So it looks like I won't be able to make it home for Christmas next year. Because my landlord's family about flipped out when I told them I was going home in a couple of weeks for natale (not to be confused with Natalie, although I'd go home for her, too). His wife was particularly upset because she was looking forward to showing me all the Italian traditions and feeding me meal after meal. So if anyone cares to see me during the holidays next year, you're going to have to come out this way.

This discussion took place up in their apartment this evening over coffee. It's the first time they've invited me up (I think they would have done it long ago if I were actually ever here). It was a fantastic time. Besides me, my landlord and his wife, there were also his two daughters and his mother and mother-in-law. And none of them really speak any English except his (rather cute but a little young) oldest daughter (home for the weekend from college). So it was a great chance to practice my Italian, which I haven't had much opportunity to do lately. Turns out my Italian has gotten a lot better in the last couple of months--they all complemented me on it. Apparently I know enough Italian to have my landlord's wife hire me a cleaning lady, learn how to make Neapolitan-style coffee (basically espresso, but much better than I've had anywhere else), describe the highlights of my Paris trip, tell them I have a vacuum cleaner but it runs on American electricity not Italian, and tell them I'm going to San Diego next week for work, coming home for three days, and then going home for Christmas. They, like me, thought it was stupid that I'm flying from California to Italy and then back to Connecticut three days later, and I got them to understand that it wasn't my choice. But we had a really fun time sitting around trying to get me to understand them and trying to get them to understand me. They're just so incredibly friendly, and I think they're really thrilled with the fact that I've been making an effort to learn their language. Oh, also they gave me an entire meal to take back to my apartment and eat. Including bread, pasta with calamaretti (small squid), some kind of fish, dessert, and an entire bottle of wine. Oh, and they gave me an entire package of Italian coffee when they learned that I have the espresso maker (basically a little percolator), but nothing to put in it. So tomorrow I'm going out and buying them a case of Budweiser (I learned that my landlord really likes it and he's on his last bottle) and a boatload of Coca-Cola.

Also, I felt really bad when they asked if I had a picture of my family, and I had to respond "only on my computer," and they looked at me all disapproving-like. So it looks like I might have to get one printed out.

So yeah, I'm getting a cleaning lady. Because I'm never home, and when I am home, I've either been working or else been out, and the last thing I want to do is clean my house. But hey, I figure three hours a week for $10 an hour isn't too bad. Unfortunately, I'm now in the odd position of wanting to clean my house so that I'm not embarrassed when the cleaning lady shows up. Ah well.