The sun has got his hat on.

"The sun has got his hat on,
Hip hip hip hooray,
The sun has has got his hat on, and he's coming out to play!"

Sunshine makes everything seem better. Fact. Here in Rome winter seems to be well and truly passed and ever so gradually Spring is....erm, springing. For over a week now at least a few hours of the day have been 'just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine' beautiful and a few days ago I even got a whiff of some freshly cut grass. It was bliss!

My aunt and I chilling in the sunshine.

Since my last post my life has been a total blur. I've been busy working, both as a volunteer and also in my new job teaching English as a second language, as well as enjoying a trip from two of my aunts. Not to mention what I consider to be a pretty impressive marathon of fun, with not a single night in for over a week. Well done me.

The whirlwind that became my social calendar couldn't have been a bigger blessing as it pulled me straight out of the misery that is ever February. It never ceases to amaze me that the shortest month of the year can drag on for so long and make the world and everyone in it so miserable! However, I catapulted into March and the completely exhilarating madness that I knew it was sure to bring. Yippee!

As I mentioned earlier, two of my aunts, my two gorgeous godmothers, came to Rome this weekend and spoilt me rotten.  It was a lovely visit. It was just a really chilled few days in which we wandered around the city and enjoyed the sunshine, the views and each others' company. My Mum kept emailing me how jealous she was of us! I really miss my family sometimes as we've always been so close, so it was really wonderful to get to share a piece of my life here with two people who mean so much to me.

What with this Thursday being 'Festa della donna', or more simply put 'Women's Day', I'm going to take this opportunity (or any opportunity really) to gush about my amazing family, on this occasion my Mum's side. My Mum is one of four sisters and after my grandfather died young, leaving my grandmother a widow at 41, the family became entirely female. For me this meant growing up surrounded by amazing women as role models who've also always supported me as confidantes, advisers and, most importantly, friends. At one point over the weekend one of my aunts had something of a revelation when, during a relaxed evening in the hotel bar with a bottle of wine, she turned to her sister and said 'I can't believe it. Clare looks like an adult' before continuing to have a mini muse on how little and blonde I used to be and how I now have a life, in a foreign country. She's right though, it's a bit mental. Life. I could ramble on for ages, but I'll leave this train of thought at end with the all important conclusion that I love my aunts. Apparently it was really obvious that we were having a lovely time. Even a taxi driver commented on how happy we looked just to nattering away together!

With my godmothers, by the Trevi fountain.

So far March is hectic, and it doesn't show any sign of slowing down. Thank goodness! This week I'm heading off to find some fellow Warwick Erasmus students in both Milan and Pavia and so I'll be writing up my adventures soon.

p.s. I finished Tess of the D'Ubervilles- it wasn't nearly as depressing as I thought it would be. I actually rather liked enjoyed it.

p.p.s. I've stumbled upon an artist called Wakey!Wakey! and am loving him. Here's one of my favourites from the album 'Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said Last Time I Saw You...'