Day 32, March 31.

The first half of my trip is over. I can’t believe it. I am heading out on the train to Milan, past beautiful Lake Geneva and past incredible mountains.  Unfortunately, I went to bed feeling queasy and woke up feeling queasy. I really don’t feel good at all. Didn’t even want to eat this morning.

Later. I am in Milan, sick as a dog. Bad headache; bad stomach and a feverish feel.

My Italian publisher, Monica, called and said she was stuck in traffic and couldn’t pick me up at the train station and could I get to the hotel myself. I got lost and walked a lot longer than I needed to. Finally got to the hotel and slept all afternoon.

Haven’t eaten a thing all day; can’t imagine it. But I had to rally and meet with a journalist. So I managed to get some aspirin down a half-hour before and made it through. The journalist was a delightful young woman.

Monica is also delightful, which is wonderful for a publisher. She handed me the Italian version of the book, hot off the presses: Qualcuno Averebbe Dovuto Dirtelo! [Somebody Should Have Told Us] I am now officially published in three languages, with French and German not too far behind.

Monica went out to try to find some saltine crackers and ginger ale for me. That’s about all I could imagine trying to eat. But they don’t have ginger ale in Italy, so she came back with water and ”Efferevescente Brioschi,” which is supposed to calm the stomach.  Luckily, I don’t have to work until tomorrow early evening for a book signing, and I plan on staying in bed all day until that happens. So much for seeing Milan, but oh well, health must come first.