BW, Jason, Griffin and I stay back while Kat leads the rest of the crew on a last Milan shopping foray. We pack and organize, and all meet up for lunch. We’ve had a lovely time, start to finish, and now pile 25 bags and nine people (Kayla brought JR’s bag) into two big cars for the drive to Como.

Out of the city and onto the Drive-As-Fast-As-You-Can Autostrada. Then onto the winding roads, climbing now, into what the driver calls Como city. And we spot a huge, seriously huge, street fair. Stall after stall. This may be my Christmas shopping Mecca at some point.

And in one hour’s drive we’re out of the busy city bustle of Milan and into the quiet wonder of Lake Como.

Our villa’s perched on a hill overlooking the lake. We look out over it to the mountains and all the houses with their creamy stucco walls and red tile roofs that climb them.

The staff tending the villa greet us. And gratefully for all, there’s a baggage lift to take the luggage up and up the hill. It’s hot, yes, but there’s a little breeze, and the views are spectacular. Boats are plying the lake, gulls are swooping, and the mountains surround us.

The villa is big and airy and bright. We have rooms on the main level—BW and I claim! The next floor takes Jason and family with a main suite, Griffin’s room—he even has a playroom he shows me with delight. Kayla has her room there, and Colt’s upstairs.

Logan and Lauren want the boathouse. It’s a hike down there, but it’s adorable, and has a game room with pool table, ping pong, and stairs leading right down to the lake.

We have a pool—yay—and a gym. Free weights will make Colt and me very happy.

There’s a nice kitchen with butler’s pantry, and in the great room they’ve laid out a lovely spread of fruit, cheese, bread, wine.

It takes some time to explore, get the lay of the land from the caretakers. Kat’s making a list for a grocery run, and pizza—it’s the easiest—to take out and bring home. When she, Logan and Kayla head out, the rest of us unpack, settle. I find the packing cubes I bought before we left for Italy are seriously efficient.

Now I want that wine and a sit out on one of the patios.

It’s just spectacular. BW makes his own drink and we sit out and just bask under blue skies—some clouds forming for a potential storm—and watch the boats, listen to the quiet.

Griffin wants the pool, and who can blame him? His daddy settles down in a lawn chair to lifeguard, and I wander down to join while the boy splashes around, paddles and kicks in his swim vest. Maybe he’ll let me teach him to swim like I did Kayla and Logan.

I dangle my feet in the pool, and find the water’s perfect.

When the sun blares too hot, I’m back inside.

The serious grocery store is twenty minutes away, which doesn’t seem like much. But add in navigating the roads, then finding parking, finding what’s needed and wanted in an unfamiliar store where everything’s in Italian? It takes a lot longer.

And it turns out the pizzeria’s slammed, so that end of the trip isn’t quick either. But after a long trek hunting and gathering, they’re back. Unpack groceries, and the housekeeper who’s still here finishing up laundry from the turnover tells us she does the dishes in the morning. Do not do the dishes.

This seems strange. We’re so used to dealing, but we’re also tired enough not to argue!

Eat, drink, talk, unwind.

There’s some trouble with the AC in Kayla’s room. She has a big fan in there for the night, and hopefully this can be sorted out quickly.

There’s thunder, a couple flashes of lighting, a few drops of rain. And it brings a very nice breeze.

Sunset views from [top to bottom]: Kayla, Colt and Nora

I’m for bed. Travel days, even short ones, knock me out.

This morning, all I hear are the birds. It’s actually cool and breezy enough I get a light jacket to sit out on the patio and write this blog. The lake’s still, the sky’s blue and nearly cloudless. The sun casts light over the mountains, and lays shadows in their folds. Nothing stirs except the breeze, and the single gull I see wing over the lake.

I plan to use the gym, then write some. I miss the work. Then maybe the pool this afternoon.

Nora