Sun!

What a lovely afternoon I spent with my parents and Meggie! We went to see the musical "Le Roi Soleil" at the Palais des Sport in Paris! The music was great, the customs amazing and our seats were really good! Meggie was so captured by the show that she didn't want to go home when the final curtain went down! It took us a while to convince her the the show was really over and then we had to drag her out! On the way back we "lost" my dad who couldn't get on time on the metro! Meggie was really upset and thought we really lost him! Anyway we found him at St Lazare and together we went home to have vegetarian lasagne all together! What a nice day! And we are getting ready for tomorrow...to celebrate together the new year coming! Happy New Year to all the people who counts so much for me and let's hope that this new year will be full of lovely surprises for all of us!

Le Train Bleu

Inaugurated in april 1901, le Train Bleu (called after the Paris-Vintimille train), has been classified as an historical monument in 1972 : the ceiling is indeed spectacular : the 41 frescos retrace the journey made by the trains of the PLM railway network at the beginning of the 20th century - Many people in the wold have catched a glimpse of it (in a scene in Luc Besson's film "Nikita"). You come to the Train Bleu to see the deco, to talk, and even to eat. But let's admitt that the food was really nothing special and evidently too expensive for what we got! But my mom always dreamt to eat at the "Train Bleu" and it was nice to be here all together!

Gas or Diesel??

My parents are on their way to Paris with Giovanni! They left early this morning in order to reach la "ville de lumière" before sunset. I called them couple of minutes ago to check where they were and how things were going! "Well, not too good!" replied my dad on the mobile, "our car has just been towed away because "we" (which I presume means my brother!) just tanked gas instead of diesel!!!" The auto mechanic store opens only at 2pm and who knows how long will it take before fixing the car...! No comment!! Update at 6H15pm : the Italians are 100km away...getting closer to Paris, finally! And we signed for the new apartment and in February we'll have the keys...!

Christmas shots!!

Rose music!

Geez,I did not get the appartement overlooking the Eiffel Tower (I'll try next year again) but I did get a beautiful Rose IPod!! All my favorite music from Sarah Brightman, to some Italian Compilation are now uploaded in my IPod and they will be my soundtrack while I'll go to work, or while I wait at the laundrette..! Santa's has also brought me a nice bracelet, a beautiful necklace, some money, and lot's of other cadeaux! It was a nice Christmas : we spend Christmas day with Wouter's grandmother in Arnhem watching the X-Mas shows and eating all day! Gramma Louise is 91 and she said that she fears that this is going to be her last Christmas! I sincerely hope that she is wrong and that we will have other occasions to spend time with this lovely, charming woman! On Christmas's Eve we ate at Marlous & Gert (my in-laws), Meggie was excited opening up all her presents and singing Christmas songs when all in a sudden she became silent and said 'je suis triste (I am sad)" when we asked her why, her simple answer meant Christmas to me "because nonna is not here!" Nonna is coming to Paris in couple of days and we cannot wait to hug her!

Buon Natale!

Dear all, my last day at the office: finally! Tomorrow we are off to Holland where we will spend Christmas with my in laws, cousins and friends! We will be back in Paris on December 27th.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and remember to enjoy any single minute of it!
Baci & Abbracci!

Mohamed

Today, as usual, I brought Meggie at school around 8h30. As usual we run the last meters because we were late, as usual I gave her a big kiss and a hug and I wished her a good day. Then another mom stopped me, which was unsual. She gave a little paper and asked me to read it.

The paper said that this week end a tragedy had occured to one of kids of the school. I looked at her and she told me that Mohamed, a boy in Meggie and her son Alban's class, had died in an accident. A heavy load got on my chest and I asked what happened to Mohamed. This 4 years old boy died in a terrible fire that burned down the apartment of his aunt. He was there because his mom was taking care of moving the last few things into this new flat, in St Denis, far from Levallois where they could not live any longer because too expensive.

Mohamed died because misery, poverty and social distress still exists. And it's so close to us. I can't stop thinking of little Mohamed who was so sad to change school, I can't stop thinking of his mom who has to live with such a excruciating pain for the rest of her life. I can't stop crying and I feel so sad and my words are just so vain...

Little joys...

What brings joy in my life and lightens up my days? First and biggest joy is my daughter saying "mamma" as first thing when she wakes up in the morning, then making travelling projects with my mom over the phone, seeing the sun raising on the building on the Champs Elysées, listening to my favorite song over and over again, sitting in the dark theatre waiting for the movie to start, smelling the first snow, drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream then buying fancy cloathing and still fitting in them AND then receiving mail from old friends! Emails are nice, fast and keep you in contact with everybody on the planet but receiving a postcard with a real stamp on it or a little parcel with your name written on it brings an instant and permanent smile on my face! It's Christmas so let's write to our friends and family and for those of you who already did it thank you very much from the bottom of my heart!

Christmas list!

What I get if I kiss Santa Claus??
Dear Santa Claus, it's almost CHRISTMAS and this means that the year is almost over! It was a good year and I think I have learned to give without expecting something in return...! (This apply especially with the tax in Italy! hahhah!) I shared precious moments with my family and friends and I am glad if I my presence mattered to them! I met very nice people, I have travelled the world, I have laughed and I have cried! And I still have dreams and I still believe in Santa so if you think that I'm not too old...here it's my Christmas'list!
IPod (for finally listening to the music I love during the commuting time!)
Dior make up (to look like a sex bomb!)
Digital Camera with 10 million pixels (to make the best pictures ever!)
Tickets to go NY and to a Broadway show!
A new computer with Photoshop installed!
An appartment overlooking the Eiffel Tower!
Money to invite my parents and friends to go to Vegas and to visit again my friends in Canada!
Ok I could still go on but I guess that this would be more than fair!! Santa listen what would really makes me happy is to spend lovely moments with my beloved ones!!!

Stories...

Thank God it's week end! What an hectic week! I have been running and calling, trying to fix things all week ..I am exhausted! I don't know where to start to telling you all my stories but normally they say to start with the bad news and to end on a positive note. So I stick to this! The bad news is that the Italian tax claim a lot of money from me! When I say a lot I mean really a lot (7500€)! This is their fucking Christmas present to me. I don't even bother to try to explain all this bullshit of why I have to pay this money but in brief it's because we sold our appartment in Italy before 5 years! Any explainations to these fuckers it's useless...they don't care about your "tragic stories" they just want your god damn money! But you know what : "screw them!!" ! I don't want this "money issue" to ruin my good spirit and " it's just stupid money!"! Somehow we will solve this shit too! So let's go to something nicer and lighter! We found a cute appartment to rent in the same neighbourhood where we live now! It's a bigger flat, with 2 sleeping rooms, living room, kitchen and adorable little terrace! I prepared all the documents and by the next week I hope to have a positive answer from the agency. If this goes through we will move in our new place in March 2007 which allows me some time to find someone for renting my appartment! What's up for the week end?? Meggie wants to go back to Disneyland! She loved it so much with all the Christmas lights that we thought that it would be nice to do it again just a week before Christmas! Yes because next week...it's Christmas and it's gonna be fun!!
BTW : sorry for all the "swearing" which is not really Christmassy but the Tax gets the worst out of me!!!

Love Actually!!

Again Christmas? I know, I know but don't worry: it's gonna be the topic for the next 10 days and then for a whole year you will not read more about it! What I love most of the Christmas is not really the Christmas day itself but the excitement and anticipation of getting to that special day. I love to buy presents for friends and family, I love decorating the tree, I love singing "White Christmas" and I love watching Christmas movies! Every single night before the 24th a Christmas movie is a must. And there is quite a good selection to choose from : "Scrooge", "Family Man", "It's a wonderful life", "The night before Christmas", "Miracle on the 34th street" but my favorite one is "Love Actually". This is my comedy about love! The movie begins at the arrivals of Heathrow Airport: a crossroad of people meeting with joy or spleeting with sadness! Maybe because I experience "arrivals/departures" since I am 12...this part touches my heart very much! Just don't read the movie's reviews because they classified it as "An indigestible Christmas pudding !" but the director answer was that:"I'd rather make a film that most of the audience liked and some critics didn't, than a film that critics loved and nobody wanted to watch." And I am one of the bunch!!!

Christmas shopping

Today, instead of eating in front of my computer, I went out for some Christmas shopping! Sunny day here in Paris I thought it was the perfect day for spending little money for the people I love. In little over an hour I was able to to shop in 3 different stores (Sephora, Virgin Mega Store and La Grande Récré!) and many people from my list were crossed out...especially Meggie was well taken care of!

In the metro..

This morning while I was squeezed in the metro, coming to work, I couldn't do anything else but look around me to see what people were doing. Some people are pretty busy reading their newspapers or novels, some are just staring in the void, lost in their thoughts, some taking a little nap and some sending some text messages! But what were these people thinking while they are commuting to work? Are they thinking that Christmas is approaching and they still have to buy presents? Or maybe they think how the hell they will pay the dentist's bill? Or why their husband left a note and never come back? Or they think and giggle about the night they just spent in the arms of their beloved ones?? Their faces tell their stories... and if you look at them you can recognize joy, sorrow, love, sadness, frustration, loneless or fullfillment. You have to be carefull not to loose yourself in these thoughts and miss the right metro station...!

Jingle Bells...

Amazing but Christmas it's just around the corner...! This means that the year is almost over! This means that a new year is there waiting to be fully lived! Next year I will turn 39 and I just can't wait! I should be probably scared of approaching dangeously the dreadful 40 but I don't care! Age is just a matter of "esprit' and mine is doing pretty well. I admitt, with out shame, that I am tired. This was a very special year for me but very intense emotionally and extremely charged concerning my work. In 12 months time I have travelled about 15 times mostly in Europe : Madrid, Barcelone, Milan, Venise, Helsinki plus my oversea trip to Canada for Sandra's wedding. My mind is full with many memories and I cherish all of them. Sometimes I was little over the edge trying to reconcile work and family but I should be proud of myself because I have done quite a good job! For next year some new destinations are planned like Moscow (can't wait to go to see a ballet at the Bolshoi!) and NY (can't wait to go and see a show in Broadway and maybe be able to see you guys in Hamilton!), then maybe a vacation with my sister in law and why not another week-end break away with Miky and one long planned with Michèle and Peggy. Many plans, many projects and many dreams...and a new full year to make them come true!

What to do with OLGA!!!

Well, today is December 8th and it's a very cold and snowy day here in Hamilton. I had to wake up early this morning to bring in my car to get some stuff done on it...(tires, oil change, new wiper blades). So then I ended up going over to Nancy's house for a bit to "help " her with some stuff there and instead I'm on the phone chattin away with a friend of mine. We finally came back home and me still on the phone...then all of a sudden Gabriel comes into my room and hands me an envelope with my name on it...I'm like "oh I know who this is from"...just the envelope alone gave it away. Yes it was a gift from Olga...All the way from Paris she decided to send me something not from France but from Italy mind you for my birthday. It is the most beautiful necklace I have ever seen...Only OLGA!!! All the way from Paris and she's thinking about me down here in the freezing cold we like to call Canada. It never seems to amaze me about the fact that where ever you are in this world, you will always be on Olga's mind. Olga, I want to thank-you so very much for your gift. It's beautiful and I will cherish it always...Your the best!!!
Hugs and Kisses!!!!xoxoxoxoxox

It's Raining again...!

It hasn't stopped in days...it's still raining and the weather forecast announces more rain, even a storm it's on its way to Ile de France!! Brrr I feel the humidity in my bones...!!

On the phone....

Blablabla.....my way of communicating this days it's only by phone! My days are so busy, lately, that I can hardly find the time to write on this blog, like for example, now, during my lunch break. Yes I write while I eat. Probably not the healthiest thing but the only available one right at this moment. Writting this blog it's a sort of "compulsary" behavieur, a cathartic way of expressin myself and it's part of my life. I am also responsible for having created another "monster", my colleague Clém! So blablabla I have been talking on the phone with half of the world: first with my three "sisters" in Canada! With Sandra I talked about her still very active sexual life with her newly husband Jerry...she giggled that "they are still honeymooners"!! With Nancy we talked about kids, family organization and how much she would love to come to Paris, and last but not least I talked with the "birthday girl" that turned 32!! I talked then with my dear dear friend Michèle that lives in Geneva, Switzerland. She is one of the sweetest people I ever met and I will write more extensively about her. I talked also with my cousin Dario. After 13 years of marriage is signing for a divorce next week. Sure not easy moment for him. I talked also with Donatella and Micaela. My list is not over yet : there are more people that I want to talk to before the end of 2006...

Not only cowboys...

What a touching movie...I have seen it again last night (the first time was in January at the movie theatre on the Champs Elysées) and I cried, again, all my tears! This is not just a gay cowboy story : it is the story of a time and place where two men are forced to deny the only great passion either one will ever feel. Their tragedy is universal. It could be about two women, or lovers from different religious or ethnic groups -- any "forbidden" love. Avoiding or being scared of living is like not living at all....

Lucky or not?

"The man who said I'd rather be lucky than good, saw deeply into life," he says. "People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn't, and you lose."

Elvis says...

Happy Birthday Norma!

Norma's puzzle!

To our "dangerous" Norma!

To our very "inflammable" Norma, a woman full of surprises, full of life and laughters, full of irony, full of energy, full of emotions...a real bomb!
WE WISH YOU AN EXPLOSIVE BIRTHADY!!!
P.S. A little thing it's on his way to Hamilton!

Doors..

I am in one of those "what if phases"! Probably due to the holidays season approaching I always get nostalgic and wonder how my life would have been if...I did went out for a drink that night or if I had missed the train that day??If you want to vizualise what I mean you should rent the movie "Sliding doors" where this beautiful young English woman learns that she has been fired from her PR job. On the way home,the doors of a tube car close on her, opening the 'what if' floodgates. She begins to live out two lives: if she had made the train, and if she hadn't. What really fascinates me id the intriguing concept about fate and how simple moments have the ability to change our lives.Who is that special someone that you could have met but didn't because you entered a crowded room a minute too late or too early? This is a story of courage, broken love, romance, future love, and life's challenges leaving you to face a road not looked at before. How you choose to walk down that road will be the decision left entirely up to you. But in my "what if" thoughts there is one only unberable thought: what if I stayed in bed that Saturday night on September 30th 2000? And nothing of this had happened and Meggie wasn't in my life??? But my decision was to step out of my bed, to go on this roller-coster relation and I have Meggie by my side!

I am back!

Hey guys I am back from Barcelone. I had an hectic but very nice time there and I promise to tell you about it when I find 5 minutes to sit and take a deep breath! Just wanted to let you know that I was safely back in Paris!! And finally it's almost week end!! Scheduled for the week end a trip to Ferté with Miky to go and get all the X-Mas decorations and a nice stroll in Rue Mouffetard in the 5th.

Going to Barcelona!

Last rush of the day here at the office before the week end and before my departure for Barcelone! Normally this is the last scheduled trip of the year and I hope that nothing new will come up because believe it or not I am definitely tired!! I still have to recover from Venise can you imagine?? I have, again, to think what to put into my luggage and I have to consider that in Barcelone the temperature is around 19 degrees...which is not bad but which complicates little things. I have, though, an exciting dinner, on Monday night, with colleague and friend from Rome, Barbara. She has an incredible love story to tell me that involves Paris, Rome and NY! So I can't wait to seat in a nice restaurant to hear all her adventures! I have a full schedule till Thursady when finally I will be back!! For this week end little surprise for Meggie : Princess on Ice at the Zenith! But I will try to find little time to write more!! For now a big kiss to all my readers!!

Now I'm the one with time on her hands........

Ciao Olga, come va?
I’m just about done my reports and I thought I’d say hello. Stephen tells me you sent him pics from France………very nice! We’re well…..busy, very busy. Joe and Steph are with their dad tonight and Steve and Angie were doing their thing. Jerry has been a HUGE help with my reports……we’re using a new system and as you know, I’m not that savvy on the computer so he helps keep me sane! He has been my angel. My kids are well…….they’re enjoying school, having friends over…. the usual. Steph’s taking piano now as well as figure skating. She’s really enjoying herself. Joe usually has 2 practices and a game per week. He just loves hockey. His dad wanted to put him in a Rep league which would have meant more games (out of town) We both decided not to go that route. I don’t know why he wanted to change things this year…….just being Steve I guess. We’ve gone through our first mediation session. It went well. Now we need to attend the last one. I hope he remains open minded. Other than that things are good. We’re preparing the house for Christmas. We’re having about 30 people over on Natale. What are you doing for the holidays? I hope all is well with Meggie, Wouter and your parents. Mine are fine. They’ll be celebrating their 40th on Dec. 31. I’m not sure what we’re going to do for them. We haven’t decided yet. Anyway, I’m getting tired so I’ll say Buona notte…..Write when you have the chance.
Take care of yourself,
A presto.
Sandra
xoxo

amici

FRIENDS: Never ask for food
ITALIANFRIENDS: Are the reason you have food.
FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.
FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail and tell you what you did was wrong.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you.
FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Cry with you.
FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Will kick the heck of whole crowd that left you.
FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"
FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when you've had enough.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, "you better drink the rest of that, you know we don't waste!!" then they'll drive your butt home.
FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about you.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will knock the hell out of them!!
FRIENDS: Are for a while.
ITALIANFRIENDS: Are for life.
FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will forward this because they know it's true!

You know this is true…..I’m sorry I haven’t been a very good friend lately. I promise to keep in touch more often.
Love you,
tua sorella,

Sandra

Crazy!!

Night story!

Last night, around nine o'clock, Meggie was not sleeping yet. She was turning and turning in her bed and talking on her own! "Basta!!"I say from the living room but she kept complaining so I entered her room and asked her to be quiet " it's late, you have to sleep, tomorrow there's school!". Five minutes later same story. So I entered the room again but I sat, this time, on her bed and I asked her why she was not sleeping. Her answer touched my heart : " i miei occhi non possono dormire, mamma" "my eyes cannot sleep"! I hug her, kept her in my arms and told her "now it's time for your eyes to sleep, simply close them"! I kissed her good night and few seconds later she was breathing deeply. I am so lucky to have a little angel sleeping next to me!

Ricordi di Venezia...

Molto molto prosciutti!!

This is the funniest shot of our mini break in Venise! 4 women and the Italian butcher! Handsome by the way! Brigitte was totally thrilled and she was willing to buy an entire prosciutto to have a date with the guy! We entered the shop to buy huge olives from Cerignola and we had an hilarious moment. Same story on the piazza were we had lunch and we were trying to find out the name of the waiter! Was it Antonio? Or Angelo? We had 2 full heart lighted days. We made jokes, fun of men and laughed about some of our stories! Laughter is the best cure for all type of hearts : broken (Miky), angry (Florence), solitary (Brigitte), in love (Muriel) and content (mine)!

Venise!

Just around the corner..

Venise is just around the corner and, still, I have so many things to do before I leave Friday morning around 5am for the airport. I have a big fair in Barcelone in less than 2 weeks and all logistic has to be finilized by tomorrow. I have then some more dead lines on various files due also by the end of this week. Further maybe I should go to the hairdress for a nice brushing, maybe not! I have to buy a present for Meggie's friend who is having a party this Saturday. Yes another party for her! I have to do the laundry, not to forget to buy the milk and tomorrow night I have a presentation and cocktaik at the Fouquets from 5 till 9pm. I 'll rush home and prepare my luggage. I have already some ideas in mind...yes because even if I have been travelling since I was 12 I, still, don't know how to travel light. I just cannot travel with the exact number of panties matching the days that I will be away. What if...? Yes I am a "what if type". What if it's cold? What if I get stained? What if I have a sudden invitation at the Doge's Bal? So, inevitably, my lugguge weights a ton. Most of the time I cannot wear all the stuff I brought and I hate myself because I have to struggle with these heavy loads through the endless passages of the airports. But nevertheless I do it again. Tomorrow will be the same: too much stuff! So I'd better rush again because I have to get some lunch and do some other million things!

Guess who is here??

My "blog friend" Dongurigal is back to Paris for couple of weeks. Some "papers" unforseen difficulties were the reason of this trip and I am grateful to the complicated French administation of this because otherwise I would have seen "Gal" only at the end of January. We had lunch together, today, at Charly Birdy and a brief, but not unexpensive stop at Sephora! Then, just next door, a stop at Promod where Gal bought a very nice bag! We talked a lot about her new life in Vietnam and I could ask her things that are not in her blog but I know are in her heart! She looks really great, tanned and she lost also some weight! Gosh I have to move to the East to be able to fit again in those skinny jeans!! She is a very friendly person, funny, with a peculiar sense of humor (check her blog!!), sometimes she can appear "controlled" but she is a pot of emotions! But she is "red headed gal" and sooner or later her inner passion will break through! Well that's how I see her, anyway! Rendez-vous again tomorrow night for a pizza at my place! But I hope to see more of her before she is off again to Nam! Ops I was almost forgetting : she brought me two lovely chinese sticks's holders with a dragonfly on it! I love them!

Macarons!

Last week our colleague from Denver, Kathy, visited us. It was her first time in Paris and she was travelling alone so we tried our best to make her feel at home. We had two nice nights out and several lunch breaks. She just loved Paris. She visited all the "must see" from the Louvre, to Musée d'Orsey, to the Eifell Tower. She even bought some Eiffel Tower's key chains and some macarons from the very expensive patisserie La Durée! Unfortunately these delicious French delicatesses never made it to Denver. They were stopped at Charles de Gaulle's airport where some "too" efficient costums agents confiscated them from Kathy because there filled with cream! What a bunch of fuckers!! I agree that cream can kill you especially if you are diabetic but I don't see any "terroristic danger" in a macaron!The only reason behind this "legal robber" it's that they wanted to fill their stomach!! And as wishfull thinking I hope that these " so stick to the rules" agents will have the worst attack of nausea ever and regret to have improperly taken a Parisian souvenir from a poor turist!!

Buon Compleanno Nancy!!

On Your Birthday may you be gifted with all the joys of this world... May each moment, that you spend keep reminding you, of how much you are loved always. With Love, Olga

36!!

Growing...!

Meggie is invitated to a Birthday's party this Saturday. She received a formal invitation card from her school friend Huber. This is her first official outing and I am totally shocked about it. I have the feeling that she always been with me, that she is always been part of my life and at the same time wasn't just yesterday that she was born? That yesterday was quite some time ago because Meggie will be 5 in March 2007! She decides what to wear in the morning and if I try to convince her of a nice combination she will change it with the one she had in mind a minute after I let her out of my sight. She wears lipstick to go to school and wishes to have "boobies" and to be "grande" enough to wear hills. These days she is in love with Kasey, a little Chinese boy who teaches her doubtly serious things (probably I should take an appointment with her teacher!!), but before him she was "amoureuse" of Noe and before him, Jules. I hope that this will not lead to a certain sentimental instability like her mother! hahahhaah!! When I asked to her how Kasey looked she told me "he has brown hair and he is pink". Yes, love is blind also for kids!

Perfect Timing!

Dear Olga,
I had a day off from work today. No, I didn't get to sleep in, I still had to wake up early and get Madeline and Gabriel off to school. After deciding not to drag the kids out of bed earlier this morning John went ahead and took the van to work. So, off we went walking to school. The kids were very happy today, I don't usually get a chance to take them to school, that's usually Nonna's chore of the day. After saying goodbye to the kids there I was standing alone thinking I'm not going home to clean the house. I didn't feel like doing any chores, I didn't feel like doing any laundry, I didn't feel like doing anything. So I decided to go and renew my Driver's License and Health Card downtown. Since I didn't have the van I decided to take the bus downtown, but then I didn't feel like waiting around for the buses. After talking to myself for 10 minutes I found myself at a bus stop. So I decided to take the first bus to Upper Ottawa Street and get the van from John. I ended up at John's workplace, took the van, went downtown and renewed documents. I just wanted to tell you that I felt soooo alone today, I don't know why?? I should have been happy to be alone and free to do whatever I wanted to do on my day off but I wasn't. Everyone was busy, John, Norma and Sandra were at work, the kids were at school, my mother even had plans to meet with Zia Clelia for lunch today. After running around town I didn't feel like going shopping so I went home. There I was talking to myself again, deciding wheather or not to get some house work done, then looking out the front window the mail carrier passed by. I had mail!!! It was an envelope from Paris with my name on it. It was of course a letter from you. I WASN'T ALONE ANYMORE. I was soooo excited to see what you wrote me. I opened up the envelope to find yet another envelope to open. It was a gorgeous braclet attached to a beautifully written birthday card. YOUR TIMING WAS PERFECT. I couldn't believe you remember my birthday and went to the trouble of sending me a gift. It was such a nice surprise. Thank you. I really needed to know someone was thinking of me and that someone was you.I just wanted to let you know you are an amazing person, with perfect timing.
Thank you again,
Love ya,
Nancy XOXOXOX

Nancy's Birthday...November 12!!!

Well what can I say, Nancy's birthday is coming up and she'll be 36 years old...WOW!!! See how time flies!!! A whole bunch of us are going out on Saturday(Nov 11th) to celebrate not 1 but 3 birthdays including Nancy's... But she's too chicken to come out with us for the after party to Toronto. I think because she feels she won't have fun with the young group...HAHA. Me, young, that's funny!!! My birthday is just around the corner too but we won't talk about that now. This is all about NANCY!!! She's a great sister and supporter and adviser. I can't make any decisions without her. It could be from an outfit to let's say something financial . She's always there and always ready when you need her. But then again, she's there for my parents a lot as well. They can't make decisions without her neither!! It's crazy but very true!!!
Nancy, I hope you have a fantastic and memorable birthday with your family and friends!!!
Love ya "Nanny"... Your younger sis Norma!!!

Italian Dreaming

You know when people talk badly about your husband or your parents and you get irritated and start defending them immeadiately?? You are the only one who is intitled to do that, you are the only one who can say that your parents are "assholes" or your husband is a "jerk" no one else! Same thing with Italy. My country. I can talk about her defects (for me Italy is a lady!), her limits and everything that is wrong in that country but I get outraged if people describe my land such as a mafia-spaghetti eater-mandolino-pizza country! Yes there's mafia, yes we eat spaghetti, yes in Naples they play the mandolino and yes we eat pizza! But Italy it's not only that and why these people don't look at their own countries? I could write pages about the beauties of Italy, about our treasures, our originality. But I guess it would be boring. So I prefer to write about our outstanding taste for shoes and cloaths. Maybe it's shallow to care so obsessively about shoes but you can recognize an Italian a mile away. And by the sun glasses and by the matching purse/shoes. Italian men are the most well dressed in the world. They ask their "mamma" if the shirt match with the tie but you cannot deny this evidence. It's a fact. Our television's programms are the worst in Europe: half naked girls present stupid quiz shows and realities programms are on the air every night. This half naked "things" are called "veline" or "letterine" and their only "goal" in life is to date, and eventually later on marry with a football players! Goal! Clevages are welcomed but cursing God is blaspheme if you make such a mistake you are ostracised for life time from our TV chains. And you know why? Because we are a bunch of hyprocrit and because we have the Pope. I am not sure about the order though. Probably we have the Pope so we have to be hypocrit! This is why in my country it takes 3 years (yes, before it was 5) to have a divorce and if you are not married is quite complicated if not impossible to be assisted in a fertilization programme! We are one of the European countries where we pay the highstet percentage of taxes and where we had the gutts to keep a showman like Berlusconi at the Governement. Well the States had Reagan as a President and "I'll be back - Schwarzeneger" is Governor of California. But this doesn't justify us!! But even if Italy is "this" I love my country. This is the place where I was born and raised, where my parents still live and where my heart goes where I hear the national hymn and every time I see the sign "ITALIA" I have a little shiver, because Italy in her good and bad is part of me and I am part of her! Ciao Italia!

Emotions on the phone...

What an incredible day! How many emotions in little more than 12 hours! And most of these emotions came via the telephone! I could have been a living commercial for Vodafone or AT&T! After many years I talked with Yessika that I know from my days in Mexico. She used to work for Acuaski but she was more to me than a simple employee. She is now 27 and she has two kids : Regina has 10 months and Carlos the same age that Meggie. I have many memories of Yessika, her tante Paulina and her kids Juan, Cheli and Blanca. Even if I am really far away I always tried to keep contact with her and she knows that she always count on me. My letters take forever to get to her but they do arrive in the little village on the Carretera Mexico-Acapulco. Yesterday before hanging up I told her "Sabes que eres siempre in mi corazon?" (Do you know that you are always in my heart?) And Yessika answered " Si senora, lo se, y Uds tambien" (Yes I know it and you too!). In all these years I could not have her call me simply Olga but it's not the name that counts!! Then after a call with Micaela I took the courage to call Francis. Not esay call. I have to find a way to tell him that he needs to make an extra effort if he doesn't want to loose her. I have been thinking about this phone call several days. And nights. When Francis answered the phone words came out fluently and he told me with a broken voice that he loves her. He always did. Even if what he did can prove the contrary. He doesn't know what to do. I sense that he's sorry for having cheated on her but he doesn't know how to tell this. It's not so easy for everybody to open up even with the beloved ones. He thanks me for having called, he says that's "adorable!". I feel hopeful for them, for an istant, but I don't have the presmption to think that my words can help them through this rough time. They are just words but who knows...! Then I talked to my mom, shared with her my stories, kissed her good night and then went to the Queenies for an apéritif with my collegues-friends Clém, Patricia and Kathy. Then took a metro back home, tenderly touched my daughter's hair who was already deeply sleeping!