July 13th (England) - Relaxing

For the last five weeks, I’ve thought Italy had the most laid-back people in the world. I was wrong.

In the time since I’ve been here we’ve had tea numerous times, usually in the kitchen or out in the breakfast nook. Paul takes his time with nearly everything he does, including eating and drinking. I’ve learned that when he says “hurry up” in the morning, it means “be done with your fussing upstairs so we can spend a calm hour on breakfast.” He enjoys nothing more than sitting down to tea with friends, or even just with Emilie and me, and discussing the weather. Or yesterday's fete. Or his family. Or nothing at all. Many times the house has been so completely silent and relaxed that all I can hear is the ticking of the cuckoo clock on the wall; rather than enjoying the quiet, it actually makes me quite nervous. This type of environment doesn’t suit me well.

Anyway, I guess the Italians aren’t the only ones who enjoy life at a slower pace.

Regardless of my aversion to quiet, it is nice to be able to finally relax; the last few weeks in Italy haven’t been a true vacation, just work and performances with some sightseeing in-between. (Although when this adventure is over, I will probably still feel more comfortable in the noise and bustle of the States.)

Later,

-Al

p.s. Heading back to the house today after church, I stopped to pet the noses of two equine friends I made yesterday shortly after arrival (picture above). One of them is speckled grey and pretty tranquil, the other chocolate brown and a little more high-strung. They trot up to the fence when they see us coming to talk to them. Needless to say, I am very happy to have horses available for petting within walking distance from the house….