Back at it

Janine and I got back to California last weekend. Those flights are long! Ugh – oh well. It was great to see everyone, but it’s good to be back into “the swing of things” (the normal cadence of life). It is always strange to walk into your house after you’ve been away. Although the weather in California was much better than at home, the house seemed cold and empty. The first evening is always a bit strange. We watched a movie and went to bed.
Monday was back at work. The Americans don’t pay much attention to Epiphany (la Befana) so the work pace was back at breakneck speed. This was good. It jolts you into “real” life again and wakes you up. I’ve made a “new years resolution” to socialise a little more this year. Since moving to California Janine and I have been quite private – exploring the area etc. We’re going to check out the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad. The website is quite interesting. They have an exhibit on playing slide-guitar which looks pretty cool.
Anybody else make new year’s resolutions?

Happy 2009!!!

Happy New Year Everybody!!!
I’ve been terrible at keeping this up, I know – but I’m back in Italy for a couple of weeks over the holidays and have this peaceful (if wet) New Year’s Day morning to sit down and actually write a post! I know, I know – unbelievable. The rest of my family is still sleeping (of course we went to bed late – or early, depending on your perspective). Mum is up, of course, making some breakfast. I’ve become quite accustomed to American breakfasts, so today it’s eggs and bacon and cereal and juice and coffee. Heh heh. Janine just got up… back in a minute…
Ok, I’m back. Janine says hi! She was really excited to come over to meet everyone and see my “stomping grounds” (the place where a person grows up or spends a significant portion of their lives). She’s been getting along very well with my mother, which is more important than a person may realise when you are an ocean away! I won’t lie – I was nervous about that. Actually – the two north americans seem to like each other quite a bit. You can really tell these things at three in the morning when the new year’s cheer has worn on a bit and people are getting tired. They were still up and chatting and cheering! Dad and I went to smoke our new years cigars. Lots of fun – we go outside and watch everyone else blow things up with fireworks and lite up a Cohiba and catch up. I don’t remember why we started doing this – we’ve been doing it for almost 10 years now. I guess dad used to smoke, so this is his once-a-year reversion. It’s fun.
Christmas was fun – it was fantastic to be able to show Janine around. We went to Perugia and Assisi (of course), but also up into the mountains for a walk (it was cold and wet and nasty, but very much worth doing) and “made the rounds” to see my old friends. Not much new there, people are graduating university. Many are considering getting specialisations and masters since the job market isn’t very good. Some of the “old guard” have moved to Ireland and Germany. I’ll be honest – people seem a little more nervous about the future than they do in California. It was a bit surprising when talking with my friends to be reminded of the mentality that must deal with so many limits. I’ve been really lucky. Of course, they reminded me of my good luck mercilessly! Ha ha!
Today I think we’ll do nothing – stay inside and play board games and watch movies. My mother gave me a DVD called King of California – with Michael Douglas. It’s really funny and intelligent – about a father who comes back from the mental recovery hospital after two years and convinces his almost seventeen-year-old daughter to come with him on a hunt for Spanish treasure lost on an expedition to California in the early seventeenth century. In the process they damage a Costco (something like a retail warehouse – they’re great). It’s a really fun and touching movie. We also saw Tidelands by Terry Gilliam (from Monty Python – watch them!). Very sad and strange – but worth watching.
Ok – Mum and Janine have eggs and bacon ready, so I’m going. I guess it’ll be my turn to wash dishes! Like the doctor says – “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning” – if you haven’t got aspirin – but do have the right kind of headache – eggs and bacon will do just fine, and lots of coffee!!!!
Happy new year to you all!