This is Matilda, the newest member of our family. She’s a Brompton and English. She’ll be a big part of how we get around in Italy over the next couple of weeks. Matilda is an interesting one. I haven’t quite got the hang of folding her up yet but as the guy in the bike store said this morning “These bikes are so easy to fold, I can do it with one hand and still hold on to the dog leashes”.

This is Matilda’s number one super power.

Amazingly enough, you don’t feel like you are riding a bike that can fold up and weighs less than Henry and George combined. It will be a good way to get around. And I won’t have to be without a bike for two weeks. It turns out that I need a tow hitch on Astrid in order to put a bike carrier on. I didn’t want to mess with her that way so I made the decision to get a fold up bike instead. I think I may have crossed the boundary into being Dutch, I am now a two bike household 😉

It has been a busy week. I went to De Parade again Wednesday night with some other friends. There was a great performance that translates to the Cafe of the Socially Awkward. I saw some interactions that hit very close to home 😉 This evening I am going again with another friend. It is another group of all new performances which makes it so interesting!

We went to the vet to today on the way to pick up Matilda. It was just for a nail trim that went pretty wrong and both boys ended up with bloody feet. And I nearly fainted from their stress. I don’t think we are going to be doing that again soon. Oh, and there was an 18 euro surcharge because it was Saturday. I know…

Tomorrow I am going to meet my mom’s cousin. It is about 2 hours away by car so I have to leave here by 9. Which means I will be home on time tonight since I know tomorrow will probably be pretty emotional. I am really looking forward to meeting her. Which reminds me, I need to go look for my box of family photos that I promised I would bring.