London Calling

As well as Scotland and Tuscany…

I’m going to be away from this blog for a while, as I’m leaving on an exciting family/research trip to Britain and Italy. I’m not planning on reading any novels during the trip, but I am packing my journal in order to take notes and to channel my muse (I heard she’s hanging out in Britain—gotta find her).

And to propel me into the writing mode, I've filled my iPod with instrumental music that reminds me of England and Scotland, such as the soundtracks from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, MASTER AND COMMANDER, THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, and, of course, music filled with bagpipes and fiddles. OK, confession time: I LOVE listening to bagpipes. Tears well in my eyes at the first few notes, especially if the piper is playing “Amazing Grace.” Sigh. I could literally listen to bagpipe music All. Day. Long.

However, that hasn’t been my packing music. Nope, I’ve reserved The Proclaimers and the Bay City Rollers for that, but now I can’t get “S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!” out of my head. :-)

Oh, and I’m totally looking forward to trying Turkish delight. Finally. Ever since I was about ten years old, I’ve wanted to taste the sweet that tempted Edmund in THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE to betray his brother and sisters to the White Witch. And it can be found in London. Woo-hoo! Yeah, it really doesn’t take much to make me happy. (I know. I could’ve ordered it over the Internet, but it’s just not the same.)

We’re also spending a week in Tuscany, which will be such a completely different experience from Britain. We’re staying just outside Florence in the Chianti region and I’m sure we’ll take about a thousand pictures of the hills, Florence, San Gimignano, Rome, and Pisa. Can’t wait to see the Leaning Tower (I’m such a tourist)!

Talk to y’all when I return…

Michele