A Vacanza

Late late on Wednesday night.  We've reached the point of the summer where it's getting cool enough outside that I'm often keeping the window open and more often, keeping the air conditioner off.  Soon, the market will be overflowing first with Asian Pears (love those Hsui Pears), then with your regular pears (Maganese are the sweetest and by far my favorite), and finally, the haul of apples.  I've been going to the same stand for enough years that the lovely woman behind the tables already knows what I want - now that's good business.  Anyway - on fall - this evening, I was walking down N Street to meet a friend and I recognized the gentle crunch of Maple Leaves beneath my Crocs.  It's not fall - It's that dry.

Well, it's the night before Italy and it's the weirdest feeling.  I feel prepared - in that I'm packed and near certain my suitcase weighs less than 50 pounds and that my apartment is clean-ish (not as well as I'd like - but, well, it is what it is) - and at the same time, I feel completely unprepared.  I realized this past weekend, that I don't know anything about this trip I'm taking and it's completely freaking me out.  I mean, yes, I know the travel plan is train to Newark-Fly to Milan-Bus to Lugano-Bus to Venezia-Train to Florence-Bus to Siena-Bus to Rome-Fly to Paris-Fly to Newark-Train to DC... but my parents have been less than forthcoming about details beyond that.  I mean, sure, they have the itinerary, they know what's going on (hell, I think they've been on this trip - or something very like it once before) - they just haven't sent it to me - and that makes me feel very uneasy.  I like to know what's going on.... I like to know exactly what's going on.  I mean, I can assume that in Venice we'll visit Saint Mark's.  And in Florence, we'll see the Uffizi.  And in Siena, we'll go to the Museo Civico... and so on... but still, I like to know - I like to feel like I'm in control.

To give you a better idea, I can remember being much younger - right around puberty when I went from being 3 feet tall and weighing 80 pounds to being 6 feet tall and weighing, well, uh, more (pounds that I've almost nearly finally shed... though I'm happily far from 80) - when I felt, the best way for me to be able to relax, was to know and understand all the details.  The most common way I did this, was to ask, at every meal, what we were eating at the next meal was - as in, Breakfast... we're eating Onion Bagels (still my favorite - though no one sells them anymore, it seems... my grandmother used to burn them and to this day, it's my favorite breakfast treat) and I'd ask my grandmother, what's for lunch.  Come lunch, we're eating snacks - sandwiches, whatever - and I'd ask my grandmother what we're eating for dinner, and on and on.  To this day, I am the same way - I like to know what the next food source is and where it's coming from in the same way I like to know what we're doing tomorrow and the next day.

Right now, it feels kind of like some weird reality show - like someone saying, "Be here at this time, and something will happen."  OK - I'll play along, but, well, what else can I do?

Truth be told, I don't feel prepared to go away for two weeks - and can't even begin to fathom the idea... this summer - since April really, has been so manic at work.... but once I'm there, I'm sure I'll be good to go.

Plane/Train knitting includes the Mimbres Vest (which I'm doing pretty well on - but can't help but feel like I've lost some yarn) and socks socks socks.  I'm bringing 6 skeins with me - plus the one on the needles - and a whole heap of needles to carry and pack, on the off chance that the kids at Charles De Gaule of that, uh, Roman Airport, decide I'm better off not having needles. 

Anyway - my plan is to bring a journal and write in it everyday - and to take plenty of pictures - so hopefully I'll take good enough notes to give you a full review when I return.  Meanwhile, behave yourselves.  Stay out of the fridge (there's nothing in it anyway), and don't look in the closets.  Andiamo, kids.

Comments

[Jan]

Just let go Michael!!! Holiday is about enjoying and let the things come to you, instead of worrying about what will come. You really sounds like a very control freak, but when you have an open mind great things can come your way. I hope you will manage to find some nice European yarn during your trip and I think in Paris you will have the most oppertunities to find new yarn (La Droguerie in the Rue du Jour, Le petit Faune in the Rue de Rennes and Anny Blatt in Rue des Francs Bourgeois 40)
Ciao, Gianni di Ollanda, and enjoy the cappucino's because they make the best in Italy (but don't make the mistake to order 1 in the evening, cause you only drink them in the morning at breakfast with a nice brioche)

[Kellie]

Hey Michael,
It's Kellie from camp. Reading your post about camp was great-sorta wished we had sat nearer each other. Maybe next year. Anyway, I'm back in town after multiple trips during the summer. I look forward to hearing about Italy. I can totally relate to the needing to know thing. I can handle whatever comes if I have enough information. My daughter is like me and always asks about upcoming meals as well as general plans for the day. Once she knows, she heads off, happy as a clam. Just part of her security system. Have a really nice trip.

[Suzette]

You've already left - but I hope you have a wonderful time and that all food sources reveal themselves when you need them.

[Dave Daniels]

I hope that you were able to relax the controls JUST a little to let other people (read: your PARENTS) take charge. It's time to allow yourself to have fun and let someone else drive the bus. Or plane. Or gondola. You know what I mean.
And for onion bagels, there's a good bagel place up here, or you can try *cough*DunkinDonuts*cough* in an emergency.

[mikaj]

I miss you!
Call me when you get back!
Hope you are having an AMAZING time!

[Jan]

Knock, knock......
Hello!!!!.........
Anybody Home..........???
Where are you.........?
Didn't you come back from wondefull Italy.......?
Couldn't you say goodbye from the Canal Grande in Venice.............
or did you got stuck in the Metro in Paris.........?
New boyfriend..........????
What's up Michael?????
Show a sign of LIFE to us..........!!!!!!!!!
Where is your responsibility to all your blog-readers????
We want to read your European Trip story (with pictures!!!!)and we all are curious to know if you find any yarn-treasures here in Europe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!