Starting to get excited!

Believe it or not, I've been having mixed feelings about the upcoming month in Italy. There's a certain feeling of being on the precipice when planning for a long trip: trepidation about leaving the comfort of home, worrying about the elder-cats (triplets, fifteen years old this month). I've had this uncertainty before, even when I was younger, and know that it goes away as soon as everything is finalized--arrangements, packing, and you're on the way to the airport. Sort of like the feeling of jumping out of a plane--you may as well enjoy the ride!

I got that feeling a bit at Dulles yesterday, en route to California for the ASTA conference. We were grabbing a bite (no food on airplanes unless you buy it) and a group of five or six people sat down, speaking in another language. I got that frisson of anticipation. This morning, at breakfast, there were three businessmen, scanning their Blackberries and speaking in French. Again, that feeling of excitement. Greg and I feel very comfortable in Europe, particularly in Italy, and I know it will be a great time.