Kittens, Sailing, and Fashion

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Hello everybody!

I'm currently enjoying a MUCH needed morning to sleep in and rest. We have been going non-stop since the kids got here on Saturday, and I am exhausted. It has been so hot, and despite my attention to sunscreen, I am burned already with three weeks left to go.

Three nights ago I was walking home from a restaurant where I was having a drink, and I saw something crawling on the road. I got closer to find it was a tiny KITTEN! Then, as I crouched toward it, I realized there was a second one about ten feet away. I think they were in the street because the pavement was warm. Anyways, I had an ethical dilemma. There were no obvious yards or houses that they had come from, and I didn't know what to do with them as I was not about to leave them on the street. The streets in Lugano are all dark, small, curvy roads with a lot of blind spots and I knew at least one of them would have been crushed if I had left them there. I also didn't know if it was just a cultural difference, that a european felt more comfortable having their brand new kittens outside at night, and it would be wrong of me to take them. As I was thinking about it, a counselor from the elementary school walked down the street and picked up the second one. Their little heartbeats were going a thousand miles a minute, but pretty soon they were purring and happy. When I tried to put mine down (Amelia), she started mewing and clawing to get back in my arms, it was SO CUTE. We ended up leaving them in the apartment of one of Mike's friends nearby. They said they would take care of them until they found out who they belonged too.

So, I'm terrible at sailing! I fell out of the boat yesterday while I was trying to get out. It was really embarrassing. The kids pick this stuff up fast, but I'm slower. Especially when you have to change directions. You have to push the rudder, avoid being hit with the boom, swing your body to the other side, pull the sail, and avoid tipping over. The first time I tried it I got caught up in the ropes and the instructor said I would have drowned if I had tipped over! That is a very european way of teaching. Go try it by yourself, and before you do anything TOO stupid, we will stop you. Good work.

Last night we had the fashion show where the kids dress up the counselors in crazy and goofy outfits and we have to catwalk down the runway. I was the obvious winner, but it was rigged, and once again I lost. I think I deserve extra points for INVENTING the counselor fashion show. Anyways, I hope to get some pictures from last night, because there were a bunch being taken.

I found out yesterday that my extended chaperoning trip will be to Verona. I'm SUPER excited because that is where Romeo and Juliet is set AND we get to see Carmen in a very old outdoor amphitheater. SO COOL! I will be doing that on July 10th and 11th.

I think I'm going to take a nap! It's amazing how tired I am after this week. A lot of my fatigue just comes from being in the sun ALL the time. I know it sounds crazy, but I would prefer some Seattle greyness.

Love to all!

Andrea

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