makin misshaps in Milan - whoops!

Sheesh. Seems that since returning to Milan a week ago, I'm extremely accident prone.

• Arriving back to my apartment the first afternoon with luggage in tow, I tan over my big toe with a suitcase as I tried to squeeze everything through the door... the toe is still cut.
• Making the bed with newly washed sheets, I stubbed my second toe (same foot) badly on the corner of the bed.
• ...That toe is now completely red and purple, swollen, and does not want to bend.
• Purchasing local honey from the town's fresh dairy vending machine for little gifts, I tried to buy 3 not realizing that there were only 2 left (...3 euro gift to the vending machine. D'Oh!)
• My bicycle tipped over while filling water bottles at the park today and the chain came off.
• ...Because of the chain on (off!) my bike, I slowly limped home... in the rain.

The good news?? --

Some pieces of me are hurt but nothing too bad!

I fixed the bicycle chain!! First time ever attempting that and I figured it out  : )

Tomorrow I leave Milan for a little beach vacation with a friend and a visit to my Italian cousins!

My cousins live in Alba Adriatica - within Abruzzo.
After 3 days with family on the beach, Angela and I will be heading to Verona for a couple nights - where I'll be on my 30th birthday!!
...After that... back to Milan to prepare for another school year at ASM.

A couple Google Maps screenshots of where we'll be. The red marker furthest west is Milan... to the east is Verona... and south is Alba Adriatica!

I hope that when I return to Milan (as a thirty year-old!), Milan will welcome me back kindly, safely, and accident-free. -- Here's to a great second year ahead!

rain and accidents...

Mom and Dad have arrived in Denver! They got in late Tuesday night... and yesterday (Wednesday) they brought the rain aaaaand a car accident. Thankfully, everyone is alright.

Mom and Dad always seem to bring rain to Denver... a place where it does not often rain. (They really brought the rain last September... and absurd amounts of flooding... for Lenny and Lexey's wedding. Yikes.)

It was not supposed to rain yesterday buuuuuut the sky clouded over, turned dark gray, and then poured. We were in Tony's Market during the worst of the storm and everyone inside was commenting on the rain. It was raining sideways; the wind was intense. After an hour or so the weather cleared up and the evening was beautiful - we had a lovely dinner on the back patio.   : )

...On to the 'accident' part...

Mom, Dad, and I were in Lexey's car (before the rain, actually), driving along Colorado Blvd. We were at a complete stop in a line of traffic but the car behind us came through the intersection at about 35 mph... then realizing the cars in front of him were at a complete stop, he (thankfully!) slammed on his brakes. He ran into the back of us. Dad saw it coming and kept his foot on the brake... but the car was still pushed about 5 feet forward.

It took a couple hours... the cops came, a report was made... the kid that ran into us was a bit shaken but very nice and apologized, saying it was completely his fault.

This is the first car accident Dad or I have ever been in. (Dad's comment to that is that he's a bit older than I am! True.)

Anyway - we are all alright and the car is too. There was surprisingly little damage made to the car and Lexey was incredibly understanding about the entire thing - happy that the three of us were ok.

Bizarre... but as we're on our way home (to safety!)... Mom, Dad, and I were stopped in a line of traffic (again - this time on Logan St.)... a car came to a stop behind us... aaaand then we heard a bit of a crash as a truck behind the car crashed into it. Seriously?!? Thaaaaankfully, the car behind us had enough room and did not hit us. Goodness. (I can only imagine what it would look like to the police and/or insurance companies that we were in two accidents - hit from behind - within a couple hours of each other. It would be like we were driving around the city trying to be hit!)

Dad woke up this morning with a bloody nose - probably due to the altitude and dry air... soooo... Welcome to Denver Mom and Dad!