The Stars Align

Earlier this year I talked about putting on my Big Girl Pants in regards to having to do better at planning for retirement.  I also talked about how Italy as always, just keeps tugging at my heart and soul. I knew I just had to go back, but would I be able to?  Well, lo and behold the stars have aligned and I will be returning in Spring of 2018. Of course, I am beyond ecstatic and simply overjoyed.  The way it came about was totally unexpected.

Every now and then something will happen that seems to be fate letting me know that it agrees that I need to return to Italy.  Things like; Talking with 3 different people in 3 different places and 3 different times of  the day about how much I miss Italy and really want to return. Later that same day, in my Facebook feed, a photo shows up that was taken in the Dorsoduro Sestiere of Venice.  It was posted by Ca’ Venexiana.  The photo was taken right outside the apartment that The Boys and I rented in 2015.  Ca’ Venexiana is the apartment that I had rented and paid for, for a trip I had to cancel in 2016. Coincidence? Hmmm…….. I think not!

Apartment is on the left, we had the top floor

About a month ago an old friend and I got together for dinner.  We used to hang out quite a bit when I was still involved in Community Theatre, but we have not seen each other very much in the last 10 years or so!  We had dinner at a new restaurant in town, an Italian restaurant of all places,  and decided we should make a habit of getting together and made plans to meet again in a few weeks.  So a few weeks ago, my friend Kathy exclaimed, “I would love to travel with you.”  I said, ‘Great! I would love to have someone to travel with.’  Her reply was,  ‘I’d really love to go to Italy.’  Huh? What? Did I hear her correctly? Was I just imagining this? Nope, that is exactly what she said!

From there things began to happen pretty darn quickly.  As I said earlier this year in my post,  I knew that I had to somehow return in 2018.  I knew in my  heart that if I didn’t, I probably never would. I just didn’t know how I was going to do it alone for reasons I talked about in that post, Growing Up Is Hard To Do.   I had already been looking at places to stay in Venice and Florence, OK, so I am always on the lookout to be honest.   I had been watching air fare and the best routes.  As fate would have it, Kathy said she would leave it all up to me as to where to go and all the arrangements. She really didn’t have anything specific in mind, other than Tuscany. Well, Florence is Tuscany right?

Tickets have been purchased with United. I was pleasantly shocked that airfare is actually cheaper than it was in 2015! Apartments have been rented for Venice, Florence and Rome.  I received my new passport last week (mine expired in August).   Flying into Venice and home from Rome so despite my feelings about Rome on my first trip, we will be stopping for a few days in the Eternal City.  I think it is another sign that I booked the Rome apartment with the same very helpful and very nice, Emanuele,  at  From Home To Rome  that I booked our apartment with back in 2015 (different apartment this time).

Of course there are still some specifics to discuss and decide, like day trips we want to take while in Venice and Florence, but we have 9 months to hammer that out. We will be going the last 2 weeks in May and I am hoping for good weather.  From what I have read, it should be wonderful, not too hot, humid and crowded yet.

All I can think about is that I am returning to the 2 places that constantly tug at my heart and soul. That are constantly whispering in my ear to return.  Places that hold a very special place in my heart. Places that make me feel so content.  Places that stir my passion. Places that cause me to get weepy just at the mention of their names or seeing a photo.  I’m going back and I could not be more happy!

 

 

 

Advertisement