We left the villa and Tuscany on a gorgeous morning. But first there were hugs and goodbyes–and a recipe from Antonella for her amazing tiramisu. Kat has promised to make it for our New Year’s Day open house. Yummmm!
Our ladies would be greeting new guests that afternoon–a party of thirteen–eight of them children!! I could make a kids electric cars list of brands and models by the time they were doing bringing in all the toys – as we loaded up our luggage
Kat didn’t sign the guestbook. Instead she did the most amazing pencil sketch of the view from the bedroom window–with the window as the frame.
Off we go for the airport with our printed directions and our GPS. Sunshine and blue skies and the gorgeous hills, farmland and gardens and pretty houses.
We only got a bit turned around once, in the town that boasts the little airport we’re using–narrow streets, many turns, more traffic than we’ve had the last week.
But there it is, the small regional airport.
We’re surprised when we pull up and get out. It appears to be closed.
One slight moment of panic, then Jason wanders off a ways, sees the plane out on the tarmac. It’s a bit of a distance, but I see a guy in an orange vest, see the white shirt of the pilot. We wave and call, but it’s too noisy. I, however, always travel with the skill I inherited from my mother. I put my thumb and index finger between my lips, and blow. My whistle is awesome.
The figures turn, return our wave. The orange-vested guy finally comes up to the fence, tells us he’ll open up in a minute.
And he does. We have to wait for a cop to clear our passports, so he calls one. He puts our luggage on a cart. I ask about the Vat return. It’s Saturday, he says, so we can just put the unsealed envelopes in the box. On Monday they’ll stamp, seal and mail.
Okay then. When I do, I notice the box is stuffed with envelopes. I’m sure they’ll get around to it eventually.
Onto the plane, headed by the same crew that brought us to Italy. Since we’re, literally, the only ones there, we take off without delay. The advantage of a tiny airport that’s basically closed on the weekends.
Long, uneventful flight, a quick stop in Bangor for Customs, then back up for the shorter leg home.
More hugs. We had such a good time traveling with Jason and Kat. Lots of fun, lots of relaxing, lots of walking, shopping, eating. A truly fabulous vacation all around.
Excited dogs greet us–Where have you been? Of course, it’s pretty much the same greeting if we’re gone ten minutes.
Managed to unpack one suitcase last night, then said tomorrow’s soon enough.
All done now, and fun to organize all the Christmas gifts, to put away all the pretty things.
I have sunflowers of my own out my kitchen window. Not the stupendous oceans of them I left behind in Tuscany, but they make me smile–and the view out my office window now is thick and green with summer. It’s nice to be home.
Nora
And now, here are links to some of the things mentioned in Nora’s travelogues.
In Florence, they stayed at the gorgeous Relais Santa Croce. In Tuscany, they found IL Palazzi by working with Via Villas. Locally, the villa is known as IL Cocetto.
Nora’s workout library included the following titles (you can google them or go to You Tube for clips to see if they would work for you):
Rodney Yee’s Power Yoga – Total Body Workout
Kari Anderson Center Floor
Jennifer’s Kries’ Three Dimensional Workout and Flow Power Yoga
Ten Minute Solutions: Pilates Perfect Body.
Zyrka Landwijt Yoga Flow, Saraswati River Tradition.
Seane Corn Detox Flow Yoga
Denise Austin’s Hit The Spot Pilates
Thanks for reading!
Laura
Now if you were really organized and on the ball, you would wrap those Christmas gifts and tuck them away!
So enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.
Molte grazie for taking me with you on your vacation. Through your eyes, I’ve finally seen a bit of the Italian countryside I will one day explore on my own.
I am really going to miss these posts!! Each day, they gave me something to look forward to as I recovered from breast cancer surgery. I was able to visit Italy vicariously, through Nora and her family, and the descriptions were so vivid, I felt I was there. She truly is a “word artist”. Thank you, Nora for sharing your vacation with us, and to Laura, for posting them along with the wonderful pictures.
Thank you Nora for sharing your family vacation with us! It took me back to one of my favorite countries! But next time you should visit Venice – my favorite city!
So glad you enjoyed your vacation and shared it with all of us! I use to vacation with my mother and daughter. Now I vacation with my daughter and her family occasionally, I enjoy the time with my granddaughter who’s entering 1st grade this September. Interesting to hear her views on places we visit. Makes you take a second look at your surroundings and the people you meet
Can you share the recipe for the tiramisu? Would love to make for Thanksgiving dinner.Tired of making cheesecake!
Waiting for Thankless in Death. Pre-ordered two months ago! Really enjoyed Calculated in Death, ending was pure Eve, but more story about vid would have been nice to read.
I read and collect all of Nora’s books. I live in Shippensburg PA, not far from Boonsboro, and have visited her bookshop, and admired the inn. I am approximately the same age as Nora, am familiar with most of the places in the US she uses in her novels. I noticed in one of the books in the “In the Garden” series she referred to Ethel Hopkins. My fraternal grandmother’s name was Ethel Hopkins. This was an interesting coincidence, so it’s not a common name. My daughter lived in western PA for 14 years, so I also enjoyed the series based in that part of the state. I can relate to the Eastern Shore, Baltimore, Antietam, Boonsboro, and West Virginia. I truly am an avid fan, and am looking forward to the new series