Today is the day. This is my last morning in Assisi, at least for the time-being. My last cappuccino at the Cafe Duomo. My final moments of sharing stories, seeing the familiar faces of the locals, hearing their voices. Watching them as they enjoy their morning traditions. I will miss them and the beautiful Isabella in ways that words cannot express but I will hold them in my memory and I will feel that I have been blessed by their presence in my life if only for the few short weeks that they have been.
This is the end of November. I have witnessed Assisi preparing for the Christmas holiday and regret deeply that I will not be here to see in person, all of the lights that have been strung on the streets, in their full and luminous glory.
In five weeks, I have amassed a life-time of stories and observations, not only about life in a small, ancient hill town, but life in general. I have had time to reflect, to self-examine and to plan for the future. And, no, we will not be giving up our home and relocating to Italy! No. Returning as many times as we can, yes.
I will miss the individual moments, the words and acts of kindness.
Just this morning, shortly after the cafe opened, before the regulars arrived, Isabella threw on her coat and the two of us took a short walk across the piazza just to share an observation she had made. A set of crossed irons on a building that were different from the sets above and below it. Random. So simple and yet, so meaningful. We came back in, her beautiful family showed up, she played Leonard Cohen for me and gifted me with a bottle of olive oil that was from her own trees. Am I going to miss this, you bet I am. How lucky have I been? Really. Italian lessons, life lessons, and....olive oil. Does-not-get-better. Hallelujah.
Oh, then, there was the "raccolta" yesterday. My beautiful friend, Letizia Mattiachi, author of my favorite cookbook, "A Kitchen With A View", came by to meet my American friends and we sat and laughed over coffee just as we would have at home. Silva came down from her gorgeous B&B, Le
Genistre with her husband, Eddie, and together, we celebrated the comfort and joy of friendship.
One last trek to the supermarcato yesterday for some of the things that I know I cannot get at Stop and Shop, and a text from my gorgeous friend Giselle, owner of Gusto! . Let's do aperitivo! Sure, meet me at the Porta Nuova (she was driving back to Fabbri from a birthday lunch in Perugia and came all the way to be with me!). One last Aperol Spritz. And, we closed the place.
A final dinner in Assisi with my three friends from home...a charming ristorante under one of the archways that are so characteristic of the town. We laughed and drank lots of wine. Who knew that a "large" was a liter???? And then, as we walked home in the bitter cold, we were like a bunch of kids on school vacation. Did you see me dancing for the Assisi webcam? I did. Or, maybe you caught me ringing the doorbell of Alberto Scaccabrozzi, a sweet and very kind artist (you will see his work in my living room soon), yelling into the intercom......"Scaccabrozzi! It is your American friends. We are leaving tomorrow. Arriverderci! etcetera, etcetera (lots of wine)"....and as we got back on our way, out he came. Arms open. Smile. Hugs. Hey, he's an artist. He understands. What a send-off!!
I'm ready to complete my year of great living. I have had one amazing life since turning 70 and I have not one complaint or regret. I hope that my friends who have been able to join me here in Italy
will forgive my grouchy moments and understand that in five weeks, I have had six guests in and out of the "Guardino Condo" on the Porta Perlici. My only hope it that each and every one of them had the time of their lives. That each one lived every moment in peace and the realization that life is sweet and that kindness here, there and everywhere, is a precious commodity and that maybe they will bring a piece of Italian lifestyle home with them and look back upon these days as special and sweet as have I.
As Letizia said.... I will be back because "Lynn, you are addicted to Umbria"
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