A perfect lazy day…just what we needed

November 16, 2006

We woke up this morning to a knock on our door at just after 10AM (we were still sleeping, of course) with the delivery of breakfast. How luxurious!

We opened the doors to our patio to see what a beautiful site it is here. The sounds of the ocean mixed with the sounds of little kids playing in a school on the other hill. The sunlight reflecting off of the ocean. The fisherman working on their boats below. The houses and building stacked one upon the other on the hillside some dating from the 17th century. The Sirens islands in the distance, which this hotel was named after, Le Sirenuse. And a layer of clouds covering the very top of the hill. It’s serene, relaxing and just where we both need to be right now.

Breakfast was good – tea – of course with a basket of fresh breads and jams, along with fresh squeezed orange juice.

After breakfast, I spent some time being amateur photographer from our deck taking pictures of the school kids, butterflies and of course our view. Karen started to read her new book, which ironically is set in the mid-part of Italy not too far from where we are. We both took much needed naps as we listened to the ocean as our balcony door was open.

Late this afternoon, Karen went to the gym for a 2 hour run and I did some writing on the deck as the sun set. What a beautiful sight.

I called the front desk and asked for a restaurant recommendation – something casual and she said “take the elevator to level –1 and then it’s about 140 steps away.” Okay, so off we went. I’m thinking 140 steps isn’t that far, but what I failed to realize after sitting on the balcony and looking at the houses the line the entire hillside that 140 steps actually means “steps.” We climbed down the 140 steps and after our dinner of pasta and red wine, climbed back up the 140 steps.

Now, back in the room with the doors open to the balcony and listening to the waves hit the shore, we are about to watch “Under the Tuscan Sun,” which somehow seemed fitting to our location.

Okay…just finished “Under the Tuscan Sun.” First of all, really good movie. I had never seen it. Second of all, there were so many places in the movie that we had actually been to on this trip. The best part was that Diane Lane’s character comes to the tiny little Amalfi coast town that we are staying in right now, Positano. There are only 2,000 people that live here so it was definitely ironic to be watching a movie and seeing the same view we see outside of our bedroom window. Most ironic too considering this is the first movie I’ve seen since I was on the plane flying from LA to Paris and Karen’s last movie was sometime in July in England.

Okay…my blog is always on the light side of things, but it’s time to get a little serious.

When I started this entry this morning after breakfast, I wrote that Positano is “just where we both need to be right now.” As I finish this entry just before turning off the lights to go to bed, I truly realize that this is exactly where I need to be right now. It’s an overwhelming feeling. Since the beginning of the year, I have been on a journey physically and more importantly mentally. As many of you know, I have had a really hard time since being laid off from MGM a year ago in July. Yes, I said “laid off.” I used to say “when MGM was sold” or “when I left MGM,” but the reality is the company I worked for was sold, I was no longer needed along with so many of my dearest friends and in one swoop my “family” was destroyed. Since then there have been lots of downs with one or two ups, which has definitely taken its toll on me. At some points I really wondered if I could make it through the storm I had created within my life. But, I know today as I look out at life in Positano – the ladies hanging the laundry, the children playing at school, the fisherman tending to their boats and the butterflies flying all around me under the warm sun – that the storm has passed and with the help of each and every one of you, my friends, I will be a stronger, more confident and happier person. I am that butterfly. I have weathered the storm and I know I can and will have a very happy, bright and prosperous future...one step at a time. So…thank you.