Some of you have communicated with me that you get concerned or disappointed when there is not a post to greet you each morning. I appreciate the (positive) feedback very much. I do want to share with you a few of the struggles I go through…daily with this darn thing.
Let’s take this morning for example….

Danita, like I did myself, pushed through Day 1, not resting until the Italian day was over, trying to adjust her body to our new life. So, at our “Buona Notte” last night, it was decided that she would sleep until she woke up and then we would connect. This would give me time to write a a bit.

What is the saying?…Best Laid Plans?…

I got my photos to transfer over, having edited earlier…began to write, and got about tre parole in and the cursor would stall. I would be typing away, deep in dialogue with myself…thoughts from my head to the keypad, look up and the cursor would be blinking away. Then the screen would go blank with a “friendly reminder” saying there was an ERROR and work had not been saved. I sat…I’ll use the word “patiently” here…for about tre rounds of this, then I told myself if it happened ancora…I would walk away. After at least sei volte di piu, contemplating throwing this thing out the finestra each time, I walked away.

I returned to ditta Artigianale for some caffe.

While I enjoy this place, I look at my list I previously made, checking off what we had accomplished giorno uno.

I notice this establishment offers free wifi and connect completing the Palazzo Life post using solo mio thumbs.
With food and drink at my finger tips, this could become my nuovo ufficio.

A couple sitting next to me in a little side lounge area was enjoying a refreshing looking lemony beverage. I leaned over to inquire if they spoke English…they did.

(CinCin Cierra!)

The couple was from Sweden. They come to Firenze twice a year. They used to fly, now they drive. Driving enables them to bring more wine home. Certo. While I was engaged with them, Danita texted, “I just woke up”…”Going to get dressed. Need coffee.” I asked her if her place was still serving. “No it’s noon”. So she came to me.

After a cappuccino grande, we headed back to Mercato Centrale. Most of the meat venders were closed or closing for the day, but Danita still got to see some of the glory.

As we walked by one of the amazing vendors I had visited in 2015 gathering ingredients for our cooking class, he stuck out his hand with something he wanted us to try. To be polite…we did, walked a few steps away, then I promptly returned to buy some of that crunchy goodness under the salty goodness of the salami.

I ask him, “Come si chiama”, as I pointed at the crunchy goodness. His response as he handed me more…”ffffllllaaaaatttttt-a bbrreadddd-a”. Maybe this is where the term “Wise Guy” originates.

From the Mercato, we roamed to Ospedale Degli Innocenti.

“No problem of the Renaissance era moves the heart more than the abandonment of newborn children. Innocent, helpless, forsaken, and most often female, left by the roadside, in a ditch, or on a doorstep, the prey of animals and I’ll-intentioned individuals eager to sell them to brothers, their plight inspired a desire to see these gettatelli (little throwaways) cared for properly. Although throughout the medieval centuries and on into the Renaissance, many European cities built multipurpose charitable institutions to care for the poor at all stages of their lives, Florence was the first to commission an institution exclusively for the care of orphaned and abandoned children.” – An Art Lover’s Guide to Florence by Judith Testa

As we approached, I was struck by the significance this beautiful place would have for Danita.

The conception of the Ospedale Degli Innocenti was in 1410 and histories of Italian Renaissance architecture mention the facade of the Innocenti as the first important work of early Renaissance architecture. Architect Of the facade?…yep…Brunelleschi. And who funded much of the completion?…yep…the Medicis. Ya gotta love these guys! Palle!Palle!Palle!

The first foundling, a baby girl, was abandoned on February 5, 1445 in a ceramic basin/manger set between statues of Mary and Joseph, intended for that very purpose. This manger was later replaced by a wheel, half of which extended into the loggia. People leaving their babies could place them on the wheel, turning it into the Innocenti and their identity would not be known.

As we walk under the loggia of the Ospedale, we start up a conversation with a couple from Australia. I was telling Danita what I knew about the history, I paused for a moment and the gentleman said, “Go on…” Turns out he is from Italy but has lived in Australia for 53 years. He says, “Longer than you”, meaning my age. I reply, “solo da due anni”. He is thrilled to learn my attempts at his mother tongue. He asks where we are from and after hearing “Texas”, he lights up and says with gusto, “Ahhh…John Wayne…Bang-Bang”…yep….that’s us.

Next we make two returns…the first, to the shoe shop where Danita bought her scarpe yesterday. Turns out they are a bit big.
The next….

After one bite, Danita says, “This could use just a bit of salt.”
Wait, wait…I bought this little tin in 2013 here in Firenze…Perfetto!

Correction- tre restituisce…

Back at La Menagere, we sit, relax and concentrate on cooling off. Cooling off in Italy in the summer takes concentration as there is no to little a/c in any establishments. So we decide to maximize our efforts with ancora Spritz and bicchiere di vino bianco. As I order the Spritz, “Espresso?”, ” No, SPRITZ”, “Ah, Spritz-a”, “Si!”, we brace ourselves for a lesser Spritz. We do not sit at the bar again, opting this time for low slung, soft chairs and a small table, so we feel sure I will get the Spritz in the bicchiere with no garnish. But we laugh when my fancy Spritz arrives.

The waitress stoops down to tell me that next time, if I want Molto garnish and fruit, I can order the Spritz La Menagere for only 2 euro more.  Molto garnish than this…Grazie, sto bene.

We roam our way back Oltrarno via Zarra, walking through Piazza Santa Spirito on the way home. Danita likes the vibe as much as I do. Although side note here…I had read, and was told by both Bianca and Elisa that Piazza Santa Spirito can be a little rough and gritty. Bianca just advised me not to make eye contact with anyone who might be dealing drugs…will do…great advice. Elisa said it had gotten better over the past few years, but when she was in school, she didn’t go there.

Anyway…daylight here now, so no worries.

Danita and I are both drawn to imagining evenings shared around a table like this.

Day one, hour one, Danita said, “Now who would drag a table out to the street?”  I told her that after my 2015 visit, I vowed to do just that.  I wanted to have an aperitivo out/in Austin street, dragging a tavolo or due out and having friends bring chairs.  Sadly, it never happened.  Un giorno…

We make a quick spin around the piazza. I buy a piece of Arte  perfetta.

We end this portion of our day back at my appartamento enjoying the last bit of vino from Filippe, a left over piece of Pugi and the remains of the…say it with me…ffflllaaaattt-a brrreeaddd-a from the Mercato.

Then taking a bit of a rest before….you guessed it….mangiare e bere nuovamente.

On a street where we meet.

A late night, decidedly Italian meal at il Santo Bevitore, recommended by Filiippe.