Getting back to normal...

After our last posting of running around and the wonderful visit from Patricia and Brian - we are getting back to normal...
It hasn't stopped us from doing things but at a slower pace...
You all may remember that Tom gave me an amazing gift at Christmas - Cooking classes with the wonderful Diane Seed. After our class Diane was heading to India to host one of her international cooking classes. She just returned and we had the pleasure of visiting with her at her country house in Ferentino. Ferentino is a small town about 65km south east of Rome. A beautiful hillside town known for its textiles (linen and embroidery) and, of late, heavy growth of industry (mainly pharmaceutical firms).
It was a great day full of sunshine, amazing food and ever interesting stories...
Diane invited us down for the day to have lunch in this super quiant town! We arrived at Diane's house about noon. Immediately we were warmly welcome into her home and heard all about her excursion to India. While leisurely enjoying a lovely bottle of wine on her terrace, Diane regaled us with the tales of the trip to India and her wonderfully interesting past.
Equally amazing was the view from her terrace:

Just... 

...breath taking...

A day for sunbathing...

Artifacts embedded in the walls...

After polishing off a bottle of wine we then headed off for lunch. I think this was the first time Tom & I, since our time here, had a full multi-course Italian lunch. The place was charming and the food was fantastic. Thank goodness we have a large car - after lunch we would never fit in a typical small Italian car...
We definitely need to thank Diane and the beautiful town of Ferentino for a warm and welcoming day!

Rome itself is preparing for tourist season. Lots of street sweeping and landscaping being done all over town. They have started cleaning up the manicured pines for the summer in the Villa Borghese... Funny to think that I always thought that they just grew that way. Now I know the truth...

Piles of lower branches...

...just to make that perfect look!

The weather has finally started to cooperate though still cold at night, the days are in the 70s. Since the weather has been so lovely, I started wondering around the town again... I must say you find some really cute, artistic and sometimes disturbing things in Rome.

Creepy...

Fun Grafitti...

Cute marketing...

Also on the homefront we attended another wonderful 'theme' dinner over a local friends apartment. It was Gnoochi Dinner Night! A group of us got together and made fresh gnoochi with a  fresh seafood sauce. It was fun, messy and definitely delicious!  All done to celebrate a birthday and a farewell to Erika's dad. Again, it was a wonderful night for all!

Erika with the gnoochi...

...and the prawn sauce!

And I helped!

Charlie, sauce master!

Everybody lent a hand!

A '10' from our Argentinian Judge!

Buon Compleanno Robert!

To give you all an update on previous things...
- Starting to unwrap the garden - getting ready for a new season of fresh vegetables!
- Our second batch of Lemoncello is complete! Filtered, tested (taste tested that is), and bottled for mass consumption! I am now looking into what it takes to make Sambucca... My next yummy alcoholic venture!

Ready, Set...

...Done! Yummy!

Well folks, I am going to end this posting with the usual best wishes and love to all!
Abbracci a tutti!
Ron & Tom