These are stories that generally involve only Cheryl and/or Emerson and are most likely about day-to-day activities. They can be engaging the two of them in a whirlwind tour somewhere, or simply about conversation around the fire. Usually, they will have a more reflective side to them, or a particular lesson learned.

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We realize that our approach to writing is unorthodox, but that is exactly what we want. It provides a way for us to literally write as partners on “one story.” We enjoy a “volley” process of writing, whereby we edit each other’s work until there is nothing left to change. Both computers are set up so that each of us has an inspiring place to work. (more…)

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I awoke this morning to a hauntingly beautiful dawn with yellow and salmon colored clouds hanging like lace over the blue-green ridge line of the mountains—nothing unusual as that is often the case in this valley. But today, there was something else stirring besides the sun. (more…)

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Yesterday morning Cheryl received a sketchy  message about a developing family situation. A more detailed email arrived a few hours later, followed by an explicit phone call that afternoon. Today we must go to the airport to explore options and make arrangements—one foot out the door, while the other foot remains grounded in this writing project, resisting as it is slowly dragged along. Previous commitments must wait. The jumble of possibilities are rationalized and thought-through. The initial gut reaction wins out and the decision is made—she must go! (more…)

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Late the other night, we were sitting in the darkened living room talking and looking out at the dim glow of moonlight washing over everything, when suddenly we noticed a strange form standing only a couple of feet away from the door. I slowly got up and walked over for a closer look but was barely able to make out the form. I got the flashlight and we both quietly crept back toward the door. (more…)

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Yesterday afternoon was beautiful and sunny so we decided to work in the yard. The stone area around the fire pit was almost totally covered over by grass, so we began the difficult process of prying the overgrown grass up so we could see where the edges of the stone were, and then using pruning clippers to cut it back to the original shape. That sounds easy enough, but it depends on how many stones there are to trim. The answer to that one is: waaay too many. But we stayed with it until late afternoon when we were both sore and exhausted. (more…)

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It has been raining continuously for 6 weeks—well not really, it just seems like it. Every day for this past week we have had steady rain and a few booming thunderstorms, which is unusual for mid-May. However, the local wisdom (our friend, Giacomo) says that it can rain until the 20th of May, so it looks like he is right once again. It follows then, that the rains will come to a screeching halt this coming Friday. Right? (more…)

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The first few days have been filled with writing and processing what we have written. It is both emotional and uplifting. The stories so far have covered “Our Brush with the Law,” “Em’s Second Language,” the “Concert We Refused to Miss,” and our “Meeting with the Notaio (notary public/judge).”

We are surprised at how vividly the “happenings” over the past 10 years come back to us. With the help of journals and conversation we are finding the recreation on paper to be quite engaging and fun. As always, we find that it isn’t really about the creation of the book as much as it is a way for us to further process what really happened. (more…)

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Today we begin the process of writing, blogging and filming!

Here we go on this wild adventure of writing our book (working title: Under the Tuscan Thumb—10 years of trying to live in Italy as true Italians). As usual, one of us begins a story then the other rewrites it any way they think might improve it—no questions asked. Then back to the other for further revisions and so on, until we agree that there is nothing left to change. At that point it is finished. (more…)