Raindeer Games!

Courtesy of EG and Tater and before that Farmboz:

You Are Dancer

Carefree and fun, you always find reasons to do a happy dance. Why You're Naughty: That dark stint you had as Santa's private dancer. Why You're Nice: You're friendly. Very friendly.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Okay that thing with kindly older gentleman and drinks, that was a long, long time ago. And friendly is a good thing. Right?

05 dicembre - Beato Guido Maria Confort

Sharing

It's been a while since I've shared the wealth of postings that are out there on my favorite blogs, not because I haven't been checking things out but mostly because I've gotten lazy. There's been a kind of lethargy settled over our place the last month or so - call it the post-winter blahs, big-city depression, whatever but its certainly had its effect on my blogging activity. It took me almost a week to get a posting done on the very exciting Fidelio I experienced two weeks ago; and I still haven't posted anything about the two Vatican visits last weekend - but they are in the works. Maybe by Pentecost???

Here are a few things that I've read and enjoyed over the past few weeks.

• One of my great inspirations when I first started blogging, the incredible Lynette over at Big Ass Belle posted a piece on prayer God's Golden Spotlight back at the end of March - yes its been that long since I shared. It came at a time for me when prayer seems to have, in a small way, reentered my life. And it's great to see Lynette posting again, even if for the moment it is only off and on.

This alms slot is at the portal of the now closed Church of St Giacomo in Augusto which was built to serve the former hospital for the incurables.

• The newly shaven EvilGnome had an unusual sighting in the middle of Boston earlier this week. And his camera has come in handy for capturing the birds that are flocking to his neighbourhood. And in his wry way he shared his thoughts as he looked in the mirror razor in hand.

This funeral monument set in the floor at Santa Maria dei Aracoeli was commissioned to commemorate the burial spot of an important personage for eternity. Ironically their name and face has been erased by the footsteps of centuries of worshipers and tourists.

• As well as changing her profile picture (you can't mistake those naughty eyes) Sageweb had a transcendental experience in the grocery aisle that had me in stitches. And she ended the week with two great videos that are touching and reaffirming.

Just off Campo di Fiori this stable/coach house dates from the 1500s - its now a beauty salon. Sic Transit Upsweep!

• That master storyteller Tater tells us about a bitter realization that changes a boy's life.

We saw this famous map of Venice last Monday during our private tour of the Vatican Museum - its on the wall at the end of the incredible Map Room. Venice is one of our favorite cities and we'll be there next week just in time for their Patronal festival. Don't even ask about the cost of hotel rooms!

• Foodie Jonathan at Around Britain with A Paunch praises the joys of Heinz 57 and unveils a new upscale version that's coming on the market.

For any of you who think you want might want to relive those moments from Three Coins in the Fountain - here's the crowds at the Fontana di Trevi on a quiet day in late February. You won't want to see it now that the warm weather is here. Actually you may not be able to see it.

• For the past few weeks Jeff has been taking us on a Sunday drive through his neighbourhoods. It reminded me of the Sunday drives we often took when I was young - only in this case the driver is a heck of a lot better looking.

When we were having lunch with friends at Bleve, a great little wine bar near San Andrea delle Valle, Laurent noticed that this Bacchus seemed just a little bit tipsy. I must say his eyes do have that slightly unfocused look I remember - says he very self-righteously after over six weeks without a drink - from my drinking days.

• And Elizabeth has been keeping us posted, as her time allows, on how things are progressing with KH after his surgery. Though I've removed the candle from the sidebar I'm still stopping in to light a candle for his recovery and to remind myself of the needs and concerns of so many of my friends.

After the Papal audience on the Wednesday following Easter newly married couples were lining up for their photo-op. Couples come from all over to re-don their wedding finery and receive the Papal blessing during the general audience. The couple waiting their turn were from Spain.

You may have read some of these posts already - if not give them a visit. And if you have, what it would hurt you to take a second look?

19 aprile - Sant'Emma

4 X 10

So here I am in the middle of working on a few posts appropriate to Holy Week and doesn't Lorraine come along with a bit of memish distraction. Well I'm easily distracted and I wanted to post a few pictures from Athens so:

There isn't a cafe in Athens where you won't find a Coffee Frappe - sweetened ice coffee with a delicious foam on top. My favorite is at the Cafe Metropole in the Cathedral Square.

Four jobs I’ve had in my life:
Airline Employee (33 years) - Clerk, Customer Service Agent, Training Instructor, Project Manager
English Teacher to the Polish Armed Forces Chiefs of Staff
Web Editor of an English Language Business Paper in Poland
Security Screening Officer with the Government of Canada

Four Movies I Watch Over and Over Again
The Dead – a beautiful, simple, touching film - Walter Huston’s last based on the James Joyce short story
Raise the Red Lantern – a classic of the Chinese cinema with the incredibly beautiful Li Gong as a young girl brought into a merchant's household as the fourth wife.
Dumbo – What you ain't never seen an elephant fly?
Some Like It Hot – Well no body's perfect!

This tinsmith's shop is located just on the edge of Psiri.

These iron work swans grace the balconies of the Spanish Embassy on Dionysos Areopagitou; and yes, that's the Acropolis across the road reflected in the windows.

Four Places I Have Lived
Toronto, Canada – born and bred
Ottawa, Canada – home base for most of my adult life as I travelled around the world
Warsaw, Poland – our first real diplomatic post together, I was more a visitor in Mexico City, Amman, Cairo, Chicago and Beijing.
Rome, Italy – our current home

Four TV Shows I Watch
(We have 500 channels here – 100 in Arabic and 50 of those are for sex chat lines???? - and there is still nothing to watch)
The Simpsons (I Simpson)– you know its reruns when you can say the English dialogue over the Italian dubbing.
Ugly Betty – reruns on Fox here and we still don’t have this season yet!
Family Guy (I Griffin) – you know its reruns when you can say Italian dialogue over the original English
Law and Order: SVU – reruns but who bothers with dialogue when you can watch Chris Meloni or Mariska Hagerty for that matter.

Sunday around noon the cafes near the Agora where filled with a few tourists but mostly locals enjoying those wonderful frappees and early lunch. Adrianou St. was crowded with street sellers and entertainers including this old man with his antique hand organ.

An open air cinema on Apostolou Pavlou. Its like a drive-in without the cars.

Four Places I Have Visited
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Aix-en Provence, France
Mount Sinai, Egypt
Skagway, Alaska
Okay I’m not bragging here but on one of those map programmes I’ve clocked up 195 cities visited, now mind you that includes a restaurant stop at St. Tite so maybe I should make that 194.

Four People Who E-Mail Me Regularly
Linda Gagne
Charlie Knight
Bev Toomer
Robert Mickens

Many of the houses on the upper reaches of Monastiraki and the Plaka seem derelict.

However this building very close to the Cathedral has been beautifully restored.

Four Favourite Foods
French Fries
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Scalloped Potatoes
Roast Potatoes with Rosemary and Olive Oil
And yes I am Irish and yes there is a theme here!

Four Places I Would Like to Be Right Now
(Okay I’m going to cheat on this one and going to include places I'd like to be in the coming months)
In Punta Cana for our nephew Andrew and Jessica’s wedding in April
At Mount Tremblant for our friends Martin and Robert’s wedding in June
In my old garden, once the 52 cm of snow has disappeared, to watch things begin to grow
In Rome with Laurent – oh wait a minute I am but I honestly can’t think of a 4th place.

There were many small chapels and churches throughout Athens, many like this one adorned with mosaic tympanums.

This group of cub scouts where playing a round game of some sort on Dionysos Areopagitou on Sunday afternoon. I'm still not sure how the guy in the Asterix helmet was involved.

Four Things I Am Looking Forward to this Year
Our trip to Salzburg in May
Our trip to Venice and Vicenza in April
Maybe, just maybe, a trip to Malta
Celebrating our 30th anniversary in November.

Four People I'm Passing this on to:

Evilgnome
Tater
Subtle Knife
Cowbell

The area surrounding the Theatre of Dionysos was a mass of poppies and the gentlest breeze sent them dancing.

21 marzo - Venerdi Santo

Sharing

There have been quite a few changes going on in my little corner of Blogdom and at least one addition to my list of favorites.

• In an unusual concept three of my favorite bloggers have joined forces with a friend of theirs, who I'm ashamed to say I hadn't visited before, to become East End Boys and West End Girls. Auld Hat (The Voluptury), Cowbell (I Need More Cowbell), Eric (Secrets of the Red7) and Maine Gay have turned blog reading into one-stop-shopping - we'll now be getting four great blogs for the price of one. And Ms Hat's template is innovative and cool.

King David plays his harp before the Lord - bas relief from the organ decorations at San Giovanni in Laterna.

• And the sexiest food photographer I know has, with his buddy Al, done a redesign of his blog. The new look over at Tater is clean and classy and the writing remains amongst the best in blogdom. And those photographs... I want me a big bowl of cherries.

I knew those damned SmartCars needed some sort of power booster.

• And speaking of food, at Around Britain with a Paunch Jonathan has posted a very unusual food fight. As well he and Cowie are cooking up some goodies, visiting some upscale restaurants and on a very serious pancake hunt.

An very Deco spider spins its metal web on a gate near our house.

• Our blogmother Lynette has come briefly out of retirement and posted another one of her powerful pieces. Kayla is not an easy read and if you are like me you will be both heart-broken and enraged.

Towards the Piazza San Pietro from the steps of the Basilica.

• Elizabeth at Love Elizabeth touches on diversity in two posts - one as an observer and the other as one of the observed. And over on her other planet, Ridiculon, she's posted a photo that asks, it seems to me, a reasonable question.

These tombstones lay forgotten by the side of Via Nomentana, our main street. No doubt they are relics from the catacombs that warren the area.

• Buddy Sling recounts an adventure in dining at Applebee's that makes me appreciate that here in Italy being a waiter/waitress is a profession not a inoportune pause on the road to stardom. And earlier in the week he provided us with some real pretty guitar music.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona is being restored. This means using dental equipment to clean delicate surfaces. Sort of like a teeth cleaning only takes a hell of a lot longer.

• It often happens that someone posts a comment and you've never seen them before, so off you going to check out their blog and how it would connect to you and your interests. I'm guessing Gertsamtkunstwerk is, amongst other things, an opera fanatic but the title Mad Musing of Me pretty much says it all. Been enjoying the posts immensely and according to one I'm in the Upper Middle Class. My accountant would be surprised to hear that.

21 febbraio - San Pier Damiani

Sharing

Though things have been a little off kilter here the past week or two doesn't mean I haven't been following my favorite bloggers. Though in many cases I haven't been commenting a great deal - imagine me keeping my mouth shut - I still found so much to enjoy out there.

• The doyenne - so young and she's a doyenne already - of Opera here in Italy if not all of Europe, the beloved Opera Chic has been featured in Classical Singer magazine. Interviewer Amanada White, rightly IMHO, calls her the world's foremost opera blogger.


• My darling Auld Hat is back in full force after a brief sabbatical and is as wise, witty and talented as always.


• Sageweb went on a trip and gets tripped up at Ikea. And then she goes and gives us the cutest damn puppy and puddy picture around. And you all know how I feel about puppy and puddy pics.


• RG has totally ruined The Wizard of Oz for me, I'll never look at getting back to Kansas the same way ever again.

• Once again Tater writes from the heart and reaches our hearts with a memory profile of his beloved Jimmy.


• Lorraine is touched by grace at a time and place she least expected. And in the telling proves that grace can be in the written word.


• And Elizabeth muses on the nature of friendships and the kinship of being an outsider.

And that just a random sampling of what I've been reading from my blog buddies - all of them more than worth a regular visit if they're not on your list already.

These pictures where taken on a back road in the Reiti plain in November. That old dog was very concerned when we separated him from the flock. The shepherd had given us the all clear when there was a break - but that old boy kicked up quite a fuss.

25 gennaio - Conversione di San Paolo

Sharing

Given that after the crappy weekend we had a glorious sunshiny day today - though it was a chilly 7c when Stephen and I went for a Capu and cornetto at 1100 this morning - I spent less time wandering around the net than I would normal do. However I did find some new things on old favorites and a new site that I've added to my regular list of reads. And there are several posts out there from the first part of the month that I just haven't got around to mentioning and should have.

• Though most people don't need encouragement to read Joe, My God, he had a YouTube entry up yesterday that is weird but wonderful. Wait for the comment at the end - it glorious



• Elizabeth proves time and time again that the world is full of strange things on Ridiculon but the Nun Pod has to be one of the best.

• In case you missed it last Friday EG told us one of his great Doris stories - that woman is going to become a book.



• Also last week RG posted a hysterical story about his mother Justine and her sister Mary. Sadly the same day he posted a loving and lovely tribute to Mary who has just passed away.

• And earlier in the month Japonisme did a beautiful post using one of my favorite Beatles songs: The Long and Winding Road.



• Tater, with that incredible ability he has with words, looks at another type of road and traces Steps.

• And while looking for a review of the Fountain Restaurant at Fortnum and Mason's - that's were I'm taking Deb for lunch on Thursday before the Panto - I discovered Around Britain with a Paunch. I'm still working through who's who but I gather Jonathan is the author and Cowie is his girlfriend/SO/wife but he/they are real serious foodies. The pictures are great and the reviews, comments and observations fun. Lunch at the Fountain sounds like it should be great for a London lunch.



• Boy About Town had some real problems with Google and after a losing battle decided to open up at a new location as Boy About Town LB.

• Much like other communities, Blog communities see movement and change. New people arrive, neighbours move away, change homes or sometimes go on vacation. Two of my favorite bloggers have decided to take a vacation from their daily postings. Big Ass Belle is my blog-mama, one of my earliest commenters and a force in Blogdom but she's also a person who, to my mind at least, has her priorities in the right order. As does Auld Hat over at The Voluputary. Auld has been a delight day in and day with her creativity, wit and wisdom but she wants, and deserves, some time to recharge. I'm going to miss them both but look forward to their return.

Of course I've been visiting all my regulars and leaving rude messages just to let them know I've been around.

These photos were taken the first weekend we were here in Rome - back at the beginning of August. We spent Sunday at Villa Ada, the former hunting park of the Royal Family a few blocks from us. It is now one of the largest (320,000 sq metres) public parks in Rome. Its a popular venue for rock concerts, boating, horse back riding and strolling.

15 gennaio - San Mauro abate

10 Dull Details about a Dreary Canuck

So my dear Doralong has decided I'm to be the next victim of this evil plot to destroy character and heap humiliation on honourable heads - hey I alliterated! I feel so inadequately Canadian when I see other friends response to these questions. Here goes.

1) Three Exes I would pretend not to know today:
I am one of those people who's always spoken with my Exes - so damned civilized us Canucks eh? - because there was a time when they meant something in my life. Though I would probably be cool with Corey - after all he had me totally convinced that I was an uneducated dolt because I didn't have a University degree and he was ashamed of our relationship because of it. Alan I would embrace warmly because the red colour his face would turn would compliment his black cassock and purple cincture. Sadly George and Lawrence were early victims of AIDS and I only wish I could see them again. Blake - well damn it he took the pictures at my wedding this past year. And Doug - he introduced me to Laurent so when I do see him I have to thank him for the past 29 years. Okay this is getting a bit too much. Next?

2) The most scandalous rumor to pass through my high school.
Which one? Which one? Bill Bennet doing it with Meredith Wright in her living room when her parents came home - nope that was Junior High. Ricky Braithwaite doing it with Rosalind Pritchard in a box car down by the railway tracks (hey I'm not making this up you know) - nope Junior High again. Me doing it with Bob Reynolds or Billy Gale or Harry Price in the school washroom - nope we kept that fairly hush hush. It would have to be Mr. Crozier feeling up Valerie Carter in the lab storage room and her reporting it to her parents. Mr. Crozier went on a realllly long sabatical after that.

3) The time I Knew Santa didn’t exist.
When I was home from school sick and I overheard my mother on the phone ordering my Walt Disney Theatre set from Eaton's. I would have been about 8 or 9 but I didn't break the news to my mother until I was 20.

4) The funniest thing I did in a house of worship.
Doug Morse

5) Best excuse I came up with for being out past curfew.
It was 2 in the morning and I was throwing up on the front hall carpet: It was all Malcolm's fault - he made me drink the Southern Comfort. My mother really didn't like Malcom so she half believed it.

6) Saturday cartoon character I had a crush on.
We didn't have television until I was 14 - I think I may have mentioned my father thought it would be the demise of the family unit so I didn't watch Saturday morning cartoons. Sadly we only got a television after he died and at that point Saturday morning was a work day.

7)Cartoon character I wanted to be.
Peter Pan - in fact there is a picture somewhere of me in a Peter Pan costume my mother made for me. To further my humiliation I should dig it out and post it. And the first person that makes a crack about Tinker Bell is going to get such a dousing with fairy dust!

8)Foods I can no longer stomach.
Southern Comfort - see answer 5. Wait that doesn't really count as food does it. Beets and fava beans.

9)Tacky pick up line you used that worked.
Its been 29 years and I'm old - what's a pick up line? Well okay to a guy at a bar in Toronto about 30 million years ago: Ya wanna? He did and we did.

10)Secret Hangover recipe.
If one drinks in moderation there is no need for a hangover recipe is there?

There - save for the Peter Pan picture I have debased myself for all and sundry to read and hold up to ridicule. Plus the damn spell check has suddenly switched to Italian and I don't know why so I've made more spelling mistakes than I normally do.

And I now pass the torch to one of my oldest Blog Buddies (in terms of reading only) the Evil one in Boston and to a new Blog Buddy SageWeb on the Pacific Coast. Got to it guys.

And Dora my darling - thanks this was that much needed diversion. And Tater I will be asking RG and EG to meat out suitable punishment when they see you in New York - and I want the pictures!

07 gannaio - San Raimondo

I've Come All Over Queer!*

*Sorry just a bit of inside humour for people who remember Kenneth Williams' of Carry On and Julian & Sandy fame at moments of high emotion - his delivery of that line in that whiny, nasal voice with appropriate hand and wrist gestures always broke me up.

But seriously I was honoured when one of the most intriguing bloggers around nominated me for the "Thinking Blogger Award."

Tater is one of the finest writers in blogdom and as our friend at I Need More Cowbell (who was also nominated) remarked "his writings pull me in to another place or time." I just wish he'd post more often but know damn well that when he does it will knock my socks off.

I not sure how thoughtful or thought-provoking my blog is when I compare it to people like (and this is just a partial list) Lynette, Joe, Eric, Cowbell or Tater himself, but thanks for the recognition Tater. And I really did "come all over queer!"

I know one of the rules is to pass the award on to others you feel are deserving but looking at Eric, Tater, and Cowbells' lists I'm at a loss as who to add. From their lists I've added three or four other fascinating blogs to my daily check list.

Memories - Father's Day

Tater doesn't update everyday but when he does it is always incredibly well written and filled with an understanding of the people and events in his life. His most recent essay is a beautiful memory piece.

The Reesie Report

Things didn't go too bad at the vet; much of what is happening with Reesie is because he's an old dog and because he was paralyzed and had major back surgery. He never did regain total use of the one back leg and there is always the danger of atrophy or further spinal cord rupture. When he starts stumbling and refusing to walk the way he did the past few days I must admit I panic. I saw his sister go that way and it meant more surgery which at his age he just couldn't handle.

Our vet - thank god old-style country vets still exist - hit on the problem within minutes. The poor old Reeserman had very badly impacted anal glands - something his sister had all the time but this is new with him. It was causing him pain - therefore the constant low whimpering - which combined with the limited mobility that he has had since the back operation created the problems with his back legs.

Within minutes of Dr Varney doing what he had to do - I won't go into it here - he seemed to be better if highly offended by the procedure. I've been told to watch him carefully for the next day or two - like I don't do that anyway - just in case. And we'll hold off on the Rabies and micro-chip - not sure about Reesie but the 14 gauge needle scared the hell out of me.

Thanks to all you sweet wonderful dog-people out here - lynette and tater especially - I'm glad I'm not the only one that panics when my best bud turns poorly.

Ghosts

Two of my favorite bloggers - Tater and my blog mama lynette - talk about ghosts and memories.

Tater writes - as only he can - about the ghosts in the attic.

lynette chronicles her search for family memories and ghosts this past weekend. And being lynette she kept us in suspense through not one, not two , not three but four postings. And there were a few of us going to give her such as slap after posting number three.

Speaking of the supernatural, I just went over to Big Ass Belle to check the urls for the links and lynette has linked to Tater too (gosh that sounds cute) and my most recent post about Rome. Coincidence or the para-normal at work? Scary stuff kids.