I have a bad case of the Christmas Blues.

Being so far away from family as Christmas approaches is always hard, this is our third since leaving Australia and I’m feeling the Christmas Blues.

I miss my mum, our traditions, family weddings, newborns, my girlfriends, and although mum and I Skype almost daily it’s just not the same.

I’d love to get home for Christmas.

Another year is coming to an end, our tree is decorated, the village is lit up with sparkling lights, the air is frosty yet no sign of snow, and we have settled into the apartment for winter. The kids are counting down the sleeps, Luca still has that sweet belief in Santa. It’s them that makes the season magical for me.  A reminder of my own trips to visit Santa with my brothers.

It’s been a while since I’ve written here at the blog, I think like many others I have been engulfed in the surreal events unfolding in the world. We seem to be spinning wildly out of control, everything I once thought I knew for sure has been turned topsy turvy with no one left to trust. Still I am as always an optimist, here in our beautiful valley the world seems far away.

Even my computer is out of sorts, awaiting a new mother board. I am using a borrowed computer, and working on so many projects at once that even I don’t know where I’m heading most days.

Ahhh the Simple Life, I feel it just within my grasp only to look up and find it gone again.

It’s become about so much more than growing our food, selling our belongings and moving to Italy, now it’s our future, our family, our chosen lifestyle, and one that means I won’t see my mum anytime soon.

So here I am celebrating my Christmas Blues with you all and in the morning I’ll be back to my cheery self, I know you won’t mind, I know you’ll understand, and I wish you all much joy, peace and love though the Christmas season. Ho Ho Ho