OMG, I'm dying. The reappearance of Bella/Matteo cracks me up. (P.S. The absence and presence is commas is driving me nuts, but not too seriously. If you want copyeditorial help with the eventual published version, LMK. I'm an editor by trade and I'll do it for nothing -- unless, of course, you're rolling in $$ by that time.)
Enjoying the story very much. An FYI: installment 9 is missing from the full/compilation version. I wondered how she suddenly knew Matteo’s name and was chatting with him about Bella. Now I get it 😀
So....this could be the new man in her life...the Cow guy...good sense of humor, helpful... I like it. 🤞
Now, let's get to that phone call with Maria. Anastasia wanting to call her after the visit with Danilo makes me wonder if she is in witness protection and she's worried Danilo is a threat of some kind.
Hi, it's me again, the annoying Italian editor whose services nobody asked for... Milk in Italy is sold by litre, not gallons, and coffee is sold by the kilo, not pounds — we use the metric system!
Also, non-toasted coffee beans are imported to Italy in jute sacks weighing 60 kilos, that's around 132 pounds, then beans get classified and sold to roasteries, they then sell roasted beans in smaller sacks to cafes (unless the café itself isn't also a "torrefazione", i.e. a roastery) and in 1 kg packs to customers who prefer to grind their own coffee at home to buying ground coffee in any supermarket. So Anastasia should be carrying a 5 or 10 kilos sack of roasted coffee beans, not a 20 pounds one...😅
Hi, Giorgia! I deal with metric to US and US to metric conversions every work day, so, trust me , I'm feeling your pain (here in the US). I appreciate your contributions and especially today's new word, "torrefazione". Out of curiosity, how much do you think our new little (or not so little) girl, Bella weighs? I admit, I have never found myself in a position where I needed to estimate weights of cows...
😂😂😂 Me neither, Stacey, so I had to look it up on Google: apparently una mucca (a cow) can weigh between 550 and 850 kilos (according to this website: https://www.chimica-online.it/animali/quanto-pesa-una-mucca.htm, at least...), i.e. between approximately 1200 and 1800 pounds, depending on the type of cow... Wondering which one Bella is! 😅
Well, the metric system was never encouraged to be taught (or learned unless you’re a scientist) so for most the American readers we’re fine with this! Technically you’re correct but it really doesn’t take away from the read! It’s still a lovely story.
I understand what you're saying, the story works and I'm in no way questioning that, I'm just trying to help with the little linguistic/cultural incongruences here -- if you set a story in a different country, you're supposed to make it plausible, which doesn't happen if you reason in miles, pounds, and gallons in an Italian setting, as much as it would sound off to mention kilograms or metres if the story was set in the US.
Moreover, reading usually enriches people (even reading fiction, yes) -- perhaps not in terms of $$$, but in terms of knowledge, as you can learn about other cultures. Widening one's knowledge somehow helps levelling things up. Thinking "we're American readers and we're fine with this" makes me itch because it means being fine with keeping things levelled down instead... 🤷🏻♀️
As much as I love that we got an installment on Monday (Christmas in June!) I have so many questions!! When is she going to call Maria? When is she going to drive to visit her? Is Bella really in the trunk? It's all so intriguing!
Any chance the pattern for "... and put on the dark burgundy sweater I had knit with thick alpaca yarn. It was the first sweater I’d ever made in Beatrice’s knitting circle—" ?
Liz, your comment made me laugh in a good way. You are a yoga practitioner. I was going to look to you to help me manage the suspense...what am I going to do now?
OMG, I'm dying. The reappearance of Bella/Matteo cracks me up. (P.S. The absence and presence is commas is driving me nuts, but not too seriously. If you want copyeditorial help with the eventual published version, LMK. I'm an editor by trade and I'll do it for nothing -- unless, of course, you're rolling in $$ by that time.)
Enjoying the story very much. An FYI: installment 9 is missing from the full/compilation version. I wondered how she suddenly knew Matteo’s name and was chatting with him about Bella. Now I get it 😀
Sitting here re-reading sections of Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke and patiently waiting for the next installment...
Delightful! I needed that after a day working to preserve repro rights in a red state. Thus is fun, ladies!
Great read. And I love the installment idea.
Holy Cow!! Loving this!!!
"Holy Cow" is right, Joan!!
So....this could be the new man in her life...the Cow guy...good sense of humor, helpful... I like it. 🤞
Now, let's get to that phone call with Maria. Anastasia wanting to call her after the visit with Danilo makes me wonder if she is in witness protection and she's worried Danilo is a threat of some kind.
Hmmmmmmmmmm, I ..... wonder..............
I’m loving this and keep wanting to come back for more!
Mary, Jen and I are ecstatic to hear it, Caryl!
A mystery with a cow inside- totally delightful!
Ladies I am living your writing!
And Mary will be delighted, to hear you're living it!!
Makes a change from being picked up by a guy walking his dog!
Totally!
Thanks for the chuckle!
You should hear Mary's chuckle---it's quite melodious, Stacey!
Hi, it's me again, the annoying Italian editor whose services nobody asked for... Milk in Italy is sold by litre, not gallons, and coffee is sold by the kilo, not pounds — we use the metric system!
Also, non-toasted coffee beans are imported to Italy in jute sacks weighing 60 kilos, that's around 132 pounds, then beans get classified and sold to roasteries, they then sell roasted beans in smaller sacks to cafes (unless the café itself isn't also a "torrefazione", i.e. a roastery) and in 1 kg packs to customers who prefer to grind their own coffee at home to buying ground coffee in any supermarket. So Anastasia should be carrying a 5 or 10 kilos sack of roasted coffee beans, not a 20 pounds one...😅
Thank you Giorgia!!!
Hi, Giorgia! I deal with metric to US and US to metric conversions every work day, so, trust me , I'm feeling your pain (here in the US). I appreciate your contributions and especially today's new word, "torrefazione". Out of curiosity, how much do you think our new little (or not so little) girl, Bella weighs? I admit, I have never found myself in a position where I needed to estimate weights of cows...
😂😂😂 Me neither, Stacey, so I had to look it up on Google: apparently una mucca (a cow) can weigh between 550 and 850 kilos (according to this website: https://www.chimica-online.it/animali/quanto-pesa-una-mucca.htm, at least...), i.e. between approximately 1200 and 1800 pounds, depending on the type of cow... Wondering which one Bella is! 😅
😂😂😂 We'll see....
Well, the metric system was never encouraged to be taught (or learned unless you’re a scientist) so for most the American readers we’re fine with this! Technically you’re correct but it really doesn’t take away from the read! It’s still a lovely story.
I understand what you're saying, the story works and I'm in no way questioning that, I'm just trying to help with the little linguistic/cultural incongruences here -- if you set a story in a different country, you're supposed to make it plausible, which doesn't happen if you reason in miles, pounds, and gallons in an Italian setting, as much as it would sound off to mention kilograms or metres if the story was set in the US.
Moreover, reading usually enriches people (even reading fiction, yes) -- perhaps not in terms of $$$, but in terms of knowledge, as you can learn about other cultures. Widening one's knowledge somehow helps levelling things up. Thinking "we're American readers and we're fine with this" makes me itch because it means being fine with keeping things levelled down instead... 🤷🏻♀️
Ooohh! NOW, this is really intriguing! Gotta love a man with a cow ❤️
Impossible to resist, Sherry!
These chapters are so fun. I feel like we are there! Looking forward to knitting pattern to pour over while enjoying a pastry.
There has been quite a discussion between Jen and Mary about the knitting, I can tell you, Viktoria!
As much as I love that we got an installment on Monday (Christmas in June!) I have so many questions!! When is she going to call Maria? When is she going to drive to visit her? Is Bella really in the trunk? It's all so intriguing!
Please watch the spoilers for those of us who are catching up! Thanks
I am surprised you didn't ask who BELLA was gonna fall for, Joy!
Any chance the pattern for "... and put on the dark burgundy sweater I had knit with thick alpaca yarn. It was the first sweater I’d ever made in Beatrice’s knitting circle—" ?
That would be cool!
I love that idea!
Massive discussion with Mary and Jen about the pattern going on right now, Liz!
So amazing!
Elle Griffin! Hail, brilliant Elle! You started it all, ya know!
Yes but now you're queen!!!! This is brilliant!
That cracks me up.
:)
😂 When I read "Massive", I started imagining a sweater for poor little Bella, out in the cold...
You seem expert at cliff hangers!!!
Managing suspense is not a strength of mine!!!
Mary's own life has been quite full to the brim with cliff hangers, Liz. She's an expert.
ugh. The good news is, she's turning cliff hangers into an art, rather than being a victim of them! Hooray for that!
Liz, your comment made me laugh in a good way. You are a yoga practitioner. I was going to look to you to help me manage the suspense...what am I going to do now?
Har!!!
Oh, I love this so much! “ It was the guy with the fucking cow!” And the ending? Hilarious!
I loved it too, Chris!