Extends to bunnies as well, it seems. In the US, bunnies are expected to eat pellets made from timothy hay, and an unlimited quantity of hay. You are expected to limit their fresh veg (and especially fruit, since that's dessert). Lettuce is reputed to be problematic for their digestion.
Here in Italy, bunnies are expected to eat 400g of fresh veg (mostly lettuce, celery, and other green stuff, but limited chicory and green beans), unlimited timothy hay, and pellets only once a week. Albert likes fennel, in case you're wondering. He was wondering about it himself today, but the flavor grew on him. It was hilarious to see him dragging around the (small) bulb just like a chew toy.
As Michael points out, there's a huge debate out there about human nutrition...and he suspects that lagomorph nutrition is likely less studied.
Love,
Alexandra
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
31K in Terni
Today, as part of our continuing training for the marathon in November, a group of us headed over to Terni for a 31 km race. Why was it 31 km? Probably because they wanted something longer than 21 km and the roads they had already selected for the 12 and 21 km options worked out to 31 km when they put them all together.
It was a low-budget race: 3 Euro entry fee! you could tell in the amenities compared to last weekend. There were not volunteers at every intersection, water stations were further apart, etc. But it wasn't a problem, and they still had emergency vehicles to pick up my teammates who ended up dropping out.
But the funniest part, as always, was the runner's pack. This week's:
Two bottles of shower gel. I guess they could predict that the runners would need it. But black current with white lily (left) or with ginger (right)?
Michael
PS. For those of you who were wondering, I managed an even-paced run that averaged 4:49/km for a finish time of 2:26:57. It was actually about 30.5 km.
It was a low-budget race: 3 Euro entry fee! you could tell in the amenities compared to last weekend. There were not volunteers at every intersection, water stations were further apart, etc. But it wasn't a problem, and they still had emergency vehicles to pick up my teammates who ended up dropping out.
But the funniest part, as always, was the runner's pack. This week's:
Two bottles of shower gel. I guess they could predict that the runners would need it. But black current with white lily (left) or with ginger (right)?
Michael
PS. For those of you who were wondering, I managed an even-paced run that averaged 4:49/km for a finish time of 2:26:57. It was actually about 30.5 km.
Little Car for a Little Jaunt
Alexandra and I ran off to Verona for the night last Wednesday. We decided to drive so we would have a car when we got there. And this time we didn't have to rent the minibus!
Here we are in front of it in Todi. Yes, that is a pink elephant on the side, and pink and white text that says, "Naturally Chic". The car was touting its world-saving fuel economy.
Here is is at the pump along the way. It might have had great economy, but you did still have to put fuel into it.
But which fuel? Gas is so expensive here that many, many cars are sold with fuel options. This one ran on either methane or gasoline, and in this case I had found a station with methane and was filling that tank.
10 Euros of methane would take us over 200 km. Or I could put 20 Euros of gas in it to give us a quarter tank and probably not even that same distance. Cars also use GPL here, which I think is propane.
There is one other unexpected little thing in that filling picture above. There is no gas cap. The car had some sort of valve that made the gas cap unnecessary. Imagine trying to explain that to the guy at the emissions inspections station in Atlanta! I did like the idea that you couldn't possibly lose it.
Michael
Here we are in front of it in Todi. Yes, that is a pink elephant on the side, and pink and white text that says, "Naturally Chic". The car was touting its world-saving fuel economy.
Here is is at the pump along the way. It might have had great economy, but you did still have to put fuel into it.
But which fuel? Gas is so expensive here that many, many cars are sold with fuel options. This one ran on either methane or gasoline, and in this case I had found a station with methane and was filling that tank.
10 Euros of methane would take us over 200 km. Or I could put 20 Euros of gas in it to give us a quarter tank and probably not even that same distance. Cars also use GPL here, which I think is propane.
There is one other unexpected little thing in that filling picture above. There is no gas cap. The car had some sort of valve that made the gas cap unnecessary. Imagine trying to explain that to the guy at the emissions inspections station in Atlanta! I did like the idea that you couldn't possibly lose it.
Michael
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Surprise
Yesterday, at lunch Mummy told us that she had a surprise for us coming between 5 and 6. It actually came at seven thirty... but here are some photos!
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His name is Whitey... but we might just have to give him a nickname! My vote is for Albert (Einstein)
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| He lives under ou fireplace |
I'm off to play with the new edition to the family!
Ciao,
Florence
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Half Marathon at Lago di Chiusi
Most of you probably know that I am training for the Florence Marathon in November. Today, as part of that training, and also just because it was a fun thing to do, three of us ran a half marathon (21 km) at Lago di Chiusi (the lake at Chiusi, in Tuscany)
It was a gorgeous day, sunny, warm but not hot, breezy.
My running day started at 7:30 when I met Luca and Emmanuele at the middle school parking lot. We all arrived at exactly 7:30, prompting comments that we were like the Swiss.
Luca and Emmanuele immediately started arguing (good naturedly) over the best way to get there. Emmanuele had already checked both his car's GPS and the one on his phone. Luca was pulling from his knowledge of back roads he uses for cycling. All roads may lead to Rome, but getting anywhere at all from Todi, even Rome, requires going out of your way first. In the end we took all sorts of back roads and farm lanes, but we did get to the race on time.
The race was very well organized. They had plenty of volunteers directing traffic, check-in was quick and smooth, and the race started right on time.
This was the start and finish area. If anyone looks tired, that is because I took these pictures after the race.
Yes, that is the lake in the background. Here is the panoramic view from the pier.
Doesn't that look like something impressive to run around? What you need to realize is that we didn't just run a footpath at the lake's edge. The entire area inside our circumnavigation was about three times the area of the lake itself.
Let me point out a spot across the lake. Do you see this white road winding up the distant hill?
I got to see it up close. That climb starts at the 8 km mark and is continuously uphill for 2 km to that town in the hilltop. We gained 400 feet in altitude on a gravel road with the wind in our face (that pleasant breeze was rather unpleasant at that point). It felt like one of those dreams where you are running in waist-deep mud and don't actually go anywhere. For those of you who have run the Peachtree, Heart Attack Hill is not as steep, is on a nicely-paved road, and is only 150 feet high. I am not ashamed to admit that I walked parts of it so I would not be wiped out for the rest of the race.
It almost turned out to be a great race for me, but this really was just a training run on top of my heaviest training week yet: 7 km Monday, 14 km Wednesday, 12 km Thursday, and a tough 18 km workout on the track Friday. One day was really not enough recovery time for a race, and it showed when my legs started twinging around 15 km into the race. From that point I had to moderate my pace--no finish time is worth an overtraining injury--and in the last two km my left leg was cramping badly enough that I had to only jog with walking breaks to keep things stretched out. It was a pity because from a cardiovascular standpoint I was in great shape and ready to keep attacking the course.
Final time: 1:39:15, which puts me well ahead of pace for my 3:30 marathon goal. Doubly so since the course was much more challenging than the Florence marathon will be, and triply since I will actually be rested for the marathon.
Now back to the pictures. Here is Emmanuele checking the results board:
And here is Luca examining his prize bag for his second-place age group finish:
And the two of them walking away from the refreshment table:
Back in Todi the family examined the contents of the race bag with our usual delight. Two half-bottles of wine, a Gatorade knock-off, a bag of pasta, a can of tomatoes, a can of olives, a tin of tuna, a tin of sardines, and a tourist map of Chiusi and nearby towns. And yes, that is Ashley with her strawberry blond curls in the background.
Michael
It was a gorgeous day, sunny, warm but not hot, breezy.
My running day started at 7:30 when I met Luca and Emmanuele at the middle school parking lot. We all arrived at exactly 7:30, prompting comments that we were like the Swiss.
Luca and Emmanuele immediately started arguing (good naturedly) over the best way to get there. Emmanuele had already checked both his car's GPS and the one on his phone. Luca was pulling from his knowledge of back roads he uses for cycling. All roads may lead to Rome, but getting anywhere at all from Todi, even Rome, requires going out of your way first. In the end we took all sorts of back roads and farm lanes, but we did get to the race on time.
The race was very well organized. They had plenty of volunteers directing traffic, check-in was quick and smooth, and the race started right on time.
This was the start and finish area. If anyone looks tired, that is because I took these pictures after the race.
Yes, that is the lake in the background. Here is the panoramic view from the pier.
Doesn't that look like something impressive to run around? What you need to realize is that we didn't just run a footpath at the lake's edge. The entire area inside our circumnavigation was about three times the area of the lake itself.
Let me point out a spot across the lake. Do you see this white road winding up the distant hill?
I got to see it up close. That climb starts at the 8 km mark and is continuously uphill for 2 km to that town in the hilltop. We gained 400 feet in altitude on a gravel road with the wind in our face (that pleasant breeze was rather unpleasant at that point). It felt like one of those dreams where you are running in waist-deep mud and don't actually go anywhere. For those of you who have run the Peachtree, Heart Attack Hill is not as steep, is on a nicely-paved road, and is only 150 feet high. I am not ashamed to admit that I walked parts of it so I would not be wiped out for the rest of the race.
It almost turned out to be a great race for me, but this really was just a training run on top of my heaviest training week yet: 7 km Monday, 14 km Wednesday, 12 km Thursday, and a tough 18 km workout on the track Friday. One day was really not enough recovery time for a race, and it showed when my legs started twinging around 15 km into the race. From that point I had to moderate my pace--no finish time is worth an overtraining injury--and in the last two km my left leg was cramping badly enough that I had to only jog with walking breaks to keep things stretched out. It was a pity because from a cardiovascular standpoint I was in great shape and ready to keep attacking the course.
Final time: 1:39:15, which puts me well ahead of pace for my 3:30 marathon goal. Doubly so since the course was much more challenging than the Florence marathon will be, and triply since I will actually be rested for the marathon.
Now back to the pictures. Here is Emmanuele checking the results board:
And here is Luca examining his prize bag for his second-place age group finish:
And the two of them walking away from the refreshment table:
Back in Todi the family examined the contents of the race bag with our usual delight. Two half-bottles of wine, a Gatorade knock-off, a bag of pasta, a can of tomatoes, a can of olives, a tin of tuna, a tin of sardines, and a tourist map of Chiusi and nearby towns. And yes, that is Ashley with her strawberry blond curls in the background.
Michael
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Florence Gemma Hook
Florence chose as her patron saint Gemma Galgani, an Italian woman who died early in the 1900s. One of her visions before she died was that a shrine would be built just outside the walls of Lucca ... of course, that vision came to pass (!) and her body is entombed in said shrine.
There was no way we could be so close and not go visit Gemma!
The day we left Lucca, we drove via her shrine and spent some time visiting with her and looking at the artifacts that they had displayed in the immaculata shop.
Love,
Alexandra
Thursday, September 19, 2013
A knock on the door
This morning, our landlord came to visit. He popped in for 30 seconds to explain that his car was parked illegally and left us:
I love my landlord.
Love,
Alexandra
I love my landlord.
Love,
Alexandra
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
An Adventure
Yesterday, swimming started. Mummy doesn't have a driver's licence right now so I had to take the bus-- which worked out almost just fine. The way down was not a problem (even though the bus driver only knew he was going to Pantalla because another bus driver told him ...). To catch the bus back up to Todi I have to get to the hospital. The guy at the desk would take me to the hospital at eight ten to catch my eight twenty bus if he wasn't too busy. Which meant I had to leave half an hour earlier from practice but half a loaf is better than none! He was too busy. So I called Mummy- she said to look at the schedule for the bus stop right outside of the gym and if the bus didn't stop there then I should call Leo. They hadn't bothered to post when or if the bus would stop there... so I called Leo. He said he'd be there in ten minutes. Five minutes later the bus (with the same driver who had taken me to Pantalla) drove up, pulled over, honked and asked whether I needed a ride back to Todi. HMM. I said that I had called the taxi, but on Wednesday I would be back; now I know the bus will stop there!
Ciao,
Florence
Ciao,
Florence
Sunday, September 15, 2013
First Week of School
The first week of school was as uneventful as you could wish it to be. I have four new people in my class (which makes us a class of 29 people). Fortunately they are all fairly nice. Three of them used to go to the "liceo scientifico" in another town but they have transferred over here. I found my classroom without problems (it's the same as the old one). I haven't met all of my teachers yet but I am fairly sure that I will like them all. I have homework already...
ciao,
Florence
ciao,
Florence
Confirmation, Italian Style
This afternoon, Florence and Ashley were both confirmed at the 5:00 Mass. As usual, the Hooks did their best to take over the entire liturgy: apart from 2 candidates (out of 7?), Michael was the proxy confirmation sponsor for BOTH girls, Eleanor & I sang in the choir, and Jeremy and James were the two altar servers. Now, being the only two altar servers at a Mass with a bishop presiding means that they got to deal with incense, croziers, miters, and so on. Very, very exciting.
But enough about the boys! Let's talk about the girls. So what was different about this Mass? To begin with, when the confirmation Mass was held: in September, right? Generally, confirmation Mass is held in the spring. Last year, though, I was asking the priest about timing...he explained that they now do it in the fall because, well, they just ran a little late on preparation a few years ago. They decided that it actually worked quite well to do it in September, given that every other ceremony takes place at the end of the school year, and it's just too hectic. So now? September it is.
Another thing? The tradition is to give a "basket" of food for the poor from each family participating in a sacrament. We had a box. A cardboard box. We looked at this box from the side. From the top. At an angle. And we couldn't decide whether said box should be gift wrapped or taken as-was. Ashley had no interest in dealing with it whatsoever. I was playing Scrabble with the boys, so wasn't overly entice-able. Florence wasn't sure what the right thing to do would be.
Michael the practical arrived at the critical point. "Get out a gift bag. Then you can go either way." Aha! He found a gift bag that looks remarkably like a green brown paper bag...as in, nothing special. By the time it was wrapped around the box -- I have to confess that even loving eyes couldn't see much that was distinguished about it. (When I saw the large, cellophane-adorned, deluxe baskets, well -- yes...ours did look pathetic.)
But enough about the basket! I was going to talk about the girls! They looked beautiful. Eleanor was hissing at me vehemently when I pulled out the camera. "No, Mummy! No photography!" (She knows I'm a stickler about this.) I coolly responded, "I'm not taking photos. I'm taking videos." Ha!
I have a few snippets of poorly lit videos for those who are really committed to seeing the pieces of the Mass that involved the girls. They're worth at least as much as you're paying for them...
The processional (Ashley's wearing salmon, Florence is wearing cream)
And it continues...
Finally:
And we have two new adult members of the Church! Welcome, Ashley and Florence!
Back home to finish the killer game of Scrabble, and off to La Mangiatoia for dinner!
Love,
Alexandra
But enough about the boys! Let's talk about the girls. So what was different about this Mass? To begin with, when the confirmation Mass was held: in September, right? Generally, confirmation Mass is held in the spring. Last year, though, I was asking the priest about timing...he explained that they now do it in the fall because, well, they just ran a little late on preparation a few years ago. They decided that it actually worked quite well to do it in September, given that every other ceremony takes place at the end of the school year, and it's just too hectic. So now? September it is.
Another thing? The tradition is to give a "basket" of food for the poor from each family participating in a sacrament. We had a box. A cardboard box. We looked at this box from the side. From the top. At an angle. And we couldn't decide whether said box should be gift wrapped or taken as-was. Ashley had no interest in dealing with it whatsoever. I was playing Scrabble with the boys, so wasn't overly entice-able. Florence wasn't sure what the right thing to do would be.
Michael the practical arrived at the critical point. "Get out a gift bag. Then you can go either way." Aha! He found a gift bag that looks remarkably like a green brown paper bag...as in, nothing special. By the time it was wrapped around the box -- I have to confess that even loving eyes couldn't see much that was distinguished about it. (When I saw the large, cellophane-adorned, deluxe baskets, well -- yes...ours did look pathetic.)
But enough about the basket! I was going to talk about the girls! They looked beautiful. Eleanor was hissing at me vehemently when I pulled out the camera. "No, Mummy! No photography!" (She knows I'm a stickler about this.) I coolly responded, "I'm not taking photos. I'm taking videos." Ha!
I have a few snippets of poorly lit videos for those who are really committed to seeing the pieces of the Mass that involved the girls. They're worth at least as much as you're paying for them...
The processional (Ashley's wearing salmon, Florence is wearing cream)
Oh... this was nifty... the repetition of the baptismal vows was held by the baptismal font! They all processed over there.
And it continues...
And we have two new adult members of the Church! Welcome, Ashley and Florence!
Back home to finish the killer game of Scrabble, and off to La Mangiatoia for dinner!
Love,
Alexandra
Thursday, September 12, 2013
San Gimignano
In know Alexandra gave you a quick recap of our vacation, but i have a few pictures to share, too.
Last Tuesday we drove to San Gimignano from Lucca. This is a popular tourist town near Florence and Sienna. So popular a tourist town that it seemed like the only Italians were running the cafés and selling tickets, but that doesn't take away from the beauty of the place.
Here is Jeremy in the cafe where we had a pick-me-up after our 2 hour drive:
And here he is on the steps to one of the towers of La Rocca (which apparently always refers to a walled fortification of the top of the hill in a town, often now a park inside):
Here is James on top of that bit of the wall, with some of the famous towers of San Gimignano in the background:
Bear in mind, when you look at those towers, that we were on top of a wall build at the top of the highest point in the city, a pretty steep hill. Those are tall towers!
That is the point at which we exclaimed, "There are people up in that tower! We have to go up there!"
So, seven tickets and a bunch of steps later, we did. And we're rewarded with incredible views of the city and countryside:
Michael
Last Tuesday we drove to San Gimignano from Lucca. This is a popular tourist town near Florence and Sienna. So popular a tourist town that it seemed like the only Italians were running the cafés and selling tickets, but that doesn't take away from the beauty of the place.
Here is Jeremy in the cafe where we had a pick-me-up after our 2 hour drive:
And here he is on the steps to one of the towers of La Rocca (which apparently always refers to a walled fortification of the top of the hill in a town, often now a park inside):
Here is James on top of that bit of the wall, with some of the famous towers of San Gimignano in the background:
Bear in mind, when you look at those towers, that we were on top of a wall build at the top of the highest point in the city, a pretty steep hill. Those are tall towers!
That is the point at which we exclaimed, "There are people up in that tower! We have to go up there!"
So, seven tickets and a bunch of steps later, we did. And we're rewarded with incredible views of the city and countryside:
Michael
House Critters
In America we live in the Southeast, a part of the country well known for creatures--especially insects--around the house. We live with our windows shut, or at least with screens covering every window that is open. If not, in come the mosquitos, gnats, and flies. Termites are kept at bay only with careful construction and regular treatment. Spiders have rich hunting and spin webs in every nook and cranny. Nothing will keep those big Southern cockroaches out. And hanging around outside in the summer? Pass the bug spray.
By a fortunate convergence of climate, location (urban area on top of a hill), and construction, we simply do not have that problem here in Todi. There is not a single screen covering a window of our house, and those windows are open whenever the air is warmer outside than in.
Mosquitos? Maybe a rare bite (but we did have those nasty, nearly invisible sand flies in June). Termites? Don't make me laugh: the climate is dry and wood is used only for interior trim and holding up the roof. Cockroaches? I have yet to see one anywhere in Italy, dead or alive.
That isn't to say we don't have house critters. Occasionally the bats that live in our courtyard will find their way in (and out) through an open window. We have to avoid leaving sugar spills on the counter so we don't get ants. And James did spot this guy on the ceiling:
I'll take a 2-inch gecko over a cockroach any day.
Michael
By a fortunate convergence of climate, location (urban area on top of a hill), and construction, we simply do not have that problem here in Todi. There is not a single screen covering a window of our house, and those windows are open whenever the air is warmer outside than in.
Mosquitos? Maybe a rare bite (but we did have those nasty, nearly invisible sand flies in June). Termites? Don't make me laugh: the climate is dry and wood is used only for interior trim and holding up the roof. Cockroaches? I have yet to see one anywhere in Italy, dead or alive.
That isn't to say we don't have house critters. Occasionally the bats that live in our courtyard will find their way in (and out) through an open window. We have to avoid leaving sugar spills on the counter so we don't get ants. And James did spot this guy on the ceiling:
I'll take a 2-inch gecko over a cockroach any day.
Michael
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
La Dolce Vita Moves to Lucca
Last week we were tired from the brutal pace of life here, so we took a happily anticipated holiday in Lucca -- truly, it was a birthday celebration for my mother (happy birthday!), which meant that we enjoyed seeing my parents, my aunt & uncle, and my dad's cousins. We were a multinational group, coming from Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the US -- what a wonderful excuse for a mini-reunion!
We had the chance to stay in a house in the outskirts of town that was built as a "country" house in the 1700s and then later more than doubled in size in the 1800s. It was a rambling structure, with all sorts of surprising nooks and crannies. The grounds were marvelous, including a pool, outdoor terrace area (where we spent much of our time), and some delicious (ripe!) muscatel grapes -- of which we availed ourselves freely.
Apart from lolling in the garden, we took several day trips; I found the wool shop in Lucca (imagine that!), we visited San Gimignano, Cinque Terre, and on the way home, even spent several hours in Siena.
We had the chance to stay in a house in the outskirts of town that was built as a "country" house in the 1700s and then later more than doubled in size in the 1800s. It was a rambling structure, with all sorts of surprising nooks and crannies. The grounds were marvelous, including a pool, outdoor terrace area (where we spent much of our time), and some delicious (ripe!) muscatel grapes -- of which we availed ourselves freely.
Apart from lolling in the garden, we took several day trips; I found the wool shop in Lucca (imagine that!), we visited San Gimignano, Cinque Terre, and on the way home, even spent several hours in Siena.
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| Lunch in Lucca -- birthday girl in foreground |
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| This is a darling oval piazza that was at one time a Roman amphitheater |
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| San Gimignano |
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| View from La Rocca at San Gimignano |
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| From La Rocca |
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| View from La Rocca |
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| Ambience at La Rocca was provided by this musician |
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| The olive leaves are silver now |
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| View from La Grande Torre |
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| The warning bell in times of danger |
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| This courtyard was beautifully frescoed |
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| Aren't the curved bricks wonderful? |
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| Cinque Terre |
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| There are so many "climby" places! |
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| I loved the bridge |
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| The terracing is stunning |
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| The view of the sea's not so bad, either |
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| I was enchanted by the undulations of the rock faces |
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| The water is incredibly translucent |
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| It must be even more stunning at sunset! |
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| But it's not exactly ugly during the day... |
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| There are lizards everywhere |
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| Eleanor and Florence telling me to hurry up because the sun was in their eyes! |
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| It was a real gift to see this school of fish swimming through! |
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| Italy's answer to the abandoned cars & kudzu of Georgia! |
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| This is some sort of tractor on rails to access the terraces. |
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| I feel terrible! I didn't get a single picture of all of us at the house! Consolation prize: a picture of Dickie. |
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