wednesday at BRITISH INSTITUTE lecture was by SARAH DUNANT
she has written many novels but 3 on ITALIAN RENAISSANCE are
BIRTH OF VENUS
IN THE COMPANY OF THE CORTESAN
BLOOD AND BEAUTY
she was charming, fun, light, and shared UNDER THE SKIN of her books
sharing the art that helped to inform her about the times
wonderfully entertaining and interesting
i was sitting in the last row as always because this takes place in a library
and they have sofas and stuffed chairs they shove to the back
which meant i was sitting lower than those in chairs but could see the screen with the artwork perfectly
after the talk my friend joan wanted to meet author so i followed her to the front and pointed to the LADY for her to pose with so i could take a photo - and she obeyed
JOAN THE FRIEND FROM IRELAND LEAVING TODAY (boohoo) ON THE RIGHT
SHE is writing book which will be the culmination of her interviewing mothers of divorce, of which she is one. Encouraging her to extend to Canadian mothers, as she is going to Canada next for 2 months, as well as USA mothers since I know a few.
when joan moved to speak to another lady beside the one i had taken her picture with, i told the photgraphed lady thank you and that i had read one and a half of her three books, loved them and truly enjoyed her talk -
WHEREIN she grinned widely - and told me she was NOT THE AUTHOR - she was the one who introduced her - and that my friend was talking to the author
- and as you see - they had a great laugh over that one , , ,
AUTHOR SARAH DURANT ON RIGHT
UN-AUTHOR ON LEFT
FRIEND JOAN (who will hate this picture) IN THE MIDDLE
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second fun event of week was going to IKEA for the first time - for both lisa and myself
i knew we took bus 29 by the TRAIN STATION
- so we walked to train station and then onto the BUS STATION NOT finding the street marked by lady at tourist info where i had stopped to ask how to get to ikea
man at information said to get tickets not at bus station but at TRAIN STATION at windows 8 and 9
AND he said to go DOWNSTAIRS which meant underground to me
BUT thank goodness meant GO DOWN THE STAIRS to lisa
which we did outside the train station
then by looking at map again we figured out street was down a half block and then to the left - yep, it was
and we then stood by the BUS STOP sign for about 3 minutes then started reading the schedule posted and realized this was not bus stop for 29 - but maybe the one across the street was, which we had just spied
CORRECT - bus came - we got on - punched ticket - and got ready for what a friend said would be 15-20 minute ride
when got on bus asked bus driver what stop for IKEA (pronounced E-KA-AH in italian) and he did not even look at us
so we looked at each other, shrugged and said hmmm, somehow we will figure this out - me knowing there are always signs when you get near that advertise it - HOWEVER - i was facing backwards and the only seat for lisa was facing backwards in the last row on bus -
GOOD LUCK, GIRLS
HOWEVER, lady who spoke teeny english pointed to herself when i said IKEA IN ENGLISH as only lisa knew how to say in italian
AND truly she told us when to get off - THANK YOU THANK YOU
we spent our hour or so there - and i found what i went for -
and bought 12 of . . .
(notice drain between toilet and bidet shower head is directly above it)
(pictures of entire studio in next blog) (i have to keep doing this or i will forget what i have learned - ohdear)
IT WAS A GOOD WEEK!!!
