The promise of the new year.

This year has been quite year for us and our family.  Ups and downs. Tears and laughter. We’ve come out pretty good and that is due to the strength and love of those around us.  Those wonderful people who we count on and come running to help. Come rain or shine. I couldn’t be without them and I am forever grateful to them.  They remind me of the power of family and friendship can’t be lessened by geography.  I am especially grateful for that.

The Avett Brothers Head full of doubt/ Road full of promise I think is a great song to usher in the new year.  My favorite line is ” if you are loved by someone you are never rejected, decide what to be and go be it. ” What a freeing thought.

Happy New Year to all of you!

And many more

It’s official my Jesus year had ended and I am another year older. I am not complaining because it was a great weekend for a birthday. Sunny and warm. Which is funny because I can remember birthdays that I had in Minnesota where there was still snow on the ground. My mom and I would drive over to Southdale to pick out my present and there would be 20 foot high mounds of snow still in the parking lots but be 55 degrees out. Oh Minnesota. Anyway. It was a great day  which started out with a marching band passing by the house. I couldn’t believe it!  Since my summer as a Banner Girl for Monticello High School I have always had a deep appreciation of the marching band. Go ahead and call me a band geek. I ‘m okay with that because for me hearing those drums coming down the street and then hearing them play was a great way to start my birthday. 

Marching Band for my birthday?

Then M, Matisse and I went on a hike in Citta Alta we stopped and had  a picnic lunch and this was our view. Once at the top we  met up with J and D. J and D traveled all the way from Verona on a scooter ( thanks guys! ) which was such a great gift!

Citta Alta on a perfect sunny day

M threw a party for me at and it was a blast. I made BBQ pulled pork , potato salad, brownies and lemonade. All American and it was a hit!  All in all I have to say it was a pretty great birthday.

Party Time!

M and I.

Matisse in the pot. Taking advantage of company over to be bad...

Matisse: too pooped to party so I think I'll sleep here.

Friends?

One of the biggest changes/ challenge about adjusting to life here is my lack of friends. In Philly and in MSP I had great networks of friends but here…not so much. I talk to my back home friends via email and FB and that helps me feel connected back home but I am lacking that connection here. I have made some friends here through M and they have been great but its a little like work to hang out. My Italian is still not so great and somethings end up lost in translation. I always wonder  how they feel about having this new person in the group with the language skills of a two year-old. I am just so self conscious; two words that I would have never used to describe myself before I moved here. Making friends has always be easy for me but now it feels more like work. I am envious of the other expat bloggers who live in the larger cities like Rome and Milan. They really seem to be connected with each other with such ease. But like all things I am sure it was harder than looks. So I am reaching out to my fellow bloggers and expats to ask: How did you do it? How did you make friends in Italy?

Girls Weekend!

Last month I was really fortunate to have a visitor; one of my best girls made the trip form the states to visit me.  J is one of my oldest friends; we’ve been friends for about 14 years. So I was thrilled when she emailed me and said that she was coming to Italy. It was her birthday gift from her husband but It felt like a gift to me. I have made some great friends here but there is something about having one of your girls from home visit . It was great to show her around my new town and share my experience with her first hand. Although she was only here for a few days we did manage to get quite a bit in. We drank. We shopped. We saw art. We even went to an Atalanta game. All in all a succesful trip. The best care package a girl could ask for. 

 

Me and J at the Atalanta game- curva nord.

 

Drinks at Cafeteria

 

Hangin' in Citta Alta

 

Us in Colle Aperto

 

In front of the Duomo in Milano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Care package

I am so thrilled that the first of my friends is coming over to visit me! J. arrives in two weeks and I couldn’t be happier. Its her birthday present from her husband but it feels like a gift to me. Thanks A! I am looking forward to showing her my town; all the shopping , historical sites and of course introducing her to apritivo!! Which is my favorite thing about northern Italy. Culturally enforced happy hour- with snacks. It will be nice to have such a good friend here to share some of the experience first hand. Girls weekend!!!!  She took an Italian class this summer in preparation for coming here so hopefully between the two of us, and with the help of a few glasses of wine, we will take Bergamo by storm.

 I am also looking forward to my food care package: brown sugar, oatmeal and vanilla extract. Someday I will figure out how to live with out these things but really how can you make oatmeal raisin cookies and apple crisp with out it? And to me fall is not fall with out oatmeal raisin cookies or apple crisp.