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.......