penelope lately

She is happy when it rains.

(so she can use her umbrella)

She is still loving her dance class.

Celebrating Halloween in her own way 

with a painted pumpkin.

There is still a fair amount of dressing up going on

and she has become quite the actress.

And on off days, she likes to say,

"Some days are just like that."

italian playground

The parks are only open from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm

and then 3:30 pm until 5:00 pm in the fall.

When it is time to close, 

there is a man who comes and locks the gate. 

He blows a whistle to signal the park is closing- 

at this time all of the children run and jump onto the gate.

He lets them hang onto it while he slides it closed. 

They all love it!

Penelope is next to her friend Sara. 

Sara calls Penelope the English girl.

At Parco Perlasca, Padova

the weekend

We went to Florence

and it was kind of a disaster.

A beautiful disaster.

We did see some of the sights (from afar).

We walked

and walked

and we found this little event.

An outdoor art exhibit with food and drinks.

Patrick found a vintage record and book store.

We saw this too.

These huge fashion panels were hanging 

in the middle of a neighborhood.

Good to dance in front of.

Penelope was a little off.

She is smiling here, 

but on the train home, she said,

"I know I was a total wreck."

Yes, she was.

friends

Pam and Robb came to town! We were so happy to see them.

I guess we were starting to feel a little isolated.

Plus they are the best people to hang out with on a trip. 

Always up for anything.

First I made them get bikes.

We went to Venice

and took a gondola ride-

It was pretty great-

and a little dark.

Then Venice started to flood.

So we went home.

They left today.

Thanks for hanging out with us Pam & Robb!

the weekend

On Saturday we went back to Venice-

Penelope got a new purse.

Then we found a playground

and hung out for a while.

Then we went here.

The Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Small and cool.

In the sculpture garden.

Yoko Ono Wishing Tree

You can leave a message or wish on its branches.

Sunday was cold and rainy.

We stayed in Padova.

Basilica di S. Antonio

scuola and the bear costume

This is Sylvia, Penelope's teacher.

Sylvia says Penelope is doing very well and she sings in Italian now.

On Sunday, we were at a cafe and a man asked Penelope her name in Italian. 

She answered him back in Italian! 

Just like that. Amazing.

So school is much better, even good I think.

Oh yeah- and we brought the bear costume and the guitar- 

the weekend

On Saturday we went to Verona.

This telephone tells the story of Romeo & Juliet.

The balcony (outside).

Casa di Giulietta

The balcony (inside).

Casa di Giulietta

We saw the Arena.

Castelvecchio

Inside the Castle

Running in the Castle

More running in the Castle

Loved it here.

Really amazing and beautiful.

View from the Castle.

After, we walked across the Ponte di Castlevecchio 

and found a little carnival,

with a balloon maker on stilts

and rides!

On Sunday we went to 

Bassano Del Grappa

(First we took the wrong bus.)

So we waited at the Station.

Finally we arrived.

 It was beautiful.

We went to a little wine bar.

And then we had french fries!

We saw these huge babies.

And then we had gelato, of course.