As I listen to the thunder…and the pounding rain…

April 10th 2023, Messina/Mili San Marco, Sicily

I have writting so many invisible pages in this journal…lots of lost words, scattered around southern Italy.  

Not daily, but frequent meditation has ended and a little stress relieve yoga session blessed the beginning of this day today.

Here I am dry and taken care off in a whirlwind life of cycling adventure, relationship challenges, still surrounded by lightning, rain, sunshine and more surprises. New people blessing this journey, some stay a little longer, some sway in the wind on the side of the path and some just stay..visible or not.

I feel this heart of mine pounding…not sure if I am just stressed or excited…don’t know the difference at the moment.

The path ahead has become shaky…twisted…..insecure…

a dark hole in the ground sounds about right, back to the womb.

Trying to think hard of how thankful I could be right now. The war is close, but not here; Sick of the weather, but healthy; the sun is here, just not visible/feel-able.

Very touchy ….pushed over by a feather…..

The black sky has a hold on us!

Tomorrow is another day. 

April 25th.

….and ….a few days later - still in Italy on “liberation day”

Little did we know and how liberating to know the importance of this day:

Liberation Day (Italy) - Wikipedia

It “Bella Ciao” During WWII, “Bella Ciao” was the anthem of the Italian resistance movement.

1. Many children - Under the rule of Mussolini, Italian families were encouraged to have more children using substantial tax breaks as the key.
2. Pizza - The world -famous pizza hails from the city of Naples, Italy
3. Many governments - Italy has had over 60 governments.
4. Cats have rights - A person convicted of killing a cat, be it stray or owned, could face a fine of €10,000 and up to three years of prison
5. There is ALWAYS a sink with the toilette.

On another note:

Gurly (my bicycle) complaining….parts need to be replaced and the almost new tires (changed them back in Berlin) - usually the old “Schwalbe marathon” last many more miles) are showing undeniable signs of “Verschleiß” …in a way I can relate a little.

Both James and my panniers are tired - very tired…one zipper goes…and then another…the heavy material is worn thin and cracking open in places  -like old skin…the metal hooks are bending and the metal to metal protection has worn off and making squeaky noises with every move….like us!

So we keep squeaking down the road (or rather up north to Fano) and smile at the sunshine like a silly couple, killing the speeding and honking Italian with kindness or gesturing like we don’t understand what they are “talking” about…

https://youtu.be/s5RQP3wBIyg

Got to get those gestures straight before you open your mouth and put your foot in it!

And another day….we are writing the 29th of April.

Marge had lost her head almost a week ago and we rode together a bit headless and not “quite there”. Super glue and some manipulation - like shortening her neck- I got her head back on. What is Marge without her tower of blue hair?

It could turn into an identity crisis…

Now she looks on again- the direction is a -head and I am the one who feels a little more whole. Probably short lived, --but I take it!

Let the sun shine in!