(not necessarily in that order)
I was nowhere near the mark when I predicted that I would feel “normal” by Thursday. Jetlag hasn’t been an issue, but the hacking cough sure has been!
I had pretty much the same thing when we arrived in Lugano; wish I knew how to nip it in the bud.
So far we’ve been having a challenging re-entry.
It’s Swami Kriyananda’s birthday weekend, so there were plans for a beautiful tribute concert, in addition to other inspiring events.
Unfortunately, Ananda Village is experiencing a major COVID outbreak, the worst we’ve ever seen. As a result, we’ve had to cancel a number of in-person events. The concert is also off, since — as always — singing is a super-spreader activity.
It’s quite a disappointment, but help came from an unexpected direction.
I’ve loved Ella Fitzgerald since I was in my teens. I’ve been transported over and over again by her stunning voice, amazing creativity, and sheer brilliance, to the point that I wouldn’t have believed I could still be blown away by anything she sang.
But today I was blown away anew by Ella. It was just the pick-up I needed in the midst of a challenging afternoon. Check it out and enjoy…“How High the Moon”!
But the good news is we’re home and well on our way to adjusting to the new time zone.
I think I’ll be pretty normal by tomorrow.
On the shuttle to board our flight to San Francisco and about to lose Wi-Fi. So this is it! Next time I write will be from stateside.
It was a rush moving out of the apartment this morning, but now we’ve been enjoying our final hours in Canobbio.
A delicious lunch with the whole family, a nice walk in the neighborhood, lots of time to chat, and now it’s almost time for dinner.
I can’t help but wonder what kind of shape we’ll be in by the time we get to the airport!
…the last day has arrived.
We’re vacating the apartment in the morning because we’ll be heading to the airport tomorrow night for a super-early departure Tuesday.
Monday (our final day) will be spent hanging out at Silvio’s; going to lunch with him, Graziella, and Fulvio; and eating pizzoccheri for dinner with Manu and John-Beni.
Yep, the meals just keep on coming! 😅
The birth/death of Liam Andrew — my stillborn son who would have turned twenty-nine today — occurred three days before Mother’s Day. And my mother had passed away two years before that.
I still remember how the combination of shock, grief, and hormonal changes left me feeling completely dazed and confused as I negotiated those first days. And Mother’s Day cards had me reeling.
After all, I no longer had a mother and all of a sudden I wasn’t going to be a mother either. It was a very surreal time.
Twenty-nine years later the grief and the wounds have healed. But there’s always a few moments in the lead-up to Mother’s Day when I have to pause and reflect and give thanks for my mother and for the experience of being Liam’s mother for even a short while.
Today Ramesha and I spent time together in Lugano Centro, mostly under i Portici — the arcaded walkways filled with an amazing variety of shops and restaurants.
Our favorite spot for cappuccino is Mauri Concept. They also have fun signs.
Speaking of signs, we got a kick out of the message on the edge of my caffè macchiatto (Ramesha’s cup was blank).
We spent the afternoon getting started on packing for our return home, then went out for dinner.
The pizza was delicious, but I was a bit surprised by the bathroom. I mean, I’ve never seen a see-through toilet seat cover before — covered with rose buds no less! 😂
It was just the two of us today, so we took a little excursion on our own to Vico Morcote and Morcote.
These villages are only about thirty minutes from Lugano, but it felt like we were a world away in a magically quiet and peaceful place.
I’ll get my photos organized to share soon. In the meantime, suffice it to say that we both were able to really and truly relax there.
I loved these wildflowers; so delicate and unique.