9 1/2 weeks

No, this isn't about the Oscar-worthy performance of Kim Basinger. Our Roman Adventure is now 9 1/2 weeks old. But I am happy to talk about Kim anytime, off-the-record.

While sipping yet another glass of wine overlooking a little village waterfall, we jotted down some of the things we miss back home and some of the things we know we'll miss when we leave Rome. Here's a sampling..

Things we miss from home:

• Family and friends - Whew, got that one out of the way. 
• Space - There are obvious things like our big shower (although I've now mastered the semi-erotic art of showering without a shower curtain). But we also miss space on the sidewalk when you're walking, or the difference between driving alone in a car and fighting for elbow room in a packed bus. Being 3 inches from a guy who doesn't believe in deodorant will help you define your own limits on personal space. And there aren't enough beautiful women (Sue excepted) riding public transport to tip the balance against space. 
• A big cup of coffee - Unlike everything else here which is laid back, drinking "cafe" or espresso is more like the ritual of taking your vitamins - 30 seconds done standing up.  We really miss sitting at the Heuther Cafe nursing a Large Hazelnut free-trade coffee for 45 minutes.
• A daily sense of accomplishment - Maybe you retirees can relate. We miss looking back on a day impressed with what we accomplished. There are some days when showering was the toughest thing I tackled (see previous comment about no shower curtains).
• A sense of belonging - I'm not talking cosmically, just not always feeling like a tourist. You can almost see their eyes glaze over when Italians realize you're not a local. We miss being locals. 
• International foods - We can probably walk to 500 restaurants, but 490 of them serve the same menu. I'm sure true Romans know the difference between Luigi's Penne Carbonara and Mama Enzo's Carbonara, but would it kill you to let a Thai restaurant into the neighbourhood! You wouldn't believe how excited we were to find a pita place, complete with baklava. 
• Peace and quiet - When we do our little day trips to the Italian villages, we are struck by how quiet it is. We miss sitting on our deck with just the wind and the birds... and those damn dogs next door (Serenity Now, Serenity Now).

Things we'll miss about Rome:

• Pedestrian lifestyle - We love walking everywhere. And once you don't have a car as a crutch, a 45 minute jaunt feels normal, rather than the "exercise" it feels like at home.
• The language. This is where Sue and I differ (along with her love of our 4 flights of stairs), but she will definitely miss hearing and speaking Italian. It just shows what a positive attitude will do. I'm happy to wait it out. 
• The flow of wine. It's not that wine is more accessible in Rome, but it just feels right. It's like eating hummus in Israel or Tim Hortons in Canada. 
• Meeting new people. We'll miss going to Irish pubs and meeting other English tourists. Or going to Ireland and meeting friendly locals. Everyone has an interesting story to tell. We've been going to the Duke of Wellington in Waterloo for years and I don't think we've had one meaningful conversation with a stranger - it's just not done... but maybe we'll try next time.
• Ease of travel. You can catch a $50 flight to half a dozen different cultures. Taking off to another country for the weekend is easily done here. 
• Living simply. While this one is completely in our control, something tells me we'll quickly fall back into our 2 car, 3 baths, 3 TV, PVR existence. 

Our next deep conversation over wine will tackle what we can do to keep the good of Rome when we return home. In the meantime, we'll keep skyping friends and family and eating pasta. No... we're not complaining.