Marching into Monday Musings

Happy Happy Happy First Monday in March!

Finally!

Not that I'm a big fan of racing through the new year...but plodding through February was hard work this year.

It was a warm and sunny day today. Something everyone needed, I think.

The kids raced through their schoolwork so that they could go outside to play this afternoon before Emily's dance class. The muddy footprints throughout the kitchen prove that they made it.

Heard out of the clear blue from Emily this weekend: "Am I supposed to like sweat?" Hmm... We weren't sure how to answer that. I would love to be able to get inside of her head sometime.

Edward and I had a "date" yesterday. I'd promised him a chocolate milkshake since he'd missed out a few weeks due to being sick. I realized how long it had been since we'd actually spent time together when he got into the car and said, "It's been such a long time since we did this, huh, Mommy?"

Moments like that remind me that kids grow up so quickly...we need to treasure the time we have with them...it will pass all too soon.

Being Monday reminds me of wings...and wings remind me of television...and television reminds me of my favorite Monday night show, 24. Hmm... I think I'll start my monthly countdown again. Let's see...only 10 1/2 months until Season 7...we hope.

Anyways...moving right along.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
• Guernsey cows
• Nova Scotia’s seacoast
• having your caricature drawn
• dancing with your moon-shadow
• a personal note

* * *

Way back in the mid-1990s, Stuart and I took a trip around Europe.

One of the places we visited was Florence, Italy, the birthplace of one of my great-grandfathers. It was a beautiful city, filled with the charms of Italian life and "olde worlde" architecture.

While we were passing through an open market square, looking for something leather to buy (one of the things Florence is famous for), we heard some say, "Hey, psst! Hey, Rambo! Hey, Sexy!"

Knowing this person couldn't possibly be talking about us, we continued on slowly, still curious about who said such a thing.

Then an artist popped up in front of us. "Rambo, Sexy. I draw you?" he asked. He pointed to some of his works, all caricatures and all pretty good.

We agreed and stood dutifully while he drew us.

The end result was hilarious and brought us smiles and laughter for many days afterwards. Stuart paid the 30,000 or so lire, and we continue our wander through the marketplace.

We reminisced about the event long after our trip and each time it brought back a smile and a laugh.

A fun moment in time in a country far from home.

* * *

An aside...

Italy has since joined the EU and exchanged its lire for euros.

But back in the mid-90s when we visited, the country still used lire and everything cost 1,000s. (I think the exchange rate at that time was 1,000 lire = 1 dollar.)

So it was odd to be able to take a quarter-million lire out of an ATM, knowing it was only $250.

Made you feel rich for a moment.