As much as I loved hanging out with Savage (he is great company even though he is quiet), it was so refreshing to have a female around. As a single lady, I am very independent and there is only so much time you can spend cooped up with another person. I haven't had a roommate in years. I do not see how married people do it (I was told married people don’t hang out 24/7 either or there would be more divorces). I do not have that patience at all and am used to more time alone. Since we are only friends it was fun to have him around and to visit and catch up. Also, he was pining the whole time after his latest girlfriend in England, but thankfully he wasn't whinging on about it. We gave each other grief and were having a memorable time. But sometimes you need someone without testosterone around.
Savage slept in. I don’t know how because the little boys were up and all I can say is they have energy. The cleaner was there too and she was mopping all the rooms and making the place spic and span. (Do you think she would come to the U.S. with me?)
The nanny showed up, at first I wondered why we needed a nanny for two small kids... shazam, then I found out -- what a godsend she was for the day. I will repeat for Helen and all my “mommy” friends, “I don’t see how you do it”. My mom is a saint and my friend K has three little boys all close in age, what a supermom is she.
We loaded everyone up and got the stroller out. As this is Europe and everything is close together, we walked (or in my mind hiked). Over the bridge, down the street and to ..... a toy store. I love going in foreign stores and this one was no exception. They had toys from the US (extreme in price) and other toys I had never heard of. E got a super powers watch and F got a sword (was this a smart idea? I don’t really think so). What is a Barbapapa? Looked like an old cartoon we used to have but I couldn’t remember the name of it.
Got tickets to the ferry (thank you Helen) and waited in the center (they had a statue of Christopher Columbus there). There was a festival going on and they were setting up a sound stage for music later. They were playing Johnny Cash singing a U2 song -- some of the first good music we have heard on this trip -- European Music is a story unto itself. All I can say is thank goodness for Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and CD’s or I wouldn’t have survived sometimes in the car -- but that is a later story. At this point in Italy after a week gone -- Johnny Cash -- was literally music to my ears. :)
Off on the ferry we went-- check out our boat guy --- I think he was a 70’s porn star in hiding, sexy. Also there were many interesting sights on the boat. I just wanted to throw a cape over one of the sights. I am from the South and used to so many different attire, but this one does take the cake. Honey, there are just some things you don't go out in public in.
The ride out to Portofino was beautiful and short. We saw amazing homes and pretty rocky shorelines. Helen said there was a bike/walking path along the way. But it was a tad bit warm for someone to walk that.
Her villa is in Santa Margherita Ligure and it was priced for “normal” people. Portofino was what you see in movies and was priced for movie stars. Helen said that real estate here was approximately 12,000 Euros a square foot -- WTH? Not in my price range, unless I won the lottery 10 times over. I was definitely country come to town here. In their bay/harbor area, there was lots of little boats and also a few MONSTER yachts. As someone said -- “Porn Star” boats. They were massive and very expensive looking. These were the dinghies from the big yachts.
We went to a focacceria and got wonderful fresh bread. They had a few cheaper souvenir shops and I found some lovely tiles for myself and my mom. Also a Ferragamo and Rolex store -- I didn’t hit those.
We wandered around town and then ended up at a little cafe and relaxed and people watched and visited. That godsend nanny played with the boys and let them run and play (and hopefully got them exhausted for a nap later).
The buildings in this area have great paintings on the sides. She told me that was part of the local customs/architecture. It was very pretty and made some look like faux carvings. Beautiful little place
beautiful drain design
what was she doing in her housecoat during the middle of the day? but pretty flowers
We took the ferry back (no exciting people on this trip) and hit Helen’s villa -- Savage and F took naps and E and I played cards. He was still under the weather but I think enjoyed having someone new around who would play with him. Helen took a break and read a book -- I think it was a treat for her to get to read without having to entertain her kids or anyone. E is extremely smart and we played war and some English board games that had you make a healthy plate of food and buy things at a grocery store. I made sure he won often. Gotta start cushioning that male ego early. He did legitimately beat me sometimes and won $2 off me.
After everyone was up, we made an interesting survival trip to Gulliver’s grocery store. The youngest was extremely rambunctious and not having any of it. Savage had to leave the store because he wasn't having any of it either--- they were using him as a jungle gym and he wasn't used to that. I think his patience was done in. We loaded up a couple of carts and then the knight in shining armor showed up -- “A”, their dad. The kids settled down immediately and I just wanted to hug his neck for that. I guess with Helen being with them most of the time, his arrival on the weekends is an event and they get very excited. The kids attacked him and he had a very welcome treat in the car for all of us -- a penguin air conditioner.
I got to drive home as F wanted his mom to hold him. When we got back to the villa, helped A unload the car. Did I mention they had a mini elevator/lift in the building. When we arrived, only myself and my suitcase could fit in the thing (and even then it was hard to shut the door). But that penguin fit in there -- if it hadn't I would have shuttled it upstairs myself just to be cooler.
We got dressed up and went out to eat dinner, I guess A was tired from the trip and didn’t want to fool with cooking and cleaning up. We let the guys push two strollers and went to the town square area to a nice little restaurant that had outside seating. They had an ipad (I am so getting one of those when I get home), so the kids were entertained. I had spaghetti and shrimp (they brought wet ones in a fish shaped package--- ended up I had to peel the shrimp). The weather had cooled off when the sun went down and it was a very pleasant night. The meal and company were great. A wonderful “first” night out in Italy. Stopped across street for gelato and saw the cabanas along the promenade.
sweet ride -- the US does export some great things, eh?
When we got back the kids (and the adults) were pooped. Also sweet A had left the a/c on and the apartment was cooled off.
Let me explain about the penguin a/c aka pinguino -- it is a big box on wheels, with a huge hose/fan that is pushed out the window. It makes a loud noise but cools off everything. It’s like one of our “winda” units but bigger, noisier and had wheels. They need to sell these in the South. Let's just say I have a new appreciation for penguins after this trip.
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