Oh, what a day! Friends are one of life's greatest glories. But reuniting with dear friends from our youth was an unbelievable pleasure. It was as if there had been no time-gap and was like we had been together all the time. We never skipped a beat. Oh dear Croci's, how we love and enjoy you!

We agreed to meet at the Pitti Palace. Stan and I arrived first and decided to wait in an outdoor café and share a glass of wine. We knew they were in the vicinity because we checked in with each other by phone. Suddenly a fancy car drove by and a familiar face inside was giving us the big hand-waving-on-the-nose gesture - you know, the nanny, nanny, boo-boo sign. Stan and I sat stunned for just a moment then we both said out-loud, "THAT'S ART!!" The car stopped, Pam jumped out and she and I went running to each other like lovers meeting in a meadow. We hugged and laughed and cried and hugged and laughed, and proceeded to have a fabulous afternoon together. Although we were mainly interested in catching up with each other and how our lives have transpired over the last 17 years, the four of us and Peter, Pam and Art's oldest son, did manage to wander through several of the eight museums and the gardens of the Pitti Palace. Afterwards, we crossed the old bridge, Ponte Vecchio, the most famous bridge in Florence. This particular bridge is unique in that it has a two-story cover. It's a bridge with houses. There are apartments on second and third floor and Florentine gold shops on bridge level, and every inch is packed with tourists.

By then we earned a late and loooooong lunch over a couple of bottles of wine and enormous spread of food. Among us all, we had bruschetta, buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, ravioli, lasagna, gnocchi, and pizza! Then the waiter, impressed with our generous order, brought us a very special complimentary dessert of biscotti served with tiny glasses of sweet wine. The biscotti is dipped in the wine, as you might otherwise dip it in coffee, and then enjoyed. I think I sense another dinner party in the making.

A bit about Peter, what a guy! He's witty, good-looking and 20-something, maybe 28?? But not only is he smart and handsome, but he's one great sport to endure roaming around Italy with his parents and us and to put up with our older-generation humor and our reminiscing. As I said, what a guy!

Afterwards, we strolled to the Duomo, one of the big must-do destinations in Florence. In fact, from any view the Duomo is the dominating focal point. The photos should be fabulous—whenever I'm able to upload them. I've never, never seen a more beautiful and interesting church with its unique green and white stone and as Peter pointed out, rows of statues of saints positioned to give the impression that they are each peering at you, idividually, from high above. I need to do more research on this church to understand more about why it came about and its history, but I can say this, it is one fabulous structure.

Tomorrow we will again meet the Croci's to tour the Tuscan hill town of Sienna together. It is said that the soil in Sienna inspired the Crayola crayon's name, Burnt Sienna.

But for now, gnip-gnop!