​Weathering the Storm with the WP#81

Wow, another week has gone by, and I am starting the wonder where the time as gone. Week 7 is done and into the last 3 plus weeks, which will be filled with many experiences in and out of Rome which I will be excited to share with you. As I have said before, I am not counting the days as I want each one of them to be special and last as long as possible. Of course, I plan on returning in November for some time, but it is still August and I have to make the most of the time here and now. This week had some usual experiences of life here in Rome and what we do every day and one very special one, but it was a full week with other experiences, as well. 

Rosa and I took in a movie, in this case, an outdoor venue at the Borghese Gardens and remember, this is where we first met, at the Borghese Gallery, when she was my guide there, on the 19th of February 2020, right before I had to get off the continent due to Covid and the world shutting down for the better part of 1 ½ to 2 years. We saw Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. I really enjoyed it and had some good memories as I remember some thirty-five plus years ago, being asked by my biological father Kenn, who at the time, taught music, choir etc. at Canarsie High School, in Brooklyn, to sit in with the pit orchestra (all high schoolers of course besides me😊) and play the trumpet parts in the musical. It was a lot of fun, and it was a nice memory and something he and I shared those many years ago. 

I have played trumpet, since 4th grade and still occasionally pick up the horn, although I have not picked it up since I played on the music video I did for Rosa and that was for Christmas 2020 and was shared after New Years 2021, with the help of some friends. If you have never seen the YouTube music video, check it out at www.YouTube.com/wanderingpuffin and look for Rosa of Roma. In any case, we had a very nice evening and also enjoyed Saturday together as she and I went to Ostia, a first for me and got a bit sunburned, but it was nice walking along the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is technically part of the Mediterranean Sea, so named for the Tyrrhenian people identified with the Etruscans of Italy as per Wikipedia, so we have now learned something new. In any case, it was a very nice day out, enjoyed some very good fried bacala, calamari and gamberi and squeezed in a gelato. When we returned, we stopped and walked through the Gabartella neighborhood, which I did not recognize at first, but Rosa reminded me that this is where we went, that special place of hers, the second time we were together, after I returned to Rome after a few days in Florence, before I left for the next day for Copenhagen, but that was at night. This was during the afternoon, so I did not recognize it, but it was another part of this special week. 

Saturday, we also had Rosa’s momma over to the apartment for dinner and that was very nice, as I was able to create some dishes with what we had in the refrigerator as we are trying to use things up, knowing that many of the days in the next two weeks we will be out of Rome, going to three different regions around Italy, so it was very nice to be creative and come up with some dishes, set up the dining table in the living room area and had a nice evening together. The most important event of the week is that we celebrated 2 ½ years together and being here in person to do it and also having been here for her birthday, truly has made this time here very special. We had talked about going out for dinner, but many of the places here in Rome are closed for the August holidays and the Italians go on their own holidays. She said she would make a nice dinner, but then she worked all day, guiding two groups and working at the library, so I decided I would make dinner and made something more American, as I was not going to try to make any Italian dishes, but again, it was nice to be able to create a nice meal for us and of course, it came with a hand-written card and a dozen roses. 
So, like I said, it was a very special week to be here in Rome with her and next week, we will be away from Rome most of the week and I am excited to share those experiences with you. I have also kept busy with travel planning and clients coming to Italy next month, some I will welcome here in person, and October, as well as other parts of Europe.  I am also inching closer to completing my practicum for teaching English as a foreign language to earn my certification which I hope to have before I leave here, but I know I will earn it very soon. In the end, I am excited about where life is taking me on this amazing journey and sharing more from this American in Rome. 
Until next week and the continual sharing of pictures of my experiences, and as always, I am interested in your thoughts, comments, questions and adding to the discourse is always appreciated be in on the site itself or on Facebook, Twitter or wherever you read this. Thank you for your support of my crazy little world and of my small business. It is truly appreciated!!!