Happy Sunday! What a great day it has been!!! I slept in, despite my good intentions of getting up to take a run, enjoyed a lazy couple of cups of coffee, and headed out for church.

I am attending services and a Bible Study at Rome Baptist Church, and LOVE the people I have met there! I sat next to Laura Jones...a darling girl I met in Bible Study, who is here with her husband working for Campus Crusade. The message was excellent, and I enjoyed chatting with Pastor Dave after the service. Laura and I made a plan to meet with another new friend Kate, who is here with her husband who works for the American Embassy....I will have to take a bus to very northern suburbs of Rome to meet them, but I think I am up for the challenge! Laura promises to walk me through it!

On my way home, I wandered into an indoor flea market, and boy was that fun! Lots of antique vendors, and.....several antique jewelry booths. Those of you who know my fetish for old jewelry know what's coming....I was in hog heaven! It was so fun to see all the cool old pieces the vendors had for sale, and I made friends with one vendor who was a hoot!

Fabio is from Rome, but travels to the states a lot. In fact, he is leaving for NYC on Wednesday. He told me that each trip must have it's own theme....like one trip is only Broadway, and the next trip is only performance art.....he thinks this trip is going to be about cats....and I don't think he is talking about the musical.

Anyway, we had a great time together, and he let me try on absolutely every piece he had, including this super-cool bangle, faux emerald-encrusted with a large cameo, that fit nicely on my upper arm....couldn't think where to wear it, so I had to pass, but did pick up two fabulous charm bracelets. One from the 30's and one from the 40's that is an unsigned, but obvious Miriam Haskell.

Happy Birthday to me!

Having blown my wad, I did not go back to my flat for more cash, but still headed up via Flaminia to a flea market that only happens the 4th Sunday of the month. Fabio had been there earlier in the day, and told me it was mostly "junk", but I wanted to see for myself. After all, can you ever really have enough fleas?

It was kinda fun...lots of old clothes, lots of booths of quasi-antiques....nothing I couldn't live without. It was hot today, so I was not super motivated to dig through the racks of clothes.....although a cool fur stole did catch my eye....but again....where to wear it? Tom Thumb? Cafeteria duty? Hmmmm. I had to pass.

Back to my 'hood, a zucchini and tomato pizza on the steps of a church, a spin through the grocery store, and back home. Worn out, I did take a tiny nap.....I am embracing the concept of Sunday being the day of rest!!!!

Ciao!!!!