After we picked up our lost bag at the airport, Alessandro and I went back to our apartment and unpacked some more. Luckily, everything was in order, but one of the wheels to our bag broke off. I hadn't called any of my friends yet to tell them that I had returned to Florence as I've just been feeling exhausted. I decided to call Simone to tell him the news and he told us to stop by for a brindisi (toast) some time this week. Simone is the one who introduced me to Alessandro many months ago, so I felt that I had to tell him first that we did end up tying the knot in Los Angeles.

After a delayed flight and one lost bag, we made it back to Florence exhausted, but happy. As we were approaching Florence in the airplane about to land, I was thinking back to when I left for my trip to the US. How I left by myself as a single woman and was coming back with Alessandro as a married woman. It feels as if months have passed, but instead it has only been two weeks. I'm happy with how everything turned out, and couldn't have asked for a better trip.

Alessandro had wanted to go to a professional baseball, basketball, or football game while we were in the US, so I bought tickets for the 49ers game over the Internet. I had never been to a professional football game, but was able to tell Alessandro a bit about tailgate parties and some of the rules of the game.

After getting married in Los Angeles, we drove up along the coast to spend one night in Big Sur. Unfortunately, many of the hotels were booked for Friday night, so we stayed at the first nice hotel that had a vacancy. We ended up in a beautiful suite looking out over the ocean. It was amazing listening to the ocean crashing along the shore and seeing the sun set into the water.

One of the objectives I had for going to California was to go to the Italian Consulate to get two translations approved and stamped so that I can file for Italian citizenship. I called the Consulate from Florence a week or so before I left for the US and they said that all I had to do was come by during office hours and they could approve my translations.

After the sun set and the full moon began to shine brightly, Alessandro and I exchanged our vows in my sister's garden standing next to a fountain. We had talked about getting married months ago and when we talked about going to the US together, that was what we wanted to do. It wasn't until the week before I left for the US that our plans of getting married might be possible.

Alessandro and I had a quick visit to San Francisco with my niece. Her father had to go to an event and we tagged along for the ride up to the city. I wanted to spend some time with my niece and luckily she was able to come with us.

I arrived at noon today and went to pick up Alessandro at my friend Rich's apartment in San Francisco. I wanted Alessandro to stay in San Francisco because I thought it would be awkward to have him meet my family without me. I was looking at other hotels in the city, but Rich was kind enough to offer his apartment for the night. I took the picture from the roof of Rich's building.

I failed to mention that at this same conference seven years ago is where I met Dave, my ex-husband. Many people who attend the conference were used to seeing us both together, so we had to break the news to many of the people there. We were able to hang out a bit at the conference, and I am happy that Dave and I are still good friends. He was kind enough to bring me a power cable for my Macintosh from home because mine was in my lost luggage, and also loaned me one of his mobile telephone cards so I wouldn't have to get a new one while I am in the US.

Even though I've been visiting Memphis a bit, I had to do some shopping for clothes and other necessities because my luggage didn't arrive with me on Sunday. When I got to Memphis, the man said that it would arrive the next day on the same flight that I took, but it didn't.

What is a trip to Memphis without going to Graceland? When the company announced that they were holding their annual conference in Memphis, the first thing I thought of was Graceland. I'm not an Elvis fan, but I do remember a lot about him when I was a child. Besides, Graceland is only about 15 minutes from our hotel, so how could I not go?

I have only been to the South two times and both times briefly. I went to Houston about 20 years ago and New Orleans a few years ago. So, I am always amazed at how friendly and cordial people are here in the South. I went walking around downtown Memphis near the hotel with a few friends from Italy. I had expected Memphis to be a bustling metropolis, but it seems quiet and the pace quite slow. The weather was rather warm and humid, but we walked around the streets to see what Memphis had to offer.

The few days before I was to leave Florence for the US, I felt a twinge of sadness. I walked past the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, and through Piazza Repubblica a few times during the week and silently said "Arrivederci."

For my birthday last week, I had planned on eating at one of my favorite restaurants, Osteria di Giovanni, with my friend Jill. In the end, we weren't able to go, but I kept thinking that I wanted to go there for lunch before I take off for the States. Another girlfriend of mine 'Annah, who is an artist and poet, wasn't able to make it to my birthday dinner at Canapone, so she invited me to lunch. I suggested Osteria di Giovanni because I really love it and also because she hadn't been there yet either.

I am on the verge of going back to the US for a short trip. I have a lot to do besides my normal work, like finding presents for people back home, buying some clothes to wear, and getting my life in order before I leave. And, as with any trip out of Florence, all of my close friends want to see me beforehand.

Because I'll be going to the US soon for a short visit, I decided to see if all of my paperwork for my Italian citizenship is in order. I tried to call Wednesday as it's the only day the man with whom I spoke to the first time is there. He didn't answer the phone all day last Wednesday, so I decided to just ride my bicicletta (bicycle) to the Prefettura (Prefecture) this morning.

I have never in my life received so many rose a gambo lungo (long-stemmed roses) as I did today and in the picture I only show half of them. Alessandro had eighty four of them delivered to my apartment early this morning. The number is supposed to be my age times two plus another number. The fiorista (florist) told him that he shouldn't buy a number of roses that ends in zero, so he added four more.

I have been wanting to go to a partita (soccer match) for ages. Living in Florence, I am of course a tifosa della Fiorentina (a fan of Florence's soccer team). How could I not be? So, I was so happy when Alessandro called me to ask me if I wanted to go to the partita at the stadio (stadium) tonight.

I love riding my bici (bike) and because the weather has been quite moderate, I decided to ride my bici to Sesto Fiorentino. I usually take the bus, but I figured it would be fun to take a ride out there. Alessandro told me that Sesto Fiorentino was given its name because it is six kilometers outside of Florence. It wasn't until I went on the Internet that I discovered that it is actually six miles from Florence.

One of the biggest worries for anyone who lives here is how to continue staying here legally or how to stay here legally if he/she is here illegally. When I first moved here, I didn't dream that I'd fall in love with Florence after being here only three days. I didn't get a visa at that time because I initially planned on staying three months to study Italian. And when I arrived this last time in 2004, I came prepared with a visa to stay for a year.