Love Thy Neighbour

I haven't written on this blog for what feels like decades but I thought now would be a good time to get something off my head.

Today I had an interesting conversation with a Jehovah Witness.

Previously in your lives you've all encountered the strange knock on the door that you were not expecting, you take a look at who it is and its two strangers that you've never seen in your life and you are like OH GREAT just what I want to deal with, pushy Jehovah Witnesses.

I previously had one come to my door shortly after Frankie was born, they knew me by name and asked how my brand new baby was doing... this is all thanks to the snickering Matteo who was laying in bed listening to all of this. He's apparently met them before.

My immediate feelings where shut the door shut the door shut the door, not even sure to how I got rid of them but I did.

Anyways what I am trying to get at is, I took Frankie for a walk down to the grocery store to get Butternut Squash which is irrelevant to my story but I walked past these two ladies with their stand of bibles and pamphlets and this little voice inside of me said talk to them, ask them the questions that you have burning in your mind about their faith. So, I walked past and after my shop I walked back up to them. I asked them the questions that I had and learnt they too are similar to my religion, I am by no means saying I now believe what they believe but I understand a lot more then I did. Now when people go on about them I can actually have an input and I might be able to stand up for them in a way.

After all this what I am actually going on about is those pesky knocks on the door are actually not pesky intrusive knocks they are knock of kindness, because what they believe is to
Love Thy Neighbour and they are simply there to do exactly that Love Thy Neighbour.
What I thought was an intrusive gathering to manipulate me into believing in something which I would never give a second thought was actually a gift of kindness.

And thats all I have to say.

Hi it's me from Rome

I'm sitting here on the train ride home from Rome on the verge of puking in my lap. We switched trains and I found this seedy donair place... it was literally the only thing open. Let me put it to you like this, my donair contained French fries and ranch dressing, none of these things where requested by choice.

I felt like because of my stomach queezieness now would be a good time to enlighten you on what the hell I've been doing... surprisingly enough not drinking but rather learning things about the world we live in and the Italian I share a home with. 

We started our trip off with an 8 hour on foot 13km later mission of everything we could squeeze in before our legs gave in... and then we did it all over again the following day. I'm very impressed with Matteo's dad, he's had two knee surgeries quite recently and still kept up with us. Bravo Guieseppe bravo. You deserve all the wine your heart desires.🍷🍷

Villa Borghese Gardens

 

    

 

        

Trevi Fountain

 

 

    

The Vatican  

     

 On our final day (today) Robyn- my little but longer sister and I went on our own adventure to seek out the exact spot in the Colliseum where my father once stood in a picture. We believe we captured it here going from the location of the cross.

 

 

 

 

 

Outside the Colleseum 

 

All this adventure lead to a little lunch date with wine followed by a spilt espresso

 because I'm so elegant 

 

 

I'm departing from this now, the train is rocking back and forth and I really do not wish to seek out the foul pee stained bathroom that is a bonus with a ticket. 

BYE

My feet... and fish

If you know me well, you know that I'm obsessive about washing my feet. Maybe it's because I have the worst looking feet known to man kind, feet that make your children go run and hide. So anyways being here with open toed shoes constantly has made me have pure anxiety. As I walked through the fish market this morning there was water all over the cobble stoned floor, and then I realized no it's not water it's fish guts... well it has to be. So I ran back to the restaurant bathroom, locked the door and threw my dirty fishy feet into the sink. Matteo if your reading this... this is also what took me so long. Sorry, but not really.  

 

Candy for breakfast

One only dreamed of dessert for breakfast growing up. 

Crossiants filled with chocolate, canolies and cookies... but damn could I go for some eggs and bacon right now. But that's not a thing. Which Brandon Palmier warned me about but I didn't believe him. You win Brandon, you win.

 

At this moment I am sitting on a beach in the South of Italy with a lovely lady massaging my body as I lay on here her little hands are movements of pressure making my muscles so so happy. I just don't think she knows how much I love her right now.

 

That's not a zit that's a mosquito bite, and I have about 10.

We took a trolley up the mountain to this absolute stunning view. 

 

   
 

I channeled my inner Rose here

 

 

Una bottiglia d'acqua

That sentence means one bottle of water... basically the only thing I can say in Italian. 

 

Yesterday upon arriving we claimed our baggage and where missing the hand luggage the airline asked us to check at the gate... SURPRISE.

So we head towards the lost and found and there off to the side is a gang of employees so I approach a lady and tell her I've lost my bag. She gives me this blank stare. Points at my suitcase and says what's in there... "clothes?" And points at Matteos "clothes." I tell her I lost my hand luggage, she then points off to the side and I follow thinking she's going to help me. No. She then decides to strip my bag. Listen lady if I was smuggling drugs into your country I would not have approached you. 😂. Anyways she realized fast that when I meant clothes I actually meant clothes. CIAO.

Today we woke up at 3am for a flight to Sicily. This city is beyond beautiful!!!! 

However we went to this fish market and I literally almost threw up. Fish heads everywhere it was nothing like the tame Seattle fish market we know. I had to run out of there because of the smell and there's matteo left behind laughing his ass off. Thanks for the support babe. I've put a lot of our surroundings on Instagram story if any of you are turly interested in what I have to say.

Here's a couple of pictures from Catania today.

 

    

We finished off the day at the beach followed by a major jet lagged sleep. Following a dinner at 9pm in the city with Matteo's parents friends and kids!

The food here is unbelieveable but I need to learn to stop eating so much damn bread. But it's BREAD. 

 

   

I also took a picture inside a church... which I found out is a huge no no. But hey I can't read the signs.