Habemus datam! - cough.

We're getting married on the 23rd August 2008. We looked at one nice restaurant, where Monica's sister Vane had her meal when she married Lorenzo, and it seems to have been enough, 'cos that's where we're going. After that, we checked with the priest. In Italy, the restaurants tend to be booked up pretty early - Vane booked it two years in advance, so people book the restaurant first and then the church. This is known to wind Don Giuseppe (the priest) up, so we neglected to mention it.

Besides that...

I finished reading two books while I've been here, Rough Ways in Prayer: How can I pray when I feel spiritually dead? which I'd recommend, though it's probably a bit hard to get hold of - this one was published in 1991 and came courtesy of Sacred Heart's lending library. Readable and practical. Key encouraging and helpful thing to remember - Christians are in Christ, who intercedes for us to the Father, and the Spirit prays in us. We are also one, in Christ and in his love, with the whole Church, past, present and future and have the benefit of each others' prayers.

Then there was The Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware (Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia) which was very interesting. I gather it's the standard book when one wishes to know about the church which goes by the name of Orthodox. It's divided into two sections, firstly history and then doctrine. History is first - I wonder why? They're certainly not against doctrine. Anyway, too much subject matter to review.

Went to the Corpus Christi procession, as stated, and followed a tent under which was the Blessed Sacrament, saying part of a rosary and singing, and strewing petals all over the shop. Apparently Italian Catholics aren't mad keen on singing either. I bet they used to be.

Went to the beach a couple of times. I'm a shade darker, just about.

Got an amazing analogue thingy to practise Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring on. You can hear the circuits thinking and muttering between themselves, and only one of the F#s works, which I think means you can only play it in C major really.

Umm....

Mostly been dossing really. I don't think it's done my Italian a great deal of good - I've been a bit too tired to try - not used to all this warm weather. Piano piano, as Monica always says. I'm hoping the Rai podcasts I'm subscribed to will help a bit. Rai is Italian state telly. ITV and Rai made Jesus of Nazareth together back in the day I think. And speaking of podcasts, I must give Audible's Jesus of Nazareth (Pope Benedict's one) a try when I get back.

Right, I think I'll pop off now - I'll be flying back tomorrow.