:)

"Mom, you are the best of moms because you always smile!"

No more than a simple :) is necessary here.

That's the Latest

A lot is happening here. The fact I'm a (forced) sporadic blogger doesn't mean I'm not writing at all. I am, I keep writing all the time but I'm too busy to sit down and post properly and make it all nice for you like I would like to. Sooner or later all of my drafts will pop out and flow on these pages like they deserve to be, and you'll be happier (I hope LOL) after catching up with me :)

For now, please enjoy this combination of photos and my Facebook status updates, before it's too late and I get too emotionally distracted to sum it all up.

May 2

Lovat Bookstore, during a peaceful afternoon of readings. Alice sips her hot chocolate and exclaims "Mum, I feel at home here!" and I'm the proudest mother.

May 3

"Good morning with a smile from us!"

May 4

Last photo correction approaching. I feel like crying.

 

May 5

www.pissedoff.com 

Delirium of a pissed off girl: Into the Wild is one of the best movies of the universe. Bows to Mr Penn. Period.

May 6

CONGRATULATIONS, FRANCE! 

"Le changement, c'est maintenant. Let's all follow this step!"

May 7

"Go fuck yourself. And u know who you are. Excuse my language, people, but she truly deserves this!"

May8

"Wow, mum, isn't the bartender handsome?"

"Yes, honey, he is, but I think he's gay."

"Oh. But he can always change, right?"

May 9

Nutella or not Nutella? Dammit!

May 10

"Alice, have u made your bed?"

"Yes, Madam!"

May 11

Racism against gypsies, regular parents beating scares and lots of disturbed questions. Should I put a limit to my daughter's friends in our house? Where's the borderline between accepting others/wanting to teach them right and being scared/snob? PS: Happy birthday to the man of my life!

May 12

The sound of my baby's voice whilst reading loud before falling asleep ... awwwwwww!

May 13

"Greetings from Venice!"

May 14

Can someone please explain to my hubbie that the fact he works from home at times doesn't mean I'm his secretary? :)

May 15

Slightly panicking. No photo inspiration for Sunday, on a writer's block and eating like crazy. This can't go on!

May 16

This pic scored 2 nd place at a month Photo Competition yesterday. I want to dedicate it to Valentina, Sandra, Lisa, Nesli, Roula, Asun and Zeina. Thank you, girls, for your constant support in my work. This was possible because of your motivating comments!

May 17

Waiting for lil princess to come home, on her first night out without parents -yuck! :)

May 18

"Alice, look at that glorious sunset, come and see it yourself. Call daddy, rush!"

"Daddy, daddyyyy, come and see you too!"

"Ohhhh, so is this what you disturbed me for?"

May 19

Calling nana is harder now: she's deafer and deafer. Happy birthday anyway!

May 20

Hazelnut milkshake and I'm ready for this final day out shooting in Nova Goriza, whilst the earth shaked again and a quake hit Emilia Romagna. It never rains but it pours!

May 21

Scared and demoralized by these bomb attacks, so close to another tragical anniversary. Even God refuses to bless Italy :(

And then today:

"One more week, Elda, hang in one more week and then life will be normal again."

Misenderstood Artist

"The sea is more beautiful with this color, right, Mom?"
"Looks like a dolphin swimming in blood to me."
 "Please! It's sunset colors!" Rolled eyes, combined with a sigh.

Big Ladies

"Mom, can you leave me here? I want to enter my ballet class on my own, so my friends don't see you. I'm big now!" 

The dreaded moment has arrived. Yiiiikes!

Slumbers

On the phone:

"Don't forget your favorite pillow at my pajama party tomorrow!"

"Okay. Can we stay up until morning?"

"Of course but remember: I rule. Because it's MY house!"

Earlier before that:

"Ali, go check your room, make sure everything is neat and clean for your party tomorrow, please."

"My room is okay, mom!"

It isn't what you do, but how you do it, right? :)

Child in Time

"Mom I definitely want to be a guitarist now. Forget explorers, forget stylists. I want to be a rocker!"

"Do you? Wow, that's a great job, sweetie. I'll be your fan number one, I'll come to every concert!"

"Oh no, no you can't because you'll have to babysit for my kids!"

"Oh! Yeah, sure. Then I'll watch you from TV."

"Yes please. And I can finally get rid of my Alice band. Rockers have long, wild hair, you know?"

"I know."

"Now pump up the volume, please. I love Deep Purple!"

Small and Wise

"Are you pregnant, mom?"
"Ahem, no! Why?"
"Your stomach is sooo swollen!"
"Okay, maybe it's all that beer ..."
"Or all the Nutella. Dad is right, we should hide that from you!"

On the elevator

"Please, Alice, go."

"No, no mummy, you go first."

"Darling, I don't leave babies unattended, so just go!"

"But mum, elders go first so, please, go!"

 

Gooooooooosh! :)

Dear Santa

"Sweetie, are you sure you don't want something else? The toys you asked are pretty expensive and Santa isn't rich enough to buy for every child in the world."

"Oh no, mum, no! Santa doesn't need to buy toys because he PRODUCES them. So don't worry!"

Well, at least I tried! :)

In a most delightful way

"Mom, stop telling me 'It's tiiime to waaaake uuup!' in the mornings, I'm not 2 anymore!"
"Oh! And how should I call you?"
"Just ask me, gently, 'Are yooou reaaaaaaady?' instead, okay?"

I see teens. Very clear. Double gosh!

Early romanticism

"Hey, Alice, what about Christmas in Paris?"

"Huuum, no thanks. It's so romantic that I only want to ge there with a boyfriend, otherwise it wouldn't make sense!"

I just HAD to share this!

Mars and Venus

"Alice, do you know I scored my first goal today?'

Silence.

"Ali, dear, don't you congratulate Simone? A first goal is like learning how to do a split."

"Hum, yeah, but I bet he hasn't borrowed 5 books from the school library yet. I have. And that counts more!"

Getting my daughter to like you will be a hard job, you guys. Good luck!

Autumn in the city

What can I do if I'm a sucker for Autumn? Take me or leave me :)

Ops!

"Mom, what about all those noises tonight?"

"What noises, sweetie?"

"You sounded like in need of a doctor ..."

"Ahh, those! Hummm ... I was actually having some bad tummy ache, you know? I was in real pain."

"Okay. I wish I wouldn't scream like that when I feel the same pain. You woke me up!"

"Did I? Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry! But I was truly desperate, you know?"

"Yeah, I know!"

About a sister

Gorgeous Lisa here in Trieste

Lisa is my closest friend, so close that I call her a sister. The sister I never had. Our friendship didn't debut in an idyllic way, though. It came unexpected, but like all surprising things happening your way when you least expect them, it matured through he years and it became something to be proud of.

There seemed to be no affinities between us when we met. We only knew we were in London for different reasons and stayed apart, trying not to interfere with each other's activities in the basement we shared. It took us months to realize that we were there to escape the same problems instead. As soon as we came to terms with this fact, we immediately started to bond. Not without a few dramas before, certainly. By the time our prejudges were cleared by then, we found out that we had more in common than we thought and started to fly high despite the distance (she still lives in London.)

If it's true that our friends are a reflection of ourselves or of the most important aspects of our personality, I think it's Lisa's courage that I admire the most. She's raising a baby abroad and on her own, away from her beloved family and from her partner himself, who didn't provide the moral and economical support she deserved. Today she's a fierce single mother of a lovely 10-year-old who reinvented her life. 

I'm proud of you, sis! And I can't stop thanking you for all the precious time we spend together. Having lisa and Alanis here, in the first apartment we call house, made me glad and extremely pleased. I loved spoiling them rotten. I really did. 

Miramare Castle was the firt thing I took them to visit on our way back home from the airport, where I picked them up. They were fascinated with the majesty of both the exterior and the interiors. Maximilian really did a good job in commissioning this castle to the best architects and gardners of the time. Too bad he was killed too early and couldn't enjoy this piece of beauty. His wife Charlotte's rooms are magical. Each single window has views on the sea and, even more attractively, the castle is rounded by a huge park which was filled with exotic plants and flowers. So the couple had lots to be entertained with during the short time they lived there at least. 

I thought hard to what to give Lisa as a welcome present. In the end I opted for a sightseeing tour of Trieste. I thought that, since they were only to stay here for 2 days, watching the best of the city could be a win-win. And it was. The trip also allowed me to view the city with a tourist eye. Not that I ever ceased but, well, it makes a difference.  

I also took them to Slovenia. Trieste has adopted me and is allowing me to spend the most significative years for me here. It's a place I'll always be related to because of Alice's formative years. But Slovenia is a country I fell in love with, it has a special place in my heart. I chose Koper, closer and practical, for Lisa and Alanis. A quick tour of the historical center and then some time off at the gardens near the port. They loved it.

But the real highlight of their stay here wa the weekend we spent in Verona. I had to overcome the fact this little trip meant travelling without Alice for the first time ever (I'm used to taking my daughter with me everywhere when I travel), but I knew this could also make me good. It felt strange, when I'm without Alice I feel like a miss an arm or a leg. Odd like that, I know. The umbilical cord had to be removed in these terms sooner or later. Now I'm happy I went. And I tell you more: I decided I need more trips on my own! he he

When we arrived autumn had made its drastic debut in a couple of hours. We weren't prepared with warm clothes and that was the only negative aspect of this little getaway. After the check in formalities at our hotel we immediately departed for a general stroll in this beautiful city. It's famous worldwide for the magnificient Arena, the ancient amphiteater of the Imperial Age that hosts the prestigious opera season and for being the setting of the beautiful yet tragic love story between Romeo and Juliet. Hence the name 'city of love.'

The famous Juliet's balcony in Villa Capuleti

L'Arena, the symbol of the city

But Verona is more than that. It's a city where three different cities cohexist beautifully in harmony. The Roman, the medieval and the Della Scala's (the Scaligeris, the family who governed the city) styles mark the urban development and make it charming. 

Piazza delle Erbe

As a plus, the river Adige that runs throughs it adds a romantic touch and creates two loops that guard the extraordinary historical, cultural and artistic heritage.

Castelvecchio (old castle) with its fortified Scaligero bridge

View from the Rive Gouche

Lovely days with lovely people. Thanks, sis, and see you in London now!

Saturday treats

Saturdays are gotten to be MY days. I could do things every now and then on my own actually, but Alfie is away 3 days a week now, he enjoys spending quality time with our little princess on weekends, and I leave them bond and do their things, their way, on Saturday mornings.

So while they're out and about, on their special rituals, I'm out and about too. I usually go to a jewel of literary charm and opportunities, Lovat bookstore. It's my favorite one because it's huge and full of chairs and cozy corners where you can read undisturbed for hours and none dares to disturb you. They also have a cafe where they don't get scared at the sight of people approaching book with a latte in their hands. They actually encourage you to keep reading.

Every writer's ambitious corner: where to present their books! :)

Bookstores enhance both the reader and the writer in me and give me peace. I could get lost in there for hours.Then, accidentally, when I remember I'm an intellectual but made of flesh and bones, I head to Erika's, my favorite cafe just around the corner, where they serve the best cappuccinos in town (my humble opinion.)

Hello, there!

Now that I think about it, bookstores are also a great deterrent from eating, it is at least for me. I'm too distracted and busy in there to think about food! :)

Gotta go and get dressed now, we'll head off to the Pumpkin Festival this afternoon, an event I simply adore for its creativity. It's genuine and pure, like every children festival should be. See you tomorrow with a report. Loads xxx

Meaningful lyrics

"Everyone believes that dental caries can be seen, but no no no, but no no no! And anyway you're a princess and you have no cavities. Look there, look over there how many royal men are waiting for youuuuuuuuuuu! U u uuu!"

(Heard from Alice singing while brushing her teeth today LOL)

Ehm ...

"Alice eats everything please, because this is a fresh fish thread."
 "It's not true, it's pretty warm instead!"
"Ahahaha no no, sweetie, I meant it was just caught!"
"Oh, okay. Why don't you speak better then?"

I've always been bad at Maths!

"It's not fair, mummy, you got 4 magazines, while I only got 4 stickers!"
"We got the same numbers of objects then, sweetie."
"Oh no, not true! My 4 stickers are elements of ONE unit, while you got 4 units!"

Wise words

"I wonder if your daddy landed in Paris safe and sound. It's strange he hasn't given us a call yet."
"Ahhhh, I'd give my whole room away with all my toys inside for a weekend in Paris!"
Dreamy eyes.
"Well, next time he goes for a business trip, we can join him. Huh?"
"Oh no, no way, I have to go to school!"
"I'm sure if you miss a few days it's not the end of the world, sweetie."
"Mom, I LOVE school and I can't miss any of it!"
"Ehm ... weren't you supposed to be an explorer?"
"Yes but school is more important now and, besides, I WILL be an explorer in the future, travelling can wait!"
"Do as you want, sweetie."
Remorse. Big time :)