Today has dawned as brightly as it did on
Christmas Eve 2010, and with the day
come memories we will always treasure.....
Of packing up the belongings we had brought with us from
the UK to Villa Caterina. And of hubby turning up to collect me
once I'd finished cleaning the villa, only to
have forgotten the remote to the electric gates - he was
shut out, I was shut in! Luckily the owners of Il Cenito
lived just up the road so help was fairly close at hand.
Of the heavens opening as we were having lunch
at La Torretta & the prospects of us getting
anything else moved from Mario's deposito to
Il Sogno looking somewhat remote.
But it was an almost tropical storm and
an hour later the sun was out once more & I was
finally able to start helping with the move.
Of Giuseppe & Gerardo both giving up their
traditional Christmas Eve spent at home to make
sure our dream of waking up at Il Sogno on
Christmas morning would be fulfilled - without
them it wouldn't have been possible.
Of finally closing the front door at 4.30 pm,
looking in bewilderment of the myriad of boxes
now stacked in 2 spare bedrooms & taking up rather a
lot of the lounge. I haven't a clue what we ate that
evening; I do know that we went down to Grace &
Tom's and probably had a snack tea with them.
Of going to Midnight Mass at La Chiesa di San Biagio
with Tom & Grace, arriving dead on midnight, worried
we were late, only to find Mass didn't start until the
Priest was happy the church was packed to overflowing.
Of piling out of church at the end of Mass to watch fireworks
being let off in the piazza, before dashing to the nearest
bar for a coffee, in true Italian style.
Of not going to bed until 3.30 am - tea and
Christmas cookies at Grace & Tom's had followed
the journey back to their place.
Of finally falling asleep, still smiling, knowing that
we were going to wake to the most awesome views
on Christmas morning.
