I like the holidays, but they're always so hectic, you know. There never seems to be time to relax and just hang out. Certainly there was no time to update this diary, as it involves setting up my laptop on the kitchen table, etc., and I'm not particularly interesting in the husband snooping around seeing what I'm up to. I don't suppose there's anything in here that he couldn't read, mind you, but there might be someday I suppose. And once the houseguests arrived, it was certainly out of the question. M and N-- I miss seeing them more often. What's it been now? 18 months, and even then it was for only a day and a half. That's how you can tell true friends, though-- it could have been only yesterday, none of the awkwardness that you sometimes get when you haven't seen folks for a while.

Went to Rome, which is always wonderful. M calls it piles of organized and disorganized rock, which is fairly accurate, if a bit unfair. Saw 5 caravaggios in various churches, which is always a treat. M&N had never been, and they sort of drove me crazy-- I sort of like to run things with military precision, get up and out early so as to see as much as possible. They don't. Plus, they get tired too soon, no stamina. Kids and a stable suburban life will do that to you, I guess. Made me feel quite perky, although my husband appreciated the slower pace. That is, until we missed seeing the colosseum because we got started too late and it closed just before they got there. N ran out to do some quick souvenier shopping that was anything but, and we ended up cooling our heels and drinking outrageously-priced cokes in the hotel lobby. Not ideal. That was the only thing he really wanted to see-- they've done lots of renovation etc since we visited it last. Oh well.

Had a fantastic meal at the restaurant in 'Gusto. A bit artsy-fartsy, but really superb. The pea soup with the chinese seafood dumpling floaters was fantastic-- I should be able to make something similar, not that my husband would eat it. No bits in the soup though, except for pork scratchings, so it might be worth a shot.

Maybe I could suprise him with a trip to Rome over valentines. Worth a thought-- will check into it.