passing time

I woke up today to the realisation that in less than two months we will be in Italy, on our holiday to soak in the art and culture of a country which has filled my dreams ever since my brother went there when I was about 12.

(It is worth noting, though, that many countries fill my dreams... Russia, Morocco, Alaska (yes, I know, not a country), Patagonia ...)

And now I am in that strange limbo of not quite looking forward to the trip yet, because all the things that are still to be done before we go are filling my mind.

Life would be so much easier if it didn't involve working for a living.

This rather spendid figure is part of a monument in Torino that I saw when I was there with the World Federation of Science Journalists earlier this year.

Most of our time was spent working and getting to know what we had agreed to do for the next two years, so there was only one evening set aside for a bit of sightseeing.

There was time for a group picture, though getting us together was a bit like herding butterflies.
I'm fully expecting to see many more moody vistas like this one when we go, and I admit to feeling some trepidation about what I am going to wear, seeing as South African winter clothes aren't exactly warm and most of mine don't fit me any more anyway seeing as I am 15kg lighter than I was at the beginning of last winter.

And, of course, our shops are in full summer swing... not a warm thing to be found!

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