I left Italy Thursday morning at 9:30. For the transatlantic leg of the journey, my flight connected in Zurich, where we were greeted with a beautiful blanket of snow. Seems Switzerland, as well as much of Europe, has been experiencing some pretty intense weather. I was glad that I’d worn my winter coat and felt prepared for the surprise winter wonderland.

12 hours later, the flight landed in San Francisco. Customs is usually a pretty lengthy process, but since the plane was only about 3/4 full, there was virtually no wait. So far, so good.

I took a shuttle from the airport. Only 4 passengers to deliver, lucky day! Maybe not really a day, since with the time zone differences, landing at 5:30 pm at SFO meant it was 2:30 am Friday in Italy! So I guess I’d have to say it was my lucky day and a half. Anyway, the shuttle was fine and I stumbled into the house by 8 pm.

The first order of business was fur therapy! Tuesday, Iris’s chocolate lab, greeted me at the front door with some very dramatic woofs. Then the two of us zipped upstairs to retrieve the doxies. Abby and Izzi-B heard the ruckus at the front door and were pressed against the door of their crate. I slid a finger under the latch and both of them popped through the door as though it was spring loaded. I scooped one up in each hand and kissed their warm muzzles. Abbyimmediately began “talking” to me in her excited voice. In English it translates to, “Oh, oh it’s you. Oh, oh I’m so glad to see you. Oh, oh can you tell I’m excited?” She chattered all the way from upstairs to the back yard, where she could hardly stay focused. After quickly answering Nature’s call, she dashed back to me and pawed my leg, asking to be picked up again. Izzi-B was happy to be carried back into the house and licked my face as I smooched her cheek. Tuesdaydecided to watch me—intently. She’s the funniest doggie. She makes and holds eye contact like no one else.

After dinner, the four of us sat on the sofa together for a while and then I decided to begin the task: in an 18 gallon bin in the dining room was mail that had been delivered—since July. I gathered up two stacks of about 75 pieces each and began sorting. After a few hours, I decided to head off to bed. I was pleased that I’d stayed awake until 11 pm.

But. At 4:30 my eyes sprang open. I looked around the dark room and gathered my wits about me. No! No! I didn’t want to be awake at 4:30. I squeezed my eyes closed and told myself to sleep. I glanced at the clock. 5 am. No! No! Sleep! After pretending that I might fall asleep, I finally conceded defeat. Sleeping was finished. I grabbed Abby and Izzi-B from their slumber and headed downstairs. It wasn’t quite daylight so I plucked the flashlight from the shelf and took them outside.

I can’t be sure, but it seemed that the mountain of mail had grown in the short night. Soon the coffee table was covered with stacks of bank statements, utility receipts, and more charity solicitations than I imagined existed. It was too early for much of anything else so I began sorting again. After a couple more hours, I realized that I was hungry and thought I’d just have a piece of toast or maybe a protein drink. No bread. No milk.

So I showered, with Abby and Izzi-B close by, as watch-dogs snuggled into their pillow on the floor. The only things the two of them were watching were the insides of their eyelids. They didn’t just arrive. They had no 12 hour flight. No. And yet they were sleeping.

I went to the grocery store and picked up a few things.  Then I came back to my sorting. I found 2 bills that had slipped through the cracks. A quick phone call resolved one. The second is in the process of resolution today—thanks to the mail.

By 7 pm I was pretty exhausted.” Good,” I thought. “I’ll really sleep well tonight.” Then the feeling passed and I sorted and filed until midnight. I fell into bed, happy to be so tired. Then my eyes sprang open at 5. No. No. No.

Now it’s noon on Saturday. I’m feeling very sleepy. Must sleep now. Must slzzzzzzzzzz.

Posted on December 5, 2010

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