Benvenuti to all my Loyal and New Followers,
Yes, the dust has settled. After my new book launch I have finally allowed myself a couple of days to relax, despite my being inspired to write another chapter of ‘The Italian Connection.’
gorgeous sunset last Friday evening.
Photo J Finnigan
It is still a little chilly but finally we are having some lovely sunny weather. This is important, not just for our own state of mind, but also for the tourists that have started to arrive in droves. “The car in front is a hire car.” My man announces as we follow a Sunday driver back from Certaldo this morning. “I really don’t know how you can tell the difference between a hire car and a normal one!” I say. “Well its a combination of no local garage sticker on the back, the number plate and the way they are driving.” Said the Wiseman. “Oh, silly me” I mumble, “I should have realised.” “Have you noticed how we have personally influenced the local Italians with our Honda CRV?” He continued. “After we bought this car, lots of others started to appear on the local roads. In fact, we have always been influencers. When we lived in England we were the first people in the West Country to buy a Ford Escort Cabriolet and then the Limited Edition Wrangler Jeep. In no time at all, other people were copying us and doing the same.” Once again I am amazed at how observant my man was, and is, regarding cars. “Do you know, it had never occurred to me!” I smiled encouragingly. Don’t you just love the man? I do.
dropped trousers protest.
La Nazione Newspaper
Earlier, we had enjoyed coffee at Bar Solferino in Certaldo where the caffè Latte is so good, I had two. Idling my way through the local Nazione newspaper, my attention is quite naturally drawn to a picture of several Italian men standing in the street with their trousers dropped around their ankles. Is this a brazen way of showing all the girlie tourists whats on offer? No it is a protest by Bar Owners, against the high taxes they are having to pay for running their bars and caffes! Well, this is sad news of course and I don’t want to belittle the cause, but I will be very happy to see many more protests of this nature!
Flowering Pots on the upper terrace.
Photo J Finnigan
Meanwhile, back in our lovely garden we are enjoying the smell of cut grass and the first blooms of Wisteria and Jasmin. It gives one such a lift, after a rather drawn out winter. You may remember that my lovely sister-in-law came to stay a couple of weeks ago and did all the Spring potting. The pots are now overflowing with flowers and the bees are buzzing; it all looks amazing. Oh yes, not to forget the arrival of the first Cuckoo, Hoopies, Swallows, Swallowtail Butterflies and Pippestrello Bats!
I am realising that my Rock Concert is now only a couple of months away, so its important to do the voice exercises every day. Yesterday, I was once again brainwashing myself with the lyrics to ‘RadioActive’ and singing along to it. “You need to go longer on the ‘died’ and the ‘bones.” My man said helpfully. “This is a new song in my repertoire” I say, “so I have a lot more practising to do.” “Ah.” He says. As I write this blog, I can hear David Bowie blasting out from the speakers in the kitchen. I am itching to get back behind the microphone.
Silvio’s difficult goodbye to AC Milan.
Nazione Newspaper
Back in the land of the filthy rich, I can see that Italy is about to be overrun by wealthy Chinese. Well, if the likely purchase of Silvio Berlusconi’s football club, AC Milan, is anything to go by. The candidates for the acquisition are currently three Chinese, a Thailandia and a Swiss/Austrian. Every time I see TV cameras at a football match, concert or other gathering of people, up pops several Chinese faces! Now, I don’t think I am imagining things, but I am sure that there is a clever invasion going on, which is arriving on flying carpets made of Yuan Renminbi notes.
Well, enough of that. Time to make myself beautiful and go off to Montespertoli for a passeggiata with my man and a cocktail, before lunch at ‘C’era una Volta’ Trattoria in Lucardo.
Have a great week and see you next time.
Amore June x
Here are the direct links for my novels.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=june+finnigan
PS For any other part of the world, just visit Amazon books and insert June Finnigan in the box. Happy reading.
My Father, The Assassin. Book one in the series.
‘The Bolivian Connection’ Book two in the series.
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