Good morning Tuscany

We arrived in Tuscany after 36 hours of travel

A small hotel perched on a hilltop

It was late evening but our friends were still up

They greeted us with big hugs and a glass of wine

We swapped travel horror stories

Finally it was time to relax

The wine flowed more

We were happy to be together

This was the start of our adventure in Tuscany

We had no idea what the place looked like

Having driven the last few hundred miles in darkness

We drank more wine and chatted until late

Jet lag mixed with alcohol took its toll

It was time to turn in and sleep horizontal

The bed was so welcoming

Dreams went ignored

Deep deep sleep

Waking early the next morning

Feeling a little groggy

Blaming it all on jet lag

I stepped up to open the window shutters

Bright sunshine flooded the room

Rolling hills plastered with vineyards

Tiny lanes negotiated by crazy fast Italian drivers

The low sun accentuated the colors of the trees

The plowed fields looked bone dry

It was a very warm autumn morning

Much warmer than we were expecting

We had packed sweaters and coats

A hot shower was so refreshing

Thankfully I had packed shorts

We joined our friends for breakfast

Cured meats and delicious local cheese

Accompanied by crusty fresh baked bread

Home baked cakes and tarts

Washed down with very strong coffee

We planned to relax all morning

Good morning Tuscany

Eager sightseeing

Touchdown Milan

Tired confused

Weary travelers 

Sheep disembark

Immigration lines

Betrayed welcome

Taking forever

More sheep

Corralled pens

Immigration officer

Unpleasant interrogation

Visit purpose

Sorely tempted

To respond

Criminal intent

Murder mayhem

Opted instead

With vacation

Passport stamped

Baggage collected

Declaring vacation

Officially commenced

Taxi ride

To hotel

Eager sightseeing

Fall asleep

Sheep confused

Terminal Five

London Heathrow

Waiting connection

Crowds everywhere

Nowhere quiet

Resting impossible

People watching

For entertainment

Children crying

Frazzled parents

Senior folks

Looking confused

Business men

Crumpled suits

Laptops deployed

Faking work

Vacation groups

Easily spotted

Alcoholic breakfasts

Loud laughter

Mobile phones

In abundance

Social media

Traveling selfies

Nobody reading

Printed books

Finally boarding

Group numbers

Sheep assembled

Orderly lines

Boarding announcement

Incomprehensible message

Sheep confused

On plane

Big crowd

Departure gate

Numbered rows 

Lines forming

People herded

Like sheep

Mindless chatter

Bleating sheep

Boarding starts

Shepherding begins

Plane starts

Consuming sheep

Find seat

Stow bags

Cramped quarters

Watch TV

Boarding complete

Door closed

Plane taxis

Runway roar

Bumpy rolling

Take off

Skyward travel

Climbing fast

Noisy engines

Smiling hostess

Plastic trays

Tasteless food

Guzzle water

Sip wine

Check TV

Eight hours

Before landing

Kill time

Watching movies

Lights dimmed

Nap time

Sheep sleep

Counting humans

Wake up

Stiff neck

Line up

Bathroom time

Smallest bathroom

Ever used

Tiny sink

Wash hands

Climb back 

Into seat

Lost shoe

Under seat

Bumpy landing

At gate

Sheep standing

Clutching bags

Slowly disembark

Sheep bleat

Approach door

Smiling staff

Jet way

Crowded terminal

Follow transfers

Walk miles 

Long layover

Travel fatigue

Tired sheep

Rebook flights

Rebook flights

Modify itinerary

Repack cases

Leaving tomorrow

Last sleep

Own bed

Wake early

Quick shower

Make tea

Light breakfast

Load car

Lock house

Start car

Drive away

Airport bound  

Radio on

Sing along

Long drive

Light traffic

Almost there

Park car

Unload bags

Long line

Slow checkin

Bags dropped

Boarding pass

Security line

Slow shuffle

Shoes off

Pass screening

Shoes on

Take train

Departure gate

Replan vacation

Vacation approaches

Bags packed

Reservations confirmed

Tickets printed

Friends wishing

Bon voyage

Only problem

Health issue

Abdominal pain

Try medication

No relief

Sleepless nights

Extreme fatigue

Travel imminent

Anxiety mounts

Pain worsens

Departure date

Postpone trip

Emergency department

Doctor examines

Nurses probes

Imaging scans

Nothing serious

Medication prescribed

Pain subsidies

Feeling better

Replan vacation

Vacation looming

Vacation looming

Checking weather

Fall temperatures

Take layers

Raid closet

Bed covered

Condemn clothes

Go shopping

Buy new

Not satisfied

Buy more

Preliminary packing

Too much

Discard most

Return purchases

Revisit closet

Ask forgiveness

Old clothes

Join new

Happy compromise

Suitcase overloaded

Remove clothes

Into closet

Closet upset

Asking why

Left behind

Telling closet

Next trip

Closet unbelieving

Rightly so

New clothes

All excited

Italy bound

Vacation planning

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

Planning trip

Destination debating

Itinerary drafting 

Brainstorming ideas

European adventure

Mediterranean cruise

Departs Rome

Go early

Rome tourism

Explore Tuscany

Then cruise

Onward London

See family

Visit daughter

Hug grandson

Make memories

Return home

Decided itinerary

Cruise booked

Find flights

Hotel reservations

Train tickets

Plans made

Dates fixed

Family onboard

Calendar entry

Counting days

Anticipation growing

Thanks in advance

When I first started to write stuff

It was easy to write a poem

I had lots of stories in my head

They were often dusty but tellable

My well of old stories ran dry

Plagiarism was not the answer

I had to dig deeper

Find new subjects to write about

I started to focus on objects

Imagining that they were alive

The dishwasher had funny stories to tell

My closet was full of gossip

Some days everything goes quiet

The trees stop whispering to me

The clouds are all asleep

Sunrise is aloof and gives me a polite silent smile

In desperation I started to write fiction

Creating characters in my head

I give them the freedom to act

They perform and I take notes

My actors are great for a week or so

Then they mysteriously disappear

I have no idea where they go

The stage in my mind becomes empty and quiet

My feelings are ever so dependable

Take a chair Mr Happiness

Spill everything while your psychiatrist scribbles

The inner peace and love poetry soon goes stale

I desperately want more tools in my writing toolbox

It just came to me in a flash right now

I can write about all the amazing people I know

My next poem might be about you