Junefinnigan's Weblog

Benvenuti to all my Lovely Loyal and New Followers

A roar of frustration for Italian rugby.

“England were stuffed last night, I can’t believe it!”  My man was very depressed over the Rugby results, so I try to change the subject.  “I can’t wait to get back into my book this weekend.” I say, meaning my current novel ‘The Italian Connection.”  “Oh you mean you can’t wait to get back between the covers?”  He grins.  Then his face drops again and he says, still on the subject of rugby, “Let’s hope Italy do a better job when they play Ireland this afternoon…..”  I hope so too, as I cannot have both the teams we support going out of the world cup;  our little villa will be under a dark cloud for days!

Daniel joins us for coffee.

Meanwhile, over coffee in Certaldo we are joined by Daniel Craig.  I know, not really, but his picture is in the newspaper and I can’t wait to see the new Bond film Spectre.  Are you a Bond fan?  Oh, I also read that a Cinghiale, wild boar, was rescued six kilometres off the Calabrian coast by some fishermen.  The poor thing was exhausted and swimming round in circles!  This proves that pigs can swim!  But what’s this?  Would you believe it, six British tourists have been arrested for skinny dipping in the Fountain of the Naids in Piazza della Republica in Rome!  It was the early hours of the morning, but it is against the law to go in or throw anything into Rome’s historic fountains!  Perhaps these people would like to go back to holidaying in Spain!

Fresh salad from the farmers market.
Photo J Finnigan

Back in our lovely terraced garden, we enjoy a late lunch with the sister-in-law who has arrived for seven days.  The man is off to London the next day, so immediately after lunch, he rushed around cutting our weedy lawn.  We girlies were forced to drink the rest of the wine and watch him go up and down.  Then a little flying stone hit me on the eyebrow, so he had got his own back!  Earlier, we had picked up some lovely fresh salad in the market in Certaldo and we could see all the stands going up for the afternoon’s Slow Food celebrations.  The sister-in-law and I intend wandering around tomorrow and sampling the food as my man heads off for London.  Sadly it’s now belting down with rain!

Sig Jazzman in Il Castello Bar in Certaldo Alto.
Photo J.S.

Fast forward to Sunday and we drop my man at Certaldo station.  The rain is still heavy, so we trudge up Via Giugno and catch the funiculare train up the hill to Certaldo Alto.  To get out of the rain, we rush into the nearest bar and grab a table.  It turns out to be part of Il Castello, which is a popular hotel and there is yet another wedding celebration going on.  In the small bar we sip our wine and wait for the rain to stop, then discover an upright piano and the barman comes around and starts playing some jazz on it.  His English is good and he explains that he’s really a jazz drummer, and did we know that Scott Hamilton lives in the village?  My sister-in-law is very impressed and I tell him that I sing rock music.  His face drops, he’s not into rock…….

Man on stilts with the sister-in-law.
Photo J Finnigan

Ah, the rain has stopped, so we head up the main via and visit all the local produce stalls, people are selling big porcini mushrooms and questionable looking Tartufo (truffles).  I buy another jar of Certaldo red onion marmalade, which I love with cheese, and then pop into the artisan shop to buy a little present for a friend I’m visiting in England next week.  Then we try to find somewhere for lunch, but it’s heaving with tourists, however, we manage to squeeze in for one course of pasta.  Walking back to the funiculare, giants are walking towards us!  Oh no, it is actually stilt walkers and the sister-in-law poses with one, as she likes to do, pose that is.

Well, I really must get this blog off to you as it is already Monday morning.  I’ll update you on Silvio Berlusconi next weekend.

Have a truly fabulous week and do drop me a line.

Salute June x

PS We now know that both England and Italy are out of the Rugby World Cup – Oh No!

Visit my author site at http://www.amazon.com/author/junefinnigan

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

‘The Bolivian Connection’ Book two in the series.