Rome!

I arrived in Rome yesterday, late in the morning, having suffered only one mishap along the way: I left
my Kindle on the plane in Dublin, and didn't realize it until I had boarded the plane for Rome almost an hour later. Despite notifying the flight attendant even before the Roman flight departed, and subsequently filling out an online form with Aer Lingus (and pestering them all day on Twitter), there has been no sighting of the erstwhile e-reader. I can do without it--I brought an iPad and can download the books and other documents I was counting on using (but the iPad is really hard on the eyes for extensive reading)--it's just... So I am resolved never to use an electronic device on a plane again. I just get too distracted in the deplaning process! (Last year I left a special orthopedic-type cushion on a United flight. Same story.)

Today, hopefully!

Arriving at the Generalate (our international HQ) for pranzo (the sacred midday meal), I was greeted by many familiar faces: the sisters with whom I lived during the year and a half I worked for the Vatican's Jubilee Internet Office, and also sisters who had passed through the United States for meetings or school. I also met some sisters for the first time, and have committed myself to learning their names: Sister Pelagie (PEH-la-JHEE) from Congo; Sister Shalimar from the Philippines...

Having not slept soundly since Saturday night, I was able to go to bed at a normal Roman hour last night and wake up only a little late. (I hope to "catch" a Mass today in the Eternal City itself; currently I am just inside the city limits, about four miles from St. Peter's.)  Meanwhile (don't be jealous) free cappuccinos, all day long.