Saturday, February 27, 2010

A Letter To One Of My Favorite Writers ... Frances Mayes

Dear Frances,

I didn't realize that your movie "Under The Tuscan Sun" was a memoir of yours.  I hadn't known the back story and thought it was fictional.  I had already fell in love with the movie, then I went to Italy before picking up my newly adopted Ethiopian daughter (Aug. 2008), but I have not been able to get Italy out of my head...truly it is all consuming.  I was very happy to know that you wrote it as a memoir (I write as an outlet and have written since I was 9 with my diaries) as the little spare time I have, I choose to read non-fiction.  (That may change once I read Swan though.)  I agree, the reason for the success of the book and movie is absolutely because many of us out there would like to do just that ... take a risk of this nature.  I've taken many and they have all paid great dividends.

So finding out that your writings were memoirs, the library became my new companion where I checked out your books and devoured them yesterday.  At the moment, I honestly do not know what to do with the conflicting of my emotions.  I live in Denver, Colorado, but my heart is in Tuscany.  I would like to blink my eyes and cross my arms across my chest a'la "I Dream of Jeanie" whilst creating a place where my two worlds converge into one.   All I can do is attempt to create what I love so much about Italy into my existing life.  I have 2 teen boys, one 3 yr old and 22 years of marriage to the love of my life.  I couldn't ask for more ... but I want to!

I am traveling to Italy in June for a month doing home exchanges with half a dozen Italians who are kind enough to allow me to stay in their homes and they in mine.  From the Amalfi Coast through Tuscany to Venice, I will enjoy every step I walk and every minute I am there.  My husband understands who I am and that we need to take care of our souls in order to be full and present in our ever busy lives that we all live.  Thank you for your gift of writing and sharing it with us.  Especially those of us who drink it in like mama's homemade limoncello on a warm Summer night under the Tuscan Moon ... like I did in July of 2008 at Francesco's Villa in Siena!

God bless us  ... who dream!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Life is Good!

So much going on. I really never have or make the time to write, which bums me out a lot. Writing is an outlet for me and to not make the time for it is not good.

But here I am, making the time now. We are all very busy and doing well. Just dropped the boys off at school. A bit frustrating 'cause they are young adults now (at 13 and soon to be 15) we've taught them to get up on their own, take care of their needs for lunches and prepare for the day, but it is a constant battle to try to get them to do that consistently. I'm not talking about perfection here, just a really good effort. Family meeting tonight!!! I'm not sure what else we can take away from them that we haven't already taken. But it just can't go on like this.

Tigist is sleeping soundly while I write and will be going to her twice weekly "preschool" time at Ms. Brandi's home. She still loves going so that is good. She loves, loves, LOVES watching Dora and I can tell she learns so much from it. I'm just not sure about the Spanish part cause she was coming out of her Amharic vocabulary, into and American family with a father who has a strong Australian accent and a Mother who is trying to speak Italian cause I'M GOING TO ITALY IN JUNE!!!!! So really, I don't need her to learn Spanish right now, but Dora is her drug of choice for now.

I'll write more about Italy another post, but can I just say OH MY GAWSH!!!! Anyone out there love Italy like I do? I'm even part of a couple of Italian groups in my area so I can have a place to talk about it without driving my family absolutely bonkers.

Well, for now I'll go. My coffee is getting cold. I need to catch up with the morning news and get Tigist all ready for her day. She's now waking up with dry diapers almost 100% of the time. She is so excited every morning, "Wake up dry diaper!!!!" She yells each morning as I open her bedroom door. Now I'll have about $20 extra a month in my household budget to use on herself and the rest of the family (except Daddy and the cat) for scar ointment from all the biting she's done to us. See, I can find the positive in everything!

Ciao!