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Sunday Pastry in the Park

27 May
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Espresso and a cornetto con crema.

27 May 2012. Our newest Roman tradition, a yummy pastry after a week of walking and walking and walking. Today we indulged at Parco della Musica, not only a concert venue, but site of a fine “Zero Chilometri” farmer’s market where we acquired direct-from the producer honey, wine, bread, and herbs.

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The Roman pines overlook the Parco della Musica.

Portlanders: Pink Martini is scheduled to perform here in July!

Happy Memorial Day to all! Yes, we get it off. We get the Italian holidays off, too. Life is good.

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Stopover at AMS

20 May

Stopover at AMS

Libbyjean and JaneGray enjoy a stopover in Amsterdam on the way to Rome.

No more keys

6 May

May 5, 2012: Today’s aha moment: for the first time since I can remember, I don’t have a key on a key ring. We sold both cars, left the house in the hands of a management company so no house keys, my office moved to a new building which I will not occupy due to our pending relo to Italy so no office or desk keys. My key ring has only a secure token fob on it for work email access. (OK, I have a Hertz key for my POS rental and an electronic key card for the Residence Inn. Doesn’t count in my book. They are not my keys.)

At least I can stop moving crappersonal belongings from place-to-place. Completed moving our offices to a new building a week ago, and the moving truck hauled away our Italy-bound goods on Wednesday.

Our furniture is “mummy-wrapped” for shipment to Italy. The house is looking strange.

Saturday we had a moving sale and emptied our house of virtually everything not attached. All we have is a hotel room full of luggage and two half-crazed felines.

Libby explores the hotel room. Most of her time is spent under a bed.

Poor kitties! They slept every night for 8 years, 3 months at 2628 NW Kennedy Court. Tuesday I bundled them into their new Sherpa Pet carriers and transported them to the Residence Inn. A lovely 2 bedroom/2 bath suite, I might add, since there are four of us, a litter box, and 8 pieces (God help me!) of luggage. The cats actually have their own suitcase, a handy Rick Steves Convertible Backpack, which of course they are too small to wear, so I will carry it on for them. In fact, of four allowed carry-ons for our trip, three are pet-related and one is for us. Two of the carry-ons are the cats.

Next week off to Minnesota and Nebraska for family visits. May 16: on to Rome!

Ciao adesso!