Buon Anno and welcome to all my Lovely Loyal and New Followers
LB (standing) and Zoe after a game of rugby.
Photo P Finnigan
A gorgeous Sunset
Photo P Finnigan
Granddog sitting is wonderful. There is nothing nicer than cuddling up to a granddog who loves you unconditionally and only harasses you when pulling furiously on the lead. Oh yes, and barking to be let out really early in the morning, because that is what they are used to! So there we were, my man and I, enjoying Zoe’s and LB’s company on New Year’s Eve, whilst the family went off skiing on the French/Italian border. Our daughter and family have recently moved to the middle of nowhere between San Gimigiano and Volterra and the views to the west coast are fantastic. We saw the New Year in watching the fireworks from our lofty eyrie. My man stayed on for a further two nights, witnessing some gorgeous sunsets, whilst I returned to Farty Barty the cat and to complete the last few chapters of my novel ‘The Bolivian Connection.’
Another gorgeous sunset
Photo P Finnigan
It has been said, particularly by my man, that I am a disaster if left to my own devices, because my head is so full of fiction. On Saturday evening when my man was returning home, I lit the log fire that he had laid before he left. I put the guard in front and returned to my desk to write a few more lines. I was a little longer than I intended, and suddenly I smelt smoke. Disaster! Smoke was swirling up the stairs so I opened the landing window, then rushed down, almost choking on the way, to find the sitting room ceiling thick with the dark grey stuff. I threw open the french windows and then the front door. Thank god, I had not opened any of the upstairs bedroom doors. I grabbed a rug and started swirling it around like a human fan and tried to get closer to the fireplace, which was still billowing out smoke. There must be something stuck up there, I thought. Then, somewhere in the depths of my memory I heard my man saying, “Now this is the second time I’m going to remind you. I have closed the metal cover in the chimney to keep the cold out. If you are going to light the fire DO NOT FORGET TO OPEN IT!” “S..T” I gasped, “You idiot June!” I groaned aloud as I coughed and spluttered with my head in the fireplace trying not to singe my hair. Somehow, I grabbed the lever and managed to open the cover. Ten minutes later the house was almost clear of smoke, but I was not going to be able to disguise the smell. I just knew my man would walk in and I would have to tell him the truth. Dammit!
Back at Laura’s bar/alimentare in Fiano, my man and I are enjoying our morning coffee. At the next table a local lady is sharing her coffee with her pet miniature dog. Well this is Italy, coffee is a way of life, as is Chianti here in Tuscany. Sadly, Laura had gone down with flu and Benadetta had succumbed overnight, so their husbands were manning the fort. It’s the time of year for the hunters to be out and about in the countryside and I have to say they are not my favourite people. A motley crew of three came into the bar wearing muddy boots and camouflage gear. It is not a gentleman’s sport here, shooting wildlife, it is the working country folk (contadini) who are mostly out there at first light on a sunday morning, shouting and firing at whatever moves. However, I remind myself that this is all part of life’s rich tapestry, but when this motley crew started cracking walnuts in their hands and throwing the shells into the bin clearly marked ‘paper only’ I was not impressed. Hey ho….
Silvio “I am a normal human being, look eight fingers and two thumbs!
Francis “Well halo, halo. I am an exalted human being, see my wings?”
No time to check out Silvio Berlusconi’s activities I’m afraid, however, his picture was in this morning’s paper, so he’s obviously still out there strutting his stuff. On the next page was a picture of our other Laughing Cavalier, Pope Francis greeting the New Year with his fan club in Rome and welcoming fifteen new cardinals to his mens’ only club.
Well, must go, things to do , places to go and people to see. Once again Buon Anno to you all you lovely people, and see you next week.
Amore June x
PS Here is the direct link for my novel ‘My Father, The Assassin’ by J W Finnigan. You can also visit http://www.amazon.com & http://www.amazon.eu
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