Still Pissy...

January 26, 2012

If you see a lot of text and no pictures, it is me just venting to get things off my chest so I can sleep at night.  Feel free to ignore the post.  This will be our third full day in Italy.  I can’t sleep, so I am up early writing this on the morning of the 27th.  At this point, I am wishing we had taken David’s sabbatical in Hawaii!  I am really frustrated that my Italian is so bad and I can’t remember most of what I learned.  Communication is extremely difficult at best. 

The other problem we are having is trying to get phone and internet access.  We did research before we left the states, and everyone said Vodafone was the best.  So far, it has been two days and we have returned several times to the shop, and neither our phones nor internet are working.  We bought Italian sim cards, so there should be no problem with the phones.  We get messages from Vodafone in Italian, so we know the phone is working.  However, we can’t read the messages and still haven’t managed to call each other on our phones.  So, it is back to the Vodafone shop again today, Ugh!

As for internet, just having gmail would really help.  I feel really disconnected.   Mom hasn’t heard from me in quite a while, and that really bothers me.  I think I am worried too that she won’t be able to come visit us here because of the steepness of the city and the stairs everywhere.  She just had knee replacement surgery and is a real trooper, but this is killing MY knees!  I do not recommend Perugia for anyone that needs wheelchair accessibility.

Oh No!!!  We got a parking ticket!  $120!!!  What???  We parked exactly where our landlord told us to park.  What?  None of the cars around us have tickets…  Something is fishy… David says we got the ticket because it was obviously a tourist English car.  I feel sick to my stomach.  Must have chocolate!!!  Thanks to Julie and Andrew Firth, I have two giant Cadbury Milk Chocolate bars with me.  Let the feast begin.

I am feeling really sorry for our kids.  We have spent so much time worrying about getting phone and internet service and shopping for our next meal that they have spent most of their time waiting outside of shops for us.  Right now I just want to get on the next plane home.   I sure hope this feeling changes!

What I need is a good long run to clear my head.  As far as running goes, I thought I was being a bit of a wimp when I said I wouldn’t run much because I don’t like hills.  At this point, hills would be welcome!  It is so steep here, that the only hills to run are the roads that switch back and forth up and down.  They are barely narrow enough for a car, much less a pedestrian trying to dodge crazy Italian drivers!  We get from place to place mostly by finding hidden stairways which have proved to be much safer!  I can barely walk the stairs without having to stop to catch my breath.  I can’t imagine being able to run them!  Check back with me in four months though, I should never say never!

One giant Cadbury's milk chocolate bar GONE!  Let’s hope today is a better day  J