Enrico and Lilli by the Secchia River, San Michele, Italy.

For the past 14 years I have been friends with Luca and Gloria Tracendi who live in San Michele, Italy.  We have met many times in Italy, Canada, Florida and Barcelona.  I rocked their son Enrico when he was three months old.  We met serendipitously on an internet chat site in the very early internet days in the late 1990’s when I was working in Bosnia and have chatted online every couple of weeks since then. Enrico is now almost 13 and as tall as his Dad.   I enjoy visiting them from time to time and they make me feel very much at home. I now know the neighbours and family.  What a delight to have them as friends.  This week I am visiting them again at their home in San Michele. Yesterday Enrico and the dog Lilli and I did some wandering by the river and the hills around the village, appropriately ending up at the top of a big hill where a crucifix overlooked the village below.