I want to write and catch you up on all the beautiful and difficult changes I'm experiencing in my life here; there's so much to say. Instead of writing all in words, I'm going to start by sending a gallery of photos from November until now. I hope you enjoy, and I promise to write soon!!!
Actually, these photos start in October, when my friend Megan and her friend Cat arrived for my first visit from home. We took a day trip to Montepulciano:
Where I couldn't resist hot chocolate pastries fresh from the oven...
Megan and Cat -the great adventurers!
Cat says that Italy is the land of tiny cars...
And giant doors!
Perfect Halloween Fiats!!
We decided to have a spa day. Before we went, I was a little nervous because there was a treatment called an "emotional shower." But as you can see, we were all pretty relaxed at the end:
PS: An emotional shower is a shower with lights and smells...it was kind of funny!
Megan and I enjoyed the train ride:
Maybe a little too much:
And, as you aren't here visiting, here is a little walk around Siena:
NOVEMBER:
My new roommate Andy brought a lot of energy to the house!!
We decided to do Thanksgiving. I cooked everything, including the turkey, which turned out perfectly. This is a photo of the reality of Anna in the kitchen. I was making pastry for the pie when I, um, sort of crashed all of the flour. This was four hours before dinner. Andy took pictures after we had cleaned up a little:
This is the official "Anna as Martha Stewart" photo. No problem, right?
My landlord Pino and his family came for dinner:
There's so much to say about watching Italians try sweet potatoes with marshmallow for the first time. Really, I wish I had videotaped it. But as you can see, we all (including family, roommates, and guests) survived pretty well.
DECEMBER: Home for Christmas
With my nephew, Zane, on Christmas morning:
And here is a photo of the reason you might not have heard from me over Christmas: dental surgery that made the most beautiful bruise on my jaw...and lots of pain killers that left me on the couch for almost the entire time I was home. I also had an infection when I returned here to Italy. Such fun.
There was a little problem getting home: hurricane strength winds closed the airport in Pisa, so I was left for a day. What's a girl going to do? First, take pictures of the tourists pretending to hold up the tower:
Then take pictures of the tower:
And the Arno.
I realize this is totally out of order, but I wanted to share these pictures of my grandparents' farm in Taylorsville, NC. I went with my brother and was seized by my childhood impulse to run through the farm up the the tree where I spent hours of my childhood dreaming. My grandparents have been gone ten years now, but I sense their presence when I'm in the hills that were their home for so many years. They were just short of the 70th anniversary when they died.
And to finish: I am sending all of you my love and best wishes as we start this new year. I am sad to tell you that my cousin, Stephanie Bost Brown, died two weeks ago at the age of 48. Stephanie leaves two beautiful daughters, twins, and a loving family behind her. As Stephanie struggled with an eating disorder for many years, I am more determined than ever to write my book and live a life that is full. To all of you: appreciate your days, love your bodies, and think of each other always.
Anna
