A Walk in Trastevere

Trastevere ("Across the Tiber") is a picturesque older neighborhood on the west bank of the Tiber, across the river from the main part of the ancient city.  It is still characterized by narrow cobblestone streets, beautiful old churches, and sunny squares full of cafes and ice-cream shops.  We spent the better part of a Sunday checking out the flea market, eating Chinese food, and visiting the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Santa Maria in Trastevere dates back to the third century and is thus one of the oldest official places of Christian worship in Rome.  The exisiting church dates from the 12th century and is the home of magnificent medieval mosaics on the facade and in the apse.
Here are some pictures from our walk:  http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/AWalkInTrastevere#

First Days in Rome

We arrived in Rome on the morning of Monday, 3 January, and got to our new flat by 10:30 AM, sleepy but excited. Our place is on the fifth floor of a small apartment building. We have a large living room with TV and bookcases, a tiny but well-equipped kitchen, a sunny dining area with a fine view looking east over the Tiber River, a small red-tiled bathroom, and a bedroom with a full wall of windows facing south. Here are some pictures of the interior from our landlord's website:
http://www.apartmentsinrome.it/sllep_in_rome_apartments_in_saint_peter,S1,25.html


We began exploring our neighborhood, known as Prati, right away: grocery shopping, walking down the Via di Ripetta to visit the lively outdoor Christmas Market at the Piazza Navonna, learning the bus and Metro routes on our way to IKEA, checking out the local bakeries and hardware stores, buying fruits, vegetables, and flowers at the Campo de' Fiori, attending two concerts in nearby churches, and doing our first sightseeing among the museums and ruins of the city. Steve has had a tour of his new workplace. Susie has worked tirelessly to make the flat our own home. We have one more free weekend before classes start next week.
Here is the first batch of pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/FirstDaysInRome#

July 2010

Our most recent summer visitor was Helen Galen, a former compatriot of Susie's at the Senate and a lifelong traveler. She came to visit us when we were living in Haarlem, and now she has graced us with her presence here in New Mexico. In addition to some of the sights and sounds of ABQ, we also spent time at the cabin in Horseshoe Springs, in Taos, and in Santa Fe. Click on the link for a few random pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/July2010#

Summer in NM

May and June in New Mexico have been full of adventures, including a visit from Will and Maya over Memorial Day and a visit from Dale and Lin Billingsley at the end of June. We have seen butterflies, electric trains, a Georgia O'Keefe exhibit, obsidian knapping, atlatl throwing, hot springs, hawks, bears, coyotes, forest fires, ancestral ruins. . . . Let's just say that it has been an eventful month. Here are a few pictures showing just a few of the things that we have been up to.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/Summer2010#

Teddy

Here are a few pictures of Teddy. He joined our family on Saturday, March 4. He is a Portuguese Water Dog / Clumber Spaniel mix who is somewhere between 18 months and 2 years old. He is short and stocky and deep-chested and weighs about 37 pounds. He has very soft fur that does not shed. His big soft paws are webbed for when he wants to go swimming. As we found out today, they also keep him from sinking into soft sand in the desert.

Teddy was evidently kept as a breeding dog in Albuquerque and then cruelly abandoned on the roadside. We are adopting him from a local animal rescue group.

Teddy is the smartest and mellowest dog the world has ever known (except for maybe Bobo and Gus). He is indescribably affectionate, intelligent, happy, and outgoing. His tail never stops wagging. The only thing he loves more than a nice long walk is to sit with his people, snuggle up to them, and be petted. He is great with other dogs and little children. We have never heard him growl or bark. He is funny and clumsy, a charming klutz. His favorite chore around the house is to pick up stray garments and move them to other rooms where he apparently thinks they must really belong.

At 5:23 AM this morning , I awoke to the sound of our rear sliding glass door being opened. Teddy had decided that rather than wake us up, he would open the door himself for a pre-dawn potty run in the back garden. That's how smart, resourceful, and considerate he is. Click here for a few more pictures of Teddy, Wonder Dog of the Jemez:

http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/Teddy#

Snowmageddon

We are slowly digging our way out of the snow. The storm began on Friday morning and lasted until early Saturday evening. We got about two feet of snow on D Street, but drifts can be much deeper. It is also a very wet, heavy snow, so it's hard to clear away. Almost everything is closed today except for Roland's (our corner market) and the bars (it's Super Bowl Sunday). The Washington Post hasn't even tried to deliver the papers, which is a mini-crisis in itself. The Metro is not running any above-ground routes, meaning that the Brookland-CUA station is closed for the present.

I have a ton of paperback mysteries, sufficient coffee, and a generous supply of toilet paper. Here is a link to a few pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/Snowmageddon#

319 Amherst, SE

We closed on our new house on Monday morning and started moving in that same afternoon. There are still a few pictures to be hung and a few odds and ends to be arranged, but for the most part we are now at home at 319 Amherst.

The house has four small bedrooms. One is a study for Steve, one is for Susie, one is a guestroom and TV room, and one is for sleeping. There is also a large garage with a workbench and lots of storage, and a huge pantry and utility room off the kitchen.

We are located on a quiet street at the top of Nob Hill only a few blocks from the UNM campus and Central Avenue, the "main drag" with many shops and cafes and restaurants. Looking out our rear door, we can see beautiful sunsets and the lights of the city twinkling across the Rio Grande valley.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/319AmherstSE#