floor fan to help them get good and dry. We had to anchor the paper towel down with a couple of butter knives, because the seeds were so lightweight, ha ha.
By the time we went to bed, the top sides of the seeds were nice and dry, so we gently turned them over so the underside could dry out sufficiently overnight.
By the morning, they were completely dry and ready for packing. I placed them in a ziploc bag with a paper towel to help absorb any unforeseen moisture during travel, and then off they flew to America! She is excited to propagate them and then eventually give a baby lemon tree to her mother and another to a dear gardener friend. Hopefully our science experiment works!! XOXO
Another successful Sunday School class took place one week ago. We were studying the story of Samuel in the Old Testament - how God was calling him and he thought it was Eli, the old priest. After three times, Eli instructed Samuel that the next time it happened he should answer, "Here am I Lord. Thy servant heareth." I wanted to help the kids explore ways that God speaks to us and how we can discern His voice, since He will speak to us individually and in ways that we can learn to recognize.
After listing all of the scriptures that we would be looking up, the kids took turns drawing what was happening in the passages while someone else was reading the verses. Once their illustration was complete, I would have them translate it back to the class. Then we would identify some key words from the verses: How did God speak to this person or group? How did they come to understand that He was speaking to them?
They loved the whole setup!! They were asking well in advance of the next round if they could illustrate while a buddy would read the assigned verses. At the end of class, I asked them how they are liking this format of diving into the scriptures and having a project to do on the whiteboard. Rhein piped up by saying, "The only thing that's missing is some homemade cookies!" LOL
Our magnolia tree is blooming out in the yard . . .
On Monday of this past week, I drove with Sister Sim to "Il Migliore Mercatino dell'usato" (a flea market) down the street. This place used to be an old villa, and now it's packed with all kinds of STUFF.
I loved the woman in this photo the moment I saw her . . . She has the sweetest face. But I didn't bring her home.
Sister Sim told me that there is some interesting history within the walls of this villa. Firstly, it was built back in 1719, so it's been around for 300+ years. And apparently it was used as a military headquarters during WWII, and even functioned as barracks for the Germans. It was conveniently located near Del Din, with its airfield and buildings that could be used as command posts. The article that she read talked about how the stairs were quite worn from all the soldiers tromping up and down during the War.
Aren't these nightly sunsets just so fun? We think so.
We had an unusual sighting inside our utility closet last week. I opened the door and was shocked to find a fully built bird's nest at the back!! How they even got inside was a complete mystery . . .
There is typically a mesh screen to protect the room from the outside, while providing ventilation from the inside. But the mesh didn't appear to be destroyed, which made it all the more curious. Scott ended up cleaning everything out and then he built a new mesh screen - this time with a wire mesh material. He feels like it is much more secure now.
Also, there were no eggs in the nest, so it appeared to be freshly built - but not occupied yet.
I love the views from inside the hair salon that I go to (Nico &Co.). They have the prettiest little waterfall outside and you can hear the medium roar of the falls while you get your hair done. :)
Dragana wasn't there to do my hair this time, so Chiara stepped in. I actually liked what she did more than what Dragana usually does . . . the only problem is that Chiara speaks very limited English and Dragana is quite fluent, so what am I to do, ha ha. Chiara gave me a couple of choices on how to finish my hair - because in Italy, it's a huge no-no to walk out of a salon with wet/unprepared hair. You might even call it "scandalous" here. I would much rather just go home and wash and style my own hair, but I'm not "allowed" to do that in Italy. I have to subject myself to lots of blow-drying and poufing and then I'm supposed to own the ridiculously oversized look as I walk back to my car.
But this time, Chiara offered me a new choice - straightened hair with gentle spiral curls. Sure, I said, not feeling confident at all in whatever she could produce in the end. But hey - it wasn't bad! I even kept the look for the rest of the day - which was a first!!
I made a dinner one night for a new family that moved into our ward, the Bodily's. Madeleine just gave birth to her second baby in Vicenza, and bless her heart, she had such a great attitude about the whole thing. Prior to her delivery, she was able to take a tour of the local hospital. She described it as "stepping back into the 1950s", but then she added, "Well, it's better than giving birth at home by myself!"
Her sweet little boy, Dublin, was born on June 4th, and he has the same ginger hair as his mother. She has Irish heritage, so there you go. :)
On our way home from taking dinner to the Bodily's, we saw something extraordinary . . .
With a little help from AI: "On Tuesday, June 9th, Vicenza hosted the prestigious Ferrari Tribute 1000 Miglia, a highly anticipated event that serves as an official prelude and companion to the historic 1000 Miglia classic car race. The parade featured a stunning caravan of 120 modern and iconic Ferraris, spanning multiple generations. The cars entered Vicenza in the late afternoon and drove directly through the heart of the city's historic center. This was the first official leg of the 5-day event. The drivers started earlier that morning in Brescia, skirted Lake Garda, paraded through Vicenza, and concluded their evening in Padova."
Ferrari SF90 Stradale - a hybrid supercar with a combined output of 1000 horsepower . . .
Ferrari Roma, a coupe known for its minimalist design . . .
Green camouflage wrapped Ferrari 296 GTB (a hybrid) - twin turbocharged V6 engine paired with an electric motor, and a combined powertrain that produces up to 830 horsepower.
Ferrari 812 Competizione, a limited-series version of the 812 Superfast . . .
Black Ferrari 296 GTB, with a white racing livery stripe. Prices for this model range from approximately 320,000 euros to over 1,100,000 euros, depending on the specific variant and options.
Ferrari 812 Superfast . . .
Ferrari 12 Cilindri with a V12 engine. It is inspired by Ferrari grand tourers from the 1950s and 1960s. The car has a starting price of $975,000.
Finally, there were enough of them in a row that I could get a video: (17 seconds)
MOVING ON NOW TO CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN . . .
Avery is doing well up in Germany. Kylie and Miles recently took her to a Fair in the area, and Avery had a blast!!
Kylie and I are making some plans for me to come up there in August, and she's researching if there's a place that will allow Avery to ride a horse when she's only 4 years old. Crossing fingers . . .
Meanwhile, Jacob and his family finished packing up all of their household possessions, getting rid of a ton of stuff, and filling up a couple of storage cubes (from U-Haul). Once they settled things with their landlord and turned in the keys, they all flew out to visit Hannah's family in Utah for a week.
Maisie and Jack had a great time visiting Grandma Michelle and Grandpa Bob's farm in Scipio, Utah. Every day was an adventure.
Video of Maisie watching the horses one morning: (16 seconds)
Since then, a lot has happened for their family:
- Hannah is expecting!! (They knew this before they flew to Utah, but they shared it with the family while they were there). She is most likely due at the beginning of January, and soon we will know a more targeted due date, once she gets in to see a doctor. We are SO EXCITED!!!
- Jake flew back to Minneapolis a couple days ahead of his family. He hopped in their car that they left at the airport, and then drove a couple hours before staying the night somewhere in Iowa on his way south. He made it the rest of the way to Springfield the next day (June 6th).
- Oh! I guess I should mention that he has a NEW JOB down in Springfield, Missouri. He will be working in a newly created position as an analytics engineer for Bass Pro Shops. Springfield is home to their world headquarters. He started his new job one week ago on June 8th.
- He secured some company housing for his family for 30 days while they look for a more permanent place to live. This temporary housing just happens to have a swimming pool!
- Hannah, Jack, and Maisie flew from Utah to Kansas City last Sunday (June 7th), and Jake drove through a whopper of a rainstorm to pick them up.
- They are adjusting to the new (temporary) house, a new city and state, and no friends (yet).
- Jake said that the company housing is a solid 30 minutes south of where he works, so he's not super happy about about. He leaves the house at 7:30 a.m. and doesn't return until 5:30 p.m. He has worked from home for the past 1.5 years or so, which makes it even more difficult to be gone from his family for such a long day.
- Meanwhile, Hannah - in the early stages of growing a new human, wishes she could crawl into bed at 4:00 p.m. every day and just sleep through to the next day. But she's hanging in there . . .
Next post:
- A day in Venice with my new friend Amy
- AND . . . we will have arrived in Idaho Falls to begin working on our house projects
Comments
Post a Comment