lest I forget to say 'thank you'...

It's one fifteen in the morning here, and I was up waaaaaaay too early this morning, so have got to hit the hay (swatting three or four helicopter-sized zanzare - skeeters - enroute to the bed). But it just hit me as I was closing up the house, here in the VERY quiet of the night: I don't feel alone here, because of you.

By 'you,' I mean, yaknow, YOU. Those of you who are actually checking in here at my little corner of the internet on a somewhat regular basis, posting comments, and sending me notes. I'm overwhelmed. I love the comments. Some of you are still 'anonymous' - others have adopted your own blog names (or have 'sucked up' the one I gave you). To you all -- chickie, unassuming princess, beatrice, The Mom, stillunnamed sorella, diva di giardina, green gazelle, lastminutecancellation, n. winkust, virginblogger, bicyclebuiltfortwo, and all you 'lurkers' but not posters ... those of you who forward this to your friends, or who tell the story of the slightly crazy girl in Tuscany at a dinner party: thanks for, well, just being there, and being my (also slightly crazy) friends.

Maybe it's a little bit the two glasses of wine talking (easy, now, I moved to the country, didn't lose my legendary tolerance!)... but

- caution: slight moment of introspection, hold the mushy stuff -
I know I'd be writing anyway, though it means infinitely more knowing that it is actually read. (Tree falling in the woods, etc., etc.) You're there to hear me, and I love you for it. (yes, Blossom, this means you. Get on it, you've got a lot of stories to catch up on!)

And, with that: Goodnight, MaryEllen. (and you're all supposed to say... anyone?? anyone???... as the farmhouse goes to sleep for the night? come on, now... don'tcha have Nick at Night?!)

Goodnight, JohnBoy.