Mom Hi Kate! Your last day. How lucky you are to have had such a great trip. You'll never forget it. Take one last look around and remember the wonder of the first day you arrived. The world still awaits you but we can't wait for you to be home! Even the Advent calendar misses you! Safe travels. See you tomorrow!!! Love, hugs and kisses, Mom, Dad and Teen

Mom Hi Kate, One week to go before you leave your wonderful European experience. Your pictures and blog have been very interesting. I am thrilled the book, now known as "the bible" on Florence has been useful!!!! Getting the chance to hear the monks must have been so great. Sister is home and, surprise, sleeping! Flights went well. Great to have her home again. Enjoy your last week! Can't wait to hear about your cooking exam. Oh the pressure! Maybe Giadda will be the surprise judge! xxxooo MOM

Zio Paolo Hi Katy, The semester is winding down, I would think it's a very HAPPY time with the school part almost OVER and somewhat sad that you'll be leaving beautiful Italy and all the surrounding countries and then HAPPY again to be coming home :-D YEAH… We all can't wait to see you!!!Studio, studio e studiare di più, buona fortuna sul vostro esami finali. See you soon, Amore zio Paolo

Cousin Jenn Hi Katy - I just read up on your last month and man I'm exhausted! You have seen so much! Boy will you be bored when you get back to regular old college. Thanks for the postcard. Dave and I were really surprised to get it and it's on our fridge. Enjoy Switzerland and your last month! Love, Jenn

DAD Hi Katy, You might want to tell UP/ZP that it's Pisa not pizza. He must be hungry :-) I find it totally amazing that it was finished being built in 1350 and is still standing! I'm reall enjoying your blogs and photo's!!! Enjoy your final month!! Love, DAD

Uncle Paul Hi Katy, your pictures of the leaning tower of pizza are very cool. I especially like the one of you holding it up, it looks heavy..teehee. Your mom is getting brave tranlating and using those big italian words, did you learned this in your italian class yet? glutimusmaximussisimosos my transalor broke when I tried to translate it, then I read it real, real slooooow, and figured it out, la vostra mamma è un hoot. Felice Ringraziamento, Non mangiare troppo Tom Turchia on Thursday. Chow, Ciao Katy, |/// ( ~ ~ ) { @ @ } oooo ( ^ ) oooo o È / o / Zia Paolo

Mom Katy-really enjoyed your last blog as well. Thanks for posting catacomb girl. Great reading and watching. Freezing blasted lousy rotten stinkin cold here. Temp in the teens. Even my fat's not keeping me warm. Maybe the next 5 lbs will do it! Teen home Tuesday. Can't wait!!!!! Maybe she'll bring warmth! Lot's of sales here this weekend again to try and capture the early Christmas shoppers. I just go back and got a great deal on the coal for your stocking. You'll be happy with the quality. Dustless. Not telling you the color though. That will be the surprise. Looking forward to hearing about the soccer game. Mi hearo italiano coachisatta super gluettisa e soccer machos pantalones tu machos glutimusmaximussisimosos. No dropo no moro. No moro no moron. Si? Chow.

Katy UP- I would be happy to come over and have a cook fest! so many great recipes I definitely want to make them again once I get home so I can practice! Also that secret code was very funny! No mi piace i calciatori che cadano loro pantaloni! Mom-I don't think I spent enough time in Ireland to be able to tell if they all look pretty similar. definitely all pale skin though. I'll find the creepy pic and post it. You crack me up, 6:45! bedtime been getting earlier since I've been gone? Christine-Don't worry I have been eating plenty! I actually went out to dinner tonight and had a cooking class today so I am stuffed! AS I'm glad you're enjoying it! I am very excited about london and Munich. I am definitely going to see as much as possible. I know the wax museum in London is on our to-do list. A cannoli in sicily was only 1.60euro(about 2.00). In florence or anywhere else I have been they are usually 2.50 or 3 euro (so $3.50-$4)In italy boots are extremely popular. Everyone has them! Also leggings and tights are very popular here and people often wear them under long sweaters or dresses. People here always dress nice, jeans are popular but people rarely wear sneakers, t-shirts, or sweatshirts(never).The strikes haven't affected me personally but I know of a few people they have. One teacher I know of couldn't come to her classes one day because she couldn't into the city. I went to mass one weekend at the duomo (the HUGE cathedral) It was gorgeous and inside (and a nice way to see it for free) The mass is completely in italian, they have english ones too but we wanted to go in italian. It is very formal and there is absolutely no singing. It was good though, I enjoyed going and am going to try again on the Sundays that I am in here.

Aunt Susan Hi Katy, I'm enjoying your blogging especially the cooking class reports. I hope you like London. I found it to be very big, like Rome, for walking. Loved the British Museum and went to alot of "Broadway" shows using the student rush tickets. UP and I are reminiscing about Munich. He remembers alot about the Hofbrau House. But I have some other questions for you just for fun. Like how much does a cannoli cost? What are the girls wearing for new fashions? Are the strikes affecting you or your travel at all? Have you been to Mass? Ha, ha, say hi to (the) David for me! Love, Aunt Susan

mom oh my. these math questions are killing me. sorry for the double post of the same message. past my bedtime. 6:45. "Instead of just various bones it was actually whole people." This statement from the blog completely cracked me up! Katy, loved that blog again and the pix are great. post that dead kid's scary pix. UP ZP, so. You're at it again with those secret messages about italian men. I'll translate that one and respond.

Mom OOOO. Natalina has spoken. Welcome to the fray Teen! You have a potatoe face just like I do like it or not! There will be no italian boys especially soccer player for you either. Look what study abroad has done to corrupt your sister. Geez. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-italy-shortsdown&prov=ap&type=lgns

Mom OOOO. Natalina has spoken. Welcome to the fray Teen! You have a potatoe face just like I do like it or not! There will be no italian boys especially soccer player for you either. Look what study abroad has done to corrupt your sister. Geez. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-italy-shortsdown&prov=ap&type=lgns

Teen Dear mother, the irish don't look like me. i'm too italian for them. they might look more like you though. :) katy, eat all the cannolis you can for me. plus a few. and then some other amazing food.

Zio Paolo Hi Katy - OMG...I am so hungry right now, especially after looking at your pictures. mmmm, Now...when you return home I want to plan a big HUGE Katy Italian cook fest. La mia cucina è la vostra cucina. Absolutely, you tell me what ingredients you'll need and what time you're going to arrive and we will all be there to bang elbows. You can commute to Stonehill from Medway...Thanks for the update, you look great and I'm heading out for a Cannoli. Ciao - Amiore, ZP PS - hey, stare lontano da quelle irlandesi uomini e vedere se è possibile soddisfare un calciatore soccer italiano che gocce pantaloni OH YA :-D AS How's that secret code...ssssssss?

mom Hi Kate! We've all been quiet! Off to Sicily this weekend! Look for people who look like gramma! You never know who you'll see! Enjoy and we'll look forward to more pix and a great blog. Hey, BTW, I didn't see UP write secret messages in Gaeilge about Irish men when you went to the homeland. How come? xxxooo MoM