T minus 2 and counting

Doesn't seem possible that we only have two days to pull this all together. Laundry to do, stuff to gather up and a grant to finish writing (I have completed THREE end of the year grant reports - early mind you!). The store is all populated with wonderful ladies who take care of things while we are away: Debbie, Ruth, Donna, Ann, Sally, & Barbara (what we do without these friends???).
The next step and the hardest of leaving town is taking our baby to her temporary digs near Cambridge. Our dear friends Virginia and Walt are having Tumpany for two weeks where she will be loved and fused over and put her dads' troubled minds at ease.

The last reservation is in place and the GPS we rented (in Italian!) was delivered here yesterday. Ain't technology grand (I still consult maps!)? I have been reviewing my Italian for a couple of months and its amazing how much of it comes back; even at my advanced age. Both places we are staying are off the beaten track and not EVERYONE speaks English as the pundits claim. BTW (yeah technology!) I have my blackberry and computer with me so emails and phone calls are easy.

Tuesday we leave from Salisbury "International" Airport, change planes in Charlotte and fly directly to Rome. We pick up our car and drive a short 75 klicks to Lake Bracciano - just down the road from the castle where Katie and Tom (Cruise of course) were married a couple of years ago. Then on Saturday, back to Rome to pick up Beth and Rob and head south for the Amalfi Coast. We've got cooking lessons and a boat charter all planned, as well as trips to Pompei, Positano and maybe Sorrento. We'll see how the 2nd week flies by! The weather forecast looks heavenly 72-78 and the most threatening is a couple of partly cloudy days.