Much ado about nothing...

The big storm yesterday gave way to overnight warm temperatures and melting snow. Sarah easily found her way to school this morning and sent this photo taken at Stazione Brignole of the train tracks. All that snow was, in the end, much to do about nothing. As I said to my intrepid young lady this morning as she headed out the door, "Make sure to let all your friends at school, especially those in walking distance, know that you made it to school all the way from Chiavari and 30 minutes early to boot." 

Otherwise, Sam up at 5:30 am and was off to Milan working, having meetings and doing whatever it is he does to earn a living, Sarah left the house by 7 am and Anna soon after. Did I mention that the silence was deafening at 8? Serendipity. A home all to yourself with nothing to do - after you pick up the mess left in the wake of an early departure and make the beds - other than what you want. I took this glorious pause in my leading role as housewife to work on a quilt. Before the holidays, I took out my very frustrating American sewing machine and started to sew again. Now that my "guest" room is free of guests until the end of the year, that is unless someone decides to take her spring fling in Chiavari,  I have taken it over and turned it into my sanctuary. Only thing is. I HATE my damn machine and I waste more time pulling stitches than actually sewing ones. There is something about converting the current from 110v to 220v that makes the machine goes at one speed and causes it to constantly jam. I should have bought I new one years ago when I first moved here, but, if it took me 2 years to purchase a TV and 3 to finally get my own car, which incidentally were the only 3 years since my 18th birthday that I didn't own car, I suppose that 8 years to finally break down and pay the money for a new sewing machine is quite reasonable when you but it in perspective. 

Sarah just walked in the door direct from Genoa and has announced she is going jogging, Anna has been doing homework on and off all afternoon with short break to cruise the "carugio" with a friend, dare I say, this day has been near perfect. Sam is even coming home late and skipping dinner with us. Praise the lord! We are having crepes for dinner!

Krista

 

Update

School is open tomorrow... at least the commune said so this evening. Best to check in the morning before Sarah sets off.

If you been following the international news like good girls and boys, and my blog, you know that Europe is under a heavy freeze. Now, Russia has turned of the gas pipeline through the Ukraine. Typical. Seems we have been here before - Our Italian Adventure: It Is Cold In Italy... This bold new move feels a bit like extortion to me, price of oil and gas falls, so cut if off and "create" a shortage and raise the price to ridiculous levels. Why not? Who remembers the fuel lines and alternates days at the gas pumps circa 1979? I do. Who trusts Mother Russia? Not me, who grew up at the end of the old Cold War. New cold war in Europe as Russia turns off gas supplies - Europe, World - The Independent 

History is repeating and I say I say drill or like the French find a new way to light the way - nuclear energy.

To make matters worse in what should be sunny Italy it seems this "gelo" or freeze is not limited to the peninsula and is reeking havoc across the whole European continent. There was even snow blaketing the French Riviera! Sacrebleu! Who believes in Global Warming now?

12 deaths blamed on snow and cold across Europe

I am here, for now safely warm in my apartment, yes, the commune has ordered the heating hours to be extended to 14 hours a day this week or until the gas runs out. Don't ya just love socialism?

Off to the couch and a bit of TV. Update you all tomorrow.

A presto!

Winner...

Of the I will do anything to get my face in the newspaper contest...

Goes to this guy. 

Though, I suppose the water was much warmer than the air, or the snow for that matter.

Still waiting to hear if the schools in Genoa will be open tomorrow. Chiavari, no worries, they will be open, much to Anna's delight as she unexpectedly shared lunch with Sarah this afternoon. We had a proper Italian lunch, 2 courses, all eaten while we watched the local news. 

So far, Chiavari is living up to its reputation as the hot spot of Liguria. No snow in town, but all the hills behind my home are white and blanketed in snow. A beautiful sight as long as you don't need to drive in it. According to reports the weather is to turn worse, how much so remains to be seen. 

Krista

My baby is home...

A vespa 

Sarah was ready for school! 

The bar near the school at the top of via Bertani

They made it! 

Typical chaos at the commune di Genova. Apparently, school is not "closed" but lessons are "suspended". Therefore, in theory, if students and their teachers show up, school is open. According to first hand accounts, Sam, Sarah and her teacher Tania - who lives in the hills behind Genoa where there is 20+ centimeters of snow and made it to the school gates, were turned away by the "bidella", school matron, who told them school was closed. I can safely predict this controversy with be argued about for months - it is all the local news is talking about this morning. 

At least everyone in home safe and sound.

Krista

Neve

News just in, Sarah and Sam are on their way home and near Rapallo. Whew. Thank goodness Sam took her in and she didn't take the train.

Krista

Rientro

Back to school! With rain and a howling wind, Sarah set off for school this morning, thankfully, Sam got out of bed at an ungodly hour to drive her. Why? Because it is SNOWING in Genoa. At the moment they are parked by the school in a bar having a hot chocolate because they don't even know if the school is open. Who knew? Here in the "costa del sol" also known as Chiavari, it is only cold and rainy, not one flake of snow, meanwhile a 30 kilometers away in the big city, it is snowing. 

Apparently, to those who watch the local news or read the local paper - not me - all of northern and central Italy is "sotto gelo", in a deep freeze, along with the rest of Europe. Who knew? Yesterday I was too busy cooking dinner for 12 to take any notice of the weather other than it was cold and wet. My dinner was scrumptious, I even baked fresh rolls, but I digress. So, now I have the "Primocanale" on the TV listening for school and road closings....1010 WINS Radio it is not, the video just in and guess what... School is CLOSED! Better phone Sam and tell them to come home. As soon as they get back, I will post photos of the city under snow! The one I posted was taken yesterday - the Epiphany - in Milan. 

Genoa is a great city in so many ways, but it is not prepared for snow, when it does fall, chaos reigns. I wish they took Sam's big car with the snow tires and not my mini - for which we don't even own chains! 

New Year's Day

Is there any better way to start the new year other than a hike?

We obviously think so. We joined the Misleys, again, for a hike in through Leivi. What started out as an "early" rise big trek through the mountains, ended up as a stroll when we finally got rolling at about 12:30! Better late than never!

In the evening we all ended up back at my house for chile con carne. The Costas joined for dinner too. A new phase of our lives in upon us. Seems the kids have their own things to do. We should have been 13, we were only 10. The 3 teenage girls we off doing whatever girls that age do....  

Krista