Junefinnigan's Weblog

Benvenuti to all My Loyal and New Followers

My god, it’s the first day of November!  I know, because my man wished me ‘Happy New Month’ this morning when I came up with the fruit juices and climbed back into bed.  It is Sunday of course, and I like to stay in bed just a little longer to read a novel.  I have just finished a really good book called ‘The Insider’ by Ava McCarthy and left a five star review on Amazon.  It’s all about insider trading and hacking and the latter subject is currently of considerable interest to me, as I am working on a writing project all about this.  Watch this space.

The beautiful eighty-one year old Sophia Loren.
Dolce Gabbana Advert.

Well, my man went off to London to do a bit of business last Monday and come Tuesday I was missing him like crazy.  So I went to see Sandra, my lovely hairdresser, to cheer myself up and to brighten my hair colour.  In the glossy magazine I was reading, I found the most fantastic picture of Sophia Loren.  A long as I can remember, whenever I thought of Italy, it was Sophia who first came to mind.  Not just gorgeous, but a brilliant actress.  Did you ever see the films ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ and ‘Marriage Italian Style’.  If not you really should.  She had the perfect co-star in Marcello Mastroianni; a partnership made in heaven!  Did you know she has made over fifty films?  Yes, fifty.  Now at eighty-one she still looks fantastic and I cannot but smile when I see pictures of her.  She was recently quoted as saying “Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes.  It is not something physical.”  Mind you she has an edge on most of us girlies, that is at least from a physical point of view!  Just a random thought; the Italian spelling for Sophia is Sofia, I wonder if the former was a stage name?  Does anyone know?

Golden Fungi in our garden. Name anyone?
Photo J Finnigan

Meanwhile, the heavens opened on Tuesday and Wednesday, and everywhere was flooded.  But this had its compensations.  Yes of course the gardens and countryside needed it, but it was the fungi that immediately started to pop up everywhere.  Paolo is serving up Tartufo Bianco (white truffles) at C’era una Volta Ristorante and in the garden I spotted this gorgeous display.  Does anyone know the name of these golden coloured fungi?

Italian manstyle with trainers.
La Nazione sports magazine.

Back at the Bar Solferino in Certaldo on Thursday, I relaxed over my morning caffè latte and I could not but help notice an advertisement for Lotto Trainers in the sports magazine.  Now what is so interesting about that, you may ask?  I agree, trainers are trainers.  But for once, here was a picture of an Italian male model wearing the perfect stylish outfit that offset the trainers.  The guy himself was pretty dishy too, but that’s beside the point!  I have never gone for trainers as a fashion item, however, here in Italy they are hugely popular.  There are so many varieties; even gold wedge heeled trainers with fur trims!

The sun breaks through on the glowing autumn vineyards in the valley below.
Photo J Finnigan

Later, I returned to our little hilltop villa and breathed in that lovely Autumn damp smell as I walked through the garden.  Below me the vineyards were glowing in the Autumn sunshine and I was once again reminded that ‘life eeeez good, life eeeez now’.

OK, must finish here, hope you enjoyed my ramblings.  Lots to do, places to go and people to see.  Have a really great week and we’ll talk again next weekend.

Salute June x

PS do 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.