saint andrea island

Today I slept in and took my time getting up. One of my favorite Sunday morning activities. Pietro has been home this weekend and it’s really the first time we both hung around the house. It’s been really nice having him home, he has a great energy and it has helped lift my spirits. After lulling for a few hours I went to the supermercato and bought stuff to make my birthday dinner. I’m making lasagna for all of the Italians that have been cooking me dinners over the last few weeks. So far the guest list is at 15 so I’m trying to start cooking ASAP so I make it in time for Tuesday night. When I arrived home Amanda, our neighbor, invited me and Pietro to join Her family on their boat trip to Saint Andrea’s Island. I jumped at the chance to go spend the day with their wonderful family. Amanda and her husband, Gibo, have the cutest twin five-year-old sons, Rocco and Zaino. I’m in Love!!! They were super shy at first but by the end if the day they were playing with me in the grass. Zaino asked if Andrea was a girls name or a boys name. In Italy Andrea is only a boys name, so it makes sense that he would be confused. He was then concerned if Zaino could be a girls name too. How cute is that??? The boat was parked just outside the house and we jumped in and headed through the lagoon towards the island. This island can only be reached by private boat, as it is military property. Today there was a festival with performers and soldiers who reenacted old Venetian style fort stuff. I chatted with one of the soldiers and he told me that the Republic of Venice had started the first ever Marines, and that students at WestPoint Military Academy study them as part of their class load. Chalk up another one for Venice! It was a beautiful day today. I’m so quiet. You wouldn’t believe it was me. I have so much more sympathy for non-native speakers now. I just sit and smile a lot and say please and thank you. I guess it has been a bit like walking meditation, so it has to be good for me!!