Back to Real Life

Evidently, while I was on vacation - all the houses sold. Yup, it's true. No more homes. I guess I should just go back. Seriously though, there are only 558 active listings today on Shasta MLS. WTF??? stands for What The Fudgesicle?

I have a new listing coming soon, it's a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home in Shasta Forest Village in Shingletown. Cute as a button - I'll be getting pics and details to ya on Friday, this week.

So, a few of the things that I have noticed since I've been back: 1) Jet-lag is a very real phenomena. Man - that is NOT fun at all. 2) Americans (me) eat way too much processed and junk foods. 3) We all (me again) really need to stop rushing around! The day is so much more enjoyable when you actually notice it! and 4) I'm really happy to be home in Redding. Not that I can compare it at all with Rome - Rome is a huge city, full of History and people and art and churches. Redding is quiet and peaceful you can hear the sounds of the river and of the wind, the views of the snow capped mountains.  Nature shows off here. I love my home here. I missed my other kids. I know after 17 days, they REALLY missed me!

My blog of the Rome trip is going to appear on a separate page available by a link on the top of this blog. There was just too much to say and too much to write about to split it into this little blog. So look for it coming soon and when you have nothing to do for a while you can read all about it.

Some Homeowner advice: Spring is almost here! If you were thinking about listing your home this year do it now! I would love to help you do it! One, two hour, open house this weekend yeilded 17 buyers and resulted in a sale!
Buyers advice: Don't give up! Your house is out there! - Call me and together we will find it.

This is just too good not to share:

The destination.

She has a driver named eddy. Eddy is an Armenian transplant, been in Rome for years. Really sweet guy who drives like a maniac! He has mastered the streets of Rome and can cut off a bus like a pro. I never felt in any danger because he was just so assured and confident. Talking and pointing out the sights while me and my daughter caught up a bit. He drives like a Dragon fly flies. Zip, zip zoom.

We drop off my daughter at her work, and Eddy gets me to her apartment, it's a nice building.
The elevator barely holds Eddy, Me and my luggage- Eddy says everything in Rome is little. Honestly, the showers in Rv's are bigger than that elevator! The lock is being difficult and after much struggling the doorman is summonsed to open it- takes him less than half a second. Eddy leaves after seeing my luggage and me safely in

I unpack a bit and wait for my daughter and The Italiano to get home. I'm so incredibly happy to be here. I have a smile on that just wont stop. Even here, in their little apartment I'm just so happy. Finally, actually not very long, The Italiano and my daughter get home. He starts cooking dinner- she can't really cook- life in Italy I find out revolves around food. Not food like we have in America where my idea of an appetizer is potato chips, real food- he slices bread- I ask for butter- Big mistake- he says no, and gives me instead some olive oil for dipping, cheese and a glass of wine- I can get used to this for real! Who needs butter? Not me!
Dinner is pasta with clams and a chili tomato sauce. Wow! Clams are one of my favorites. Then there is more pasta with pesto and clams. - for dessert there is a chocolate volcano that is delicious and gelato.

After 23 hours awake, all this food is really welcome. More wine, more wine, lots of laughter and I'm out!

I'm sleeping with my daughter- we fell asleep around 1am, remember- I'm in a different time zone and I've been up for 23 hours now. She wakes up at like 4am- I can hear her. I feign sleep but like the little girl she was on Christmas mornings, she knows I'm awake- "momma" she whispers, "I can't sleep, I'm too excited!"
"Me too" I say
"Let's go for a walk"
I'm thinking- this girl is crazy but okay, I'm here, I'm awake, why not?
I pull on my sweatshirt as she tells The Italiano we are going out- he says something- but I'm not sure what it was- he's sleeping on the couch (poor guy).
I put on my slippers because I think we are just going for a walk around the block. Wrong. It's now around 4:45am, maybe 5 latest- I'm not sure but it is dark. She heads across the street- there's a McDonald's there- nope, they don't open until 11am she says. We are standing on the sidewalk when a bus pulls up. She grabs me to get on the bus! Please note here, I have my pajama shirt and pants on under my sweatshirt, and my slippers!
" Hey", I say, "where are we going?"
"You'll see"
"I have my pjs on!"
"It's okay, no one will know"
Jeesh. Like a kid on Christmas really! We get off the bus after 10 stops or so and turn down this alley- it's dark and its early and there is no one in sight. I'm a little freaked out but she isn't. Who is this brave, or crazy, girl?
We turn another corner and see a sign that says "Bar". There are a few guys standing around outside of it. We go in. Alrighty, evidently bar in Italy is not bar in America, it's a coffee bar. I order a cappuccino, I get the smallest cup of cappuccino I have ever seen! It's so tiny, like my moms miniature tea set. Cute.

Rome in the early hours is so peaceful. We pass pilgrims, or homeless, sleeping in an alcove. Just walking around its so quiet, no cars, no scooters, no crowds. Just Rome, My daughter and me, what a fantastic way to greet the day.

Day One and Two- The Journey

I decided right away that I was not going to miss one moment looking towards the next one. The journey is just as exciting as the destination.

I'm on the plane that's taking me to LAX, I have the whole row to myself!
Airplanes always make that loud revving the engine sound before take off and it makes you think maybe that's they're way of testing the brakes- it gets my blood racing. They make me turn off my tablet. See you in LA!

I'm feeling absolutely so grateful for this trip- we are starting our decent now - I was going to say I can't wait to get there but getting there and being here now. That's awesome- just loving the moment, the anticipation and the thrill of it.
Amazing view out my window- good morning California.
Final approach now. Everything off :(



After 5 hours in LAX- something I do not recommend to anyone- they (Air France) made me leave one of my bags or wanted me to pay $100 to take it- no way am I wasting that much so they can bring an extra bag that weighs 10 lbs! Fortunately, my best friend who lives in LA, was planning on meeting me and I gave him the bag after transferring the 10 lbs to my carry-on. We have great lunch that he brought me and we catch up on old times. We have been best friends since high school and although we don't see each other often, he's like a brother to me. I give him the bag with pink flowers and green sea turtles and although we make a joke about how he's going to look on the train ride back to work in downtown LA, he takes the bag without a fuss at all.

I am finally boarding my Paris leg. This plane is huge!!!!! 516 passengers and everyone squished together on seats you can only find in the air.- I know the drill- gas is expensive- more people=same gas consumption blah blah blah. Ok that's absolutely all the complaining I will do.- there is this wired thingy on the seat back in front of me which looks like a phone but has no numbers- I'm hoping someone knows what it is.
I was thinking the problem with leaving the US, is how we expect everyone to speak English. My seat mate is Russian, she doesn't speak English or she doesn't know how, the guy on the end of our row is French(?). I met a very nice woman in the waiting area who spoke only Italian. We had a very nice conversation, I made it up in my head. I have no idea what she really said, but! Big But, she did come and find me to tell me that it was time to board. So gratzi to her!
I think it's kinda funny that right before I left his sight, my husband said- don't talk to strangers!
How can I do that? Me?

Ok Air France people think we all speak French first. Then English but it still kinda sounds French to me.

Oh- the thingy in front of me are speakers! To plug headphones in!
Guess nothing is on right now. Bummer. Later.

Oh yea- so ken says not to talk to strangers and I talked to a guy on the first leg from Sacramento who told me where the terminal was ( I didn't listen, still got lost) - then I talked to this very nice lady from Cameroon, then the Italian lady and finally a couple of people in the boarding line- oh yea and two really cute and friendly little girls heading to Dubai.
Ok- according to the captain we should be pushing off by now....or now.... We leave Paris an hour and a half later than we should have. (there's snow here)


The plane flew over the alps. Wow. I'm used to the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The alps look completely different. The Sierra Nevada range is one long continuous range- the alps are all pushed together- looks like the are angry- sharp peaks. In a way it's like someone crunched a piece of paper into a ball and buried half, leaving the other half showing in a weird and amazing topography. I keep using amazing but it is. One thing I notice first in my first glimpse of Rome from up above is that the city looks so green! I was expecting something more urban. All I can see are green stretches and a buildings and more green. Why, did no one tell me it was green? It is beautiful, trees, parks, I thought I caught a glimpse of the colosseum and it was surrounded by green.
gorgeous city from the air.

I arrive in Rome finally, still not listening to Kens advice about talking, I had a vey nice conversation on the plane with a gentleman from Napoli. He has two teenage boys. Evidently there are daredevils in Napoli too. We call it Naples. Anyways, I get my bag and head out to leave the airport. I walked though those doors and literally into the arms of my daughter! She had told me she was sending a car but there she was. That was better than the Alps.
She is so happy, I am so happy. I admit, I cried a bit. Happy tears.