dream outloud

Sunday, November 15th, the ARM team who went to Armenia (myself included) are giving an 8 minute presentation at a church to sum up our experiences. Please pray for us as we seek to get the most important information across, and for me as I try to pull together a relevant, workable slide show. Thanks so much! Here's more from our trip - and the beginnings of London. ~c

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London, October 27, 2009 (afternoon)

Right. So, no time for a full update right now - that's soon to come. But, right now, I'm sitting in St. Margaret's which is right outside Westminster Abbey (which costs ₤11.50 to enter!) and it's beautiful. At each seat in the pews, there's even an embroidered kneeling cushion! Nice. The stained glass is incredible, the ceilings are vaulted, and all along the walls are plaques and reliefs. It's very beautiful...I think I'd really like Westminster Abbey - if I could afford it. :) I'd love to hear the pipe organ in here!

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London, October 27, 2009 (evening)

Whew! Okay - I've got a lot of catching up to do.

Saturday...I'm trying to remember what we did...and I can't! Dang. I think....yup - we did more work in teh dining room - scraping off the flaking parts and spackling them on all four of the wall sections. So, we finished that, and then it had to dry for a day. I think after spackling, we took turns washing up, and had lunch. We had a bit of a lazy afternoon - which was wonderful. Then, we sat outside to wait for Ruzanna. It was a really nice time of talking about ARM, brainstorming, and planning. I think it was quite productive.

Eventually, Ruzanna came with her sister, and we split up and went into town. Laurie, with Ruzanna and her sister, went to the bookstore (amazing miracle - they got there just after the doors had been locked, Laurie stuck the name of the book/author she was looking for up against the window, and since it's a book that only people who are serious about learning Armenian get, he found it for her, and she paid for it - all while they were standing outside - and it was the one book Laurie really wanted to get!). Jim, Otto and I took a taxi to Vernisage, which was pretty much closing just as we got there. But, I got a salt-bowl for Aunt Carry, and Jim and I wandered about a bit. We all met up at Vernisage - said goodbye to Ruzanna, and here sister, and went to the square. They've done quite a bit of work, and it looks lovely.

We wandered down to the Opera Center (down the newly finished promenade), and stopped for some serious ice cream at one of the cafes. It. was. AMAZING! I had the "Bad Baby" - which is chocolate ice cream with Kahlua, walnuts and almonds with chocolate sauce. Wow! It was good. Then, we went to - where else?! - Square One - for pizza. It was okay - too much cheese for me and my delicate intestines.

Then, we snagged a cab, and went back to Nork (where the ARM grounds are located). Our cabbie was great - he'd spent a couple years in California, so he was fun to talk with. Next: to bed!

Sunday, we got an early start - but there wasn't enough "rehab" stuff to keep us all busy. So, Laurie, Samuel and I hopped a cab to Vernisage. I had a lot of buying to do! I think Hayastan sent Sam with us because, apparently, someone tried to rob Laurie when we were at the clothes market, and Hayruit beat him up for us! (I love it when a guy will fight for a good cause!) But, we got all our shopping done, and on the way home, we stopped at an internet cafe to do a quick update.

When we got back to Nork, we had lunch, then went in to paint the dining room (the boys had primed while we were gone. (So, we did that for 1/2 hr., but before long, it was 2 pm, and Laurie and I had to change (again) to go to a deaf school in the neighborhood and give away flip flops. They were so happy to see us - we got photos, and we think they have enough space that we could build the whole (or at least most) or the Skokie playground there (which is huge!)! So - a very successful excursion. [Side Note: I hadn't even thought of it - but there are different signs for Armenian sign language. We learned sh'nora golum (thank you)].

Next, we went back, changed (again!), and painted the dining room a beautiful yellow ochre color. It looks fabulous! We worked until about 8 pm, washed up, and had dinner. It was a long day!

After dinner, we packed up, and went to bed. Oh yeah - Sunday morning, we also spent some devotional time together, and read some more notes from friends. Elizabeth's made me cry, and Meredith's made Laurie cry. :)

Monday morning, we got an early start, and had breakfast. We checked out our work in the dining from from the night before and took photos. We finished packing up, called a taxi, and said our goodbyes. Hayastan's brother drove Laurie and I to the airport in his taxi. We checked in, and Hayruit stayed with us (such a juju!), and went through security - where they basically unpacked out bags - and then to our gate. I bought some Ararat apricot brandy at the duty free store (apparently, they're famous for it), and then Laurie and I used up our drams with a last cup of sourge.

On the plane, it was nice to have a row with only one other person in it - so we each had 1 1/2 seats. :) I was able to sleep a bit, which was nice. When we arrived, I said goodbye to the crew, and we went our separate ways - they went to Chicago, and I went through customs and onto London!

I got my bag at the carousel, changed some money, and then got a one week Oyster card, and took the Underground to Leicester Square, where I switched to the Northern Line, and got off at Warren Street, where Micha met me. We walked to the flat, and chatted for a couple hours. I kinda felt like a disciple at the Rabbi's feet. Micha's an amazing man, and it was so good to finally meet the last member of the Sarac family.

Olgica got home at 5:30, and we had a cup of tea, and talked. Nicholas got home around 6:15 pm, and we had dinner together. We talked for a bit longer, and then Nicholas took me all over London in his car. Really - everywhere! Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, St. Pancras, King's Cross Station (where we stopped in to pose with the cart - Harry Potter style - at platform 9 3/4), Buckingham palace, Whitehall Street past Westminster Abbey/Parliament, Town Bridge (where we stopped to hang by the marina for a bit), Abbey Road (home of the Beatles), Nottinghill, past Harrod's, etc., etc. It was great. Then, we went home, and after a very long day, I slept.

This morning (after a good night's sleep), I got up, and had coffee with Olgica, and we had breakfast with Nicholas. Nick went to work, Olgica went to Oxford Circus for her work conference, and I got ready and set off for bus 24 (or 29), which I took to the National Gallery at Leicester Square. It was nice - great Degas, and van Gough - but pretty big. I finally got selective about what I was seeing.

Afterward, I sat in the square and ate the sandwich I'd brought, and then wandered down Whitehall Street. I stopped in briefly at the Calvary museum, and then made my way to Westminster Abbey, and sat in St. Margaret's church. Then, I went over to the Thames to view the London Eye. It was a beautiful day! I walked along the Thames for quite some time - up by King's College - to Holloway, and then hopped the Tube to Covent Garden.

I wandered the market, and then up to Neal Street for a sit at a Cafe (El Topo Cantina) (I really needed a break!), and here I've been writing. I think it's about time to head back to Olgica's!

(Note: Tuesday night, was fellowship group/Bible Study at the Sarac's - Very nice people!)

Well, the weekend flew by, and it was Beautiful outside! I went to the Botanic Gardens on Saturday morning, and I just kept having to stop and admire the diamond sparkles on the water, and the way the sunlight turned the leaves gold and ruby. It was fabulous.

Anyways, here's installment 4 of my Armenian adventures... ~c

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Armenia, October 24, 2009

So, yesterday was crazy...and kinda hard. In the morning we got up and had breakfast, and in our minds, everything was already running a1/2 hr. behind. Laurie and I wanted to leave for the market at 9:30 am, but we didn't get breakfast until them, so we left at 10:15, which as it turns out was okay, because the markets don't open until 1-. So, Hayastan, Lova, Hayruit, Laurie and I went to the clothes market in search of hats for the boys at the orphanage, and scarves for the girls. We found black knit "Puma" hats for the boys at about 650 dram, and then we opted for warm tights for the girls instead of scarves.

We got back around 11:30 (yeah - we're power shoppers), which is when we were supposed to leave for the orchard. We left around noon, and went to see the ARM orchard, which is pretty much out in the middle of nowhere, but Rozik really wanted us to see the progress they're making on the irrigation line, take pictures, and evaluate. They're doing good work putting in the pipe line, but it's all totally arid...it's gonna take a while until the land is ready to plant.

So, after that, we had to rush to get to the orphanage in time at 1:30 pm. We met with the director, and then played some haphazard games with the kids in an assembly, and gave them some gifts. The director is saving the warm weather gear for later in the year so nothing gets lost before it's cold. He was funny, and had Laurie write out a receipt to keep him accountable. After the assembly, we played with the kids for a while, but my heart just wasn't in it. [which may have been in part to the fact at least a couple of us have been having some rather serious intestinal problems since our arrival.]

When we got back to the ARM grounds, we had a big, late lunch...and cognac. Lova's own moonshine. We took at 1/2 hour break, and then went to work on the dining room. It's in bad shape. But, Jim was on a mission to accomplish something - and we did. We dusted, and washed the windows...but then we just pushed dirt around the floor "washing" it. I'm all bout working, but if it's totally inefficient, it's just frustrating to me - not productive. "Washing" this floor in the manner we were doing it, was the equivalent of picking up one pile of stones, rock by rock, and moving it 10 yards away - for no reason. It definitely got to me - but I stuck it out, and kept my mouth shut (a great feat in and of itself!). Anyways, Lova came in and played "the voice of reason", which was awesome, and timely. We cut off around 1- pm, and after talking a bit went to bed.

Now, I'm just hoping and praying that today will be productive in a good way!

Okay, back to the normal journal entries. ~c

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Armenia, October 23, 2009

Crazy day, and yet not super exhausting.

So, after seeing the big building (which really is ridiculously huge - even by American standards) - which is coming along nicely, and has incredible views and awesome stair cases - we sat down for a cup of sourge and prayed for a while. Which was really good. Then, we made lists of what we need to do and made a "plan" of sorts. Next, we went through the tool shed, and took an inventory, and made a list of supplies we need to various jobs on the ARM grounds.

We went to the hardware market (AKA "Home Depot Plaza") with Hayruit acting as chauffeur, and bought all the supplies. Oh! But wait! Before that, we met Laurie's Armenian teacher's sisters in the square outside the Marriott to give them some gifts from their sister in America. They were super sweet, and warm and friendly, and very excited. Okay - carrying on...After the Home Depot Plaza (where we got painting gear, found a really big crowbar!), and other tools), we went to the bookstore so Laurie could get language books.

Next, it was off the Yerevan orphanage, which took an hour to find. We were told it was called "Harvard" orphanage. So, that's what we were asking directions for - but we'd all been to this orphanage before, and knew that we were going the wrong way. Hayruit was super patient - a true juju - and awesome, and didn't just give up and say, "we're going home". So, eventually, when the rest of us where ready to give up and go home, Otto kept saying, "I think we're getting close - this looks right". And he was right! We saw the peak of the playground we'd built last time we were there and erupted in wild cheering and back slapping.

They received us with open arms, and smiles. The playground still looks good - no repairs needed. We'll need new swings, but that can wait. "Rich Blue", and "Mario" were there, and tomorrow, we're going back with gifts and icecream.

Tonight we had a great dinner, and now - Bed Time!

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I'll continue my Armenian Adventures on Monday - have a great weekend! ~c

This is a list I made about 1/2 way into the trip of amusing things I specifically "enjoyed" or wanted to remember about the trip:

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• "Enjoy" - Packaging on our dinner on the plane from London to Yerevan, that we got super loopy over, and lasted the duration of the trip.

• "Fresh as a Daisy" - Packaging on hand wipes from the plane to Yerevan - also strangely amusing to us.

• Water "oxygen inriched" - Packaging on a water bottle in Vanadzor.

• "Everywhere I go, I'm just looking for fluids" - Otto, as we were discussing what we "see" [Otto - the pump man, Jim - lighting, Steve - lawsuits, Laurie - efficiency, Christina - design].

• Nicknames at the Clinic:

1. Ruzanna: the staff played a joke on Ando when he started working, and told him to call Ruzanna, "Aunt Ruzanna". She didn't like that too much. ;)
   
2. Yevgine: the "Minister of Finance" (because she handles all the books).
   
3. Karina: "muk", Armenian for "mouse", 'cause she's so tiny, that Steve Kashian calls her muk.
   
4. Marietta: "Armageddon", because she's a hypochondriac and everywhere she goes, and every story she tells, it always ends bad. Example: Telling a story about beautiful flowers...but they were on a dead man's grave. Example 2: Traveling through the beautiful mountains, and seeing really cool bridges (that are admittedly rickety), and having Marietta call them "Satan's Bride".
   
5. Marietta AKA "Armageddon" AKA: "Pyro Granny" - before we found out the clinic staff called Mariette "Armageddon", we called her "Pyro Granny", because she was always making a burn pile whenever given the chance, and doing it with great glee.

• "Monica Seles" - While unloading potatoes from the truck, and more noticeably when bringing potatoes out to people's cars, Otto would let out a hefty "Monica Seles" style grunt, before being able to move on.

• "Jimmy Jan": "Jan", a term of endearment in Armenia, tacked onto the back of Jim Baney's name - also similar to the name of a "freaky fast" sandwich shop. :)

• "This is tasty", Laurie said to Lova. "She's tasty", Lova said of Hayastan.

• At Hagphat, Marietta was in a picture with Steve at the top of a set of stairs. While the photo was being taken, someone said something to Marietta, and she ran, fast as can be (very spry for a 61 year old) down the stairs, laughing and embarrassed. Apparently, someone said that Steve wanted to take her home to America. And, rumor has it, that someone also said they were taking a picture so we'd know where her band-aid was, for when she moved it. (Marietta always had a band-aid on some part of her face [but never the same part], which is part of her "Armageddon" complex).

• Harvard Orphanage = fiasco. We looked for "Harvard" orphanage for about an hour before actually finding it...and finding that Rozik told us the wrong name! So, we were asking everyone for the wrong place - no wonder they kept sending us in the wrong direction!

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Well, those were some funny moments (at least in my mind). I hope you "enjoy" them!
~c

I broke up my second journal entry, because it was so long. Here's the continuation. ~c

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Armenia, October 22, 2009

Wednesday, we went to the Vanadzor orphanage and did repairs on the playground. There were some rotten boards and planks there, just like at the clinic. I think we'll have to replace one of the main posts in a couple years (termites), but for now, I think it'll be okay.

We went back to the clinic for lunch, and the staff gave us each a box of chocolate and a scripture verse. It was so sweet. My verse was Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." I wish I had something to reciprocate with. It was so kind. I'll have to send gifts and photos through the mail for all the staff.

In the afternoon, we all piled into the van to go see Hagphat. And, I mean ALL of us! The staff too! We drove up through the mountains, and crazy tunnels under the mountains. It was a beautiful drive. Poor Steve and Otto were on the floor/luggage in the back of the van. They were good sports. The monetary is truly beautiful. So many buildings and so much history. I hope I got some good photos - despite the lighting. It was good to have a "play day"/"thank you" trip for us all to be on together.

On the way back to Vanadzor, I gave Otto a break and rode in the back - it was pretty bumpy. But, we made it! We stopped at a road-side restaurant for some famous Armenian barbecue (AKA Kebabs). We cracked some walnuts and then ate dinner. It was probably the best pork I've ever had. When it was about time to leave, I knew I'd have to visit a bathroom before sitting on the bumpy floor of the van again, but the outhouse was darker than dark, and right over a very rambunctious river. So, being unable to even see the hole in the floor, I opted out...and concentrated really hard on the bumpy ride to Vanadzor.

We stopped at Ruzanna's so she could get her things for Yerevan, and dropped off all the staff but Armageddon (story on her later). It was a bittersweet goodbye. We dropped off Mariette (AKA Armageddon), and drove to Yerevan. I was pretty sick on the ride back (headache/nausea), so I tried to sleep as much as I could with Arman's crazy driving (seriously, this guy tries to emulate NASCAR in a 15 passenger van with bald tires on mountain switchbacks!), and then crashed when we got back to the ARM grounds.

This morning, I woke up Laurie at 8, and we had breakfast with Steve in Lova and Hayastan's domik. At 9, Steve and Laurie headed off to the Airport with Hayruit to get Steve on the plane back to London, and then on with his family travels.

Now, I'm sitting here writing, and then we're going to see the "big building". :)

Just in case you're new to this blog, I just got back from Armenia and London, so I'm posting some of the Journal entries I made during my trip. ~c

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Armenia, October 23, 2009

So much has happened in the last few days! Monday, we had breakfast at the hotel (as we would for the next few mornings), and headed for the clinic at 10 am. We had a few quick minutes in between to pray and read letters from friends back home.

At the clinic, we started the day with sourge, and then worked on repairing the clinic playground. it had a few boards that had rotted out or broken, so we replaced them with stock from the new playground for Spitak, and also replaced a missing bar on the monkey bars. My main job was "floor board remover". Yevgine found us a little crowbar, about a foot long, and I used a large wrench as a hammer to pry the boards far enough from the brace for Jim to cut through the nail with the sawzaw. (In Armenia, necessity truly is the mother of invention!)

We had an amazingly huge lunch at the clinic and decided Tuesday would be the food distribution day, so the staff ordered all the food (for 200 people), and we ordered 7 metric tons of potatoes! (Yup, in Armenia, you can just call up the local potato farmer and say, "Yes, we'd like to order 7 metric tons of potatoes. When do we want them? Um...tomorrow. Alright, see you then!")

That evening we went to the Vanadzor orphanage and gifted soccer jerseys, decorated flip flops, pencil cases, and stuffed animals the kids. I was also able to give about 50 recorders a friend had donated, to the music teacher, who was pretty excited about them. It was a zoo! Barely controlled chaos! Our plan was to get photos of all the kids with their goodies - but there just weren't enough of us to distribute, and photograph - it was wild. But, we got it done, and it was good to see the kids. There were a lot of familiar faces (though older) from past trips.

Monday night, we went tot Yevgine's house for dinner. It was huge!!! (you'll notice this is a continuing/slightly painful theme)! It started with all the "usuals"...bread, lavash ( a large, flat, pita-like bread), cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, a carrot/pepper salad, olives, etc....and beef stroganoff...didn't see that coming! Then, she brought our Entree #2 - chicken and potatoes. Then, she brought out Entree #3 - a mushroom and chicken "pizza" on a lavash crust. THEN, she brought out dessert - fresh fruit and pastries and chocolate with tea. The just about had to roll us home...but we managed to walk it.....barely. :)

Tuesday was "the Big day": Food Distribution.

We were waiting for the potatoes, so there wasn't much we could do. We ended up doing some "organizing" in the cellar (even though what we really need to do is build shelves down there). When the potatoes got in, we unloaded the truck (all 7 tons!), or more specifically, Laurie and I watched and photographed the guys unloading the truck. :) And then we started to bag the potatoes.

We got to play with the kids for a while, and they were awesome! I had SO much fun with them. I played a version of dodge ball with some of them for a while, and then we sat and went through the Armenian numbers (1-100), and then the whole Armenian alphabet, and then the English alphabet (sung. twice). Next, we started in on colors and body parts in Armenian and English, and worked our way onto clothing and things around the playground. It was definitely a highlight for me. I literally had to pry myself away from their strong little hands and run! through the gates to help with the potatoes!

Around 3 pm, the masses began to arrive, and poor Yevgine had to see them all, and exercise great discernment with the hungry families who weren't on the list, as well as those who were.
[Side Note: How the Food Distribution works, is that before we go to Armenia, we do fund raising specifically for this aspect of the ministry. Then, depending on how much money we raise (it takes $45 to feed a family) we order and distribute food. We're given a list of the most needy people in the are from the government, we call them, and then they come to the clinic with their passports which get checked against the list we've been given. If a family has 5 or more members, they're given extra food. The hard thing is, that word spreads, and so people who weren't called/aren't on the list come too - and that makes it really tricky. Who wants to turn away hungry people?!]

It was a crazy afternoon that extended well into the night (I think we ate dinner around 9). Here's a very direct evidence of God - we had just enough food for ALL the families who came! We were afraid we'd have to turn people away at the end of the day, but when it came down to it, we had exactly enough for each person who turned up, and I like to think that everyone went home happy, and blessed. It was a pretty awesome and incredible thing to be a part of. But, it was a long day.

I'm glad we could be there to support the staff during the craziness. In a lot of ways, the dread the food distribution, because people can be really spiteful and ungracious, and it's really hard on them. So, they were really glad we were there to be the "face" of the "generous Americans" who were providing food - that they depend upon - for them. Laurie was awesome (in a lot of ways), but especially because, as the day wore on, people were creeping farther and farther into the building (and we couldn't work around them, they had to stay outside the doors until they were called in), so Laurie had to work as "door guard", and literally put her arm across the door - bouncer style - to keep them back. But, she totally turned this into her favor, and was able to interact with a lot of people that we wouldn't ordinarily have been able to have individual time with, and she was able to interject a lot of humor into what could have been a super stressful situation. She was the hero of the hour! As was Yevgine - she was AMAZING! Seriously, seeing and negotiating with over 200 people in 6 hours - that woman has a lot of Grace!

When we got back to the hotel, we all congregated in Laurie and my's room to just sit and chat about the day. Cool people. I'm going to bed.

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Tune in tomorrow for installment 3!

I love traveling!

But somehow, this trip, I was actually ready to come home. I couldn't get to the airport fast enough, and the plane wasn't nearly as speedy as it should have been.

Perhaps it's because I haven't had a day to myself in a month (to the day, tomorrow). Or maybe because it's because it's funny being in a foreign town on a foreign content, and yet people still speak English, so basically, you might as well be home. Whatever the reason, I'm quite happy to be back, and with the prospect of a few hours to myself looming some time in the near future. And clean clothes. :)

Well, I kept a journal throughout my travels, and it's not extremely detailed - just an overview of my impressions. So, I think every day for the next week or so, I'm going to type up one of my journal entries on here, so you can get a feel for the what the past 2 weeks have held for me. I hope you like it.

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Armenia, October 18, 2009

Okay, so it's bee a few crazy days of traveling, and lots of time spent in various forms of transportation.

On the flight to London, we managed to have 1 too many checked luggage bags/boxes, but it all worked out fabulously, because Steve's bag was small enough to be a carry on - Praise Jesus! (and many thanks to guys for being light packers!)

I sat next to a cute British boy on the way to London, and he fell asleep on my shoulder while I watched the Terminator. And when we landed, the group of us were able to spend about 4 hours in London!

We took the Piccadilly Tube to Leicester Square and went to lunch at Pret A Manger ( a local chain, kinda like a Corner Bakery), and then roamed about Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, through St. James' Park and to Buckingham Palace. We even saw the Queen! Well, Steve did - the rest of us were blocked out by the crowds - but they played a little fanfare on their trumpets and everything! It was just so...British!

On the flight to Yerevan, Laurie and I got a little loopy after being up for so long. The dinner packaging had the word "Enjoy" written all over it, and I happened to say "Enjoy!", and stick the seal up across the headrest in front of me, and we thought it was quite funny...in fact, we're still joking about it, probably will be for the rest of the trip.

We safely arrived in Yerevan, and fairly easily got through customs with some silver-tongued Armenian from Laurie. Then, Arman, and Lova were there to greet us (at 1:30 am) with a 15 passenger van, and a Mercedes, which took us to the ARM Grounds.

And then we slept. Yeah. :)

[Side Note: The door to our bathroom doesn't quite fit in the frame, so you have to lock it to keep it closed, but the lock doesn't really work all the great either, so Laurie locked herself in the bathroom...I was about to pull the anchors out of the hinges, when she finally got out...it was really funny.]

Later Saturday morning, we got up and Laurie and I took turns having sourge (Armenian coffee - so good!) with Hayastan (Lova's wife) and cleaning up. After that, and breakfast (with yummy home-made apricot jam), we sat in the sun for a bit, and I went back to bed. :)

Two hours later, we headed for Vernisage (the local flea market), and then to the Genocide Memorial, and Khor Verap (a church nestled in the shadows of Mount Ararat, where St. Gregory the Illuminator was held prisoner in a dungeon for 13 years). We found a random statue on a hillside to explore, and then went out for dinner in Yerevan.

Sunday, we got up at 7...or so I thought... Apparently, my clock was off by an hour, so I felt really bad that Laurie didn't get a shower (which she was really looking forward to). We loaded up the van with our luggage, and all took a sourge break. Then we picked up Dr. Ruzanna and Mary (Arman's daughter), and left for Vanadzor. We stopped at a bakery in Spitak on the way (which was AMAZING!), dropped Ruzanna off at the clinic, and got to church 1/2 hr late.

It was weird.

The building is huge and new and incredibly opulent. A stark contrast to its surroundings, and to what it used to be like. (When I'd visited on former trips, before the church building was completed, we met in a simple cinder block building with no windows, and old assembly room seating, and bare bulbs in the ceiling).

We had lunch at the clinic, checked out the new building (a building was given to ARM by the Armenian government - free of charge for 50 years - and it's right by the clinic...we're still trying to figure out how it's going to be used. A LOT of work needs to go into it...it's basically still just a frame), played with the kids at the playground, and had sourge Round 2.

We went to Arman's for dinner, and stuffed ourselves. Arman's Aunt is visiting them from Rome, and she made lasagna for dinner....but it was just the appetizer! We rolled ourselves to the "Govna's" Hotel (a little joke I have with Jim), and now we're going to bed. Yum...bed. :)