news from Rome

Just a few photos I thought you might enjoy. The first is a painting of mine, copied from a Matisse still life. The second is in front of a banner, with the logo that I designed for a family from our community here in Rome, that just opened up a new bar (the banner says "Piselli family bar"). The third is the work I am most proud of... hehe. The fourth is a close up of this same work which, incidentally, is still in progress. The fifth is of us in our apartment. Behind us is a collage I am working on, of our time here in Rome: photos of friends, our wedding, rome city maps, beer tabs, wine corks, broken plates, and other odds and ends. (it sounds like a collage of a failed marriage, now that I think of it, but it really is a beautiful work!) The third painting has a copy of a de Chririco painting that I painted.

Kev, I have been meaning to call and congratulate you about the pregnancy! That's great. Accept my sincere embarassment for not having called till now (rack it up to studies, work, and new-father reading!) and believe that I will call you soon. Give my love to Shannon, too.

We are doing well. Francesca has a little infection, so the baby (Pietro) is a little squished in the womb, but with some antibiotics they gave us today, she should be well soon. Work is going well, I continue with translation for Opera Romana, and classes are fine. I met some great philosopher/scholars who teach at the Lateran, one, Angela Alles Bello, is the world authority on Edith Stein (St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross). Pretty cool. These people are very intelligent, and against my better judgment I asked a question and sustained a debate with one of these professors at our last philosophical congress, with students from all levels of the school present. At any rate, it went well; I did not make a big fool out of myself as I feared, and the dean said it was a good question.

Francesca is well. Pietro is well. I am well. God be blessed. Pray for us.

Peter