harbour in the storm...

Back in the Porto Turistico di Roma. I arrived in the morning, and had my first cup of caffe machiato in the bar just across from our pontoon. Viva Italia. And played my new CD of choruses from Verdi operas (sung by the chorus of La Scala, Milano) to get thoroughly back into the atmosphere...
David got back (after little detour to Paris for Samir's PhD ceremony) late last night.
Our boat Stroemhella was duly praised for remaining watertight and unshaken even though reports reached us in Dubai of three-metre-high waves...
It is still a little strange for me to be living on a boat (though always David's dream) but if one has to (!!) this is a very fine choice -- and an excellent place to be. There are still some exhibitions in Rome that I'd like to visit before we fly northwards for Christmas.
See photos of Stroemhella:

Something seems to have gone slightly amiss with the uploading of these pix -- so glad to find technology has its blips!
Tomorrow -- or some day soon -- I shall make a batch of bread on the boat, in the baking-tin specially designed to cook on top of the stove (in the absence of an oven). David has already performed this feat, apparently with great success.
Ah, pix returned to correct size, so I'll upload a few more, closing with romantic low-sun version:

I am learning to live deep into the present (the carpe diem story, only not so much seizing as simply breathing... ). This is aided by the nearness to the open sea -- I walk along the waterfront gazing out at the clouds, the light, the wide space, the uncluttered horizon. Even in wild and windy weather it has a quietness.
Too many words, still far too many words (there is a story about that phrase, in connection with my translation of Dutch into English. Usually English produces more -- short -- words, due to the nature of the language. A translator of Dutch into English is paid by the number of words in the source -- in my case Dutch -- language. But one of my clients didn't know this and thought I was intentionally 'upping' the number of words in my translation, in order to acquire higher pay. So I was criticized for using 'too many words'. I should add, that was many years ago...)
So I should stop now...
Tomorrow we go to Follonica, in Etruscan country, to visit Italian friends ...

Oh yes -- Thank you Jeanette and Dan for the Norwegian chocolate left on Stroemhella -- a happy greeting on our return .And enjoy Malta!