​Weathering the Storm with the WP#192

The dust has settled and perhaps not with the election across the pond. The dust here continues to fly, not on the political side of things, but the workers came yesterday and, more was done. I expect from my perspective here in Europe, not much of a change in my little world with Rosa. A few more steps in the condo are done and we unveiled our new sleeper sofa in the living room, our bed has finally been moved, to you guessed it, the bedroom and a few more pieces of the puzzle have been placed. We received our brand-new kitchen table, a bit larger than anticipated, but in the end, it fits, it has wings that fold down, do just the two of us comfortably, but when we have momma over for a meal, we can seat 3 people comfortably in the kitchen by flipping up one of the wings, they call them here. I call them flaps, but it is a matter of semantics. It is a nice addition. Our new water heater has been installed, but the technician called in sick, so it will be cold water for a bit. ​

I also built a bookshelf headboard, and it is installed. It was not the best effort and I had to pull pieces apart and put them back together, but in the end, it is there, and sleeping in the bedroom, was strange, but a nice feeling. Maybe you have tried doing those building with a thousand pieces and directions that are less than clear. It should have taken a day, perhaps, but it took more, but fortunately, it worked and now is mounted on the wall and, as noted, the bed in is the bedroom. We still have new windows being installed there and other rooms soon and while air conditioning is not needed this time of year, it would be nice to have it installed. Again, little pieces in each room that still needing to be completed. I am simply tired of workers coming and going on different days, so that continuity can happen. ​

I realize I am sharing nothing to do about travel, or business or even the world, that is Italy, but it is the slow season now, and yes, I still have clients traveling, but the focus right now is getting the house in order, bit by bit and wading through the bureaucratic red tape that still weighs heavily.  I also will be receiving an old, sorry, classic desk, from momma at some point, to set up in the living room/dining room area. It is actually very nice. I could not take the desk that was my grandfathers, but I knew this coming in. In any case, we are getting there little by little and I will have an office area. Rosa has hers in the entrance way, which is what she wanted, so there will be some separation when we both must work at home which will both do at times as her guiding has also slowed down, but she still has in house projects at the library and online, as this project ends at the end of the year. ​

I have definitely become a part of the fabric of this society and now I am actually not only teaching English at the school, but have a student, a gentleman, who is probably in this 70’s or so, who is the owner of a pharma company. Twice a week now until about February, give or take, I will be going by metro almost the whole length of the Metro B line to his office and doing lessons, plus the actual time at the school, so between that and the travel planning, bureaucracy, finally having the vehicle and other worldly, sentimental items, finally eligible to be shipped from December 20, 2024, the craziness continues. I remember when worked at the Christmas Tree Shoppes, sorry for their demise, but I have a new balancing act between the business, the school, my marriage, the bureaucracy and just life in general. It is truly organized chaos, and sometimes it is hard to put out the little embers here and there and keep my sanity, but I find a way to get everything done, little by little. ​

I know this post is all over the place and really reflects what is going on right now. Sometimes, it is just rambling. Nothing is ever simple, and Richard Ingebretsen once said “Their ain’t no easy answers to nothing”. Thank you, Dick, and RIP. I look forward to some relaxing days and this may happen, if luck holds in December, but before that many things will be happening. Rosa and I are hoping to invite the family over for a Thanksgiving dinner, but it will be standing room only, most likely, since we don’t have many chairs, yet, nor a dining room table and other assorted things. Paper plates, plastic knives, forks, and spoons will work. Actually, we do have the silverware, but plates, enough for the family and anyone else Rosa invites, well, I will leave that to my beautiful bride. Here in Italy, you must go to the actual supermarket and order a whole turkey a week before the needed date, and to top that, I will be in Venice that week, so it will be the later afternoon of the 27th when I return to pick up the turkey or early on that Thursday morning. In the end, I wanted this for Rosa and I, a little bit of America in our little home, having a Thanksgiving dinner, as I am truly thankful for what I have.

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When I think about what I have writing about the past month or so, it has been really about the progress and I have always believed that things will fall into place and they will and every little step forward is just that, progress. It is slow, mind you, and that is what I signed up for, a slower pace of life, but time keeps moving forward no matter how you try to slow it down. I do sometimes feel like I am losing time each day, and maybe that is the case. I want to enjoy the fruits or Rosa and my labor. We want to settle into a life a peace and harmony and sometimes that is hard with the chaos, and so that is really what I am expressing lately. I wish I could share really exciting things, things I have seen, done, and experienced, but what we have experienced lately is life together on good and bad days. I also believe that what is happening will make us stronger. Next year, when we look back at all the craziness we have endured, we will be able to say, we did it and I look forward to that day. 
So, in the end, we are living our lives like others. As Rosa told me, perhaps you want to hear about exciting events, things around town, but right now, we just don’t have the time. I hope to get out more of my time in Rome and share more and expect next year, when I have my car, to get out of the city and share this country in a different way. We are simply living a boring life of a couple and getting by and trying to enjoy life. In the end, we do what we have to do. Thank you for your support and reading these offerings. I hope to have more to share in the coming months with the holidays approaching.