As I start to write this, it is 10:30 in the morning. In twenty-four hours I'll be waiting to board my flight (a whole two-hour journey) to London out of Bologna.

My bags are almost completely packed (just a few items to go).

I've read and re-read my excerpts for the readings until I'm nearly sick of seeing 'em.

I've decided on my outifits for the launch and the readings. (Dressy, not fussy; quite "me", really.)

When Alle and I arrive in London, we'll find my mother and my friend who are waiting for us there (their flight gets in earlier), and we'll get them to the hotel. We'll rest, have dinner, and then?

My nerves will start kicking in and I'll become a chattering, blithering idiot, most likely. LOL! Not that anyone can tell the difference, I reckon.

No, I'm sure we'll have a quick toddle around our neighborhood before we retire to our rooms, chat and then get some rest. Thursday morning, to one degree or another, my London adventure will begin. I hope things go smoothly, and that I don't actually make a fool of myself in front of anyone.

To quote the Grateful Dead (and when you think London, don't you just think of Jerry and the gang?) "What a long, strange trip it's been..." I mean, I started out writing this little short story which I initially meant to be just for me and mine, and instead it became something much, much bigger - both literally and figuratively.

In the end, a story about Bologna is taking me to London, and then back home again where the real world will intrude once more - and regularly at that. I'll have to look on the next ten days as something out of the norm, and cross my fingers and hope and wish and pray that all goes as well as it can.

And then I'll have to knuckle down and get to writing again. I want to see where the next story takes me.
 
 
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Summer is here and you know what that means...
I have to get ready to go back to the States for a visit. Since I'm leaving in three weeks or so, I have a lot to do in the meantime - and other stuff to do once I'm there!

This week, I'm giving y'all (and myself!) a sneak preview of what lies ahead of me this Summer Holiday:

13 Things I Have to Do This Summer



1) Book the flights. Actually, I've got this done - with no help from Delta Airlines, btw. Grrrr...


(How are you supposed to buy a ticket when the credit card verification system they use throws up a "Untrusted Encryption" message at ya? Huh? Huh? I called Delta's "helpline" and they told me to call Mastercard. Uh, no, ma'am, the problem is your website geniuses are using a system every browser I have says is unsafe to use. Grrrr... again! May I advise you to use a different system? 'cause who knows how many direct customers you're losing in the meantime... Grrr... If I had other options, believe me, I'd take one of them. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with this bunch of sad sacks because hardly anyone affordable flies to where I'm going.)
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2) Pack for the trip. I know, you'd think three weeks should be enough time. But with a little helper like this, I need all the time I can get!

3) Find substitute teachers for the few lessons I'll miss out on.
4) Complete my edits and send them in. I won't have frequent online access after I leave, and even though I've had the release date pushed back to Autumn, I want to complete these for my original June deadline.
5) Straighten up my office. Seriously, it's a disaster area.
6) Change out all my cool weather clothes for warm/hot weather clothes. Then decide which of those I'm taking with me. I don't usually take a lot with me when I go to the US, but when I'm coming home, I generally have extra stuff.
7) Donate my old clothes I'm not wearing any more. I can't bear to throw them out, so I'm donating them to charity. This should make a lot of space in my closet, I reckon.
After I get to the US, I have to:
8) Get my eyes checked.
9) Start back to work on 27 Stages - which has been on hold while I'm doing those other edits.
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10) Watch the Tour de France in July! Woo-hoo-hoo! :) Yeah, it's Versus' coverage, but I'll take it, baby. Go, SexyBank! Go, Spartacus!

11) Take my mom to see Adam Lambert in July. Yes, you read that right. I'm taking my MOTHER to see Adam Lambert. She absolutely LOVES him. This should be fascinating to watch! LOL!
12) Go shopping for clothes. I always have to do this in the US - my difficulties finding modestly-priced clothing in my sizes in Italy are the stuff of legend.
13) Count the days until my hubby gets to join me in August! I start off okay for the first few weeks, but by the time he gets there, I'm missing him like mad!
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Look at him! Can you blame me???

And there you have them. Thirteen things I have ahead of me this Summer.








You know the drill...


















A little eye-candy awaits...

























Remember, it's Summer!








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Don't forget to sun yer buns!


Ciao!