* Must * Do * Meme*

Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso was tagged a few days ago to complete this meme but chose not to pass the tag. Well, as a strong believer in all things “meme,” I am afraid it will wither and die if someone, ahem, I, don’t pass it on soon.

So, here ya go!

I’m eating a leftover hamburger (w/ mayo, on wheat bread) and sautéd zucchini as I type this. What did YOU eat last? I had a delizioso homemade cappuccino made by Il Cedro’s new cappuccino maker. Every morning we’ve practiced making extra frothy foam - this morning’s was the best yet. I also had a bowl of Special K yogurt and fruit cereal. Yum!

I am totally head-over-heels for a very tall man named James, who has a very sexy new haircut (picked out by me, of course! lol) What about YOUR love life? Anyone special? Siii….certo! (I am smiling now just thinking of him…) My someone special is the reason I am here in Bella Calabria. He not only is a physically attractive guy, but he has a heart of gold, is generous, helping, patient, and loving. He’s the tops!

I live in a little house, with lots of trees, on a dead-end street. What is it like where you live?Right now I live on the second floor of a two-story building, which is surrounded by orange, mandarin, and lemon trees. (We also have wild grapes, cherries, and persimmons around here, too.) Our new Bed and Breakfast is on the first floor of the same building. We are building a brand new casa (on the same land) as soon as we can push, push, push our paperwork through!

I love my hair, and my cute wittle nose. What are YOUR favourite features about yourself? I am normally a pretty optimistic person. (Although reading some of my blog posts might make you doubt the validity it that!) I also smile a lot and people compliment me on that. So, there ya go!

Today, I pondered about the need for mentoring in young women’s lives. What deep thoughts have YOU been pondering upon? Thanks to the Pre-Marriage Inventory Test Peppe and I took in January coupled with the recent gankin’ of my stuff at the gym, I’ve been pondering the best way to rear good kids these days. How do you balance being a good, supportive parent, allowing your kids some freedom, and ensuring they don’t mix in with the “wrong” crowd? It sure does require a lot of faith… (And, no, we don’t even have children yet!)

I love cheese (cubed colby & monterey jack) and green growing things! List 2 random things you love about life. I love feeling warm air from the sun (or even artificially through a heater or fireplace) on my face, and I love staying awake all night to finish a book that is so good, you just can’t put it down (even when your eyes are trying to close)!

I found CAC (Create a Connection) through Melba, who I found through A Mindful Life, which I stumbled on by doing a random search for Buddhist blogs, for no apparent reason! How did YOU find out about CAC? Yea, I am still not sure what Create a Connection is all about, but I’ll check it out as soon as I finish up this meme.

I absolutely *heart* thunderstorms! What do YOU love most about spring? I *heart* the smell of the grass after the thunderstorms, the blooming tulips, and the promise that summer is around the corner.

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Vanessa (who tagged Sognatrice) then continued the meme party by listing 5 things about herself, and like Sognatrice, I, too, like to talk about ME. So, I’ll continue the game with the same rules!

Five things about me connected to the 5 senses:

1. Taste - Yes, I think I have it. I am pretty happy with my wardrobe, my shoe collection, and my honey…Oh, you mean “il gusto“? Ok, I can do that, too. I love dessert, but I don’t like to end a meal with a sweet taste in my mouth. When I was a kid, I always saved one bite of my salad to finish after dessert.

2. Sight(ish) - I am 100%, certifiably BLIND! Ok, not really 100%, Only 99.9. I am so blind, in fact, that my doctor in Texas doesn’t even think Lasiks can help.

3. Touch - I absolutely LOVE hugging people. Don’t get me wrong, I am into the kiss’y-cheek thing we do here in Italy, too, but I just love a good bear hug (especially from a friend you haven’t seen in a long time). Nothing beats it.

4. Hearing - I love to wake up hearing the birds chirping outside my window. And, by this I mean real birds - not the other kind!

5. Smell - You know how they say when one sense is weak the others get stronger? Well, this one has stepped up for me. I have a really strong sense of smell. This, you realize, can be both a blessing and a curse. But, more importantly, my sense of smell is the greatest memory trigger I have. The other day I smelled “Sunflowers body lotion” and was instantly transported back to the Strength Training Course I took my freshman year in college (1995)…funny, huh?

I am not going to tag anyone (aka guilt them into completing this meme). But, if you do, please leave me a comment so I can check you out.

By the way…. Happy Pesce d’Aprile everyone!