Getting a "Green Light."

*View from Michealanglo's Piazza, Florence, Italy. Last summer, this was my favorite spot.*

Hey guys. Thanks for all the responses. I have to say I laughed the most at Alex's comment...but just at his 'hobbit' comment. Hey dude, I am like Shaquille O'Neil over here. Ian, another good comment...Phyl, I am glad you are still keeping up, miss you, Karly, I always love hearing your comments, makes living over here easier, Tiff, miss ya and we are catching up on "Lost" when I get back, Mom and Dad, love you guys a lot and thanks for the email, Dad. It helped.

Okie Dokie. Well, on Monday of this week, I opened up a great email. It was from Todd Lowery, Drury Art Teacher, and he is in Florence right now. The class that I went with last year is in Florence right now. I got a great message that contained the words "Get here anytime from the 7th - 19th of June." You do not have to ask me twice to have a break in the most beautiful town I have ever seen. I quickly started looking at plane tickets online. I know now, from past experience, that you have to be very careful who you buy your plane tickets through. So my Monday morning was full of just surfing the net to land the best flight deal. I went through so many possibilities on how to make it to Florence from Rouen. *I am not using my train pass because once I activate it...I only have 2 months to get my 15 train days in...So I am hopefully saving that for certain family members who need to get their shit together....*
So anywho, I finally had a couple of possible routes to get to Italy. The only thing now was covering all fronts on the French side. I have to tell you...it has not been easy.

We play Montigny this weekend, currently in 2nd place behind us and 3 games back. I will be here for that game definitly but the only obstacle that I am facing is trying to miss the next week's games vs 7th place GIF.

I ran by some flights by Jean-Luc. First Option: I can spend 120 Eu (about $180) and leave on Monday, 9th, and return the Wednesday, 18th. Second Option: 157 Eu (about $247) to leave on Monday and get back on the 14th, Sat. night. Both Monday flights put me in Florence at about 11:00pm.

Jean-Luc obviously favoring the second option. Now let's look at some facts. I am not touting myself in anyway...but...I have put in a 110% effort to the club + another 20%. I really need this break for peace of mind. To see my teachers, a lot of friends I convinced to go, and old Italian acquaintances from last year. I have to tell you that it makes me so excited to visit this place again.

So after a long discussion...good and bad...not hostile in anyway though....Jean-Luc gave me the green light to take the longer break. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!BOOYA! I am taking this next line to thank Jean-Luc for understanding my need for a little holiday.

So I bought my tickets and I am bound for Italy next week!

K...well the rest of the week has gone pretty well. I had two Cadet games in Caen on Wednesday. These were make-up games vs Cherbourg. Both teams decided to meet halfway in Caen. Now if you remember our N1 game vs Cherbourg...they had an older Canadian who spoke perfect English with me. He was their coach. So we bullshited awhile. It is really nice to relax my brain from French and be able to speak English fluidly. I have to tell you a funny thing...when you don't use English everyday with everyone...you have trouble finding words. It is so weird. I am mixing English, French, and Spanish. I think if I don't have someone to speak English with every now and then...I am going to wonder the Earth speaking a broken language containing all three languages.

The Cadet won both games. They were pretty good games too. Not a blowout by any means. So the kids were pumped and we headed home.

I have to tell you a funny story that happened on our way home. I was sitting in the front seat with Eric chatting away and then I get a text message on my french cell phone. It was from a number that I didn't recongnize at all. So I read the message...

I can't tell you what exactly what it was but it pretty much said, "Are you the American I just saw at the field? You are really good looking!"

Hahahaha...I knew some of the kids were probably fucking with me. The kids were all laughing with excitement and that's when I got a second message...

In French, "I want to meet you sometime and feel your muscles..."

Hahahahahaha.....I demanded all the kids in the car to show me their phones. I didn't find the criminal.

So all of us were waiting for another message and sure enough...another one came.

"I am in love with you."

All the kids were almost in tears, laughing. Well dammit...just who the fuck is this?

Eric told me to give him the number without the kids in the back seeing. So I gave him the number as secretly as I could. The kids didn't know he was calling...

We heard a cell phone ring inside the car. Sam was ducking behind the backseat just laughing as hard as he could. What a fucker. I will never forget that. It was so funny.

Today, I had a practice with the softball team. Now if you remember from last week, I had mentioned that these girls were being little whiny bitches. Little did I know, I was going to be called out on it today. Camille, 3rd base, reads the blog regularly. She then asks me in front of the team,

"What is a wheeny little bitch?"

I started laughing so hard. So shit...I gotta watch it my words. So all the girls gave me mean looks because they knew I was talking shit on them. I then brought them all together and said it was a mixture of things that day and that normally they bring joy to my life. I brought them back from the darkside and things were all good. We had a great practice. As soon as one of the girls was mouthing...I quickly told her to sit on the bench and not come back until she had a smile on her face. I told them that I only wanted to see smiles today. They all understood what I wanted and everyone had a good time and playing really well might I add. Good practice.

Well, tomorrow, I think I am doing something with Chris...taking some choo choo pics I think. ARE YOU HAPPY JOEY?!
I love you guys and will talk to you soon. Au Revoir.