Thinking of Roma

I spent the evening going over old messages from Slowtravel folks about what not to miss in Roma.
It's been fun taking notes and looking up addresses.  I am very grateful to all those "strangers" for helping me out.

I organized my stuff tonight. It amazing how quickly you take over and invade a space.
It was weird, for the first time I am thinking about life OUTSIDE Umbertide. I also see how lucky I have been to be able to really let go of everything while here for 2 weeks.

There were folks outside all evening taking down the stuff from the festival. The nice girl (she told me she is 29, I guess I should say  woman'!) gave me a half gallon of leftover red wine.  I accepted it graciously. I will leave it here for the next guests. I asked her if I could take a photo of her and her boyfriend (and some other man helping them) She was happy, so I did.  Then her boyfriend took one with me in it.

I gave them my email address and told them to let me know if they ever come the the U.S.  We talked for about 10 minutes, it was really nice. She kissed me on each cheek and hugged me. THERE is that Italian love everyone was telling me about! She was so sweet and genuine.

So I went though piles of receipts, pamphlets, crappola and such.  I also tried the washing machine for the first time. All is well.

I have packed one small suitcase with stuff I won't need this week.  I don't feel as though I am leaving Umbertide, but it feels good to have things in order so I can really ENJOY this week.

Tomorrow I am off to Perugia AGAIN.  I want to go to my peaceful place, Sant'Angelo on the hill.
I also want to get lost and see what I find.

It is a great day trip over there.

I feel so fortunate. I look around this house and it is as though it were a sacred place.  It is quiet, which is extra lovely after the last few days.

There was a planet in the sky last night, near the round church.  I need to look up which one, maybe Venus?  I know tomorrow evening Mar and Venus can be seen near the sliver of a moon.

I danced for the first time today.  (I LOVE LOVE LOVE to dance) A song came on and I started dancing in the kitchen. It felt good.  Here's the magical bit, I did a new move.  Yup, my left arm behind my hip and a boom boom boom gyration of the left hip.  My hips felt fluid.  My arms went over my head and yee ha baby, "I got rhythm...".

It is something that is very me, dancing.  I loved it when I was young. It was the disco days still in the early 80's in NY.  About 2 years ago, I bought myself from cd's because I realized I never danced anymore. Something else I dropped along the way in life...ME.

I dance more often now. I know a nice group of middle aged, Dartmouth dudes, who play in a band. I go see whenever they are playing.  I am the token dancer.  I have stood and danced all by myself sometimes.  (Of course I move into a corner, but I dance!)

When I dance, it is like when I teach/lecture, I lose myself.  I go somewhere else.  Losing myself, I find myself.  It is filled with energy and I am becoming more and more...less concerned with suggestive moves, let's just say that.  ha ha!

But it's real, my body wants to move that way.  I get lost in the music and my body comes to life.

I didn't realize how still I've been until movement took over today. And hey, it was a good tune. :)

I'm heading upstairs to bed, Belli and me.  Grabbing the 8am train tomorrow.

Ciao