Today is the day

It's here at last. The day we begin our sojourn to Paradise -- well perhaps that's a bit strong but then again I'm not sure.

Every year millions of tourists flock to Italy in wave after wave seeking something, peace of mind or to touch a bit of the ancient past with which they are somehow curiously very intimate. Maybe, just maybe, a few (or more than a few) of those "lost souls" find that "something" in the form of a place which seems to embody the essence of Italy, the history, the people, the food, the spirit of the country and they cannot let it go at just a wonderful bit of entertainment for two weeks, eventually coming to the realization that they must go back again and again and again.

We feel comfortable there, in Italy, and even though we know very few people those few have been generous, gracious, warm and hospitable to a fault, and even though we have no family there and can barely speak a few words of Italian, in fact

"just to enough to keep the locals amused/
and ourselves confused."

So we head out today, stay with family in Massachusetts tonight and then fly out for Rome tomorrow. The bags are pretty much packed, the house is getting put in shape for our departure and we cannot wait to go.

Checked with FedEx this AM and our two boxes of household goods have arrived at Malpensa airport in Milan. If all goes well they may in fact be delivered tomorrow or Friday, but almost certainly before we arrive at Le Meridiane Friday PM. If all goes well.

And you know if it doesn't go well, it the packages get hung up in some bizarre customs thing or whatever, SO BE IT. It's a small thing really, annoying yes, but in the scheme of things and compared to what we are about to undertake really very inconsequential.