Our
Home and MomentsWELCOME TO FLORENCE SCENE SHOTS
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Our
Home and Moments
We arrived in Florence on a blistery day and carted all our luggage off to a hotel which Frank had found for us. Up 3 flights of stairs later (and after realizing just how much a back brace would have helped) we cruised around the city for a few days, eating famed pizza which Frank recommended and finding our school which was designated by a small sign. We moved into our apartment some few days later and we experienced the most ridiculous day known to man upon moving in. First the dishwasher erupted suds ALL over the kitchen, then there was the horrific smell that emanated from the bathroom, then the washing machine leaked about 4 inches of water all over the kitchen which continued to leak into our rooms downstairs and into the Peruzzi's next door and then the power went off for a good hour. By that time, us girls sat as if in a daze as Moira and Frank were running frantically throughout the house yelling and presumably swearing in both english and italian. For those who now listen to the story, it seems almost to ridiculous to be true but for us that lived it, it will remain in infamy in our memories.
This is our living room, minus the middle curtain after Frank thought it necessary to rip
it off the window.
This is our street, Borgo San Lorenzo, looking down from our living room window. It was
always filled with tourists, people selling random things and outside cafes which
miraculously sprang up after April 1.
Our back porch... er, the porch on top of Frank's room but only gotten to by going
downstairs from Frank's room, through the long hallway, and up another flight of stairs to
the kitchen where, all of a sudden, Frank's room is in front of you but below you. We
still don't really understand the layout of that apartment. I couldn't tell even tell you
where Katie's window to her room was although she saw sun, I'm told... except for the
bamboo which covered it. The whole thing was exceptionally weird.
Frank was the sweetest thing and got us all bouquets at the end of the semester. Mine had
the white roses I had been asking him for since Valentine's Day - thank you Frank!
You made the day perfect!
A typical Frank scene in the last days of class... papers looming, Frank opts for a more
homey look with the classic pink bathrobe :)
Missy invited the nicest missionaries over for dinner one night and these fabulous young
gentleman came over periodically.
Here we have Elder Hansen, Elder Shamy, Elder Macchi, and Elder Carly
It was SO cold in Italy the first month that we were there that Katie needed to wear three
pairs of gloves at once.
Hehe, what a commotion!
Frank and Moira - These two were always all over, smooching and laughing... aren't they
cute?? :)
This is Katie monkeying around with Larry who has been through a lot this last semester...
Missy nearly killed him with the ladder, he was traumatized by various rollings over by
Alishya and stretched by swinging from Katie. Poor Larry.
Alishya and Moira lounging in the Peruzzi store
For Easter, Alishya and Katie went out for the festivities (see below). At one point, they
were handing out flowers and eggs that had been blessed. As I watched, Katie leapt
forward, grabbed an egg from the man and returned with a great big grin on her face. The
tradition supposedly holds that we were supposed to eat the egg that same day, so we had
Easter dinner in honor of the Holy Egg.
Easter
Amidst warnings that Americans were not supposed to venture out in public, Alishya and
Katie decided that the Easter celebrations were too good too miss, especially since they
were less than a block away from our house. We got all dressed up in our Sunday finest
only to stand in our heels for a good two hours as lambs were shown to the public,
Catholic clergy waved to all the bystanders and a MASSIVE display of fireworks nearly cut
all circulation to our ears. It was an event to remember!!
They had, by far, the best costumes I've seen in a while!
These Italians really know how to get into the spirit!
The band!!
The tradition of Easter has this dove figure fly through the nave of the church, out the
front doors and directly into this contraption which sits in the piazza between the church
and the baptistry. It ERUPTED into fireworks and for some 30 minutes, SOLID LOUD BANGS!!!
I took the cue from the fireman and as soon as they covered their ears, I covered mine.
Regardless, I couldn't hear for hours but it was totally worth it!