What a beautiful day

So, let's go back to Friday, shall we. On Friday, Betsy, Allison, and Ania left for Venice. I decided to stay here in Fiesole because I needed some me time away from the group and what better time than when your roommate is away. So I stayed behind. No one was signed up to do laundry so I quickly assigned myself the next 6 hours for laundry. That's how I spent my day on Friday, doing laundry. It usually takes about an hour and a half to wash a load of clothes and then, if you're lucky, two hours to dry. Maybe now you understand why this is a whole day event.

I did four loads of laundry Friday: one of shirts, one of jeans, one of delicates, and one of socks and underwear. Now the first load I washed, socks and underwear, dried completely when I threw it in the dryer. My second load, shirts, dried almost all the way. I didn't dry my jeans in the dryer because I knew it wouldn't do any good. Those I hung up on our heated towel racks, outside my window on our clothesline, and over the chair in the room. When I took the shirts out of the dryer and put them where ever there was an available drying surface. My delicates, clothes that are either hand-wash or delicate cycle, I threw in the dryer and they also came out almost dry. I'm just happy to have clean clothes and socks again. It's a great feeling to finish your last load of laundry here because you have accomplished something.

In between doing laundry, I cleaned up the room. I cleaned and organized and separated everything of mine. The closet is now neat and organized so I can find everything. My desk is organized and put together again. I even went through all my receipts and separated the food receipts from other purchases I can get taxes back on. Each pile is now in an envelope waiting for its time to be useful to me.

Overall, I had a very productive day and a lot of me time in the process.

Saturday was simply gorgeous out. I walked down to Florence in the afternoon under cloudless skies and 60 degree weather. I was a beautiful, warm day out. Most of the group left super early to go to Bologna and Bailey left to go to Pisa. So there was just four of us left in Villa Bonelli. Jill and Lorenzo went for a run/walk around and came back praising the weather. That's when I left to walk down to Florence.

I do not even think I can describe the weather, but I'll try. It's like that first day of Spring when you can open the windows to the house to let the breeze in. Or when you can lie out on the grass and just soak up the Vitamin D. It's like the first day on campus when you can go without a coat after winter and sit in the plaza without getting cold. That's what it was like yesterday. And after a week of rain, it was even better. I checked the weather for the rest of the week and it's supposed to be low 60s, high 50s and mostly sunny. Yeah, spring is finally here.

So, I walked down into Firenze and went to the Supermarket. I picked up only the essentials as I only had my purse with me: chocolate, tictacs, and a bottle of Gatorade. Yup, the essentials. I then finished my walk by going to the Duomo and waiting on the steps for Mass to start. While waiting, since I was an hour early, I met up with these two girls, from Minnesota, waiting for their sister who is studying in Florence. We chatted about a lot of things, where to go, what to avoid, and the differences between Italy and the US. It was cool talking to someone from back home about everything. It also made the time go by much quicker than if I had been there waiting by myself.

Now, Mass. There was a different priest presiding over Mass than before. I don't know how to put this politely or politically correct but the guy creeped me out. He seemed to be mocking at times and patronizing at others. I just didn't like the feel I got from him. It didn't help that the helper guy was also very creepy. I may be making too much of a fuss but I was glad when Mass was over because I just couldn't handle it. The priest scared me, that's all. No big deal.

After Mass, Jill, Lorenzo, and Bailey met up with me by the Baptistery doors to go for Chinese. I took them to the Chinese place that Betsy, Allison, Ania and I went on Tuesday. It was just a great last night as it was on Tuesday, too. You cannot go wrong with great food. When we got back to Villa Bonelli, I found that Bob had slipped a little comparison sheet under my door. It compared to two Chinese restaurant I've been to in town.

Hong Kong was the one I went to last night and like better. Sorgente is the other Chinese restaurant. When you compare the two restaurants, Sorgente is cheaper, total cost of 10 euro from the fixed menu including service and cover charge. At Hong Kong, you have to pay separately for everything, wine, water, appetizers, and meal. The overall value of the meal would have to go to Sorgente, but the food, I thought was better at Hong Kong. Thank you Bob for the helpful comparison guide.

The group that went to Bologna was not back by the time the four of us arrived back at Villa Bonelli. I got ready for bed and stayed up later than I wanted to but I got to talk to cousin Erik and just getting a lot of stuff done.

As it is now Sunday when I'm writing this I'll publish this post and save all the greatness of today for later. Abbracci a tutti. Mi manchi molto. Ciao!