Trying to come up with names for my new car :-)

This is the soon to be mine Mini Cooper.  I'm planning on spray painting the backs of the side mirrors teal and adding watercolor rose vinyls to the car doors because I am NOT a white car person.  I normally go for blue.  However, it was the right price, right size, and it's an automatic.  Finding an automatic in Italy is an interesting adventure in itself. 

Right now, I'm thinking Ghost as a nickname for the car.   Maybe Casper?  We'll see when it's officially mine on Friday!

Until then, I have the loaner vehicle.  I refuse to call it a car because it's not.  It's a death trap. 

Death Trap is a DUMBcar and it's a semi-automatic.   It gets me from point a to b but it has zero actual power, and it feels like I'm driving a go kart on the highway which is not fun.  I believe I have cursed more driving this vehicle in the past two days than I have driving my truck in the past two years. 

The roads in Italy are interesting it that you rarely just turn left or right.  Almost everything involves going around a circle - which is okay until you get off the wrong exit from the circle.   The streets aren't on a grid system like in DC and there aren't easy turn arounds.  Miss your exit?  You can easily add 20 minutes to a 5 minute drive that way.  At least I'm learning my way around!

I just need to remember, this is only for two more days then I get the Ghost!  Or maybe Casper...  Or maybe Marshmellow?

Italian Driver's License!

I have my Italian Driver's License!  Technically, it's only good inside of Italy but, hey, that works!   I also have my International Driver's License that you can pick up at AAA for about $20.

I did have to take a test for the Italian one - the hardest thing to remember is that there isn't a right turn on red in the rest of the world.   :-)   The test was multiple choice, true and false, and match the signs to the meaning, basically.   I got a bit confused on the signs but, well, I have my license so it was fine.  :-)

Now, to find a car.  That part is proving difficult.   The biggest issue is that I refuse to drive a stick.  I'm sorry but I'm just south of the Alps and I know better than to even attempt to drive a stick in the mountains unless I actually want an accident.  I get that manual has some advantages but I do.not.care.  I want my automatic and not have to worry about ramming the car behind me when I'm going up a hill.

Because I refuse to get a stick, finding an automatic in the city has proven a bit difficult.  Now, I've seen them in other cities nearby and I might just have to suck it up and do a lot of the paperwork necessary myself but I'm trying to avoid that.   However, I really REALLY want a Mini because they are awesome.  I have found one in the city that is automatic but it take GPL which is a liquid petroleum fuel that we just don't have in the States.  

Oh well, I have the weekend to figure out what I really want in a vehicle.  

I am studying Italian.   My biggest issue with studying is that my BA is in Latin, I have an elementary understanding of Spanish, and I've picked up a few French words as well over the years.   In other words, although I am learning Italian, I'm confusing Italian words with words from other, related languages.  For instance - counting.  I can count in Spanish without any issue.   In Italian....the numbers are, of course, very similar but it's really hard not to say "Uno, dos, tres" and, instead say "Uno, due, tre".  When people count back my change in Italian, I don't have any problems understanding them, so there is that.

Jasper, my cat, has been sick.  He's doing better but he's a HUGE pain in the back side when he's sick.   Il gatto era malato.  

I found a yarn store and I'm knitting a new scarf.  :-)