What I learned.

So glad to be home.
 I love italy, more than ever. I got to go to some places I would not have gone if my car had not gone kablooie.
I will not travel a long distance again in my own car. Had I been in a rental car, they would have come to get me, given me another car and that would have been that.
Also, I need to have a working phone for that country...and I should know the emergency number...as we do in the US. I don't even know what it is in France...but I think it's 18 for the pompiers.
I also need to eat before I drive any distance.

The whole thing was a stressful experience, but it reaffirmed my love of Italy and the Italian people. I feel so comfortable with them. I ate out alone, every single day and I did not feel uncomfortable at all. Here, I never feel comfortable eating alone. Paris, I feel ok...but here, no.
Perhaps I should start using some of that confidence I have in Italy, here.
Also, the entire time there, I did not wear make up. My eyes have been bothering me and eye make up makes it worse, so I was sans basic eye makeup, or blush, or under eye concealer....and, It was ok.

The people could not have been nicer...well, the garage could have been nicer. ...but all the people I encountered were helpful and kind.
On the last day at the ranch, I met one of the girls boyfriends ...I don't even know what his name is. He must be in his 20s, but we talked for about 2 hours about Italy...the history, ...he is very proud of his country, as most Italians are. He is from Naples and has offered to take me around and show me his city. I'm going to take him up on that. What could be better than going to Naples with a local... I want to see the everyday stuff. He was so enthusiastic and so kind.
All the people at the Ranch bent over backwards to help me. Silvia and Marco took me out for pizza in a local pizza restaurant. In Italy, it seems all of the restaurants are pizza restaurants. We each had our own pizza. It was a big place and they knew many people there. I loved being there, with the Italians . The girls were there too and hugged and kissed me when they saw me. The girls turn out to be Marcos daughters....they are lovely girls in their 20s.

It's funny, when I got back from Italy, I went to the supermarket here, that I always go to. It was packed as Monday is a holiday. There were no shopping carts, so , I saw a man putting his groceries in his car. I walked in his direction and when I got his attention, held up the one euro that I was holding...as if to say, I give you the euro for the cart and then you don't have to return it, but I'd didn't say a word. He started to explain to me in English that it was a fake coin, that some people use with the carts, so he couldn't take the euro...
All of a sudden, I realized...hey! Why are you speaking to me in English? He said you spoke first, but no, I hadn't . He said..are you English.( the french and Italians, at least , can't tell the difference between American English and English English) and I said , no, American...and he said...next time I will speak American.
I said, no French please.