Back home again 27 settembre, 2013

Dave's company pays for us to return home to the U.S. once a year. We cashed in that ticket sooner than later since Patrick and Lizzie's wedding was scheduled for September 21st. It was a little disorienting to return so quickly after saying good-bye to everyone in July but it couldn't have been for a happier event. We spent a day and a half in Rocky River and were able to check on Scout and our house (both in excellent shape) and catch up with friends.  After 6 weeks of television detox, it was so much fun to sit and watch Survivor with Kris and Jim. I hate to admit that I missed my favorite reality tv show.

Wedding day (photo by Carol Davis)  

Then, we headed up to the dunes of Lake Michigan and the Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor where the wedding took place. A great group of friends and family, including the whole River Rat gang made the trip so we were surrounded by love and laughter. Every event of the weekend was perfect with the highpoint (of course) being the ceremony at the top of the hill overlooking both Lake Michigan and Glen Lake. Seeing both of my children so happy in their relationships makes it a little easier to be so far away.

The recessional (photo by Jimmy Purse)

I had worried that it would be hard to get back on the plane and leave again. The novelty of the big move has worn off and now I know how hard it can be to be so far away from all that is familiar. Maybe I was still in the lovely afterglow of the wedding but I was surprised that I felt like I was heading home....to Como.

Over Switzerland

I must confess that we did make a quick trip to the grocery and shipped ourselves a box of some unlikely things that we can't seem to find here and are missing. So sometime next week, we will receive a cache of a few comfort items like oatmeal, raisins, pancake mix, and ziplock bags. Italians believe that a proper breakfast is a tiny cup of espresso or cappuccino and a brioche (croissant). I miss my daily Cheerios. 

The young people who work in the cafe right below us have been a constant bright spot in our lives here. They never fail to greet us and banter with us in our Engl-italiano. We brought some Great Lakes Beer back for them and while we weren't able to explain the Burning River connotation, they enjoyed some Ohio beer! 

I woke up this morning and knew where I was. That's progress.