Don't know if this blog was such a good idea- it's harder than i thought it wiuld be to get to (a computer and) it.Seems that it's a combo of a lot of my time is taken with the language class which i love- over 5 1/2 hours a day M-F, including "commute time". And the fact i'm sleeping only 5-6 hpurs a night. I can hardly put an english sentence together when class is done, much less get excited about email ecc.! A laptop would make it much easier and cheaper to stay in touch- next time.

You wouldn't believe how good we're eating at home...lots of fresh seafood- clams, mussels, scallops, tuna, calamari, shrimp. Andrew and Amelda bought a huge bag of mussels the other day for 7 euro! it's great that they don't mind running down to the fish guy before class, which starts later than mine. We had a very fun evening with John and Souheir, with Amelda's mussel pasta and a bottle of greek grappa i chased down in the afternoon after we'd tried it the night before at Frary's Bar, a great little Arab-Greek restaurant. The only other time we've gone out to dinner was at Paradiso Perduto when Andrew's folks were visiting.

A and A went to Croatia this long weekend to visit a national park...i think they're getting snow! Isn't youth great...

Thursday John met us in quiet cannaregio at Madonna dell'Orto (vegetable garden...there's a story) to look at Tintorettos there- he made lots for this church) and walk by his house a block away. We all got a gelato and walked around in the sun, trying to find Titian's house. I love the walks about and getting to spend time with this art. Going back for another look. And every street and campo tells a story in its name, not to mention all that you can pick up with John's help from the stylistic make-up of the churches and houses.

love from La Serenissima-
mikie