Monk trading

Looks like I might have to find something else to do while I am here at Sacro Speco. Since Mattia will be moving down to Santa Scholastica Monday morning and Don Antonio will be replacing him, seems like I am out of a job. Don Luigi hinted to it on Sunday morning when I was in the Sacrestia talking with Don Ignazio. Everyone says that I am doing a job job in the shop, but I really do fear where they will put me next. Every time I have to change a position, it is always something beyond my capabilities until I become accustomed to the change. I have been left in the shop so many times that I now don't fear a hundred people at once and only me to help them. I know where everything is along with the prices, so there isn't much else to it, except of course questions in Italian that I might not know. If that ever comes up, I just simply say that I don't know and it seems to work just fine. 

Remember that entry awhile ago about how I almost ran into a wild boar, well today I finally got the best of that boar. It was a surprise for me today during lunch when I heard we would be having wild boar. I always wanted to try it after Don Carlo said it was delicious. Well believe me when I say that the wild boar is beyond delicious. If you can think of your favorite type of meat, just imagine wild boar being twice as good. I now welcome the challenge from a wild boar so I can kill it and bring it back to the monastery and devour it, so look out boars, here I come!

After that wonderfully delicious lunch, I walked into the kitchen to thank Pinnucia and Italia for the wild boar and noticed this weird look on Italia's face. Mattia was trying to say something to her, but apparently she didn't really want to hear it. Mattia didn't notice the look, but it made me laugh hysterically, so much that I had to leave the room and come back. Italia just simply cracks me up every time.

While on shop duty in the afternoon, I walked outside for some fresh air to find Don Luigi in front of a camera crew. Apparently this isn't his first time of TV, but I only had one mission; get on that camera somehow. I told Matt that I would run all the way to the Sacrestia, which was in the background, and wave my hands frantically back and forth just so they would focus on me for at least a second. I have never been on TV before and now would be my perfect chance. Well as soon as I got there, the camera guy moved the camera. Just my luck, right? Well if Don Luigi is as famous as Cecilia told me, I think I will have another shot pretty soon.

Another opportunity to play match-maker came up in the shop in the afternoon. This time it was Don Antonio's turn. This really pretty girl kept coming back to the shop buying something new each time. She had to have come around at least 3 or 4 times before she finally left. Well the last time she left Don Antonio gave me the look suggesting that I should go talk to her. He said she is a pretty girl and gave me a little pat on the shoulder for encouragement. What people don't understand is that I would love to talk to these girls, but I am kind of lacking an important factor, mastery of the Italian language, or at least enough to have a conversation. If I could form complete sentences without hesitation, then I would have no problem talking to them. I guess this will be my motivation for the next time someone decides to play match-maker.

My body is starting to fall apart. I had a very rough start Monday morning. I first woke up not feeling 100% because of this tiny cold that I somehow developed in beautiful weather. I thought a nice hot shower would clear it up, but it actually made things worse. As soon as I got out of the shower my nose started to bleed. I was debating on whether or not I should go to morning prayer, but decided it would be best for me to go.

Later that day I noticed I was having an allergic reaction to something, but everything that I ate that morning was typical and nothing was different. My allergies have been bothering me for some time here in Subiaco, but I have been taking my medication. I guess I have to wait a little while for it all to kick in, but it better be sooner than later. I do not want to have breathing problems again like I did this morning. It seems like my body is not really enjoying having to switch back and forth between different locations. Maybe I should take a rest after my three months are up and stay settled in one place.

Today was the last day for Mattia here at Sacro Speco. He had packed up his room and was on his way down to Santa Scholastica. While he was cleaning out his room, Matt, Don Ignazio, and I were preparing Fr. Francisco's old room for Don Antonio. Apparently they were switching places, which is actually best. Don Antonio works in the shop and has been traveling back and forth almost everyday. This will make it easier on him and on me as well. I now have someone there in the shop at all times to help me. The pressure is off and can relax a little. A little side note, Fr. Francisco had a ton of books. It took all morning to move them out into another room, along with some other items collected over the years. At least I only have to do this once right.

Talk about being pulled every which way. On Tuesday I must have worked with or done something for everyone. Don Ignazio started things off. Matt and I were assigned to clean the garden of all the weeds growing out of the walls. Some of the were clearly out of my reach and I had to maneuver and shimmy up rocks just to grasp a piece and hope to pull it out. Within an hour or so of cleaning, Don Ignazio called me in to move some furniture around in Mattia's room. We must think alike since we both came up with the same layout for where things should be placed. It didn't take very long and I returned to pulling weeds.

I was back in the groove when Francesco showed up wanting to move more of Don Antonio's stuff into his new room. I helped him unload the car and drove with him down to Santa Schoalstica to load up more stuff. It was my first time actually seeing inside of where the monks live at Santa Scholastica. Francesco showed me his room, along with the library and of course Don Antonio's room. His room has a nice little balcony overlooking the back of the monastery. When I walked in I knew that this was not going to be the last of the things we needed to move. We were just doing books and clothes right now. Don Antonio's room still had plenty of stuff for us to pack up. Once we were done selecting what to carry, we made our way back up to Sacro Speco to unload once again.

After I was done working with Francesco and finished pulling weeds, I went to the shop to see if Clara needed some help. Well I got there just in time to help Clara burn some weeds. The weeds we pulled and cut from last week and placed in a pile were to be burned today. She had already started on one pile before I got there, but we did try to burn the cactus pile. Unfortunately that thing just doesn't want to leave. We'll have to wait for next week until we can tackle that task. While on the roof, I did notice all the weeds that we just finish cutting were growing back as if they had been there for months. They just won't die. It will be another fun-filled week of cutting and burning.

It must have been bring you dog to work day, because I was surprised when I waled into the church and found one of those hotdog dogs running around. I almost stepped on him because I am not used to dogs running through the church. I was about to pick it up and take it outside until Cecilia showed up. She said it was hers, so I guess I could let it slide.

This afternoon I had to do a little shopping with Pinnucia. We drove all the way to Fiuggi, which is apparently where we always get our groceries. It seemed like it took almost an hour to get there, but it gave me time to practice some more of my Italian. Pinnucia says that I am getting much better with it, which means a lot to me. EVeryday I have to look up more words and try to use them the next day to practice. Maybe by the time I leave I will be able to have conversations in Italian and understand them completely. 

After we closed the shop, Matt, Cecilia, and I went to Roma Est to do some shopping. Matt wanted to buy a camera for his laptop and I just simply wanted to browse around and hope to find something worth buying. Unfortunately or fortunately, however you decide to see it, I did not manage to find anything. We got there a little too late and I was unable to shop around. Maybe some other time, but I will definitely buy something huge when I am on my way back home.

Had another rough start this morning. For whatever reason, last night I could not sleep well. It must have been because we got in around 11:30 pm last night. I thought it was a little earlier, but the clock wasn't changed in the car. I think I woke up every hour to blow my nose. It was the worst sleep I have had here, including when I first came from the states and switched time zones. I struggled to go to morning prayer Wednesday only to find out that no one was there. This was the second time I had woken up and found no one in morning prayer. Well I decided to take advantage this time and try to reclaim some of my lost hours of sleep with a quick hour nap.

When I woke up and made my way downstairs, I found Don Ignazio in a fantastic mood. Matt had gotten him some new DVDs last night when we went shopping. He is a big action fan, mainly a big Bruce Willis fan. When he saw that Matt picked out the last Die Hard movie for him, his eyes lit up like a kid at a candy store without supervision. He was so excited and could not wait until after dinner to watch them.

I had a little surprise waiting for me once I got to the shop; it was Don Antonio and Francesco with more stuff to move into the room. Once we finished unloading everything, we then had to organize his book collection. He had just as many books as Fr. Francisco did, because there wasn't an empty space left on either book shelf.

I think Don Antonio will be a good addition to our group here at Sacro Speco. Lunches have never been more entertaining than now. Everyday Don Antonio picks on Don Heriberto and their little commentary always makes us all crack up. Welcome to Sacro Speco Don Antonio. 

I am now a true believer in the powers of gocce. Thursday I started to feel better after putting in a few drops of gocce into my tea. I have been drinking tea and taking gocce for the past couple of days and have started to see signs of my cold lifting. I guess it must be the placebo effect, because I am twice as good as I do a few days ago. One thing I can say for sure is that it does make my tea taste and smell a whole lot better. I am telling you it's a cure for whatever ails you in a tiny bottle. I should be the spokesperson for this stuff.

Thursday was honey day in the shop. I had to help Clara prepare honey for the shelves. We are running low on some of the types of honey we sell, while the others we have a excess amount that could last us until next year. We just prepared what we could to fill the shelves and left the rest in the back. Clara showed me where to hide the honey so that no one would come in and eat it, mainly the Abbot. He has a craving for honey. I actually saw him one day just pick up a bottle of honey, open it, and raise it to his mouth to guzzle it down. Clara told me under no circumstances was I to show where the honey was hidden, because the Abbot would open it and eat it. She wants to save the bottles to distinguish between the different types of honey. She hid it so well that even Don Antonio couldn't find the jars and I had to show him where they were hidden.

I think Italy must have missed the memo that it's now spring, which means beautiful weather. Friday was by far the worst day, weather wise, I have seen here for quite some time. It reminded me of being here in December, because I could see my breathe outside. People were coming up to Sacro Speco today wearing winter jackets. And apparently it had snowed last night up here. It's like living in Minnesota all over again. And here I thought I was done with weather acting usual after leaving, but I guess wherever I go weird weather will follow me. I feel sorry for whatever place I visit next, because they are in for a year of weird weather.

Since we had finished almost everything that we could think of in the shop, I did some on-line shopping with Clara. She has this tiny backpack that I always wondered where she bought it. Well she showed the site of the store and told me that she would be heading there sometime in the net week or so and she would get me one. They are not too expensive and would be perfect for me. I found the one that I want and I know I will love it. I have a thing about tiny bags and backpacks. I cannot tell you why, but I have to have them. The one that caught my eye is a plaid style bag with blue and black. I will make sure I take pictures for you readers.

Today must have been the last straw for me with dealing with children. We typically get at least one group of kids a day, sometimes two or more. Well the ones who came in the afternoon really tested my patience. I first had to deal with them screaming and yelling all throughout the church, and watch them touch the walls as they made their way through the church. The breaking point was when a group of them decided it would be funny to blow out the candle representing St. Benedict as the patron of Europe. I almost lost it when I saw it on the camera in the Sacrestia. I rushed down there ready to crack some skulls, but just decided to light the candle again. This is why I think kids should not be allowed in the church unless they are strictly supervised. They have no respect for the church, let alone understand the importance and beauty of what is in front of their eyes. I am not worried about these kids, because the world has it way of dealing out what is coming to each and every one of them. It is a vicious cycle and they will learn that soon enough.