Back in Italy

We arrived back in Italy a week ago, from Oslo. Stepping off the plane was like coming home. Not just because I was back in Italy and I can order my own dinner again, but also, the humidity smacked us in the chest like being back in Louisiana. Naples is loud and hot and traffic laws are followed perhaps only by accident. Walking around was exhausting but we had a balcony view of a busy street. So bought a bottle of wine learned a lot about Italian culture (and gestures).

We left the city for the Amalfi coast. I've only been as far as Sorrento and I wanted to swim. From our hilltop town you could see Capri in the morning. Then we could take the 50 minute twisting bus ride to Amalfi proper. I think Amalfi Coast bus drivers train in Naples. The view was amazing but a little rough on my stomach.

Even the post office is charming. This is my photo but go to the Send More Mail blog for a more professional one. I saw the post office here first, because she posts a lot about Italy, stamps, boats, mail...oh just go see for yourself.

I could've floated in the sea all day, green blue and salty, looking at the hills, but we also made it to the Amalfi paper museum and got to see this ancient Hollander (I miss making things).

Andy isn't much of a swimmer so we took the ferry to Positano mostly just to be close to the water. The town is cute but we were weary and not up for shopping or crowds. We found a spot on the beach in the shade to ingest delicious cold things lazily while we can.

Home

Andy took this photo of our kitchen on Lover's Lane where neither of us now live. My last weeks there I realized just how cozy it was and how I would miss it.



I arrived in Milan to sun and a little snow on the ground. I did not know that the first real snow of the season was coming and I would spend two days walking to and from the Metro in slow falling snow. I've been taking wrong turns, some accidental, some intentional, but I have been discovering good things. Like the veggie friendly take out place where I can get pizza pie, or veggie burger Italian style and fruit or juice, all with my meal ticket from school. I also found a park near my house where I walked for a bit on my way home the other day.



I sleep under a big window with a good skyline of buildings and a tree. I took this photo at night as more snow fell. The accumulation isn't much, its more atmospheric, but after ten winters in Louisiana, it reminds me of living in a snowy city.



When I got to my apartment, I immediately taped maps and posters to my new wall. Which I immediately had to remove because I was in the wrong room. But here is my new room, complete with calendar from Pegacorn Press (thanks for the trade Caroline!) , traveling advice from Bremelo Press and handmade paper from Amy Jacobs that I have had with me for a few years.

The snow is on the ground, it is bright, and I finally slept a bunch. Time to explore!

A Little Time Off

Visiting family is great and going out every night is fun too. But there are ten days till school starts, the house is quiet and I haven't made it to the studio this week. Since A. is out of town I have fully taken over the house, moving the sewing machine to the kitchen table for now. It turns out that these little books are too thick for my machine but I mended a shirt and made a peek-a-boo postcard for Ella. Today I ignored all the to-do lists, slept in a little, watched a movie in bed, drove around a little, and actually accidentally did a few things on the list. Home is good.