Thoughts in the middle of the night.

It's one of those nights where I can't sleep. It's very late, I have an early start and my mind is buzzing for whatever reason.

Remedies I have tried:

-going for a run at 4am: definetely a moment of sleep deprived insanity but fun all the same - ran a mile at least!

-counting sheep

-having a nice warm shower 

-drinking milk 

But none seem to work, any fellow insomniacs - feel free to share tips in the comments! 

I have taken to reminiscing about how much has changed in the last year of my life, and how long it has been now since I moved back from Italy - nearly a year! It's crazy how this life I used to live over there is now just memories and snapshots and faces and journal entries full of excitement of all these new experiences. 

I miss that life, the way we used to cycle everywhere and buy the special bread each morning, the funny games the kids and I would play in the park, the little mannerisms and traditions I had with the people I would meet on the street - the nuns at the school, the woman in the bakery, the mums in the school playground, the man in the bookshop, the way I used to wear flowers in my hair everyday, the friends I made who all came from different nations, the little parks on street corners, all these little details that I desperately try to hold on to wishing to go back in time and relive them.

I think I will always love the little Italian city I once called home.

Sorry for a rambly weird old post - that's just how it is though!

Nostalgia.

Lately, I've been thinking about my time living in a little Italian city, if you're new here, I spent 9 months (or so), working as an au pair in a small city in Northern Italy as part of my gap year.

Sometimes, on rainy days when there appears to be nothing to do and no one is up before 1, I find myself looking back at old photos and wishing I was back there. I thought I'd share a few with a bit of nostalgic rambling to go with it as well as some anecdotes of things that only happen in Italy/Cremona. Hope you don't mind! 

Something that always used to confuse me was the signs telling you that you were no longer in a place. 

So, I know I'm not in Cremona, but where am I? Logical, right?

Horses in the park, one Sunday morning, the type of random activity that is unique to Cremona, along with 

the promise of Water Polo flash mobs and pop-up Lego exhibitions.  

One of the highlights of my stay was meeting a life-long friend in a bookshop who I miss so much but

until we can afford to see each other again, we will have to stick to skyping and letters!

The spiral staircase in my host family's apartment, I loved it throughout the seasons, it was always so picturesque and pretty. 

I miss making elaborate meals with my two american friends, incorporating foods that we all missed - the evening pictured above was mac 'n' cheese, homemade chicken nuggets and roasted veg - so good!

Looking out over the city on my penultimate morning.

Oh how I miss the Italian Gelato - but it never made sense that we ate it when the temperature was -9 outside. 

My favourite tea shop, which was always our meeting place for catch ups and tea that I cannot find anywhere else - Blueberry Cherry.

Tisneria - our favourite bar where D + Me always got catcalled at for our funny accents. So happy that D lives in London now!  

Seeing the Torazzo (the tower in the city) poking out above the buildings and using it as a guide to find my way around the city. 

The sporadic antiques market which sold so many old cool cameras that I wish I had bought!

Finding contraptions such as a pringles vending machines and M trying to work them out. 

The funny little things my kids used to do like kissing windows on the way home from school cause he could see his own reflection in it. Think we might have a future heart-breaker on our hands now. 

River trips and having fun with C. I do miss those friends of mine! 

Ellie x

Paradise for the day.

Lake Como is honestly one of the most beautiful places I have been, we went for the day, waking up early, armed with pack lunches and cameras. I have visited once before in 2011, which was amazing and when we were thinking of places to go for the day, this was top of my list!

The best gelato you will ever taste can be found in Argegno, at Gelato il Zoe, we were very tempted to go back for seconds....

                                     

I love the winding alleys, mish-mash of colours and sizes and shapes of houses. I love the atmosphere, the way you can lay watching the gentle waves lap against the shore, looking up the mountains (which still had snow on them in April!) We felt like we had been on holiday for a week by the time we got back. 

Spring was starting to show, all the trees had pretty white blossom.

Sparkling blue waters, on the first sunny warm day of spring here, we dipped our toes and I found a rock a little way out to sit on, but it was far too cold for swimming. (As much as I had hoped!)

We kept creating life stories for the ducks, which amused us to no end. These two were our favourite (the married couple) 

these girls are awesome, one from america and one from ecuador, we had so many laughs, danced on the hills, and did a lot of walking.

we climbed a hill and were rewarded with this beautiful view of the Rapido ferry sailing off into the distance.

It was such a quick train ride in the end, will definitely be returning while I live so close!

I love my sister.

My sister is the best, sweetest, kindest, most hilarious, beautiful girl I know and oh how I love her so. I was so happy that we got to spend the last few days together, as she came to Italy for a visit! We spent the weekend in Bologna (along with Mama - who took all the photos above and was also a brilliant travel companion) chasing sunsets, sleeping in, eating our weight in delicious authentic Italian food, climbing mountains and towers, chatting into the early hours and  laughing a hell-of-a-lot. It was so much fun.

And then, Lula and I took the train through the beautiful snow covered Italian countryside to the little town which I am calling home for the year and she stayed for a few nights. It was so nice for her to make the effort to come and see where I am. She also has the amazing ability to make me feel excited about everything, as well as more creative, optimistic and all inspired. She also makes me giggle so much and I loved the hours we sat in my cosy little apartment tucked up under blankets with the fairy lights on, eating bread with olive oil and chatting about everything. I was so happy that she got to come and experience a little bit of life here, and meet my wonderful host family. The boys fell in love with her and whenever I pick up the little one from school, he now asks if she is waiting outside the door. It's the cutest. 

Thanks, Lulabelle for the fun visit, for enduring the cold bike ride to the river, for your wit and loveliness, for inspiring me to shoo away the January blues and make the most of my time here - people keep telling me it will be gone in a flash. 

I love you and can't wait until you come back/we have Florence adventures together! 

Also, I have never drunk so much tea in all my life than when you were staying with me.

Love Ellie xx

Making me smile this week....

This week, I have gone back to Italy after spending three weeks at home with family and friends for Christmas/New Year, it's a bit of a change, and I wasn't really looking forward to coming back (because home is where its at) so am making a conscious effort to note down the little things that are making me happy in order to appreciate things more.

the view at sunset from my host family's terrace.

1. Seeing the sunrise on the way to the airport in England.
2. Being greeted with grande abbraccio's (big hugs) and Peccatino's (little kisses)  from my two little Italian boys - excuse my Italian spelling. And also the happy greetings from my host parents.

the boys and I in the autumn.

3. Riding my bike again, gosh I do love my bike here! (and yes, there is a little seat for a 'bambino' on the back!)

my Italian bike. 

4.Making a friend in the English section of the Italian bookshop, we chatted about books and agreed to meet  up for chats and coffee in the near future - yay! Plus, she was an au pair in Ireland a few years ago so speaks perfect english and knows how it feels to be an au pair and was just genuinely lovely.
5. The fact that my camera does Bokeh (blurry light effects) - so exciting + trying it out all the time.

6. Editing the wedding video I filmed a few weeks back, I'm so excited to share it with the happy couple and hear what they think.

a still from the wedding video.

7. Wearing flowers in my hair every day, I love it, it always makes me feel cheerier. Except when my dad commented: 'I think you have a leaf stuck in your hair." - oh Papi

flowers in the hair. 

8. The market, happens twice a week in this city and is so easy and close and they have fresh delicious fruit + bright flowers and sell everything imaginable that you might need.

The bi-weekly flower market in the main square (maybe I can find some for my hair here?)

9. The prospect of one of my best (+craziest) friends coming to visit and/or coming to Italy for adventure travels together! Yayayayayayay!
10. Listening to a lot of Lucy Rose, her voice is so gorgeous, go check out her music, pronto! I suggest: 'bikes', 'Middle of the bed' and 'Shiver' - they are my personal favourites.

I just need to remind myself that I am very lucky to be living in an Italian city and travelling around such a beautiful country + staying with a lovely host family. Being away from home is difficult, but it isn't forever and I need to enjoy myself and go on adventures and learn Italian all while looking after the sweetest of boys. I've got it pretty good, I do believe.

what made you happy this week?

Ellie xx