Roma redux

I started learning Italian in my car yesterday.

Usually I just sing as loudly as I want to the two country stations I listen to but now I'm improving my mind. Seriously. Experts say that doing crossword puzzles and learning a new language are two of the best ways possible to keep your brain sharp.

If that's true I should be a LOT sharper than I am??

I play Scrabble way too much of the day on Facebook... usually about 8 games simultaneously! I win a lot but not all the time because those upstart nieces won't let me rest on my laurels.

I mentioned that I'm thinking about travelling to Rome this fall and I got a message from a long-lost-recently-rediscovered cousin inviting me to travel with her, her husband, and a friend of theirs.

No, his name wasn't Stan!! lol

Their schedule isn't fixed because the friend has some health issues that need to be resolved first but it would be so cool to hook up with my cousin, whom I haven't seen in, let's say, thirty five years give or take.

And then my daughter Beckie told me she and her husband Dan will be in Rome themselves for an energy conference at the end of September so we could pal around if I were there then.

Also a very cool idea.

So... I'm learning Italian. After teaching French, another romance language, for almost forty years Italian's coming along pretty quickly. I just need the oral facility - won't be writing any treatises after all. The accent's interesting and I like it very much - not as much as French but that's OK.

Who's been to Rome at different times of the year? Is it better to be there in September and October or October and November? Can you do without a coat... just stick to sweaters in the fall? Anybody stayed somewhere they loved? What's the best area to live in while you're there?

I need some input so help me out. Let me know some specifics ASAP, please. I need to start solidifying some plans!

Ciao!!