I've been back from Italy for only a week but it feels like so much longer. Funny how the daily routine pulls you back to reality so quickly.

I've only been across the channel once before, a few years ago, to Barcelona. That was an amazing trip and I thought that Barcelona would be an unbeatable destination. How wrong I was. Italy has to be the most amazing place that I've ever been to. It certainly beats Britain hands down. There wasn't one thing that I can say was a disappointment. The scenery, the company, the locals (that's the Italians, not the pubs), the architecture , the art. Even the food was really good. And those who know me, know that I have food issues. So this was a feat in itself.

I didn't manage to do much sketching, only one in fact, which I've posted on Skineart. There just wasn't the time. And I'm a lazy sod which might account for it. There are photos on Flickr for those interested. Oh, and we stayed here. How awesome is that?

So back to work. Got one more print design to produce. Hopefully this will be ready for this Thursdays visit to the studio. It'll be Poseidon, which will be the fourth in the series of prints that include Ares, Hades and Medusa.

If I can get my act together that is.

This time Saturday night we will be in Italy. I'm excited for the trip and for the reason why we are going (see march fifteenth entry) but the flight, specifically the take-off, has me thinking that if God had meant us to fly he'd have given us capes (that's a Superman reference by the way). Once I'm up there I'm O.K. It's that initial rush as the 'plane thunders down the runway trying desperately to get off the ground before the ground runs out.

I'm sure I'll be fine...no, really.

The countdown to Tuscany has begun.

Four weeks from today I will be here. And here is Garfagnara, Tuscany, Italy. How great is that. I'm expecting lush, verdant landscapes and azure blue sky's and from the looks of thing that's exactly what I'll get.

The trip is actually a joint 40Th birthday celebration for our Friends Paul and Varinia. No, she isn't Italian but she does share her name with Spartacus's wife. Cool, eh? There's fourteen of us going, all told so the trip should be a blast. I'm hoping to find a few quiet moments to do a little sketching. We are staying in an old monastery (is there any other kind) so the architecture should be a combination of rustic functionality and religious grandeur. As a rule I'm not one for sketching landscapes etc. but this is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Can't wait.