Kev's birthday and other happenings

A couple of weeks ago, the Andersons telephoned and asked if we would like to spend the day with them, visiting historical sites in Rome. Seeing as we don't really get out much (and we love their company of course) we gave an emphatic 'yes'! So, they met us at our place and we decided that we would go to 'Castel Sant'Angelo' which is the mausoleum of Hadrian. The kids wanted a gelato but we told them we would have lunch first. We had a quick bite of to eat at a nearby cafe, we got on a bus and reached the castle. As we were lining up to get in, the Andersons were told that they couldn't bring the baby stroller inside (and there was no where to lock it up), so we left and decided to go somewhere else instead. We found a little market where the children bought lollies and the men bought ties, but being women, Kate and I didn't buy anything. Then we sat down for some beer and chips, because it was already half an hour since we ate lunch!


An historical site, 'Mont Sant' Angelo'

The kids were still after some icecream but by this time it was nearly 3pm, and because it was the Feast of the Divine Mercy of Jesus we wanted to find a church to so that we could pray - the Feast day when we remember His Great Mercy to us when He gave His life for us on the Cross. It is a day when special prayers are recited - especially at 3pm which is the hour that he died. It was beautiful praying together with the children for such a wonderful day in the year of the Church. After this, we continued our walk and stumbled across the Spanish Steps.


The Spanish Steps (behind Kev and the Andersons)

We still hadn't had any gelati, but we also hadn't been to Mass yet, so we found a tiny church where Mass was just about to start (there is no shortage of churches, you may have guessed). After that we had dinner and then......gelati. Kev and I got home at about 8pm, but we found out that the Andersons didn't get home until about 11pm because of the buses. They are only a 25 minute walk from our place, but it was raining so they couldn't walk with the five kids.

On Saturday 17th (which is my mum's birthday - Happy birthday again mum), we had a visit from a friend of Kev's. Grace used to work with Kev, teaching at St Bedes. She has the term off work for Long Service Leave and was in Rome for few days, so we were able to catch with her for a bit, and went out for lunch. It was great to see her again. By the way, Kev says hello to all at St Bedes.

Then it was Kev's birthday - Monday 19th April. We knew that we would have to be at work until 10pm on the Monday, so we had a little party for him at our place on the Sunday. I also told him that he could open his presents on the Sunday (after much pestering on his part!!! He tried to tell me that it was already his birthday in Australia because of the time difference). I gave him an electric guitar (which he chose himself)and his family and the Andersons gave him an amplifier and an effects pedal (which he chose himself). He was so excited to try them out.


Kev with his birthday presents - notice it still has a little tagger on it


I really wanted to make a cake for Kev. I asked him what he would like and he jokingly said, "a racing car track". Everything here is so different; the flour, butter, actually, just about everything. So I didn't like my chances of the cake working. Also, I had no measuring scales, mixers, etc. I did something that I have never done in my life, and I bought a packet mix. I didn't even have to add milk or eggs. I just had to pour it into a tin. I put it in the oven and realised that the oven has no tempurature gauge. Aarrgggggggg. So I burnt it and had to cut a slice off every side. It came out okay, but very very small.


Kev's birthday cake with a slight resemblance to a racing car track

Mark and Kate and the kids came over to help us celebrate. We don't have a bbq, so we cooked the steaks, sausages, onions, eggs and mushrooms in a frypan and did the best we could.


Party time

The last week has been very busy with Italian classes every morning, and work for the rest of the day. It is great but so exhausting. Yesterday I had a 'chunk day' (my brother made up this phrase which means a day when you do absolutely nothing. Technically, it means that you have to stay in your pyjamas all day, but I admit that I got dressed). It was so good to sleep in and rest all day.

Oh, and we telephoned my sister-in-law Stephanie this morning. She put her 16 month old son Michael on the phone. He is our Godson, and we wanted to say hello to him. He took the phone from her and we were saying hello to him and telling him that we missed him, with the usual 'goo goo gah gahs'. What we didn't realise was that he had put us on hold. What a clever boy!

Ready for another week.......

Gubbio

(Hele writes....)

After a wonderful Easter, we were able to take a week off and have a holiday. We planned to go away on the Tuesday, but because the Lawrences (Annie, Hannah and Georgia) were in Rome, and we hadn't been able to spend much time with them, we decided to postpone our trip for a day. This meant we were able to go out for dinner with Hannah for her 16th birthday!! It was such a great night.



Annie, Kev, Helen, Theresa, Hannah and Georgia

I think I should have given the waiter a tripod for the camera!!!


So, on Easter Wednesday, we took a train and a bus to the town of Gubbio with our friend Chidi (she also works at the ESM). We chose Gubbio because that is where the t.v. show "Don Matteo" is filmed. We have been watching the DVDs since last year to help us learn Italian. And it is absolutely beautiful! We absolutely loved it, and will go back for sure.




Don Matteo's church in the show



Stairs - but there is an elevator if this is too much for you




The main Square, just 400 metres from our hotel

Our hotel was an old palace right in the centre of the town. It was four-star, but still cheaper than budget motels in Australia. So, what we saved on accomodation, we spent on food. Remember, it was still the Octave of Easter, so the celebration had to continue!

Which reminds me, we had about twelve churches to choose from to go to Mass each day. There was one near our hotel that had an evening Mass, which meant that we could sleep in. It was perfect, excpet that the singing was so so so bad. During one song, Kev leaned over and whispered, "It's a good thing that Christ is risen, because He would be turning in his grave". Needless to say, I couldn't stop laughing. Naughty Kev!


On the second day, we went for a leisurely stroll around the town. We found an old amphitheatre that has been around for about 2200 years. It was such a nice day, that we decided to relax in the sun for a while just to soak it all in.


Very interesting historical amphitheatre!!!

We continued our walk along a path that was starting to wind up the mountain. I kept accusing Kev of leading me up the garden path, and was worried that it wouldn't lead anywhere. I hated to admit that I was wrong. We ended up at a magnificent place with a great view.

There was a tiny little cafe (more like a kiosk) where we had lunch over-looking the town below. As it was still Easter, we had panini, beer, then coffee and icecreams.

Kev and I casually eat our icecreams

Gubbio is built on a hill, so the streets are very steep. There is a monastery right up the very top, which can be accessed by a funivia (cable car). Kev and I chose to walk up which took about an hour. We were so blessed with beautiful weather the whole time. We got to the top at exactly noon, as the bells were chiming. We went into the church and prayed the Angelus. After that we had lunch overlooking the town below. It was magnificent. The I sat down for an hour and read my book. What a life!!!

We stayed in Gubbio until Saturday. We had such a good time. We will be sure to go back some time. Until then, we can continue to watch episodes of Don Matteo on the DVDs that we bought. They only have Italian subtitles, so we look forward to being able to speak Italian!

This week, we both started our Italian classes. We are doing an eight week intensive. It is really good, because the class is entirely in Italian - no english at all. It is amazing how much Italian we can understand when accompanied by sign-language and gestures. I think that in eight weeks, we may be able to understand what is actually happening on Don Matteo!

Buona Pasqua

(Hele writes...)

Happy Easter to all!!

We have been on retreat for the last few days with the ESM students and about 60 other people. We have had many visitors from Australia to reduce the amount of home-sickness at this time.


Our Melbourne prayer group reunited

We have been preparing for Easter with many beautiful services with the Emmanuel Community, and attended some Masses at St Peters.

The students of the school acted out the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday in St Peters Square. The ESM is the only group who are given permission to do this. It was very powerful. Many people followed in prayer.


Stations of the Cross at St Peters Square

We had a beatiful Easter Mass on Saturday night with the participants of the retreat, followed by a party at the School. It was great to have some of the things that we had given up since Ash Wednesday.

We planned to go to Mass again on Sunday at St Peters Square, but we were exhausted so we slept in. Apparently it rained so we would have been soaked.

Last Thursday we went to the Chrism Mass (this is where the local bishop celebrates Mass with all the priests in the diocese. As we are in Rome, there were about 1600 priests, not to mention bishops and cardinals - the procession lasted about 20 minutes). We were there with the Andersons, and I suggested that if they want to get close to the Pope, to stay down the back near the place where he will enter. Some nuns and elderly women kindly allowed the kids to get the best place next to the barrier. When the Holy Father entered, he blessed every one of the five children.



Pope Benedict blessing the Anderson children

After Mass, the I was holding little Thomas who is almost 6 months old. The nuns insisted that the children get the position next to the barrier again. Kate (Thomas' mum) said that I could continue to hold him. This time, the Pope went to the barrier on the other side. Then he turned around on his way to depart, and as soon as he saw Thomas, he came directly over to him to bless him again. It was amazing to be holding him at the time. Everyone's cameras went crazy! I think he became famous in an instant.

The School is closing for the next ten days, so hopefully we will get some time to rest.


By the way, can you see the tick boxes below. Kev ticked each one of those, so we are not really funny, interesting or cool - but I think you all knew that!!