Connecting

I ran into an acquaintance, a friend of a friend, on Friday and we stopped by a small bar for drinks and conversation. I didn’t know him very well beforehand, but we found we enjoy each other’s sense of humor, especially after a glass of wine or two! It was nice to have the company of another person to alleviate my solitude. We discussed going for pizza with another friend before I leave. I’d really like that! How lucky I have been to meet such nice people!

On my way home I stopped to choose some smaller pieces of ceramics to take home as gifts. The man working at the shop gave me a small discount. I asked if it was because I was so cute, and he said that it was. More likely it’s because I am a multiple repeat customer and he is a kind man (and a good hip-wiggler). Either way, it was very nice.

I also made the acquaintance of a couple from Canada, Jean and Gordon, several times and we’ve had some long and interesting conversations. I happened to look out my kitchen window yesterday and there they were standing in my alley taking pictures! I invited them up to see the apartment and we exchanged contact information. They invited me to stop and visit if ever I find myself in Canada. I really enjoyed talking with both of them and we shared a hug as we parted. They departed for home early this morning. I wish them a safe trip!

I stopped to visit my favorite porchetta man yesterday, and his co-worker must have been concerned that I was nutritionally compromised because he piled at least twice the usual amount of pork on my panino. After all, it wouldn’t do for me to grow weak on my 50 yard journey around the corner to my house, would it? Maybe that’s how butchers flirt; a little extra porchetta here, an extra slice of proscuitto there, or perhaps an extra juicy chicken liver (yuck) on the side. Unfortunately, I did manage to eat the entire garlicky sandwich in one sitting with absolutely no problem!

The heat is getting more intense day by day, or perhaps I am just becoming more sensitive to it. Just like in Texas, my face turns shiny and my make-up melts off before I can even finish applying it. I spend the most of the day feeling pale, wilted, droopy, and damp. The humidity makes my fine hair crazy…it gets curly in some places and stick straight in others. It’s not quite so uncomfortable inside the apartment…the thick stone walls keep the worst of the heat at bay, however my peri-menopausal body just does not adapt to heat changes well. Just a couple months ago I was sleeping in gloves and socks and now I prefer to run around stark naked. I made a wonderful, cool salad of lettuce, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dinner, but rounded it out with a couple pieces of pizza from the carry-out pizza place.

In preparation for leaving, I have been doing some extra cleaning around the apartment. I don’t want to leave Maria with a huge mess to clean up after I’ve gone. It’s amazing how fast a thick layer of dust can build up. I have been unable to locate bleach at our local store and my white socks are turning a progressively darker shade of gray. Maria tells me that it’s called “ace” in Italian, but still, I can only locate color safe “ace”. Maybe I need to wait until I get to Germany, or make another foray to the Coop in Camucia which has a much larger selection of everything.

I am excited to say that I am able to shoe-horn myself into my smallest pair of pants…a pair which I could not even get pulled up 2 ½ weeks ago, when I first received them! My smallest shirts get just a tiny bit looser each day, so in a month or two I should be able to wear them comfortably. I am thrilled to shed any weight as I have been unable to lose any at all in about 2 years and no more than 5 pounds in the last 4 years. Stress, lack of rest, fast food, middle-age, and a sedentary lifestyle have taken their toll on my body. It feels so good to be healthy and fit, comparatively speaking. I never liked how my weight limited my life. There were so many things I would not do and places I would not go because of my appearance and level of fitness. I am not completely over that yet, but it is getting better. I no longer cringe at the sight of a hill or the thought of walking more than 2 blocks. It’s horrible to have your weight or some other health issue determine what you can and can’t do with your own life. It’s like living in shackles. Because I pretty much each what I want, when I want it, I am not thinking about food every waking moment like when I used to “diet”. I just eat smaller portions; healthier, more organic foods; few snacks or fast foods; and while I sauté foods in olive oil, I have only eaten deep fried foods twice in 3 months.

Losing weight still brings up other issues…..Parts of me of saggier than they were and I don’t like that at all. Also, I suspect that attention from men will increase and I will no longer have my safe “filter” to help weed out people who might harm me emotionally. I guess part of my transformation is learning to stop hiding and confront my life, and my choices, head-on.

The waiter smiled at me today. Of course, I then noticed him checking out a slim, toned woman in a form fitting outfit who walked in the café’ after me. Oh well. One day I might get some admiring glances, too, but I am afraid they won’t be from the him.