**Il Cedro Update**

As you know, Peppe and I are on the brink of opening our very own Bed and Breakfast here in Catanzaro. A few weeks ago I told you about the “The Five Most Difficult (and, yet I never imagined they would be) Things About Opening a B&B.” Number one on that list was “Actually Opening the Doors.” We are still working on that one.

I thought, however, that since time is drawing near for us to “Open the Doors,” I’d give you regular updates to keep you informed of our progress.

Here’s what we have done the last couple of weeks.

* Hang drapes in 3 of the rooms; take one set down, wash them (to see if they would shrink)and rehang. Send one set back to the people who made them because they were uneven. Wait on them to be redone.

* Pick up oranges and mandarines where they have fallen from the trees.

* Purchase and assemble a new bench for the outside garden area.

* Pick up oranges and mandarines.

* Install shower dispensers.

* Pick up oranges and mandarines (see a trend here…)

* Select room decor!

Now – this proved to be a much harder task than you might think. You see, the boys put me in charge of decorations. Benissimo! So, I selected theme-based paintings for each room from Peppe’s dad’s art collection. (He was an artist in his younger years, so yea for us…)

For example:

– We have the Camera Romantica, a room with pale pink walls and beige bedspread and drapes. I selected several different flower paintings that fit well together and suggested we group them over the bed. The boys didn’t like it! Peppe’s dad actually said the only pictures you can put over the bed are pictures of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, or another saint…Boh!

– We also have the yet-to-be-named-room, which is painted with a light beige finish and decorated with beige bedspreads and drapes. I bought some realistic-looking roses in deep purple and pale yellow, and selected paintings that blend. One is a painting of a flower in the same shades of eggplant and beige, and the other two are paintings of vino and pane, uh, wine and bread, in the same deep shades. They are very pretty! But three pictures in one room??? Why would we do that???? Crazy Americana!!!

– Il Cedro Room faces our majestic Cedro (Cedar) tree and is painted in – you guessed it – light green. The shimmery pale green drapes and bedspread are a pretty contrast to the slighly darker and brigher wall. We bought white magnolia flowers with life-like green leaves for the room, and I selected a painting with similiar colors. You’d think they would be happy I only selected one painting for this room, but no – they think this room is too empty…Somebody help me! 🙂

– Finally we have the Camera Natura, with walls washed in light blue with pale blue drapes and bedspreads. I selected a sampling of paintings with birds, the sky, lakes and ponds. Cute huh? Well, after we hang the paintings, Peppe’s dad starts laughing and says something I don’t understand to Peppe. Peppe then starts laughing and says, “He is making fun of your selections.” “Ma, perche,” I want to know…”Why?” “I’ll tell you later.” So, a few hours later I learn that those crazy Italians use a dual meaning for the word “bird.” Apparently, a “uccello” is not only a flittering little birdie flying high in the sky, but also how they refer, in the not-so-technical sense, to a part of the male anatomy. So, I will call it the Camera Natura…you can call it the Camera Penile if you wanna, but either way, as Peppe says, it’s inspiration!

**Stayed tuned for more updates as we prepare to open our doors to Catanzaro, Spring 2007. **