What's the deal?

I woke up at 5am this morning. An hour later than yesterday...I guess that is an improvement? Does it even matter since I still feel like crap? I did get 9 hours of sleep, which always makes me feel good, but no such luck. I don't ever remember jet lag affecting me like this is. What is going on? I've come up with a few theories:

1. I don't really have to get back on a normal schedule since I don't have a job. Nothing is forcing me to get back into a routine which allows me the flexibility to do whatever I want. I'm not sure if that really is a good thing.

2. I am older. I really don't want to believe that this could be it...moving on.

3. My body is pissed that I'm sleeping when I'm supposed to be eating and vice versa. I'm really hoping that is the reason I have been feeling ill after eating each meal, and the reason I have no appetite. Last night when I was trying to think about what to eat for dinner my body thought I was joking. 'It's 2am in the morning! You can't eat right now!' is all I heard. It won that fight and all I had was a small bowl of Mexican rice and then passed out on the couch. Body is in the lead 1-0.

4. I am going through MAJOR food withdrawals. How can my body cope when I've just started this horrid, disgusting, unwanted detox? I really can't blame it.

I was having cappiccinis every morning:

Pasta for lunch and dinner:

Gelato two times a day:

Near the end of the trip I even started having pizza as an afternoon snack:

Now do you understand why I really need to move there?

Production Update

Remember that sweet 'to do' list I made 10 hours ago? Guess how many things I can check off it?

12? Nope.

10? Nope.

7? Nope.

5? Nope.

Only 4. Ok...I thought it was going to be only 2, but I just reread it and now I don't feel that bad. Scratch that...I do feel bad. Well I could feel worse if 3 our of the 4 were my multiple naps.

The following have been complete:
- Called my hairdresser, and left her a message. Found out from a mutual friend that she just got home yesterday from the hospital. She broke her ankle in two places and then had to have surgery on Friday night. All she did was take out the trash and stepped on some uneven ground. I feel so bad for her!
- I did get to chat with a few of you out there, and talk to a few peeps on the phone too, however I have yet to reschedule my hair appointment and schedule my next body scan. Ugh.
- I got John a breakfast burrito this morning. Does that count for the dinner one I was planning on getting him? I think it might cancel out since I had to DRIVE to get the food. Let me tell you I still hate driving. Hence one reason I have yet to leave the house again. Since 9am.
- I did download all the photos, but had a set back when the camera battery died and I had to wait to recharge it.
- I am currently doing laundry. Only 5 loads...2 more to go, but I can't cross that off until they are done.
- The only item I am proud of marking off my list is that I'm down to 962 items in my Google Reader! Yeah! However due to the fact that I've been sitting here for most of the day I feel like total crap. I can't believe how sedentary I've been all day. Plus my breakfast and lunch have also made me feel bad. I really hope it's because at lunch time my body was feeling like it was 11pm, and not that I've become allergic to ALL American food. Well maybe that wouldn't be so bad. I might have to move for health reasons.

I am planning on walking to the store after I publish this blog, so at lest when I get back I'll be able to mark off 5 things. Oh maybe I'll mark of two and count the walk as getting some vitamin D. However that is still sad since I haven't even completed 50% of the items.

Since I'm sure this post has been so uplifting for you all I thought I really would try to end it on a positive note. I resized a few photos from the trip today that I sent to John at work and they are below for your enjoyment.

The first day of our trip, (in Roma), we headed to the Colosseum. It was too cool for words.

I had the BEST pizza in Rome. However I was not happy that the majority of my cheese was sliding off the crust.

On our last day we climbed up to the top of St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican City. We got their early to avoid the crowds. Once again it was too cool for words.

After Roma we took a train to Sienna. Behind us is the main clock tower and square, which we did climb, however we realized that it was smarter to climb this other structure to get a good shot of the tower. Do you agree?

It's 4am and I Must be Jet Lagged*

Why am I not in Italy right now?

Why does it feel weird to be in my own house?

Why do I want a huge plate of pasta right now?

Why can I not sleep when I was just awake for 27 hours?

Am I really up at 4:30am?

Well obviously we made it back to the good 'ole USA. I am incredibly sad to be back and still high from all the fun we had. I really was up for 27 hours yesterday but it did include a 2 hour mini nap on the plane. I was lucky that I was able to sleep. Poor John didn't. Maybe that is why he is sleeping now and slept the whole 3 hour drive to SLO. We actually had to get up at 3am to catch the water taxi to the airport, even though our flight was at 7am. We landed at 1:30pm but our bodies were thinking it was bedtime (10:30pm). Thanks to some caffeine I was able to make the drive north.

The whole trip home went well and we were lucky enough, (again), to have John's sister pick us up from the airport. She always hooks us up and we are always so thankful. This time however she and Michael took us straight to In-n-Out and we were pumped! We devoured our food so fast. (Not that we missed fast food, although John missed meat, but we had total crap to eat on the airplane for 13 hours. Except for my fave blood orange juice, but that's a story for another time).

Oops! John just came in here saying that my twinkle fingers were keeping him up. Whatever dude!

Anyway, we were totally pumped on the meal until about 15 minutes later and then we both felt like crap. Welcome home. What was the deal? Molly mentioned it was probably all the preservatives we just ate. ARGH! See this is why I need to be back in Italy. I do not want to ruin my body with preservatives. Plus it is nice not to really have to worry if I have B.O. Let me tell you I was totally rank yesterday!

I also came home to a super clean car! Michael totally got, (or washed himself), my car cleaned AND dusted the inside dash! Can you believe it! You have NO IDEA how bad my car needed it. It had been on my to do list for a few weeks, and now I can cross that puppy off! It's nice enough to be able to have free parking for two weeks, but to come back to a clean car as well? You've got to be kidding!

After the drive home yesterday I realized that I no longer want to drive. So if any of you want to meet me for lunch we can only go to the places in the shopping center near my house. First let me say it was totally weird to actually be driving, and I was so touchy with the break/gas pedal that I think I made John car sick in his sleep.

How are there really that many bad drivers out there? Or should I say so many UNAWARE drivers? I couldn't believe that I experienced more anger in the 3 hour drive, then the whole 19 days I was on vacay. I only had small bouts of anger on the trip when someone was walking slow in front of me, but let me tell you that it is WAY easier to pass a slow walker than a slow driver!

Plans for today:
- Try to catch up on my Google Reader. (I think I've got over 2000 items?)
- Download photos. (I think there are around 1200? You better get prepped now for the viewings!)
- Nap #1
- Laundry. (We actually packed really well and I was really proud. We packed enough clothes for half our trip and then were able to do laundry the very day when we both only had on pair of clean undies left. Even though I know John wanted to just bring a back pack, it was good he didn't because our suitecases were full on the way home. Due to my souvenirs of course! You know I don't know if John even got one...hmmmm. If that is the case, how did I make it home with 2 purses, a pair of shoes, a new coat and some jewelry?)
- WALK to the grocery store. (And try not to throw my back out by carrying all the vittles home.)
- Nap #2
- Catch up on my Oprah's and other necessary TV shows. (We only had 2% available space left on our DVR when we got home last night! The horror! You would not believe the amounts of TV we need to watch. I'm still praying I don't find out who won Project Runway. We did watch two episodes of The Office last night. During the end of our trip I noticed John's serious withdrawal symptoms when more then once he used the 'That's what she said joke,' so I knew that was what we had to watch first.)
- Call my hairdresser. (I got a message that she broke her leg in 2 places!)
- Nap #3 (So I have no idea if I really will need three naps, but as long as it's on my to do list I won't feel bad if in fact that does happen.)
- Get some vitamin D. (Has it been sunny here? Our last few days in Venice were pretty overcast. Maybe I should reward myself for planning a successful vacay by laying out in the back yard as I think I am running low on that very important vitamin.)
- Prepare dinner. (AKA get John a burrito, as that was really his MAJOR withdrawal.)
- Find out the details from my friend Maggie as I really think she went and saw NKOTB in concert!
- Hopefully chat/talk to some of you sleepy heads out there! Why am I the only one on gmail chat right now?

Ummm how did that list get so big? I was really planning on not doing anything when I got home except maybe laundry. Crap. Nothing like coming back to reality when less than 48 hours ago I was eating a piece of pizza the size of my face and riding on a gondola. Total Crap.

*Please note that I totally sole my blog title from Brianna's blog, because seriously...when am I ever going to be up at this hour again, and feel like blogging?

Cinque Says What?

Greetings from Cinque Terre! (please note that i cannot do spell check, as it spell checks in italian).

Cinque Terre is so amazing...google it now...it's like a movie set that you canàt believe it real. There are 5 small towns right on the coast of the Mediterrean Sea. We are staying in the town that is second to the most northernest town.

Today we hiked down to the southern towns and visited them all. I think the town we are staying in is the best...well itàs not THAT small, so at least there are some shops. Although there is just one street. Our hotel is up some really steep steps, but we realized yesterday that we arenàt even staying in the acutal hotel, but a side room that we think used to be an apartment.

We are lucky that our hotel has a mini garden area that hangs over the cliff over looking the sea. On our way up there tonight john was carrying two beers and we saw this group of americans and this lady goes 'Dov'è' and pointed to the beers repeatedly. Then John waits a second and goes 'I totally speak English.' You would have thought he said the funniest thing EVER as all the ladies totally cracked up. Even if john would have answered the lady in italian we know she probably wouldnàt have understood him. John is convinced that ladies from the age of 40 to 85 love his natural carisma. (Can you tell he is sitting here helping me write this blog, after a bottle of vino?)

Anyway, we are having a great time. It's nice to not be in the city, in some quiet town. We are hiking north tomorrow to the only beach, and hopefully it wonàt be too crowded.

Next we are off to Bologna for a night, and then to Venice for the remainder of our time here. I think thatàs about it. Nothing else too exciting to report. Hope you all are doing well!

Half Way Home

Greetings from Firenze! It is our last night here and tomorrow we are heading to the coast. A few random thoughts that I thought of during dinner:

1. I have not had any ice or drinks with ice for the last 10 days
2. I had not had any meat until tonight when John got a florentine style steak that he devoured like a mad man! And he's not even a big fan of steak. Although he did have some rabbit a few days ago, and TRICKED me into having some chicken liver pate last night.
3. The only veggies I've had in the last 10 days have been tomatoes on bruschetta
4. I had the unfortunate experience of seeing some dudes butt crack on the stairs at the train station. If you are going to rock gangsta pants make sure to rock the underwear as well.
5. We are totally pumped that the dollar is getting stronger everyday!

Overall Florence is a beautiful city and definetly different then the other ones we have been too. Unfortunately I did catch a bad cold, but am hoping that I am on the road to recovery however John just got his first signs of a sore throat today. When we were in Sienna we went to the pharmacia and I got some meds...hoping they were safe since I couldn't read the instructions. However today we went to get some stronger meds since I'm still feeling bad and we wound up getting ammoxicillian (sp) over the counter for 4 euros!!! Isn't that awesome? Anyone need me to pick you up anything? Seriously though I'm tempted to see if they have any of my thyroid meds in stock. That could save me some serious cashola.

We are half way done with our trip, which is quite sad, but I am so thankful that we are here longer than a week. I couldn't imagine having to come home already.

Ni Lu the Helpful

Greetings from Siena! Sorry about the last entry not being complete. i only had a half an hour = no time to check for typeos or misleading HTML code, which caused some of the paragraphs to disappear.

Anyway, we are at a very interesting internet cafe, where the guy working here is rocking out AND singing to all these all American 80's songs.

We arrived in Siena today after a somewhat stressful train adventure, and me not feeling 100% due to a sore throat. It could be because i'm getting sick, or because i drank a bottle of wine last night. just kidding! Or am i? When in Rome right?

WE havenàt been far here in Siena, just to the nearest gelato shop and then here since john is trying to figure out what is up with Wachoiva, and who he is now working for. Dispite our lack of touring the small town, so far it looks REALLY neat and old. like everything else around here. our plan here is to explore the town and take it somewhat easy.

Back to Rome...we conquered St. peter's and the Vatican museums yesterday. Saw some great artwork including the sistene chapel and battled more tour groups. I cannot believe how many tourists are in Rome and how many HUGE groups. The line was about 2 hours to get up to the top of the Cathedral yesterday so we opted not to waste our time and headed back this morning and had NO wait. I'm so glad we did because it was totally worth it.

I think that is about it for now. i hope you all are well! We miss you!

Roming in Roma

Greetings! Well we made it and it is our second day. let me say that this keyboard is different, so please excuse the type-os.

The flight was a killer...traveling for about 24 hours total...and let me say that i did not smell pretty when we finally arrived at 1am Roma time. i acutally blended in.

Anyway...our luggage did get lost, but thanks to my mom she taught me a long time ago to always travel with a few extra undies in case of a situation like this. THANK GOODNESS! And John was totally saved taht i had another shirt, since it would not have been pretty had i had to wear that suckre again!

So my body still isnàt on Rome time yet...i feel a little off...also geting use to the culture shock takes a bit of time. I am SO glad we took that italian class let me tell you! Granted we still hardly understand anything, but the little that we do totally helps...even though we are always speaking itlain AND SPanish. I feel ilke a dork. I.E. john tried to make resarvs at one place and didnàt realize that he was speaking spanish!

We are staying wtihin walking distance to the Colessum and went there yesterday as well as the Forum and the Palentine Hill. That was a TON to take in and i was pretty exhustaed after there. We did have a FABULOUS lunch of homemade pastsa. Americanàs really need to kick t up a knotch.... why canàt we alway have homemade pasta? Is it really that difficult?

Today we started off and went to this really creepy church that was decoracted in old monk bones. SO WERID! in fact it was so weird it made me feel al little naucious. i thought i could handle it, but wrong-o. John thought it was GREAT. Which it was neat, but i couldnàt get past that the bones came from bodies and some still had skin on it... and complete skeletons standing there in monk robes.

We just had the BEST pizza for lunch. it was huge...oh and had some gelato for an appitizer. Today is a pretty leasurly day, as tomorrow we are heading to the vaitcan. We know that will be intense, but i canàt wait.

it also rained on us off and on, and of course our rain costa were in our luggage, but we bought a cheap umbrella...oh and we did get our luggage last night! i was so excited to have my pjs.

last night we also found an Irish pub where john had a guiness and i had a cider... SO GOOD! I know we are close to the UK, but i really didnàt think that i would get to have some cider on tap. However i have the feelin that i only weill get that here in Rome, since it is the biggest city we are visitng.

Well i thihnk that is about it. i will try to write more if possible!

Ciao bitches!

p.S.
nuns hate escalators..story. later