I just couldn’t make this a Wordless Wednesday because I felt like the pictures just didn’t tell the story of all the history behind The Roman Colosseum. These pictures are from the same trip my husband and I took in 2017 when we visited Italy. Yes we are living through our photos until international travel becomes a reality again. There are so many beautiful things to see in Italy I may have to do several posts to cover all of them.
Although the Colosseum was not the most beautiful place we visited it still had a strange beauty all its own. I guess knowing what went on behind those stone walls was just such a fascination to me that I couldn’t show the pictures without a little history to go along with it.
The Colosseum is huge, construction started in 72AD and was completed in 80AD. it could hold from 50,000 to 80,000 spectators at different times during its history throughout the centuries. It is an oval shaped amphitheater in the center of Rome, Italy. It is Rome’s most visited tourist attraction. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles but it was soon filled with mechanisms to support animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Roman mythology.
I guess the idea of people coming to view these things is what intrigued me most about the Colosseum. As I wandered through its many different levels I felt like I could hear gladiators screaming and animals being hunted and it was just very chilling. People would bring their entire families to these events. The more prosperous you were the better seat you would get.
As you can see from many of the pictures the Colosseum is crumbling and in a terrible state of disrepair. The Colosseum has experienced large fires at least three times throughout its history, and suffered from at least 4 earthquakes and even stone robbers. It has been repaired and rebuilt many times.
But it still remains a must see if you visit Rome. Over 4 million people a year visit the Colosseum. We were there in late October and the crowds were still going strong but our tour guide told us it was nothing like being there in July.
Over 4 million people visit the Colosseum annually.
It’s hard to imagine how large the Colosseum is until you see how small the people inside look.
I hope you enjoyed the pictures and get to experience it first hand some day.
First of all I want to say this was 150% or more my fault. I am not in any way trying to blame Walmart It was all me.
A few weeks ago Molly destroyed her dog bed. I will admit it was a rather flimsy one that I had gotten out of the basement to use as a replacement bed for her until I could get her a new one. I guess my time limit had worn out and she was sick and tired of trying to sleep on this thin, flimsy bed. I knew the time had come when I went into the laundry room early one morning singing the Molly song. It goes something like this: “Molly oh Molly it’s time to get up and start your day. The sun is shining and it is time for you to go out and play. Oh Molly my Molly wake up wake up” You are probably rolling your eyes right about now. Talk about indulging the fur babies, a lot of it goes on at this house.
When I went into the laundry room I saw dark grey stuffing all over the room. I blinked twice, I panicked. In my un-caffeinated state of mind It almost looked like Molly had been torn apart. I groggily realized it was the innards of her bed!!! I guess she must have discovered a small tear in the fabric and that is all she wrote.
Molly was gazing up at me like, see I told you I needed a new bed now get me a new bed woman!!!!
That same day I had a meeting in Maryville with one of our our advertisers from work, I decided that after the meeting I would go to Target and get Molly a new bed. Wrong move. Target had NOTHING in the way of a decent dog bed that didn’t cost less than $60.00. I wouldn’t have minded paying $60.00 for Molly a new bed but it looked like crap and certainly not worth $60.00.
I decided to go on down the road to the Walmart. I found an adorable bed at less than half the cost of the other one at Target. I did a little more shopping while I was there. I bought some CeraVe lotion. A friend had gone to a dermatologist and he gave her some samples of this stuff which she shared with me and I loved it. I bought some make up, nail polish, a big bag of dog food some yummy fabric squares, and a few other things.
I went through the self check out. I had the huge dog bed and the dog food in the cart and I unloaded all of the other things priding myself that they fit in one bag. Look at me being good for the environment!!! I got my stuff and headed to the car. It was cold and I was hurrying to get everything unloaded and return the cart and get in the car.
I got home and showed Molly her new bed. She loved it!!! As soon as she came inside for the night, she ran and jumped on the bed curled up and snuggled in. She looked so peaceful and happy.
A little while later I was upstairs and happened to remember my bag with the makeup and everything in it. I ran down to the car and opened the back. NO BAG!!! Maybe I put it in the car seat next to me. NO!!! I searched the entire car like maybe the whole bag had slipped under the seat. NOPE!!! I ran into the house. I must have forgotten and brought it in with me when I got home. NOPE!!!! My mind raced!!! Where could the bag be? The fleeting thought passed through my brain that maybe I had left it at the Walmart in Maryville. NO NO NO!! I couldn’t have done that. Not a big bag full of stuff!!! Of course I did have that big dog bed and the dog food that I was wrestling with but I just couldn’t imagine me leaving the bag behind.
Around 8:30 that evening I called it. Reality check. Yes I had left the bag at the self check out. O.K. Now you have probably left things at Walmart before, so have I. I would run back down to the local Walmart and pick it up. But this particular Walmart was about a forty five to fifty minute drive from my house. BUT, I estimated the contents of the bag to be more than $50.00. Remember how I crammed everything into one bag? I decided to call and see if they had found the bag.
I got the receipt out of my purse and found the store phone number and called. I hit three for customer service or something like that. The phone rang and rang. No one answered nor was there any way to leave a call back number. I called back and went through the whole thing again. The phone rang for about fifty rings and nothing. I then called back and pushed two for pharmacy, maybe they could connect me, NOTHING but the ringing of the phone. I called again and pushed for grocery pick up. NOTHING. The phone was never answered by human or otherwise.
I hated to drive the forty five minutes or so to the store and then them not have the bag etc etc. so the next morning I stopped at our local Walmart to see if there was anything they could do. Maybe they could replace the items HA!!! or maybe they knew a secret way to get in touch with the Maryville Walmart.
I went directly to customer service. The young lady behind the counter informed me that she had no magic way to get in touch with the Maryville Walmart any more than I did. I told her the problem with the telephone not being answered. She said the phones ring through the dressing rooms and because the dressing rooms were closed, due to COVID-19, that no one answered. WHAT???? I said what about when I called the Pharmacy? She just shrugged her shoulders. She also told me that because I had gone through self-checkout it was MY responsibility to get my merchandise. I told her, with my teeth slightly clenched, that I knew that. I was just hoping there was something I could do without making the forty five minute drive to the other Walmart. I knew with my work schedule I wouldn’t be able to get back to the other Walmart for a few days. She also told me that I would probably have to file a police report to report the missing items because more than likely the person behind me just took my bag. I just shook my head. Seriously!! A police report? I can just hear that conversation, well officer the lipstick was called Pink Flamingo. Jesus take the wheel.
My husband, had told me that morning ” honey just forget it, it’s not worth you worrying and running all over the place to get your stuff”. But it’s $50.00 wasted!!!! I wailed. And my husband, the voice of reason to my crazy ramblings said ” Just chalk it up. It was a mistake, no big deal it’s not worth stressing yourself over.” And you know what? After all of that, it really wasn’t. I had to lick my wounds for a few days. I tried to find the same lipstick color and nail polish I had picked out at the other Walmart and I can’t seem to find them or I can’t remember the exact color. I also couldn’t find those yummy fabric squares but oh well, in the grand scheme of things, so what. I guess the big thing was I was disappointed in myself. But hey those things happen. We’re not perfect and in the grand scheme of life it is nothing.
I heard a couple of days later that Walmart had had a nation wide glitch with their phone systems. I am not sure what to think about this. Maybe, who knows? just be extra careful if you are at self checkout. YOU are responsible for your items.
Seeing this old girl so comfy on her new bed was worth it all.
Happy Sunday friends. How has your weekend been? How was your week? As I always say this time of year work has been busy. Well I didn’t say it last year at this time because we were closed. Our numbers and sales are going great!!! Just not enough staff hired back to help accommodate everyone.
I had a mammogram last week and finally got the all is good letter on Thursday. Of course I knew if anything had shown up I would have heard within a day or two by phone call. I always feel like I am walking on eggshells until a few days have passed without a phone call. Every time my phone rang those first couple of days I would say a silent prayer before I looked at the screen. Please please don’t let it be the breast center.
I did have dinner on Friday evening with my friends Lorie and Emily and we had a great time eating and catching up. I so needed this time with these wonderful women after the very stressful week I had had. Hearing about their lives and sharing with them is the best therapy in the world.
National Siblings Day was yesterday and I will say right here and now, I have been so blessed to have had six brothers and sisters to grow up with. I can’t imagine my life any other way. Although we have lost three of our siblings and we miss them every single day we carry on and continue to love and care for each other with a love that is strong and fierce. There isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other. That is just what family does.
The sunshine this week has been absolutely beautiful. Trees are blooming. The Dogwood trees have bloomed out in many places and they are stunning. The temps have been great, most days near 80 degrees. Of course the pollen count has been really high and most people are walking around with red itchy eyes and runny noses. I have always been really lucky not to be plagued with allergies but my poor husband and a lot of my co-workers suffer greatly.
Pink Dogwood trees at my mother in law’s house.
Some of the Redbud’s are still hanging in.
This was taken at our house. We call these wild forest dogwoods because they grow wild in the edge of the woods.
I tried to capture just how the water on the lake this morning looked like shimmering diamonds. I don’t think I quite got it but you get the idea. It was beautiful.
I took this shot early Thursday morning. It looks like the moon has fallen into the lake.
We are currently on our way to nearby Athens to get my nephew Tyler a new phone. His ended in an unfortunate death yesterday. He has it picked out and he is on our plan so we have to add it on. I also have an ulterior motive of stopping at Hobby Lobby after we get the phone and some lunch. I am chilling in the back seat working on this blog post while Tyler and Mark are discussing trucks and truck tires. YUCK!!! We just passed Hobby Lobby and I realized they are closed on Sundays. Boo for me but happy for them to give their employees off all day on Sunday. I knew this but I had forgotten.
Tyler got his phone we had a quick lunch and are headed home. I think some time on the deck in the sunshine is needed this afternoon. I finished knitting a sock last night and started on the second one. I will work on that as well. Heck who am I kidding I will probably take a big nap. Isn’t that what Sundays are for.
How are you and how has your week and weekend been?
Welcome to Wordless Wednesday. I continue sharing photos from trips my husband and I have taken. These were taken in Rome in 2017: Vatican City, Saint Peter’s Square and The Vatican Museum. The only picture I added words to was The Pieta. Because it is just so special. I hope travel will soon resume but until then I will live through my photos. I hope you enjoy.
The Pieta, Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus.
I hope you enjoyed a little time in Rome. More next week when we visit the Colosseum.
