New Year's in Assisi

After Christmas I don't usually forget about New Years but this time I did. I guess it was partly because things were quite a bit different from our usual New Years with the Danzigs and Thomas Doyle's ( I look forward to that every year). We are not at home with friends which is different and sad. A part of me said that a change in tradition helps you come to realize how much we can grow to appreciate our lives as they are ( I know, very sensible ) however, the other part of me was complaining and whining and sulking and acting like an annoyed teenager. That is until New Years actually started here in Assisi.

Now, from what I've experienced New Years in Chicago is very loud and fun during the count down but mostly everyone is having a blast on their own in their houses with friends. Assisi is not Chicago, from the start of the day while we were out shopping for our New Years dinner we noticed that in the square by our house a stage was being set up which meant live music! We got home and began the long and treacherous journey through the Tasty video recipes (we didn't quite follow every direction) it was fun and exciting.

We ended up with a VERY filling and festive dinner. Afterwards we talked about "old man 2017" and "baby 2018!" writing resolutions and so on. Then it was time to see what was going on outside, just to be clear it was about 10:00pm at this point, and when we saw that the party had not even started yet my dad was hit with the New Years wisdom that had been swimming around in the bright Italian air and said "well, if it hasn't started yet we're going to be up pretty late" then my mom and I were hit with said wisdom and we decided to go back inside and eat cannolies waiting for 12:00am and the party to start!

Now, before all this we went to see the Saint Francis Basilica complete with his bones and everything ( yay ). It was beautiful and BIG and there was a life sized manger outside.

The view was truly amazing with shafts of light streaming through parts of the billowing clouds that were coving the endless sea of hills and towns and life. The sun lit up small lakes making it seem like there were small diamonds dotting the wide terrain.

Now, I have to go 'cause they started playing the Pink Panther theme song outside and I must dance!

My strong love and New Years Wisdom to you all

Willa Marie