Arrived Friday morning and today is Wednesday, only our second day of sunshine and now everything is emerald green or in flower. My super-Tuscan friends are getting me organized. I bought mattresses in Torrita di Siena and they were delivered on Monday. We got the smith to rip the rusted padlock off the ENEL box and he said I was trying to pay him too much. Went to IKEA in Firenze for lots of basics. And we are all having wonderful dinners together at our favorite restaurants: I Poggioli in Buonconvento, Daria's La Porta in Monticchiello and a new one, Il Pozzo in Chiusure.

Have only seen the geometra briefly. Too busy getting organized for my sister's visit. This is not really a vacation. It's living here. But what is really wonderful is that everything I am doing is for me and not for an employer.

I have to say that it is appalling to see my native country reeling out of control under that nut-case in the white house, but one of my friends here said Europeans have to understand that they created America when they sent all their poor and disenfranchised to the new world. Look what they're getting in return. Che peccato!!!

posted by Joanna @ 4/21/2004 11:27:00 AM