Sarah the TV Star!

I have to break the long spell of non blogging... And what better way than posting my beautiful daughter on TV!

Sarah, Anna and myself have been in NY since June and the kids have been attending Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts located not far from dear old Dad's click here. Sarah has been playing her violin in the Orchestra for her age group and Anna banging on the drums in the orchestra in her age group!

This is the second year Sarah has attended Usdan and Anna's first time. Tomorrow is the last day and both girls are already begging to sign up for next year!

Monday - we are going to the MTV studios in NYC to see TRL taped - guest - Alicia Keyes! How cool is that?

Krista

Easter Sunset

I am off to bed and I thought I would leave you a few photos from our evening "passagiata". Isn't Sarah just turning in a lovely young lady? She may look like her Daddy but, she dresses like her Mommy.

Buona Notte!

Krista

Buona Pasqua!

A quick Happy Easter to one and all!

Dinner has been cooked and eaten, the dishes are washed and put away - thank you Sam and Richard - and now I am enjoying a restful moment blogging.

We are having a wonderful time catching up with our old friends Susan and Richard as well as their lovely children! We all met many years ago when I was working at Banana Republic at the city dock in Annapolis, Maryland all the way back in 1991! Susan came strolling in one day around Christmas time looking for a job after after a few years at sea on the Pride of Baltimore with her then boyfriend and now husband Richard - and I said - hire that girl! We have been friends ever since.

We got married within weeks of each other and then somehow managed to get pregnant and have our babies almost at the same time! I have been begging Susan to get her family over here to visit and now finally she has. You know, she is the one friend I have that has no excuse not to visit - She works for UNITED AIRLINES! She flies for next to nothing!

We had a lovely dinner at Pam Pam last night, church this morning and a full feast of loin of pork for our Easter Lunch.

Think it is time to head out for our "post dinner passagiata" along the seaside.

Here is hoping the Easter Bunny has been good to all of you!

One last thing. Spoke to dear old Dad a few minutes ago and - He bought a new CAR! That is right. My 82 year old dad is buying a new car! A flash Mazda 6, black with black leather interior! How is that for optimism? Tomorrow is his birthday and I think he just rocks! Safe driving dad and do get those vanity plates.... lsthura - Last Hurrah! Enjoy life while you can.

Auguri!

Krista

Who's the Boss?

Gucci is!

We are enjoying a positively summer like Easter weekend. Trees are in bloom and so are all of our allergies! Stuffy noses rule in this house.

Susan and her family are here visiting from Maryland. They arrived yesterday evening on the train after 2 action packed days in Rome. Kids are now out on the seaside eating ice cream, Sam is riding his bike, Susan just woke up from her nap and I am waiting for my carrot cake to finish baking. Then we are all heading out for our evening passagiata and apperitivo! Pizza at Pam Pam for dinner and Easter roast tomorrow!

Pictures to follow real soon.

Krista

What's Wrong With This Picture?

This is what the girls were up to this morning. Can you spot what is wrong? It is easy - Anna is playing Sarah's violin and Sarah is playing Anna's cello!!!!

To all those that ask me why I choose to live in Italy - Here is the answer to your question. MUSIC! Where in the world would these kids have the opportunities they have here?

1. Sarah goes to a state supported, and funded, music conservatory. Cost to us. 200 euro a year plus books. For a reference, Juliard in NYC would set us back over $10,000 a year. Sarah studies violin with a master as well as piano and solfeggio. Solfeggio is basically a very advanced sight reading skill based on singing. Sarah loves the class, it keeps her in touch with her inner diva.

2. Anna has been studying piano and drums. She wanted to try the cello and within a week or so I found her a teacher and cello. Why? The cell teacher plays in the orchestra along with Sarah's previous violin teacher.

I could go on....

At the moment Sarah is in the local music store searching for the second day in a row through their old sheets of music. She just phoned and can't wait to tell me what she found. Yesterday, she brought home, arias from operas, concertos and a complete work of Ave Maria with all the pieces for violin, viola, cello, harp, piano and voice! I wish I could express in words the enthusiasm she had when she was showing me her treasures. Priceless.

So to all of you who ask me why we stay here in this chaotic country, where I cannot speak the language and struggle sometimes with the simplest tasks of everyday life - like sorting out a broken phone under warranty - To you I say, I do it for the girls. How could I ever walk away from these opportunities?

Just one more thing,

Tomorrow night Sarah and I are going to the Carlo Felice Opera House for an Easter Concert. There will be a Finnish conductor Pieteri Inkinen and Sarah and Anna's music teachers in the orchestra!

Happy Easter!

Krista

FAWCO and Lyon

Well I have been a bit remiss in my blogging once again.... Let me catch you up.

Besides that is have been positively Spring like in Liguria - today it was 20+ Celsius or for those of you who use Fahrenheit, 68 degrees! Now, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon the fog is beginning to roll in off the sea and covering up Chiavari! As I look out my window I can see the fog covering the magnolias and the sea is no longer visible. Trust me, this is not usual weather for us. All the fruit trees have blossomed and many have already dropped their blooms and are ready to bear fruit. The flowers are blooming and so are our allergies! Man it feels like spring. Let's just hope that we don't have a freeze in the next few weeks. A cold snap will certainly spell disaster for this years crops!

So other than this wonderful weather we have been enjoying what has kept me so busy? The AIWC of Genoa has. Last week I was in Lyon helping to represent my club at the annual FAWCO (Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas) - you can click on the link on the side bar to read more about the organization. I had 5 fun filled days in Lyon and I never got to to see the city. I was stuck in General Meetings, Panels, workshops etc and ate lousy banquet food. At one point as I looked around at my fellow conference attendees I got the feeling I was at some Shriner's or Rotary Convention. That may have been the case but last week, I learned many new useful things - like how to stay on heels for 16 hours in one day - and made some new friends. Overall, I had a great time an hopefully I will see all my new FAWCO friends at next year's conference in Seoul, Korea.

By the way, that photo of me was taken at the Hotel de Ville in Lyon- City Hall - to you and me. The conference closed its last evening with a special treat. A Gala Dinner at the most prestigious building in the city. That is Carol and I standing next to the flags. Carol who is 79 years young and I drove all the way to Lyon in my mini complete with the Union Jack on the roof! I think she had the ride of her life!


A presto!

Krista

Anna Banana Plays.... THE CELLO!

What!

That is right folks, Anna has started playing the cello and she seems to love it. I don't even have to ask her to practice but, she has to ask me to help her with the cello because the darn thing is as big as she is!

At the moment the metronome is beating, the bow is being pulled across the strings and Sarah is helping Anna with her technique! Anna is actually letting Sarah gladly tell her what to do! It must have snowed in the Sahara today! This has never happened before. Best thing to do is leave the girls to it and let them get on.

Where on earth do these kids come from? The daughters of parents that are not musicians, loved punk and sleep during opera. If this is rebellion, well I will gladly accept it.

Krista