Macerata Monday: This Flight Tonight
I'm in the middle of last minute dashing-around, buying the finishing touches to gifts, doing one more lesson before the Christmas holiday really starts and, at four in the morning, Antonello and I will make our way to Ancona to drop me off at the airport, my flight back to the states awaiting me. I'm sorry for the lack of posts: it's been a mix of being really busy and being really lazy which has gotten me to this stage of last-minute everything, but I do plan to post more in the near future. For now, though, I can't wait to have my bags ready to go and finally say I'm done. No more shopping. No more packing. No more worrying about what I'm bringing and what I'm not bringing. It's Christmas. I want to relax a bit.
This weekend was unexpectedly relaxing, as the first snowfall of the season prevented Antonello and me from making our way to a caving course in the mountains. We listened to Christmas music, turned on the tree lights, baked cookies, and took a walk through a beautifully snow-blanketed neighborhood. I even went running in the snow (it wasn't snowing when I started out!), letting snowflakes melt on my nose and eyelashes--it was actually a lot of fun.
So, I've got the best of both worlds here, I think maybe. I spent the past week feeling like Christmas had just arrived in Macerata, really getting into the spirit, and now I'm heading back to the states (where Antonello will catch up with me on Saturday), to enjoy the magic and beauty of Christmas there. Sure, staying in one place is a wonderful thing, but having family on two continents to share the season with isn't exactly so terrible either, is it? Buon Natale!
-Jackie
PS I hope to get some more cheese of the week posts up soon--sorry about my absence! Also, please vote (if you haven't already) for my two photos (Macerata and Brescia) over at Easycar's site--I seem to be moving up in the poll! yay!
