Current mood:

exhausted

Breakfast in Venice, dinner in Amsterdam, and then home again for a late lunch in San Francisco
I'm home safe and sound from Venice and Venice-of-the-North, with all my luggage.
I'm sleep deprived, delirious, and still a little under the weather.
My mind is swimming with images of the wonderful people I met, their amazing costumes and the gorgeous places we went. I've lost track of the beautiful Venetian palazzos we partied in that overlooked either the Grand Canal or the Lagoon.

I'll try to post pictures and more stories soon, but a few tidbits in the meantime:

1. I performed my first solo burlesque striptease for an attentive audience of about 100 people
2. I received a marriage proposal for a white-wedding from a wealthy Italian Count who has close ties to the Vatican (!)
3. Sorrel and M. are *adorable* together
4. I got really sick with an upset stomach at a 5-course dinner in a palace on Saturday night, and a very sweet neighbor I had just met named Rosie let me rest in her house until I could bear to make it back across town when my friends were ready to leave. She lent me a pair of her pajamas, tucked me in a bed with a hot water bottle and aspirin. All-in-all there were many gracious friends and strangers who helped me on this trip. Like the handsome Roman gentleman who loaned me his cloak to get home that night...
5. I'm still finding Dalmatian-spots from the Cruella party on Monday night, the most notable from a bite on my arm that is now a bruise the size of a fist. (Have I mentioned I bruise easily? At least they aren't marks on my neck - I hate that!)
6. Next year I need to balance out the 18 C. costumes with some that don't need panniers, corsets or big heavy wigs. Including at least one man's costume... something easy to pull on earlier in the day.

I feel like I discovered another home and family I didn't realize was missing from my life.
Next time I don't want to be sick for so long though, okay?