September 15: Italy Day Two: The Vatican:

I thought my diary entry for the adventures of yesterday would be the best of all my entries so far, and then Joe surprised me again. His cousin is a Vatican nun, and as Pope John Paul II is travelling to Botswana, she was able to spend the day with us, giving us a private tour.

Sister Maria talked about the columns of Piazza San Pietro who built it between 1660 and 1667, " In building the colonnade, Architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini applied the concept of forced perspective: if you stand on specific spots in the square an optical trick makes many of the columns disappear." She was able to move me and sure enough, Bernini's columns disappeared from sight.

We entered St Peter's Basilica, which is extraordinary, and had time to examine Michelangelo's Pieta. I could almost feel Mary's tears, the sadness was so raw, even in stone. Then we went to St. Peter's tomb located in the underground Vatican Necropolis beneath the Basilica.

Raphael's frescoes and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel were our next stop. I find I don't have words to describe the artistry and no picture can do justice to the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Joe and I listened to Sister Maria in awe.

"Painted by numerous artists over decades, the art of the chapel was to give glory to God, to show the Pope to the world as leader of our church, and to create a masterpiece beyond any in the known world." She talked of each of the frescoes by Michelangelo, not just on the ceiling but also on the western wall behind the altar. "They were commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1508 and Michelangelo worked on them until 1512."

I cannot imagine spending years lying on my back painting and yet looking at it all, I can't see how it could have been finished in so short a time.

We stopped to have lunch and I found out Maria entered Postulancy at sixteen, and had been working here in the Vatican for over 20 years. Her brother Sal ran the small family hotel in their home town in Sicily. She and Joe's mom were second cousins, and Mrs. Morelli wrote Maria every couple of weeks. She even had a letter for Joe that had been enclosed in the latest volume.

Our next stop was the amazing from the Bramante Staircase- it is like you can see all of Rome from there. Visions of yesterday and all our adventures flooded back to me.

After the Momo Staircase that looks like the inside of a snail shell, Maria took Joe and I to visit the Vatican gardens. An English garden, the French and Italian gardens, the rock garden, the Marian grottoes- the colors even at the start of fall still took my breath away.

Dinner was at a café near the hotel, a small family owned establishment that had delicious food and a great house wine. I was exhausted and happy when we got back to our room.

"Joe, I can't believe this day could have been any better. I am going to jump in the shower." I kissed him quick and leisurely washed my hair.

Afterwards, when I was washed dried and my hair was set for the night, I joined Joe on the terrace. We gazed at the stars and after a time, Joe started to speak and then stopped. After swallowing hard, he confessed to me that his aunt's estate probate was finalized and he now has several hundred thousand dollar in the bank, and his mom had his house rented to a nice family.

"Steph, I know we planned to go home after Italy, but I am not sure I ever want to go back."

"I see." I didn't see.

"I want you to think about staying here with me." Joe took up my hand. "We could start all over. But you don't have to answer me right now."

That was good, because I had lost all ability to speak.

Start all over? Just begin again?

Can people do that?