Guest fatigue. I had wonderful times with my sister and her friends, my goddaughter and her friend, my high-school friend and her husband. We did great things: a concert starring a friend from Sicily, a photography exhibit by a friend here in the valley, dinners out and dinners in and dinners at friends. I gained five pounds and have to quit eating for a month. Have to learn to space visits out better. Anyone else have this issue? You want them to come, love having them, but just can't keep up with them after awhile.

That said, I'm easing back into village life, cleaning the house, doing chores and errands and continuing to read and garden and be on line.

Next month, Rome for a few days and back to Egypt.

posted by Joanna @ 9/29/2006 02:12:00 PM 2 comments  

I've been doing fall cleaning- can't believe how much dust and dirt comes in from the harvesting and plowing going on in the surrounds. Nevermind the spiders (of whom I'm rather fond for their bug eating propensities, but the cobwebs get unsightly) and the occasional thunderstorm which always comes right after I've washed the windows, washed my car, or thoroughly soaked the garden (so unreliable when you're desperate, like NYC buses which only came when you lit a cigarette). The garden gets a bit ratty looking this time of year, but when Gaz gets back from Oz I'm sure we'll start serious work that will spruce it up and result in a glorious spring and summer '07.

My goddaughter Bahia is arriving tomorrow from London and I'm so looking forward to hugging her. Maybe we'll get tickets to my friend Ester's concert in Montepulciano for Saturday night. She's down visiting Paolo in Monticchiello (or up - she's from Sicily and has an amazing voice).
The Paolo next door to me makes great wine and sells it to me for three euro a bottle, actually twelve bottles for thirty euro. And the Paolo down in Monticchiello came for lunch and pronounced it a wonderful red. So who needs Brunello or Nobile riservas?

I've been ordering too many books, DVD's, and CD's from Amazon.UK, but when I listen to Democracy Now I always hear about something else I want to buy. I've been more politically active here than I ever had time for in NYC.

posted by Joanna @ 9/06/2006 10:34:00 PM 0 comments  

Think I'd better squeeze in a post before things get really busy around here. Spent last week taking Italian classes every morning (so I woke up to see this alot).















I have Bahia arriving on Thursday and staying until Tuesday, Susie and Ken coming on the sixteenth, Gaz and Zak coming home about the same time, and the construction crew returning from their vacations to finish the cantina and work on other odds and ends. Lots of them.

September is going to be fun!

posted by Joanna @ 9/03/2006 11:55:00 PM 0 comments