The Countdown

11 days until we arrive, 9 days until I don’t have to come into work, 5.5 actual work days and 10 MORE SLEEPS!  Mind you really - I’m too excited to sleep!  You would think I would be resting peacefully every night - no more stress at work, and we have everything ready to go (and by everything please refer to the checklist in my earlier post), but no I toss and turn until the blare of my alarm disrupts my rolling back and forth hoping the rocking will help me sleep if even just for a moment. 

I was hoping to have a “spring clean” done on the entire house before we left, but as each day passes I come closer and closer to realizing this is NOT going to happen.  On the bright side we donated 7 garbage bags full of clothes and shoes from the rooms that I did get to cleaning.  Plus we will get to arrive home to a nicely cleaned house even if there are some rooms that the baseboards weren’t washed, and furniture wasn’t moved to vacuum under – I will survive.  What I have come to learn is that most people don’t spring clean their houses anyway, so I’m already ahead of the game!  Phewff!

 

I will be getting my international drivers license today.  While not necessary, it was recommended that it is easier to provide an international license if you do end up in a situation where Italian speaking police are involved.  I figured – what’s the harm?  As my only experience with driving a standard was driving my dad’s car through the side of the garage when I was 13, I figured it might be a good idea to have this.  If I only go based on past experiences, my chances of being a successful standard driver don’t look so good.  At least if I drive through the side of a restaurant, or into the cellar of some winery, I will be able to provide proper documentation that will inform everyone that I was cleared to drive not only my own country, but this one as well.  I can’t really imagine I will be doing much driving anyways.  By the sounds of it I will be far more focused on hanging on for dear life as we fly through the streets that should have no more then two pedal bikes passing each other, but somehow they have made it work for 3 lanes of traffic and a walkway for pedestrians as well.  No thanks – I think I’ll just sleep off the previous night’s hangover until Juanita announces we are “arriving at destination.”