Yesterday I spent the whole of the lovely day in bed, right next to the open window, reading Donna Leon's latest novel and sleeping in the sun. At least, I slept on and off until twilight when the church bells woke me and the whole Val d'Orcia looked like fairy land with all the twinkling lights in the dusk. It was my complete day off after having put three straight days into the garden. I'm making a bed of very soft low-to-the-ground thyme under the olive trees. It's my substitute for a lawn and will be wonderful to stretch out on when it spreads out to cover all the ground.
I've been feeling like the energizer bunny since I got back from a weekend in Florence before Easter. Pauline's recommendation, the Hotel Monna Lisa, was exceptional. And Diva's restaurant picks there were superb. I'm still dealing with the contractors who are set to begin the
cantine and to install the fireplace. And I got the car whipped back into shape over at Ermani motors in Castelmuzio where the owners are terrific and where I may adopt two recently arrived kittens when I get back from Istanbul in May. Just going carpet shopping there for the weekend.
Easter here was a trip. On "Good Friday" there were hooded figures in black carrying torches and a white draped corpse on a litter through the back streets of this medieval village. They chanted dirges and all-in-all took us back a thousand years. Easter Sunday was spent with my friends and their family across the street. I was happy to be able to put up one of the nephews and his charming Iranian girlfriend. On the Monday, Pasquetta, we all went off to my friend Paolo's medieval tower for a picnic.
I've been back for six weeks now, but this is the first time I don't have a ticket on a flight going somewhere else. So I really live here now. Even got my
carta d'identitá.
I'm still wrestling with the contractors, but things are slowly coming together. The container from New York has just about undone me- still not finished unpacking. And the garden just won't stop sending up weeds and I have major weed whacking to do at least once a week, but it is spring and I've also been off to the nursery and have some daphne on order. Also got my will written with the help of a nice
notaio in Montalcino. And I have an appointment to get the car tuned up next week. And I've been to the dentist. Friends back from Oz, Italian friends to hang out with and friends coming in May and September, relatives in July.
Went to Firenze for a weekend of spectacular weather and came home to the news that the left squeaked by and won the Italian election which I'm pleased about.
It's daylight saving time, but there are not enough hours in the day.
I'll be changing my blog host over to expatsinItaly within a week or so. More then.
Yesterday I spent the whole of the lovely day in bed, right next to the open window, reading Donna Leon's latest novel and sleeping in the sun. At least, I slept on and off until twilight when the church bells woke me and the whole Val d'Orcia looked like fairy land with all the twinkling lights in the dusk. It was my complete day off after having put three straight days into the garden. I'm making a bed of very soft low-to-the-ground thyme under the olive trees. It's my substitute for a lawn and will be wonderful to stretch out on when it spreads out to cover all the ground.
I've been feeling like the energizer bunny since I got back from a weekend in Florence before Easter. Pauline's recommendation, the Hotel Monna Lisa, was exceptional. And Diva's restaurant picks there were superb. I'm still dealing with the contractors who are set to begin the cantine and to install the fireplace. And I got the car whipped back into shape over at Ermani motors in Castelmuzio where the owners are terrific and where I may adopt two recently arrived kittens when I get back from Istanbul in May. Just going carpet shopping there for the weekend.
Easter here was a trip. On "Good Friday" there were hooded figures in black carrying torches and a white draped corpse on a litter through the back streets of this medieval village. They chanted dirges and all-in-all took us back a thousand years. Easter Sunday was spent with my friends and their family across the street. I was happy to be able to put up one of the nephews and his charming Iranian girlfriend. On the Monday, Pasquetta, we all went off to my friend Paolo's medieval tower for a picnic.
