WE LEFT SICILY ON RYAN AIR. DESTINATION ROME.

This was back in June. We had our trip to Italy, Sicily and Budapest.This trip was planned in January and February and to be very honest I did not think I would make it.I was not feeling well at all the first six months of this NEW YEAR.However I decided I could sit and look at new scenery, just as well, in a different location than my HOUSE!

My husband did ALL THE PLANNING and arranging I did get some input into a couple of hotels.

ROME being one of them!

We had THREE FULL DAYS in ROME and a lot of that time was spent seeing my ITALIANS old school chums!Most all were at our wedding 40 years ago!What I found very heart warming was visiting the parents of one of his childhood friends!I had been to their apartment years ago and learned to make a chicken recipe that I ADORE and STILL MAKE TO THIS DAY from Enrico’s sisters!

Here is the original recipe!

On the same paper a sister wrote it on for me!

IT has been a STAPLE in our home for 40 years!

PETTO DE POLLO = Pieces of CHICKEN

Butter

Brandy (I wrote a little bit like a Tablespoon)

PANNA is a heavy cream you find in ITALY that comes in a small box NOT REFRIGERATED.I believe you can find on AMAZON or just use our HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM in a carton!

Paprika DOLCE is SWEET PAPRIKA

Ketchup

SALT

MILK

I serve this over rice or mashed potatoes.

I buy chicken tenders toss into frying pan with butter. Brown up a bit.Add the tablespoon of BRANDY it really adds something to this chicken!Trust me and just DO IT!I mix the Cream with the Ketchup in a small bowl which becomes pink in color and add to the chicken when its almost cooked.Salt to taste.The milk I do not use as the heavy whipping cream solves that problem.PANNA is a much thicker substance, therefore they use to make a gravy like sauce.

Delicious over rice or potatoes!

Scooting by in a taxi on the way to our hotel for THREE nights!

I picked this HOTEL in Rome because of this wall of portraits!

It was the smallest hotel room ever but pretty and clean and the LOCATION was right across the street from SAINT CLEMENTS CHURCH!Four levels of history that was INCREDIBLE.I will cover that in the next Post on ROME part TWO!

THE ITALIAN’s BUDDY from his Naval Academy days.

GIOVANNI!

Who lived up and over the hill behind the hotel and knows what I LIKE and told THE ITALIAN where to take me! (SAINT CLEMENTS CHURCH)HE GOT AN A PLUS PLUS from me!

STANDING OUTSIDE OUR HOTEL with the COLOSSEUM AT THE END OF THE STREET!

CAN YOU MAKE IT OUT?

Those stones are called SAN PIETRINI on the sidewalk.

THE COLORS OF THE BUILDINGS ARE SWOON WORTHY!

THE CLOUDS ARE ALWAYS MAGNIFICENT IN ITALY!

LET’S TAKE A BREAK AND TAKE IN THE VIEW!

I THINK this was A BUILDING FROM CARACALLA.

THE Roman baths where they give LIVE CONCERTS NOW!

I HAD A DREAM back in the day to see PAVAROTTI SING HERE!

THAT NEVER HAPPENED…………but I will NOT LET THAT STOP ME FROM DREAMING!

THE ITALIAN with his BUDDY from ROMAN SCHOOL DAYS!

In fact, if I am not mistaken he was his DESK MATE for years!

In High School in Italy you have the same Home Room TEACHER ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

High School in Italy is FIVE YEARS not four.

Meaning the teacher you get for Freshman year is the same teacher as your senior year!

The other teachers for science and math come to your room.You do not change rooms!

You are in the same CLASSROOM ALL DAY LONG FOR FIVE YEARS!

Plus, you go to school SIX DAYS A WEEK!

YEP!SATURDAYS MORNING TOO!

RUINS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE………………

THIS BUILDING KNOWN AS THE COLOSSEUM is HOW OLD?

Construction of the COLOSSEUM was completed in the year 80 A.D. making the building 1,945 years old.

THE ITALIAN WITH HIS DEAR FRIEND………………

YOU RARELY SEE THIS KIND OF HUG IN THE USA between men……………

TRIPLE TROUBLE HERE!

Three ROMANS enjoying each others company!

It made ME SO HAPPY to see their JOY upon seeing each other!

A CEILING IN THE CHURCH of SAINT CLEMENTS……….when in ITALY ALWAYS LOOK UP!

This is “one of the worlds greatest treasures.”

Let’s stop here for now with ROME FOR TODAY……….I do not want to inundate you with too many photos.

What have you all been up to this OCTOBER?

I had TWO ITALIAN HOUSE GUESTS from October 1,st through October 16th…………….

To say I am EXHAUSTED is an understatement!I did not do anything BUT COOK DINNERS and try and converse in ITALIAN and or LISTEN to Italian conversation.That gets exhausting when you are OUT OF PRACTICE!I could barely move the day they left.THE ITALIAN was the TOUR GUIDE!I stayed home to have the energy for the evenings.

SOPHIA LOREN’s MINESTRONE from her cookbook.

It’s an old one but truly a GEM.

EASY and delicious………..

MY SOUS CHEFS……………looking for a tennis ball and or a mouse?

ME and MY BUDDY waiting at THE CHIROPRACTORS OFFICE!

While I sat there visiting with him I decided he NEEDED some FLOWERS in his HANDS!

SO, my next visit the following week I took some MUMS!

SEE THE FLOWERS?!!

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP HIS WAITING TIME!

THIS GORGEOUS CAT TIGRE WHO LOVES MY COLLECTION OF FOOT STOOLS!

I knew there was a REASON I had collected those over the years!

AND LETS CALL IT A FINISHED BLOG POST FOR TODAY!

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE……………..

LOVE TO HERE FROM YOU IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

KEEP SCROLLING DOWNWARD TO READ AND LEAVE COMMENTS.

I ANSWER EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!

Let’s not DICUSS going into the EAST WING of THE WHITE CASA being dismantled for a BALLROOM.

Or the fact; THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE DECISIONS ARE ON RECESS with FULL PAY.

While others are WORKING withOUT PAY!(Air traffic controllers and TSA personnel just to name TWO! who KEEP US SAFE!)

DAY 18 today as I write this!

I WILL LET ANOTHER PERSONS BLOG COVER THAT NOT HERE………………..lets keep OUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN and the HUMOR GOING WITH VISUAL TREATS AND COMMENTARY THAT STAYS FOCUSED ON BEAUTY, ANIMALS and THE GIFT OF AGING!

I WISH YOU ALL GOOD HEALTH AND A FUN FILLED HALLOWEEN!

OH ONE MORE THING!!!

WE WON!

XXX

THIS PHOTOGRAPH was SUBMITTED IN A CONTEST TO FIFI O’NEILL (missfifi2610) on her instagram to WIN A PET PORTRAIT!Her latest book coming out NOW on CHRISTMAS!

ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO ANIMAL SHELTERS AND ANIMAL RESCUES!!SHE DOENOT MAKE A PENNY!PERHAPS, there is someone in YOUR LIFE who would enjoy this book for THE HOLIDAYS?

Let’s HELP FIFI spread some HOLIDAY CHEER TO THOSE FOUR LEGGED CREATURES!

WHO HAVE NO HOME OR HUMAN TO LOVE!

SHALL WE?I will put the AMAZON link below and of course buy from your local BOOK SHOP FIRST!

I’m sure they can ORDER IT!

: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Christmas-Photo-Nostalgic-Ornament-Collection/dp/B0DZDTZP6P

WE WON!!!………WE WON!!!…………..WE WON!!!

ARTIST is THOMAS BRAUN ARTSTUDIO

HIS INSTAGRAM is tbr.artstudio

PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT HIS WORK HE RESIDES IN GERMANY!

He is an ANIMAL and VINTAGE LOVER TOO! He graciously donated his time to this project TOO!

I ADORE THE BRUSH STROKES…………….

THIS IS DIESEL sitting in my house in my GRANNY’s CHAIR from her LARKIN STREET HOME IN San Francisco!I think Thomas did a FINE JOB capturing DIESEL sitting CATTYWAMPUS with his BEHIND on the armrest looking at his surroundings!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?