Swiss cheese itinerary? Opportunities for sporadic adventures? Both? In any case,it felt good to deliberately leave open a sprinkling of dates throughout:It had been a year since my  trip to Puglia, and I could barely contain my eagerness. A couple of weeks before my August trip to Italy, I was already projecting my return to Dallas, my unlikely home for almost half my life. I’d be in Italy three weeks this trip. How long would it be before the trip after this one?

My gaze fell upon a reminder on my desk that I’d scrawled to myself: Autumn Artist Residency Application August 1 Deadline. Previously, the idea of applying for an artist residency had seemed far off. Nice to do, but with my book in publishing limbo, it felt like I had too much on my plate. After all, I knew this studio and even brought a friend with me two years ago. We played with glazes on bisque ware. Haven’t I made new friends there? The location, hidden deep in Rome’s labyrinth, is perfect. The space has a high, white vaulted ceiling. Sunlight streams through tall windows. The owners both kind, ­­helpful and keen. All of it utterly delightful, brimming with the pleasure of spontaneous creativity, relaxation and fun!

All at once, the application process drew out my competitive side. Intense focus and a deadline a few days away motivated me. Writing brings clarity to my current thoughts. Selecting a handful of images from my portfolio accomplishes a similar end. Where I am Now and What I Want to Explore… It would be a lark if I got accepted! Done and sent, I forgot about it, mostly. I went about putting my home in order, eating down the refrigerator, packing, unpacking, repacking.

I took a direct flight to Rome. Surprisingly, it was not packed. The gods smiled on me as I “Z”-ed across three seats and snoozed. The next morning, my feet stepped into Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. I looked around for my prepaid, reserved ride in to my hotel. Multiple phone calls proved futile. Precious time ticking on, I took a taxi in. It was a beautiful, if hot, summer day. August in Rome proves the sanity of riposo: – the daily afternoon rest period..After all, August is The. Favorite. Month. for Italians to vacation. Andiamo!/Let’s Go! Cooler climes await in the mountains, or along the sea. .Settled in to my room, I set out to explore. It wasn’t until later in the day, using a WiFi codice/code, that I decided to check my email.

Boom! There it was: “You’ve been accepted…” it read. My heart jumped for joy. I could hardly believe it. Then again, I thought, “Perche no?/Why not?” How quickly had I accomplished this dream? How will I stay in touch with my dear kitties, Chiara/Clear and Scura/Dark? I will send them sweet thoughts and hugs through the ether, of course, in prayer. Instantly, I came back to the present. Che ore sono?/What time is it? 7:30. Evening had sashayed in while night peeked over on the horizon, only a few twinkles away. Time to go out into the cooling air of una bella serata/a beautiful evening – at home, in Rome! In the meantime, I’m dreaming up ideas to create, such as ceramic candlelight lanterns, translating some of my paper sculptures into larger scale, centerpiece forms. What would you like me to create? Please comment – I’d love to hear your suggestions!