I have to say as the end of September comes closer, it is finally becoming real in a lot of ways. Each week I mention about progress, and other than a drop ceiling in the hallway (corridorio), items in the bathroom, the toilet, the sink, the shower head, and yes, the bidet have been placed and set up. There was even water connected, but I believe it was turned off, so it only dripped, but that is progress and a picture to prove it, and some pre-painting on the walls, before the actual colors appear, which I understand will be this week. We shall see, but yes, seeing fixtures set up in the bagno is progess. ​

As I sit here today, it is a very special birthday day, a heavenly birthday, if there is such a thing, as today Kenn would have celebrated his 86th birthday, but his passing a little more than a month after his 85th birthday, stopped that from happening. Death is part of the cycle of life for everyone.  I miss hearing his booming voice, each time I spoke with him, although later in his life, it was not as booming, but it was still Kenn. He used to say that he did not know what he wanted to do when he grew up, and while his childhood was nothing to write home about, hearing these stories in his later years, I don’t think he ever did, in many ways. He loved life and showed it every day. I noticed when I came to visit him in New York in the early years or later years in California. He took what he did seriously but was never so serious about it. He had confidence in himself as a teacher, and as a concert pianist, when he played, and this echoed throughout a room or concert hall. I sat in on some of his classes decades ago, and also attended a few of his concerts. He truly loved life and lived it to the very end, playing his Steinway piano each and every day at home and giving lessons to the end, both piano and vocal, including online during the pandemic. I have inherited this from him, taking what I do very seriously, but also, not taking myself so seriously and having fun doing it. ​

I shared with you when he died last October, our history, and I know he was “there” at our wedding in February. I felt his presence or perhaps I wanted it to be so, as this was the most important day of my life. Of course, knowing that his birthday was coming up, my mood over the past few days, or even weeks, has changed a bit. I was recalling the times we had in the 40 some years we had a relationship, as crazy as it was and, really feeling a void in my life. He is there in spirit, but I can’t pick up the phone and call him, and sometimes now, I wish I could. In fact, when I switched phone companies, I lost all the voicemails I had from him that I had kept, not having saved the audio elsewhere, but I still here his voice in my head, so I guess that is what counts and the memories. I thought I had closure when I went to his funeral last October and said my peace, but maybe not fully. I am sure when that anniversary approaches next month, I will write more, but felt the need to write about this first and foremost. ​

I don’t have any pictures to share this week about progress, but there has been some progress. The floors are down in both the bathroom and the kitchen, and the walls are being prepped for painting. Rosa and I agreed on paint colors throughout the condo, except the bedroom which has yet to be touched, as it is the storage area and we even agreed on a kitchen table and chairs, so that is progress, but there is still a long way to go. I thought that next week, the kitchen was to be built, but now, I hear that it won’t be for another week and the bathroom still need more tiles on the walls, then to be painted when the paint is brought in and then maybe, we may have a bathroom. Honestly, I am glad I will be gone for a few days later next week up in Tuscany at a trade show and conference, and I will be able to meet and greet some clients on Tuesday, here in Rome, before I do that, as I do need a change of scenery from the city, or more specifically, sitting at my computer working for the most part each day. As I have said before, I know we will have a place to live in the future that is ours, but sometimes the frustration creeps in with the pace of the progress, and the pace of the bureaucracy that is this country. ​

What can I say about this past week. Greeted clients to Rome and they have moved on to a cruise around all of Italy and then they will partake in the joys of the Veneto, where I just was, on to Tuscany, and then to Milano for the last leg of their trip. In the meantime, another set of clients came to town and Rosa has bee with them the past couple of days, so I am sure they enjoyed themselves. They are most self-entertainers, which is fine, and no news is always good news in my book, so I know they enjoyed their time in the Amalfi and finishing up their time in Rome before heading home. In fact, several clients ending their time here in Europe this past week, some from Belgium, some from France and some from Spain, and those who had been in Italy, so lots of moving parts to handle, but it is always good to have my partners on the ground to make sure all is good. In the end, I still have travelers here in Italy and will be for the next couple of weeks, as well as a couple coming to Greece later and in November, to the Czech Republic, and then no one on this, but other like Australia, take over. Did I tell you that is where Rosa I and I plan to spend anniversary, probably the 5th, but we won’t get ahead of ourselves. ​

Right now, I am writing this soliloquy from Riccione which is a town south of Rimini where the next two days, I have meeting with suppliers from all over Italy and other countries as well in Rimini itself. Rimini and Riccione are on the Adriatic Coast of Italy and very much beach destinations, but it is October, and the season is effectively over. Most hotels, condos and the like have closed for the season, but this is normal. While high season traditionally is June, July and August, the world, well those countries in the northern hemisphere have expanded from May to September and in some places, April to October, depending on where you are. Here in Italy, the season, with fits and starts comes in about the time after Easter, so it could be March, it could be April, depending on when the holiday hits, but the real brunt of the season is really May to September, and so the best values are early in the season and later in the season, but not all services are available. In any case, I arrived here from Venice, specifically the Lido where I had attended another trade show called Buy Veneto, the region where Venice is, but the Veneto is so much more than that. Of course, everyone knows Venice, or thinks they do. They perhaps know Verona with the Romeo and Juliet reference. By the way, did you know that Alfa Romeo has a car called the Guiletta, go figure 😊. In any case, there is so much more to the Veneto and the surrounding regions beyond the usual places like Vicenza and Piacenza. All worthwhile, but just like some of the hidden gems of Tuscany, like Amiata which I visited last week after Buy Tuscany, there are also hidden gems here, but you will need a car to get around. ​

I was trying to think of some new things to write about this week and yes, I have discussed progress upstairs and even took a walk upstairs to see what has been accomplished. It turns out, I am seeing some color on the walls of the bathroom and kitchen as tiles are continuing to go up and the floor of the shower seems to be down. Most of it is under paper to protect it, but it is progress. We also had the washer/dryer delivered last week, which I believe I mentioned and the new additions this week is that yesterday, we bought a brand new bed, and a sleeper sofa for the living room, both being made custom for us, so the first pieces of furniture are in process, so that is progress and the bed is hotel quality from a factory store that cost less than what I paid for my new bed, custom made back in the states some 4 years ago that in the end, was destroyed in the flood that hit my storage locker. It is nice to be starting new. Of course, they will be made and delivered, hopefully, at a point when we have a place for them, but it is progress. ​

The other event this past week is that my second interview with the English Language School yielded a positive result and they wanted to offer me a contract and most appreciatively accepted. Now mor paperwork and bureaucracy. I need to have an Italian bank account and I thought that would be relatively simple, and they even suggested I try Revolut, which is really an online bank and not specific to Italy. However, for identification purposes, they require two things, one my passport, easy enough and two, proof of visa, which as you have heard from me, before is in process. So, technically, I do not have a visa, yet, but they require it, so while the school wants to offer me a contract to start by the end of the month, unless I can get an Italian bank to accept all the proofs I have, so I can open an account here in this place, it may be all for naught. I hope not and we will just have to see. It would be a very nice balance, but also make things even more complicated, but nothing in life is worthwhile, is easy and this is no exception. They say that what does not kill us, makes up stronger and this experience certainly is. ​

Progress is an interesting word. It means that things have moved forward and while this is true, on the condo, on the paperwork, on the delivery of items for the condo etc., it is sometimes like watching grass grow and as they a watched pot, never boils. I only went upstairs a couple of times this week and yes, the tiles are down on the floor in the kitchen and on the walls there. They are down in part the bathroom floor, covered by paper to protect them, and the walls are being prepared for painting, I think, but I see no paint in sight. Yes, some of the walls are patched and ready to be painted, but as I will share a few pictures of the progress, it matches the pace of this country, slow. ​

I did have my second interview for a teaching English job on Monday and it went well. It turns out that the lady who interviewed me is from Canada, and we had not just the usual suspect questions, but it was mostly a conversation. I was also asked to prepare a lesson plan that was conversation oriented and one where it was a subject that, if one had a group of students, there would be some common ground. There was vocabulary and some writing, but the focus of this school is on conversation and not dwelling on grammar, as most of the students are at a B1 or B2 level and so they are able to engage in a real conversation, with some potential errors, but also able to truly understand the concept. I wrapped my lesson around travel planning and itineraries, what a shock, huh!!! In the end, she has been here in Italy for 15 years and the conversation, as the one I had with the American, here 25 years from New York at the hostel, was essentially the same. ​

The bureaucracy here is beyond slow. The lady mentioned that even though her kids were born here in Italy, they still question, or can’t find documents, and I should remain confident of getting my residency in the next few months. She told me everything was paper and not on the computer. I think the most interesting part of the interview was when she explained the process as I had asked about training in preparation for the job, and she said they do not use that word anymore. Apparently, they call in onboarding, training is a word that is politically incorrect. You are not supposed to train people. Why not? I guess it has been ancient history since I had done an interview, which is true, not counting my “interview” at the Christmas Tree Shoppes several Novembers ago. Remember the Christmas Tree Shoppes. They don’t exist anymore. In any case, that was not an interview, as I had essentially said at that time, you are looking for a warm body over the holidays and it is seasonal. You know what happened. I was hired and stayed on for over 2 years, full time before I parted ways. ​

As far as this interview was concerned at Wall Street English having not done an interview since I started at Adventures plus nearly 20 years ago, I think I did well. We were two adults discussing experiences and the experience of life in Italy. She shared the methodology of the school, asked what questions I had, reviewed what the lady the other day had discussed, and this lasted about an hour, give, or take. I like their system and would be happy to work there part time, 15 to 20 hours, if hired, and it would a nice balance, as they are very flexible and even cover a lot during what is my slow season here, so we will see and if I am hired, wonderful, I will share next week, if not, I will share next week. The pay is reasonable and would be a nice addition, but then the Italian government would get their cut, and then I would be fully integrated into the system, but I am getting ahead of myself when all is said and done. It was a good experience, and it did get me out of the house and out of my routine. I even grabbed a good porchetta sandwich afterwards, very tasty, but very fattening and a stop at bookstore near Repubblica before heading home. Sometimes you just have to go for it. ​

As this month progresses, I am also very excited to be welcoming clients here to Rome. More chance to get out of the house, and not just do paperwork or e-paperwork as it were. Yes, I know I need to make time to get out, but sometimes I just get bogged down and as the bulk of my clients for this year are traveling in September and October, I need to make sure they are taken care of. Just yesterday, I sent out two sets of e-documents full of wonderful ideas and of course, the necessary vouchers, all electronic, and the day before another set of e-documents, complete with important and exciting information. Gone are the days when I sent out my beautiful portfolio folder with a pile of papers. Besides, imagine how costly it would be to send paper portfolios to my clients across America from Italy. I am trying to do my part for the earth and my bottom line. My clients, overall, love the e-portfolio and as I think of new things to enhance it, I can add those elements very easily. In the end, the craziness will shift from being a captive audience for the workers, and the delivery people to meeting and greeting as many of my clients here in the Eternal City as possible as I too, will take to the road around this country starting at the end of September and into October. So, has there been progress, well yes, there has been, but it does not go in leaps and bounds, but in dribs and drabs. ​

I hope you have enjoyed my offerings each week and appreciate that you have read my blog posts and look forward to continuing with sharing. As always, thank you so much for your support of Rosa’s and my crazy little world here in Rome now that they have been merged into one. We truly appreciate your support. And, speaking of support of our crazy little world, check out the WP bling you can order on my website with Queensboro. They do a wonderful job and I do not make a dime on this. They even have the Rosa di Roma logo, if you prefer to order a knit hat for the wintertime and for those travelers with younger ones and deciding on what to do in terms of bringing all the seats and fold up cribs etc., don’t. Check out Baby Quip on my service page of the website. I now have an affiliation with them, and you can trust and order items for your next trip domestically or internationally via the Baby Quip link on my website, so you have less to carry enroute to your next amazing destination. Stay safe, healthy, and most importantly happy, and as always, your shared comments and thoughts are most welcome!!!