Autumn 2021 – L E O N E T T I

_{So nice to be home, we took a quick trip to Serole, to check in on everything. And it was sunny. I am truly missing the Italian sun – it was heaven.
18 & 19 December 2021}

📰 Autumn This & That: 

I moved to Switzerland, love my temporary housing - it is actually a hotel and compact, modern and has a balcony. If people can live in tiny houses I can live here until I get into my adorable (in the heart of old town Lucerne) house at the beginning of February.  I miss home and Joe, Zaven, Lula and the kitties horribly. Stupid covid makes it much more complicated traveling back and forth. 

We are going to Portland on the 22nd for a week. Vaccinated, boosted, tested and will continue to test, can't wait to see Kathy and Avalon ❤

At a Christmas Market not having Gluhwine

_{I haven’t seen sun, or the Alps, since I moved to CH. I was promised mountains. Today, I thought if I went higher I might see both and I did. A lovely wander through the snow to a little Hutte where I had a warm cup of tea.
Felsenegg, CH | 12 December 2021}

^{The outside of the new house. Eeek, it is like a cozy, enchanted cottage. I get to move in on 1 February. .
Luzern, CH | 11 December 2021}

_{Joe’s trip to Portland to see Kathy was a nightmare. Covid testing and preparation fine. Thanksgiving flight from Malpensa to Frankfurt fine. Frankfurt to Portland cancelled and delayed until Friday meaning that he arrived in Seattle on Friday afternoon, Avalon and Fawn drove up and picked him up (bless them) and then took him to see Kathy – he visited for a few hours. Went to Avalon’s, slept and then woke up the next morning, took a covid test, went back to Kathy’s to visit for an hour and then went back to the airport to fly back to Milan, arriving on Sunday and was back to work on Monday. Oy vey. But it was worth it because Kathy loved seeing her boy ❤

Portland, Oregon | 25-26 November}

_{Zaven had a fun trip to Southern California. He went with his pal Marina and they spent time with friends visiting LA, San Diego, Joshua and of course the Nickelodeon Studio. He was gone a few weeks but it felt like forever. I was so happy to have him home, but then I had to leave for CH.
Los Angeles, California | 13-18 December}

_{Look at these cuties. Leonetti girls in love. We learned very last minute that Switzerland requires rabies vaccines and the dog has to have had them 21 days before entering. Funny how covid vaccines aren’t required. And on top of it when I took her to the vet to get her rabies vaccine the vet checked her microchip hadn’t been transferred to me and if we go to CH without having ownership it could result in a huge fine. So Lu has to stay in Zeccone until we get things sorted, I hate leaving her here – we are very attached to each other but I am a grown up, and understand, and Lula is like a toddler, so it makes me happy that she is surrounded by her beloved kitty family.}

_{It’s official, I am a resident of Switzerland! A very smooth and easy relocation (still in progress) so far. Checked into my temporary housing (hotel – because you can’t be official or do anything without an address) – modern, light and convenient, within the first hour I was registered at the Municipality and within 24 hours I had a bank account and a Swiss Train pass. Yay me!
First day of work – walk in, the receptionist was all, Rhonda we have been waiting for you, my new manager meets me, takes me to my desk where there is a huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers, my already configured HP laptop and iPhone await. Within an hour the for real (not offshore) IT person is at my desk asking if everything is ok. My name on the office door and I share an assistant with one person vs. 100. Amazing.
I found the perfect house in Lucerne, it won’t be available until 1 February. In the meantime, it is back and forth to Italy and going to America and ever changing covid restrictions. Breathe, be grateful and go with the flow.
Zug & Zurich, CH | 1 December}

📰 November What's happening with us: 


Our Zeccone house is on the market with the plan to sell in July. Typical Italy it takes time. We will keep Rifugio Leonetti and Villa Leonetti in Piemonte. 

Thrilled that Zaven and his friend are in LA from 13 - 29 November - woo hoo! She is going to visit her girlfriend and Zaven will go to the  Nickelodeon Studio - super long commute to the office. But mostly they will just enjoy SoCal.   


Joe will be taking a last minute flight to Portland during Thanksgiving to see his mom ❤ 48 hours - Depart Italy on Thursday - depart PDX on Saturday, arrive Malpensa Sunday. Thankfully Zaven arrives around the same time, so shuttle Rhonda will pick them up - conveniently one airport run and we will have one last evening together. Then Lula and I head to Switzerland.

_{House hunting. That is the annual November wine tasting cruise behind us. Next year we will be on it. And I will be heading back this weekend to do more apartment hunting. Channeling lake chalet with Alpen views.

Zug, CH | 14 November 2021}

So amazingly proud of Zaven…
When he was little he told us that he was gong to make cartoons for either Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon. He worked (very, very, very) hard and made his dream a reality – what an inspiration.
Here he is in the credits for Nickelodeon’s Patrick Star (Sponge Bob spin off) Halloween special. It takes almost a year to produce one of these shows, so we have been waiting patiently.

_{We are taking Lindy Hop lessons and after visiting the Swing Dance Festival we are inspired and obviously need more lessons.
Spirit Milano | 16 October 2021}

📰 October | What is happening with us:
 
I have accepted a position as Talent and Learning Manager for a company in Switzerland. They will provide relocation support and temporary housing until we can get settled. I will start on 1 December and spend time back and forth between Zug/Zurich and Zeccone until Joe relocates in July - it is only 3.5/4 hours. There are 25 international schools in the Zurich area so we are optimistic that Joe will find a great position. Zaven is planning on getting an apartment in Milan to be closer to friends and a social life. I am over the moon happy/ have to keep pinching myself. Living in CH has been a goal for years - the high quality of life and low taxes make it very sought after but also very competitive - this is an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity. Of course heart broken to be leaving HP after 30 years, but looking forward to a new adventure ✈ Booked our flights in December. We fly into Seattle on the 22nd, rent a car and head to Portland where we have booked an AirBnB in the Pearl District. We will head back to Seattle and stay with the Hammonds, who are in Seattle, the night before we fly out on the 28th. Dreading traveling that far with masks (I still do not miss travel AT ALL) and sad to be leaving Lula. But so grateful and happy to be able to spend time with Joe's mom and see Avalon and meet friend