Welcome to the heart of our apartment~ the kitchen.. After arriving with our luggage( a small miracle in my mind) we entered into our new  reality of life in Florence. Our new friends made us feel so welcome and immersed us into the culinary specialities of Tuscany at lunch. Crostini platter with spinach , mushroom and tomato tapenades; antipasti platter of meats, including the Tuscan fat, thinly sliced pieces of fat that are stored in caves of white marble, matured between the cold slabs; and Riboletti soup, a tuscan soup that is thick with any and all pureed vegetables and old bread. Yummy brown comfort food. Why is it that comfort food does not present well at the table? Hmm. 

Our apartment is a jewel sanctuary in the midst of the busy historic district. We overlook a convent cloister across the street and have a private garden terrace out the back. 

 Our place is quite spacious. The shower is hot. Thank goodness though I have stood under a downspout in Vancouver and had more pressure. Grocery shopping is an adventure  that makes me sweat and brings out insecurities....Why are the panty hose next to the cookies? And who knew bread could take up so much room in  store? They seem to have three main food groups; bread, meat and cheese, with the wine in the next aisle. It is pouring with rain~ good thing, Hannah is jet-lagging behind the old folks! And Randy is Randy~ he is in his element amongst all these  large statues of magnificent men. Life is being echoed in the cobbled street below and in the marbled rooms of our apartment. I hope you can hear it.