Catching up

Sitting here, early in the morning, drinking my coffee - alone - silence in the house. Cat fed, Sarah off for an exam at school and most sadly, Anna and Sam on their way to the airport. Looking out the window, it is cloudy and dark, rain likely to start any moment. Great time to blog.

Anna is off to Finland for a week's adventure with her dad. Sadly, ehem ehem, Sarah and I are unable to join them. Sarah's final exams don't finish until Friday. Today, there is the Quarta Prova, from what I understand - and that is a stretch - the exam is a new standardized test for all exiting middle schoolers. Not really a grade for Sarah, but for her teachers and school. Tomorrow, she has her oral exams. Yikes. She will be first to go before the commission. There is a tradition of picking a letter out of a hat and then going on alphabetical order over two days. Because Sarah also has her conservatory exams this week and they conflict with school... she gets to go FIRST. Woo Woo. Actually, Sarah is quite happy about it. As she says, she just wants to get it over with and move on. That is my girl. 

Thursday she has her Violin exam in the morning, and Solfeggio in the afternoon. Immediately after that exam we rush home for her middle school results and final report card. Friday piano. When that is over, Sarah can finally relax and enjoy her summer vacation.  That is if summer ever arrives. So far. It hasn't. See that photo? That is me a week ago hiking in Sestri Levante - in a thunderstorm and heavy rain. Crazy. We haven't had a single nice warm weekend in weeks. Saying that, there hasn't even been a day worthy enough or warm enough to justify laying on the beach reading a book. 

On the bright side, there is always one, since we have been living in tropical conditions - heavy rain and warm weather, the hiking trails and hills behind Chiavari are abloom in wild flowers like I have never seen in the 8 years I have been living here. 

Tomorrow, fingers crossed, the weather is suppose to break and the sun is to shine. I hope the weathermen are not lying, I really need to work on my tan before we leave for New York.....  

10 more days to departure. 

Ready Dad?