Junefinnigan's Weblog

Welcome to all my Loyal and New Followers

It is Tuesday morning and yes, I know, I am a little late sending you this blog.  But I am so glad I waited, because, I have just driven to Fiano for coffee and back in blazing sunshine!  This has given me a real lift and I am able to send you the best possible vibes from this little bit of the Chianti Hills.

Farty Barty on guard. “Did you hear that?”
Photo P Finnigan

Farty Barty the cat, despite his wild status, has started guarding his patch particularly if we are in the garden at the time.  He sits facing outwards with us at his rear, just like a dog, ears pricking up at the slightest sound and talking a lot.  He speaks both English and Italian, because he came to us as a pot-bellied stick insect at only two months old, having been abandoned by his wild mother.  He is seven now and has just started settling down again after an amorous couple of months with the girlies, so things are a little calmer in that respect.  The Chianti countryside is awash with wild cats, but just like domestic ones, they know when they are on to a good thing.  The church cats get lots of visits, particularly by our good neighbour and friend next door who takes them daily titbits.

Me signing Valerie’s books
Photo Jackie Grandchamps

Last Friday evening we enjoyed dinner at Trattoria C’era una Volta with new friends Jackie from Belgium and Valerie from France.  Jackie runs a tourist business called French Escapade.  Her customers are mainly Americans who want to go on painting, cookery or other courses in the less touristy parts of Europe.  We, that is my man and I, have agreed to host a group of artists in our beautiful garden in October.  They get to sketch and paint and meet a celebrity English author!  Visit http://www.frenchescapade.com I was very happy to sign my books for Valerie who speaks perfect English.  If you girls are reading this, I do hope you are enjoying a good read and a safe journey home.

Jackie and Valerie holding my book.
Photo P Finnigan

Meanwhile, back at Laura’s Bar/Alimentare in Fiano, Laura is on her own.  Benedetta, her daughter is expecting, so is not so active behind the counter at the moment.  The usual locals are in every morning and Signor Rotund seems to be better after an op, and is appearing more often than before, so we need to make sure we get there before he hogs the newspaper.  The news has been a bit depressing of late.  The thing is, there just isn’t enough about the Peter Pan of Politics Silvio Berlusconi.  He will either make you laugh, cry, rage, envy, ape, avoid, argue or at least feel entertained.  The current Prime Minister, Renzi, just doesn’t have the charisma of our Silvio and the Italians are getting fed up with him, as nothing has changed for the better since he took the helm.  However, we are reliably informed that, like the glowing Phoenix, SB is on the rise again.

Beautiful blossom and scented flowers on the upper terrace.
Photo P Finnigan

On a happier note, our garden has erupted with blossom and the perfume is intoxicating.  Wisteria, Jasmin, Evening scented Stock and much more.  Saturday evening we were able to sit outside and enjoy it all until quite late.  However, we have noticed that the deep canyon at the bottom of the olive grove below us, seems to have crept closer!  You may recall that this part of Chianti is full of crumbling inland cliffs and from time to time a little more falls away.  Not so far away from us, one little villa has recently lost half its garden!  But we don’t worry about that, life eeez good, life eeez now!

Well enough of that, I have a heavy workload this week and am hammering away at my book ‘The Italian Connection’ in between times.

Have a great week and do drop me a line, I would love to hear from you.

Salute June x

PS Don’t forget to check out my books below on Amazon.

My Father, The Assassin. Book one in the series.

‘The Bolivian Connection’ Book two in the series.