It happened. I have proof! This photo documents the first time my cats have ever been together on our bed. My only regret is that it happened (obviously!) when our bed was still unmade and no amount of cutting and editing managed to mask that bothersome (to me!) little fact. No matter. There are worse things in life than unmade beds! (But heck, couldn’t they have WAITED until later in the day, so I could have at least pulled up our covers just a little bit?) 😉

A few notes. The first has to do with recent minor changes to my protocol. At the urging of a close friend here in Florence (Sherlock 😉 ), in fact, I have begun taking vitamin D3 (oil-soluble kind) first thing in the morning. This is my second week. My vitamin D3 levels were tested in June and turned out to be extremely low. I posted about that at the time. I would also like to remark that even though I have been exposed to various types of germs belonging to my MMA/B-M list friend and, more recently, my husband (who has a cold right now), I have not succumbed, nor do I PLAN to succumb!

I have also recently added a few other items to my usual intake (i.e., curculate!), as follows: a vitamin B complex (to give me a boost after my rather recent bout with acute bronchitis), a multivitamin (ditto) and folic acid. I also reordered and have begun (again) taking black cumin oil capsules. I admit to being a bit tired these days, but it is also true that I haven’t taught English in years so I need some adjustment time. Oh, but I must admit that I am having lots of fun, too! My students and I frequently laugh ourselves under the table, yes, even over grammar! You see, I am of the opinion that teaching (a language, in particular) should be a…laughing matter. When I was in high school, I always had dreadfully serious and boring French teachers, the opposite of what I want to be. And besides, I have two hilariously funny students (in two different classes) who come up with the funniest stuff (along the lines of “Anguished English,” I really should take notes), so even if I wished to remain serious it would be quite impossible…!

Yesterday I gathered about three cups of raspberries from our monster raspberry plant in the back yard. Raspberries…in November? I gave some to my next door neighbour, who was also very surprised. This is a photo of what was left. And there are more flowers and unripe fruit left on the plant! But this morning the temperature went down to freezing, and a Siberian weather front is about to hit Italy, so I doubt we will have many more

Speaking of raspberries, the other night Stefano and I added pomegranate seeds to our salad. Delicious. What do raspberries and pomegranates have in common? Ellagic acid and anthocyanins!