Linda Stanley

Magpies are ridiculous! Our dog

Magpies are ridiculous! Our dog is 16 years old and is deaf, blind, incontinent and has a bit of dementia, but adorable none the less. I have to leave the kitchen sliding door open for him otherwise he cannot decide if he wants to go out or come in and will stand and yap on whichever side of the door he is at wanting to get to the other side. By leaving the sliding door open he can wander in and out as he pleases. The magpies and bandicoots have started eating his dog biscuits, so I now put his bowl of biscuits inside in the kitchen so the magpies and the bandicoots cannot eat them. But, now the magpies have realised the biscuits are inside and they are coming inside after the biscuits. I spend a lot of time cleaning up the dogs pooping and peeing and disinfecting the kitchen floor, now the magpies are coming in and pooping on the floor too!
 I was sitting working in the office when I heard a ruckus a few minutes ago and went to see what on earth it was. A magpie was in the kitchen and in a panic because it could not find its way out again. I was afraid it was going to smash a tall green glass objet d’art that was my birthday present two years back. So I opened the sliding doors up wide and left the room to let it calm down and hopefully find its own way out of the room.   
 What with the dog pooping and peeing all over the kitchen, and now the magpies pooping in the kitchen as well, I just can’t win!!
 

Birmingham National Exhibition Centre has

Birmingham National Exhibition Centre has been our home for the past few days. John presented his talk here yesterday to GLEE the Garden Pet and Leisure Exhibtion on the future of the industry and got a full house and headlines in the paper this morning as a result. 

Today we move to Gloucester and will attend the Taste of Gloucestershire Ball tonight. I just love the wonderful range of cheeses and processed meats that are available in this part of the world. It would be wonderful if we could get even half the range back home in Western Australia.

The garden industry in the United Kingdom is doing really well as people are spending more time at home and more time in their gardens while the economy and retail in general is suffering.

The 100 mile concept here is strong as consumers realise they should support local farmers and local businesses. Have not yet had a chance to look at farmers markets here yet on this trip, but I expect they will be doing well provided they are true to their core local own grown product. Am excited about seeing the Taste of Gloucestershire campaign tonight.

Will be hunting around to see if there are any boutqiue producers back home procuing home smoked and cured meats next. They would go well with home made pasta.

It is also time to find a supplier of a wider range of heirloom vegetables. Have seen a much larger range than ever before of unusual vegetables on this trip both here in the UK and in Italy. The interest in old fashioned and unusal vegetables is obviously on the increase too. Will hunt down a supplier of seeds for the forthcoming Kalamunda Community Garden.

 

Rome is totally awe inspiring,

Rome is totally awe inspiring, wandering around 2000 year old buildings (Pantheon) and ruins (Julius Caesars and Augustus Caesars forums) seeing where Nero the nutter hung out is pretty well incomprehensible for a simple little Aussie! 

My mum used to say that Naples is one of the most beautiful cities and you should see Naples before you die. Sorry mum, it might have been beautiful once upon a time, but it is an ugly industrial port now, that spoils an otherwise beautiful bay.
However the Amalfi coast is gorgeous and Pompeii is as mind blowing as Rome.
Pasta making class was fun. Made orichiette pasta, involtini with stuffed cabbage, apple strudel, and crazy water eel. :)

The train system in Italy is excellent, fast, efficient, clean, comfortable, and economical - no need to fly from city to city in Italy, the train is far better. The express train reached 300km an hour according to the speed status indicator. I only had time to type one letter while we travelled from Naples before we reached Rome! It was a rather long letter. ;). Much more comfortable than the ghastly cramped airplanes we are forced to endure these days. I think rail travel will make a come back, long live trains!!

Italian conference in Padova was yesterday. It is the fifth year running that we have done this conference and many of the delegates come back every year. This year was over capacity with people sitting on the floor along the walls. We have already been asked to come back and present the conference next year, but the discussion centered on the room not being big enough more and what to do about it next year as there are not any larger conference at the convention centre. :). 

Last night we wandered the medieval streets of lovely Padova, through ancient archways along cobbled lanes to find dinner next to an ancient cathedral that is am pilgrim site due to a saints bones being interred there. I could not find the name of the church, the piazza is just called the piazza of the saint. There are so many magnificent buildings in Italy that it seems this is "just one more".

Walking in the footsteps of

Walking in the footsteps of Jesus. That is what the devout believe
they do on the Scala Santa, the Sacred Steps. 28 steps made of marble
but now covered with wood that Jesus is reputed to have walked on when
he was judged by Pilate, were dismantled fromJerusalem and brought to
Rome. Tradition has it that to honor Jesus you climb the steps on your
knees and say a special prayer in every step.
Eduardo, my Mexican friend from class, and a very devout person,
wanted to climb the steps, so I agreed to do it with him.
I also prayed at every step "please God help me get through this" and
at the next step, reeling in agony as the pain shot through my knees
and shins, "please God help me do this!" and at the next step as I
could not turn back because there were rows of people behind me making
their way on their knees up the staircase, and it was forbidden to
stand on the sacred staircase, "oh my God, this is agony, please help
me get through this!"
I finally made it through 28 steps and my knees are still bruised 24
hours later.

Piazza Del Popolo has statues

Piazza Del Popolo has statues of the four seasons.

The Pantheon

Originally built in 27BC! Can you believe it! It is the best preserved
of all of Rome's ancient buildings because it was donated to a Pope
around 1500 years ago. It's dome is considered a masterpiece in
engineering even today.

Irregular verbs, articles and prepositions.

Irregular verbs, articles and prepositions. Pasta , pizza and panini.
Two weeks has passed so quickly in fascinating, beguiling Rome.
Tomorrow is my last day of class. A small group of students have
become very close friends. Tomorrow we will have a lunch time risotto
party at our favorite restaurant as a farewell party for me as the
others are staying longer. Life will never be the same again after
these last two weeks. I miss my friends already.

Police, military, helicopters everywhere two

Police, military, helicopters everywhere two days now! What is
happening in Rome?

Two days of class left, it has passed so quickly. After class
yesterday went looking for 'gay' street with one of my dear new
friends who wanted to orient himself and find his way around. It was a
street I walked many times before class started and I had no idea it
was 'gay' street it was so subtle. He showed me the little signs on
windows that indicate a shop is 'gay' friendly.

I will be sad tomorrow to say goodbye to my lovely new friends from
all over the world.

Sent from my iPad

Romans seem culturally to be

Romans seem culturally to be very different from northern Italians.
It is not simply appearance-wise, but habits and attitudes seem quite
different too. Having spent several years working in the north for
short periods of time, this is my first visit to Rome. While I
absolutely love it here, there are some things that surprise me.
Observations on the tram - I travel to class and home again every day
on the tram. The public transport system if cheap (€1 each way),
clean, fast and on time. About 1% or less actually pay / validate a
ticket to ride on the tram. I have watched youngish women push past
elderly to beat them to a seat. This morning on a crowded tram one
woman asked another woman if she could sit on the seat where the
seated woman had her handbag and a shopping bag. The seated lady
refused to let the enquiring woman sit down as the seat was for her
handbag.
Yesterday I went to a museum where the history and various wars were
explained. The southern third of Italy was Spanish until the 1800's,
the top third was French and the middle third belonged to the church.
Does that explain the marked difference in cultures between the north
and the south today I wonder?

Sent from my iPad

This current generation of Roman

This current generation of Roman caretakers of this magnificent city
respect and honor their heritage, their monuments, their traditions
and their culture. Every inch of every cobblestoned street speaks of
love and history. Every proud and ancient building oozes stories of
glory, poverty, wealth, destruction and rebirth.

Sidewalk cafes compete with pasta and pizza menus to entice locals and
tourists with offers of a bruschetta, pizza and a cold drink for ten
euros. The piazzas hum with tourists and the streets today are lined
with small stalls selling art, jewelry, bags, fruit or clothes.

Rome is a great place to get fit as everything is within walking
distance. Buses and trams abound, but walking places you in direct
touch and feel of the essence of the culture.