Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Farty Barty’

Bouncing into 2014 in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 13, 2014| 2 Comments »

Buon Anno and welcome to all my Loyal and New Followers

I love the start of a New Year.  I know, many will say that starting a New Year is purely a calendar thing, but I disagree.  I always feel that I am bouncing into an exciting new era, with good things just waiting to happen.

Father Christmas unconcious on New Years Day Photo P Finnigan

Father Christmas unconscious on New Years Day
Photo P Finnigan

Now, before we leave the Festive season completely behind us, I must tell you about the amazing spectacle that greeted us in Montespertoli on New Years day.  No one seemed to have noticed that on the roof of the Bar in the main piazza, Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) was lying on his back seemingly unconscious, having stayed on for the New Years Eve festivities!  This was very disturbing and we felt it necessary to call for help as he looked horribly lifeless.  Finally he was helped down, and despite being embarrassed and deflated, he was pointed north and  his stopper pulled out!

In our family we have celebrated three birthdays.  Our genero (son-in-law) on 31st December, our granddaughter on 5th January and my man on 10th January.   My man arrived back after a few working days in London on his birthday. I had laid a log fire, put some nice wrapped presents on the coffee table and some Prosecco in the fridge.   Gradually that handsome smile returned to his face despite the fact that A.  He was not happy to have reached such a great age.  B.  He was annoyed with the weight he had put on over Christmas and C.  He had had a pretty frustrating journey on the train!

Farty Barty Enjoys the New year Sunshine Photo J Finnigan

Farty Barty Enjoys the New year Sunshine
Photo J Finnigan

Today is Sunday and the weather is lovely.  Warm sun and blossom on the cherry trees.  We are half way through January and are now cautiously optimistic about  escaping a hard cold winter.  Farty Barty the cat is very happy, and obviously has a girlie on the go.  Our grandson is just a week away from going to Blundells School in Somerset, England for a two-day sports scholarship exam and I have completed chapter five of my novel ‘The Bolivian Connection.’

Florentine Iris in the garden Photo P Finnigan

Florentine Iris in the garden
Photo P Finnigan

My man is now grinning up from the garden as I gaze down from the studio window, and he tells me he has taken some nice photos.  Would you believe it, a beautiful Florentine Iris is in flower and so I have attached a picture.  The sun is now dipping towards the west and is hidden by woodland, however, the long shadows are creating the most beautiful three-dimensional vistas.  Ah, life is good…..

The idol Silvio (Jesu) Berlusconi Photo sdpf

The idol Silvio Berlusconi
Photo Doug Porter, San Diego Free Press

And finally, a quick mention about our idol, Silvio Berlusconi.    I see that Wikipedia has updated SB’s page and now reads ‘SB is an Italian politician (really?), entrepreneur (yes), media tycoon (yes), frequent criminal defendant ( not in his view), and convicted tax evader (wrongly he says) who has served three times as Prime Minister (yes sort of).  it is important to remember that he is considered a hero by many, and idolized by your right-winger as a man to look up to.  If one ignores that he is virtually challenged, possibly.  Opposite is a picture of how some people see him through rose-coloured spectacles!

Have a wonderful week, do drop me a line and see you next weekend.

Amore June x

PS  Check out my book ‘My Father, The Assassin’ on http://www.firstchapters.net, listed under thrillers, and download immediately at a big discounted price!  Buy the paperback on http://www.Amazon.co.uk or .eu or .com.  If you would like a personal message and autograph on a pretty sticker to go in your book, send your postal address to june.finnigan@virgin.net  Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Feeling like a Little Girl Again, in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 21, 2013| 4 Comments »

Egg shell Tree Decoration

Egg shell Tree Decoration
Photo J Finnigan

It’s so exciting, I feel like a little girl again, our Christmas tree is twinkling with lights and all the presents are wrapped.  I have brought the lovely old-fashioned tree decorations out of storage, made many years ago from eggshells, by an elderly lady in Somerset.  Unfortunately I’m the only one in the family who likes them.   My man is trying not to mumble humbug, however, the carol service I want to go to tomorrow evening is not on his wish list.  Of course, this is the time of year when we want our loved ones to be happy, so there has to be many compromises!  My mother is just short of ninety now and does not understand on-line banking so, despite the difficulty involved in depositing it, I wouldn’t dream of asking her not to send me a cheque.  When we were little kids at Christmas time, sixpence (2.5p sterling) would buy a pretty brooch in Woolworth for my mother, a big bag of fig biscuits, a bag of broken chocolate pieces, balloons,  rolls of coloured crepe paper for making decorations and still leave some change.  My mother still thinks that ten pounds is a lot of money!  My grandfather, bless him, always managed to turn up with a tree and we could guarantee to find a tangerine orange, an apple and nuts in the bottom of our Christmas stockings.

Alessandro enjoying Laura's shoulder massage. Photo J Finnigan

Alessandro enjoying Laura’s shoulder massage.
Photo J Finnigan

Back at Laura’s Alimentari/bar in Fiano, everyone is talking about Natale (Christmas) and it is traditional for Italian family members to return home from all corners of the globe for Mama’s Festive lunch and dinner.  Signore Rotund (Alessandro) used to dress up as Babbo Natale (Father Christmas), but apparently not this year.  Best not to question why, however, he is struggling with a bad knee at present.  This morning he was getting a shoulder massage from Laura whilst reading his sporting pages and he agreed to my taking a picture!  Tomorrow we will be at the Christmas market in Montespertoli with our beautiful daughter and two grandchildren.  There is nothing like a small town Italian piazza  for enjoying a market and, preferably with an aperitivo in hand, watching the bustling world go by .

Today, Saturday, we begin our formal festive holiday; the offices are closed until January 6th.  I bought a box full of DVD’s from Amazon, so we are well and truly set up with good films to see us through to the New Year.  We have also dusted off the board games ready for the grandchildrens’ invasion.

We have just had a visit from our English friend and neighbour Terry, who came with an invite to a New Years Eve Festa in Fiano, where at midnight he will set light to a huge ceramic statue hidden inside a wooden kiln. (He is a very talented potter http://www.terrydavies.it) The sun was warm enough to enjoy a couple of vinos on the terrace, where he updated us on the local scuttlebutt.  Apparently our old house across the valley has just been sold to Australians, so the area is becoming even more cosmopolitan!

Farty Barty's silhouette under the orange tree cover. Photo P Finnigan

Farty Barty’s silhouette under the orange tree cover.
Photo P Finnigan

Farty Barty the cat, is ignoring all the festivity and has been hiding under the cover over the orange trees.  We discovered his hiding place when suddenly a moving lump appeared in the white cover and with the sun shining through it, there was his silhouette.  I may have mentioned that he is currently frightened of a large black tom cat, which is trying to invade his territory.  Subsequently, he has been staying in at night and only venturing out when we are in close proximity!

Meanwhile, here is the latest from the media on the gorgeous Silvio Berlusconi.  Unfortunately, he has just been denied a passport after a legal bid to reclaim it, so is probably feeling a bit down in the dumps.  Now, the Telegraph tells us that his lawyers have dismissed claims that he was filmed having sex with prostitutes in Panama in 2010.  O dio, once tarnished the same brush keeps coming back like a slap in the face.  And to cap it all, poor SB is said to be planning an ‘Austerity Christmas’, forgoing lavish dinners and expensive gifts.  Instead the struggling billionaire will be giving a modest buffet lunch and spending a quiet Christmas with his girlie Francesca and her beloved toy poodle, Dudu.  Ah bless.  Funny though, I thought dudu was a baby’s word for poo!

Well enough of that, its time for lunch, but indoors today, because the sun has moved round and the temperature has dropped.  Then its time to challenge the man to another game of ‘Sorry’.  He’s currently in the lead and we can’t have that now can we?

Have a fabulous Christmas.

Salute and Cin Cin June x

PS don’t forget to visit http://www.firstchapters.net were you can download ‘My Father, The Assassin’ by J W Finnigan at a huge discount!  Auguri.

Read Full Post »

Hot sun, Freezing Fog and Christmas Markets in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 8, 2013| 6 Comments »

Crumbling Cliffs left and our villa top right. Photo P Finnigan

Crumbling Cliffs left and our villa almost hidden in the trees, second from right.
Photo P Finnigan

Driving along the strada bianca this morning, the sun was a russet gold and the light fantastic.  So much so, that my man stopped the car and took some lovely photos of the of the foggy valley and inland cliffs below our villa.  I have mentioned before that we live in an area which is constantly on the move and the crumbling cliffs provide a reminder that within staggering beauty is a landslip always waiting to happen.  The cliffs are full of fossils and ancient seashells, reminding us that these Dolce Colline (sweet hills) were under water during the ice-age.   The steepest parts are largely covered in mixed woodland, so the area is teaming with wildlife.  A young roe deer crossed the track this morning at some considerable speed, so we braked and as anticipated a second one was not far behind.

The much hunted and beautiful Cinghale.

A Tuscan Cinghiale.

A couple of weeks ago our daughter was driving across country and a big old male cinghiale (wild boar) broke cover and dashed across the road.  She expected several more to follow or perhaps hunters’ dogs, but no, the frightened animal was being chased by a cock pheasant!  Don’t you just wish you had a camera at a time like this?

Back in Laura’s bar/alimentari in Fiano,  the ever popular Sig Rotund enjoys a shoulder and neck massage provided by a number of passing local ladies, whilst reading his paper.    My man has recently been acting very stiff shouldered to see if he can get the same attention, but no luck so far!  Sig Rotund has provided the Christmas Raffle this year which, unfortunately,  consists of some rather gaudy silver plate things.  The thing is, do we buy a ticket and ask to have the prize put back if we win, not buy a ticket or buy a ticket and try to lose the prize somewhere?  What do you think?  Oh, dio….  Here in Tuscany the festive season is taken very seriously and Christmas Markets are everywhere.  Germany is said to have the best European Christmas Markets and, would you believe it,  Florence is actually hosting a ‘German’ Christmas Market right now!

And now something completely different.  If you live in Italy, well certainly in Tuscany, finding an idraulica (plumber) who a) actually arrives, b) can do any plumbing job and is not restricted to one specialist area, and c) does not take all day to do a few little jobs, is almost impossible.  Well, we popped into Bar Italia in Certaldo the other day and discovered that Fabiola, who works behind the bar, is married to just the man we have been searching for!  The amazing Salvatore arrived the next day and did everything in less than three hours, then rushed off and said he would leave his bill in the bar at sometime in the future!  We now have flushing loos and taps that no longer drip, so we are all ready for the festive visitors!

OLive trees overlooking thefog filled valleys. Photo P Finnigan

Olive trees overlooking the fog filled valleys.
Photo P Finnigan

Back at the villa, despite the freezing air temperature, we have been able to sit outside in hot sunshine at around 1pm on most days this last week.  The magic thing about southern Europe is the fact that the sun, when it comes out, is still hot in winter.  So if you take your folding chair, even on a frosty day, get out of the wind and have direct sunlight on your face, you can soak up that much-needed vitamin D and enjoy a pre-lunch aperitivo at the same time!

And so to the Peter Pan of politics.  How is the gorgeous Silvio Berlusconi doing?  The New York Times provided a very amusing article last week.  Quote, “SB cares about his friends as long as they do what he says.  He talks fondly about his late Mama and adores his kids, in fact he loves family so much, he has had three already!  Hang in there SB, the girlies still love you!

Well, as it’s a lovely sunny day, we are off to Montespertoli for an aperitivo in the main piazza, then a bit of lunch.

Have a great week and don’t forget to check out ‘My Father, The Assassin’ by J W Finnigan on http://www.Amazon.co.uk (.com or .eu) or http://www.firstchapters.net for your Christmas reading and/or presents.  If you would like my autograph, I can send you a very nice sticky label to go in your book.  Email June.finnigan@virgin.net with your details.

Amore June xx

PS We have just bought a nice bunch of mistletoe, so may be a little preoccupied for a while….

Read Full Post »

A Roaring Log Fire and Looking Back Fifty Years, in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 25, 2013| 1 Comment »

Benvenuto to all my lovely loyal and new followers,

Last Wednesday our legna (firewood) was delivered by our local man in his Ape (pronounced Apay), my man bought some rods and a brush and he swept the chimney on Thursday morning.  My man enjoys this kind of thing, but the brush was too large for the last quarter of the chimney and a very red-faced, puffing ex-commando, uncharacteristically admitted defeat.  “Virtually nothing has come down, so I’ll dash to Certaldo and get a smaller brush” he announced.  However, it was 12.35 when he left on his ten minute journey and yes, you guessed right, the ferramenta had closed at 12.30 for pranzo (lunch).  So we agreed that a three-quarter clean was probably good enough and lit the fire that day.  Thank god we were right and what a pleasure it was to have a roaring fire, on that dark cold evening.

Alessandro and his hand-made Samurai Armour. Photo J Finnigan

Alessandro and his hand-made Samurai Armour.
Photo J Finnigan

On Friday we collected my black leather handbag from ‘La Rapida 2’ in central Certaldo, where it was being mended.  I must introduce you to the handsome Alessandro Barozzini, who not only mends shoes, boots and other leather things, he makes the most amazing things in leather and metal.  Alessandro is a dashing thirty-six year old with a history of fighting in ‘Medieval Costume reenactments’ and most of his creations are linked to battle dress.  He is also writing a book, very slowly, about the history of fighting.  Of course my man is also an expert on such things and the conversation became quite involved and lengthy.

Autumn flowers, , on the Bougainvillea. Photo J Finnigan

Autumn ‘flowers’, at the end of November, on the Bougainvillea.
Photo J Finnigan

Despite the cold damp weather, the climbing Bougainvillea in the garden seems to think it is early autumn and is still full of bright pink blooms.  Also, the pepper plants are still fruiting in abundance.  However, tomorrow we will have to cover a number of potted plants as the temperature is dropping fast.  There is also snow on the distant mountains.

Last week the world remembered the assassination of JFK and the following day the UK celebrated fifty years of Radio One.  I can tell you that on both these days, fifty years ago, I was tuning in my new transistor radio (then called a tranny, until the word was pinched by a certain section of the human race) on my bedroom windowsill in Devon, England.  Despite being only twelve, I can remember the shock of JFK’s death as he was hugely popular then.  However, the launch of Radio One by Tony Blackburn was so exciting that the JFK thing was made a little less awful.  Prior to this, I used to sit on top of my mother’s upright piano and glue myself to the old wireless there, which picked up Radio Luxemburg and the pirate ship Radio Caroline.   Radio One was to be a huge influence on the 1960’s and we used to tune in every weekend for Alan (pop-pickers) Freeman’s top twenty hits.  A little later, Top of the Pops was launched on TV and the  radio Disc Jockies all took their turns in presenting the latest bands and pop singers.  Ultimately, the DJ’s became celebrities too.

Silvio addresses new young recruits to his party Forza Italia. Photo AP/Mauro Scrobogna, Lapresse.

Silvio addresses new young recruits to his party Forza Italia.
Photo AP/Mauro Scrobogna, Lapresse.

And so to the dashing, Silvio Berlusconi.  SB addressed a group of new young members to his party Forza Italia , yesterday, telling them that the vote to remove him from parliament is tantamount to a government coup and was based on “an incredible verdict, absolutely unfounded, used to lay the groundwork of the political murder of the centre-right leader.”  The charismatic seventy-seven year old, said he would not ask for a pardon, but that President Giorgio Napolitano should concede him one on his own volition and called the sentence, reduced by an amnesty to one year performing social service, “a humiliation”.   Now let’s read that again.  Did he not  just ask for a pardon, if indirectly, or I am a imagining things?  And just a footnote, we hear that SB and his new ‘wife’ are sleeping in separate beds!  Life is tough being a billionaire.

Well, we are off to ‘C’era una Volta’ for lunch today.  Good Tuscan cooking and popular with the locals.  Visit http://www.ristorante-ceraunavolta.com

'My Father, The Assassin' By June Finnigan

‘My Father, The Assassin’
By June Finnigan

Have a great week and don’t forget to check out my current thriller, ‘My Father, the Assassin’,  on http://www.amazon.co.uk (eu or com),  http://www.goodreads.com or http://www.firstchapters.net

Amore June x

PS I am hard at work on the sequel, ‘The Bolivian Connection’ which should be published in the spring.

Read Full Post »

‘The Peasants are Revolting’ in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 17, 2013| 2 Comments »

Welcome to all my new and loyal followers,

Sunset over Geneva on the mans flight home. Photo P Finnigan

Sunset over Geneva on the mans flight to London.
Photo P Finnigan

At 7am sharp on Saturday, the hunters started shooting in the valley below our villa.  Fortunately, my man was traveling from London that day, because he had stayed over on Friday night with a ticket to watch rugby at Twickenham.  However, Sunday morning when he most needed a lie in, the shooting started again at the same time.  My man groaned, turned over in bed and said “The bloody peasants are revolting.”  I said, “don’t worry I have a cunning plan.”  But that’s my secret.

Farty Barty exhausted after laying the table. Photo J Finnigan

Farty Barty exhausted after laying the table.
Photo J Finnigan

Then the cat fight started, so I clambered out of bed to check on Farty Barty who had stayed out all night.  Black Cat, a big local tom, was standing on Barty’s favourite perch over the orange trees staring down into the orchard, so I opened the window clapped loudly and shouted ‘vai’.  The horrid cat looked angrily back at me and then casually climbed down and waddled off.  This then leaves you thinking, ‘Oh god I hope Barty is alright’.  Well of course he was fine and strolled in an hour later saying ‘feed me’!  Meanwhile my man is mumbling, “Are you trying to wake me up?”  Then at eight o’clock it’s the rumbling of tractor and trailer as Alessandro arrives with his team of Romanians (I think) to finish the olive picking.  So, despite it being Sunday we were off for coffee at nine!

The good news this week is that I went to Sandra’s new Hair Salon which, is very nice and girlie, with a beautiful mural of Audrey Hepburn on the wall.  I took Sandra a present and her mother & mother-in-law were there to greet the ‘famous English writer’, warmly shaking my hand and kissing my cheeks.  Sandra is quite rightly very proud of her new salon, and took two hours doing my hair instead of the rushed hour and a half at the old place.

Yesterday morning I dropped down to Certaldo, very slowly, as an old boy was driving his invalid carriage along the white line in the middle of the main road.  Now thinking about this, it’s possible that he thought there was room to pass him on either side of the road, however, I felt that the wind of my car might topple him over.    I followed him for half a kilometre with my heart in my mouth, praying that nobody overtake me and not see him.  So I put my hazards on.  Then a truck came round the bend towards us and the old boy casually swerved to the right, then returned to his central position immediately afterwards!

Paintings on wood from the Doggy Charity sale only 5 Euros each! Photo P Finnigan

Paintings on wood from the Doggy Charity sale only 5 Euros each!
Photo P Finnigan

There is always a fruit, veg and plant market on Saturdays in Certaldo, however, this time there were around fifty stalls selling home-made chocolates!  Dear god, how can one possibly eat sensibly in this sweet toothed country!  I was also really pleased to see a Doggy Charity in the community hall,  where I bought two wood paintings and a tray.  My sister-in-law would have loved it there, as she is brilliant at spotting good labels in jumble sales and then selling them on E-Bay.  Sadly, I rarely see any charity shops or sales in our bit of Tuscany, whereas, England is overrun with them.

I am really pleased to tell you that Laura’s Alimentari/bar in Fiano is open again.  Laura & Benedetta had both been down with the same virus, so all is back to normal.  Signor Rotund was delighted to see my man back and Italy has just beaten Fiji at Rugby, so that’s more good news.  I had a conversation with Benedetta yesterday morning and she said in English “this is your break”.  so I tried to explain that in English one normally takes a ‘break’ say mid-morning, or at least after having worked for a couple of hours and that I was taking my caffè latte before starting work.  It was then around 9am or 8am UK time.  Of course, Benedetta and her mother start at six thirty, so for her it was already mid-morning, so then the conversation got a bit confusing!  So I also explained that it was important for me to ‘Uscire’ (go out) each morning, otherwise one could go ‘stir crazy’.  Try and translate that one!  However, she understood the phrase only too well and finished the sentence for me with a big grin on her face!

Silvio & Angelino Alfano in happier times. Photo BBC News Europe

Silvio & Angelino Alfano in happier times.
Photo BBC News Europe

And so to the successful survival of our heart-throb, Silvio Berlusconi.  SB has now formerly re-launched Forza Italia.  A supporter commented, ‘We could do with at least three Silvios in government, he’s the only man capable of restoring this county’s prosperity!’.  Well, it’s hard to recall a time of prosperity over the last  twenty years, but hey ho.  Meanwhile, SB was ‘in a lot of pain’ over the break away of his former right hand man, Angelino Alfano, who has formed a new faction of dissidents.  I say, never mind SB, the girlies will still support you, anyway who wants a new leader who always looks as if he’s sucking gobstoppers!

Well, time to go and put on the lipstick and head out for lunch at ‘La Gramola’ in Tavernelle.  If anyone is interested, the food is really good and they specialise in gluten-free, which is great for me.  Visit http://www.gramola.it

Have a great week.

Amore June x

PS You can now find me and my novel ‘My Father, The Assassin’ on http://www.goodreads.com, http://www.firstchapters.net and of course on Amazon.  Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Yet another Gorgeous Autumn Week, and a Nasty Shock, in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 10, 2013| 2 Comments »

Benvenuti to all my loyal and new followers

My normal hair colour on the left - no, not the right! How dare you... photo P Finnigan

My normal hair colour on the left – no, not the right! How dare you…
photo P Finnigan

You may ask, what could be so terrible in this beautiful little bit of Chianti, that it could put me into a state of shock?  Well, all you girlies will understand when I tell you, that to lose your personal hairdresser of eight years, suddenly and inexplicably, and no way of knowing where she has gone, is one terrible blow!  The girls in the salon ‘claimed’ not to know, so my man and I set out to track her down.  Once when Sandra had gone on holiday, one of the other girls dyed my hair and it was an absolute disaster.  I have been dying my hair various shades of red ever since I turned seventeen, but this colour was a violent orange!  Immediately afterwards, I was meeting my man at the station cafe in Certaldo and he saw me from half a mile away.  As regards sitting with me, well, you can imagine his discomfort.  Now my man likes me to be happy and if I am a little down, he will offer to pay for me to have a pedicure & manicure as this always gives me a lift.  Beautiful hair and nails are at the top of my list, oh and my man’s happiness as well of course.  So he enquired at Bar Italia, and Vanya rather awkwardly on account of her being the sister of the salon owner next door, told him that Sandra was opening her own salon next to the photographers!  My man does have a way with girlies, particularly pretty ones.  We found the shop and the opening date was the ninth of November, and I am about to ring for an appointment!  Hurrah!

Olives ready for picking. Photo J Finnigan

Olives ready for picking.
Photo J Finnigan

Back here at the villa, Alessandro the local contadino and his crew, started at seven this morning on the olive picking.  A couple of hours later it started to rain so they all rushed for cover.  At twelve thirty the sun came out and it was perfect for returning to the harvest.  But no, this is Italy and it was time for pranzo (lunch) so they all went off until two o’clock.  By this time heavy dark clouds were building up again!

Farty Barty guards the villa on top of the trellis over the Orange Trees. Photo J Finnigan

Farty Barty guards the villa on top of the trellis over the Orange Trees.
Photo J Finnigan

Meanwhile, great excitement as we manage to get fat Farty Barty into his cage and then to the vet in Poggibonsi.  He was there for his inoculation and I confess that I tucked his tail between his legs so that our lovely lady vet was not reminded that he still has his vital bits.  He was passed as ‘fighting fit’ which will be very important for him over the next couple of months.

Lemon Tree Blossoms after the rain Photo J Finnigan

Lemon Tree Blossoms after the rain
Photo J Finnigan

In the garden the Bouganvillea, climbing one of the cypress trees, is looking amazing and in mid-November is acting like its spring.  Also, the potted lemon trees are bursting with heavily perfumed blossom! Gorgeous.

Earlier in the week my man, also known as Nonno, was dedicated the school run to Staggia and Siena to collect the grandchildren and take them home.  Our daughter has had to go to England to do some PR business and her man needed to be away for the day seeing a garden design client near Lucca.  Nonno took the granddaughter for a strawberry & hazelnut gelato and then collected the grandson from Siena and talked rugby all the way home, as one does.  Our boy is currently doing trials for Tuscany under fourteens and he not only looks like a young Jonny Wilkinson, he plays like him too.  We are so proud!

Back in our local village of Fiano, I decide to visit our lovely Dottore Flavio with some test results.  I arrived and realised that I had left the results at home, so we talked about rock music instead.  Before this I had managed to leave my sunglasses in the Cartolibreria and Milko’s mother had handed them to the local baker, who then took them to the cafe bar.  Don’t ask!   All the talk is currently about why Laura’s Alimentari/ Bar which has been closed for three days with a sign on the door saying ‘malattia’, however,  nobody knows which member of the family is ill!

And so to the gorgeous Silvio Berlusconi.  Poor SB.  He is claiming that the whole world is against his family and is treating them like jews under Hitler.  This is not the first time that he has courted controversy with references to World War Two.  Mind you, you can’t always believe everything you read in the paper.   I just spotted in the Independent, quote: ‘In August Silvio Berlusconi was convicted for a 7.3 million tax fraud vomited between 1994 & 1998.’  Yes really, their actual words.  This makes me feel a little better because readers have spotted a typo in my novel!  I challenge you to find it and I will send you a signed copy of the book.

Well, enough of that.  Time for a nice aperitivo with my man.

Salute June x

PS You can now find me and ‘My Father, The Assassin’ on http://www.goodreads.com, http://www.firstchapters.net and of course on Amazon.  Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

October into November and Lovely Balmy Weather in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2013| 4 Comments »

"Read my lips, I am not fat!"

Farty Barty – “Read my lips, I am not fat, I can still see my paws!”
Photo J Finnigan

It’s hard to believe that we are already into November, particularly as the days have been really balmy over the last week.  We are still enjoying lunches outside on the upper terrace and marvelling at the peace and quiet after the vendemia (grape harvest).  The olive picking has now really got going and it has been an unusual year with both harvests so close together.  Farty Barty, the cat, is getting far too plump as he builds his winter coat and fat layers.  In no time at all he will be off courting and running himself ragged again.  Yes, I know, at six years of age, he still has his vital bits.  The problem is, whenever we try to trap him in his cage, he  knowingly disappears off into the wild for four or five days!  Now my man feels that, at such a mature age a male’s important bits should be left well alone!

Orange harvest from the orchard. Photo P Finnigan

Orange harvest from the orchard.
Photo P Finnigan

The garden continues to amaze us with new growth on many of the flowering plants and shrubs.  The potted lemon trees are sporting autumn blossoms and the oranges from the orchard are huge and juicy.  The man is very happy, of course, because there is still plenty to do outside.  In addition to this, we are decorating the spare bedroom for our discerning friends & family that will be here before and over Christmas.  These things may not be exciting to you, however, my man and I spend a lot of hours each week doing brain work, so it is a joy to turn one’s attention to practical stuff.

Back at the Laura’s bar/alimentari in Fiano, Tuesday was a day for the locals to burst into song.  It was a case of the conversation suddenly inspiring a song (mostly Italian) and short bursts of pop, rock or ballads were sung with gusto.  I threw in a few English lyrics and it was great fun!

Giovana and Vittorio's memorial. Photo P Finnigan

Giovana and Vittorio’s memorial.
Photo P Finnigan

Friday was a festa (All Saints Day/Day of the Dead) and Halloween to you.  The churchyards are now full of fresh flowers  and we particularly like to visit Giovanna & Vittorio’s memorial in Luccardo Alto, which has hand painted likenesses on the wall.  if you have never visited an Italian churchyard, you really must.  Each dearly departed has a photograph, and at night lovely little lamps let out a warm glow.   Laura’s bar was closed that day, so we had morning coffee outside Bar Piazzetta and soaked up the glorious sunshine.  Reading the paper there, we discover that Empoli, a town about half an hour away, has a Sherlock Holmes Society.  How amazing is that?  This is an all Italian group of people who just adore S.H!

On Sunday we went to Montespertoli and, whilst enjoying our aperitivo in the Piazza, we met Rhett & Ginger, two lovely American ladies who were on holiday.  Girls, if you are reading this, we hope you enjoy my book and the rest of your holiday!  And so to Sunday lunch.

Gianluccas brings our antipasti. Photo J Finnigan

Gianluca brings our antipasti.
Photo J Finnigan

I have been meaning to introduce you to Gianluca who is a waiter at ‘C’era una Volta’ in Luccardo.  Gianluca has been a temporary member of staff for around eleven years, as he is really a perpetual student of History.  He is also very charming to girlies of all ages and speaks English, French, German and Spanish.  We are very fond of him, however, he loves to stop and chat to us at some length, despite shouts from his boss Paolo to get on with serving the customers!  You could say that he likes to perform for his favourite customers, which regularly gets him into trouble!  He is off to Cuba next week with his mates, and asked us for all the words for a joint!  Did he mean a smoke or a seedy bar?  We did our best to help.

Whilst the storms have abated, we are still seeing the after effects and a busy B road near Montespertoli has subsided.  I know I mention this quite often,

Road subsidence near Montespertoli. Photo la Republica

Road subsidence near Montespertoli.
Photo la Republica

however, you need to travel these roads regularly to appreciate the precarious state of shifting land around us.  I won’t bore you too much with stories about Italian drivers, but this morning driving along the two kilometre stretch of strada bianca from our villa to the main road, we had to break three times as to avoid oncoming vehicles cutting bends at speed, over seriously eroded surfaces!  Then we were overtaken by an elderly Signora, on a blind bend and it is a single track road!  Enough of that, but sometimes one has to rent one’s feelings!

I have just checked on the latest news for the gorgeous Silvio Berlusconi.  Well, golly gosh, bunga-bunga girl Marythell Polanca has claimed that SB married his overage fiance Francesca Pascale three weeks ago, in a private chapel at his home!  Francesca is currently seeking 10 million euros damages after a TV station broadcast claimed that, according to a Bulgarian Actress, she was a lesbian!  Meanwhile, SB has managed to persuade the courts to reduce his alimony payments to his ex-wife by half.  The poor wretch is now having to manage on only 1.2 million euros a month!   So, nothing really sensational on Silvio’s front then.

Enough for now.  I really must get on with the day job and do a bit of business.  Please get in touch, and if you have read my current book, do leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.  Thank you.

Amore June x

PS You can now find me and ‘My Father, The Assassin’ on http://www.goodreads.com, http://www.firstchapters.net and of course on Amazon.  Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Autumn Colours and a Tea Party in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 22, 2013| 2 Comments »

Benvenuti to all my new and loyal followers

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Autumn Vines next to the Strada Bianca
Photo P Finnigan

As I prepare to send you this blog, heavy rain is hammering the windows and flood water is seeping under the kitchen door!  Farty Barty, the cat, warned me that a storm was on the way by burying his face in his cushion and refusing to go out last night.  Just after midnight the thunder started to roll, quickly changing into deafening thunderclaps directly overhead, followed by torrential rain.  Shutters banged and clattered in the easterly winds and then the electricity died.  When we have storms in Tuscany they are massive and lightning forks can take out whole trees in one mighty flash.  Flood water cascades down the hills taking surface soil and plants with it, completely changing the landscape.  You may recall that I have mentioned the shifting land, crumbling inland cliffs  and landslides. Often roads are blocked and not cleared for several days.  It is now eleven thirty in the morning and the storm continues unabated.  I dare not think about whether the strada bianca (white track) from our villa to the main road will be passable when the sky eventually clears!  Worst of all, I have had to make my own coffee this morning as I cannot get to the cafe bar in Fiano!

GiGi and her surprise birthday desert at Osteria La Sosta di Pio. Photo J Finnigan

GiGi and her surprise birthday desert at Osteria La Sosta di Pio.
Photo J Finnigan

But hey ho, let’s look back at what has been a glorious week, which included three lunches in our sunny garden, three at local restaurants and only one in our kitchen.  At the Osteria La Sosta di Pio near Barberino Val d’Elsa, my mother-in-law, known as Gi-Gi, on account of her being a Great-Grandma, was presented with a surprise birthday desert with candle and ‘Happy Birthday’ was played in English over the loud-speakers.  Her little face lit up as she remembered, once again, that it was her eighty-eighth birthday!  Every ten minutes or so, her short-term memory loss kicks in, so we had to constantly remind her what day it was.  Bless her.  In the afternoon four generations of Finnigans descended on the villa for afternoon tea and birthday cake.  GG flew back to England on Sunday with my man and may or may not remember her visit!

Meanwhile, back at our local village of Fiano, the tourists had thinned to a trickle.  The unplayed and crushed conkers in the piazza had mostly been cleared away and the horse-chestnut trees were dressed in beautiful shades of red and gold.  Offset these against a row of dark cyprus trees and a bright blue sky; very breathtaking.  As we walked to the alimentari /bar the intoxicating perfume of red wine wafted over us from a passing truck, loaded high with grape skins.  We arrived for coffee feeling very light-headed.

main via in Certaldo alto oct 2013

Certaldo Alto
Photo P Finnigan

Funiculare ride down to Certaldo Basso

View from the funiculare train down to Certaldo
Photo P Finnigan

On Saturday morning we took GG to Certaldo Alto, which is the centro storica (historical centre) of Certaldo perched high on its own steep hill.  We traveled up on the little funiculare train packed like sardines with Italians, their children, nonnas and cameras.  We visited the gallery and were delighted to meet the artist Walter Sarfatti.  His work is rather special as he produces ‘original prints’ from zinc plates by the process of etching.  No one print is exactly the same as it varies according to the colour and the density of the ink chosen by the artist.  We are now the proud owner of a small masterpiece.  You may like to visit http://www.sienaart.org/walter-sarfatti .

And so to the Italian Stallion Silvio Berlusconi.  Yes, as anticipated, he has been thrown out of political office for two years. Can he still remain ‘high profile’ during this period?  We do hope so.  Whilst his love life continues to be fraught with scuttlebutt, it is very likely.  Watch this space.

Well, I have finished this blog by hand as the storm is still raging.  I am reluctant to go on-line as I have first hand experience of a lightening bolt hitting the electricity wires at our old home and destroying the TV and my lap-top!  I may have to send this tomorrow….

Heres hoping you are having better weather.

Amore June x

PS You can now find me and my book, ‘My Father, the Assassin’, on http://www.Goodreads.com as well as http://www.firstchapters.net and of course Amazon.  Happy reading.

Read Full Post »

Back from the Brink, and a special Birthday Girl in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 14, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Welcome to all my lovely new and loyal followers

‘I’m back, to let you know I can really shake them down.’  How sad, you are probably thinking,  June is quoting 1960’s lyrics again!  But I have to say, as you get to know me even better, you will come to realise, that knowing all the words to most of the ’60’s rock and pop songs was always my best subject in Pub Quizzes!  But you don’t want to know about that.  However, you may be glad to know that I am now recovered from a nasty little virus, which took me to the brink, and have found my thinking cap again.

The grandson leads Siena under 14's Rugby to victory in black & white

The grandson leads Siena under 14’s Rugby to victory in black & white

Firstly, I must mention that the Rugby season has just started in Italy.  The highlight of the last two weeks is that our brilliant grandson has been made captain of Siena under fourteens and he led his team to victory over Florence in their opening match of the season!  We are so proud.

Driving back from coffee in Fiano with the man and his lovely visiting mother yesterday morning, we were horrified to see a river of wine (well stream actually) flowing towards us from Villa Bacio.  The villa has a lot of vineyards and the harvest and crushing continues unabated.  On closer inspection we saw that there were also grape skins in the stream and that it was an overflow of waste, but my god it smelt good!  Within a few weeks it will be olive picking time, and fresh cold pressed extra virgin olive oil will be dribbling from our dipped bread.  We are really looking forward to that, and not to forget that it is also white truffle (Tartufo Bianco) time, glorious……

Back at the Alimentare/Bar in Fiano, poor Laura the owner, has scolded her hand with some hot oil and is all bandaged up.  They do seem to be an accident prone family, what with Benedetta, her daughter, limping around with a broken foot.  Our friend Signore Rotund was very pleased to see my man back from London, as they have this private thing about keeping morning papers back for each other.  My lovely eighty-eight year old mother-in-law was also welcomed back with great enthusiasm by the locals, which makes her feel very special.  She is with us for a week to celebrate her birthday, so it will be a family gathering tomorrow.

My man has expressed great concern over the fact that Italian children and parents do not play conkers!  Huge horse-chestnut trees surround the piazza in Fiano, and the lovely big glossy conkers are left crushed under car wheels and completely ignored.  This is a very sad thing and I agree with him, it’s just like the lack of interest in board games, which as you know we have started playing again with a vengeance.

Cafe La Piazzetta in Fiano

Cafe La Piazzetta in Fiano, in the main piazza, which is surrounded by horse chestnut trees.

Many of you will know that we have more than our fair share of street sellers in Tuscany and I am very impressed with one local man who is selling used purses.  His sales pitch is ‘New purses are too inflexible and that a second-hand one will bring you good luck, because they already have the smell of money!’  The mind boggles as to where he acquired these purses and looking closely at the clothing items, I swear I can see clothes peg marks.  However, he is a very likeable chap!  There was rather a lot of rubbish around the floor of the Cafe La Piazzetta in Fiano last weekend and my man said that it was probably Albanians.  I was shocked, ‘Why on earth did you say that?’ I asked, ‘It’s what the Italians say not me’ he retorted, ‘because they never drop rubbish!’  Since he has been formally adopted as a ToscanoDoc  (real Tuscan) by the locals he has become very biased!

Meanwhile, on 4th October, Pope Francis visited Assisi where his namesake was based and I think buried.  My man and I went there a few years ago as his middle name is Francis too and he felt a certain affinity with the place.  His family was Roman Catholic and his grandmother and mother got carried away with middle names.  My man’s are Antoni, Dominic, Francis which makes be very jealous because I’m just plain June!

Anyway, we had a very nice lunch at C’era una Volta yesterday after our traditional visit to Montespertoli for an Aperitivo.  My mother-in-law, bless her, was singing opera after a little too much wine and creme di limoncello.  The other diners were very impressed – she does have a lovely voice if a little bit on the shaky side.  She accompanies Andrea Boccelli each evening over supper and her favourite is Ave Maria, which she belts out with gusto!  It’s the only thing that wakes Farty Barty the cat from his malaise at the moment, as It is the time of year for him to get fat and winter furred, and to spend a lot of time on his cushioned kitchen chair.

Silvio gets emotional in Rome. Photo Reuters, Alessandro Bianchi.

Silvio gets emotional in Rome.
Photo Reuters, Alessandro Bianchi.

And so to our fallen hero Silvio Berlusconi.  I am pleased to report that he remains high-profile in the news.  After his about-face, due to his five ministers refusing to quit the senate, he threw his support behind the rather lack luster government of Enrico Letta.  Now he has chosen Community Service over House arrest and is being besieged by Social Welfare Services including City Angels and Exodus, which support the homeless and drug addicts.  He has also had invites from Animal Rights, Hospitals, the Genetic Rights Foundation (whatever that is) and a home for the elderly.  The old girlies in the latter would adore having him there, particularly if he was in charge of making the beds.  But my guess is he’ll support a charity for fallen women.  Meanwhile, his ‘fiance’ Francesca Pascale is having a cat fight with glamorous Bulgarian actress/producer Michelle Boney.  Michelle is a friend of SB and claims that FP is a bad person, has been blackmailing him and is actually a Lesbian.  Wow, that takes the biscuit!  A touch of jealousy, methinks.

So, it is Monday morning and I must get this blog off to you subito.

Have a great week and don’t forget to check out http://www.firstchapters.net for your winter reading.  Try the Romantic Thriller ‘My Father, The Assassin’ by J W Finnigan.

Amore June x

Read Full Post »

Grapes, Rugby and a Special Birthday in Beautiful Tuscany

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 23, 2013| 2 Comments »

Ripening grapes on our lower terrace. Photo P Finnigan

Ripening grapes on our lower terrace.
Photo P Finnigan

Welcome to all my Loyal and New Followers.

Well, this last week we have been surrounded by grape harvesters, driving their squeaky tractors and clattering trailers loaded with huge juicy purple grapes past our villa, and taking them for crushing just down the road at the Villa Bacio.  The Villa is also an agriturismo, so paying guests are darting around with their cameras trying to get the best shots of the picking and crushing.  Yesterday, Sunday, we bumped into our very good friend Claudio who produces one of the best Chianti wines in the region.  We can see his property across the valley and he used to be our next door neighbour.  Claudio was just starting his harvest and, like many other farmers,  always imports workers during the season.  Last year he had Orientals and Africans, this year he has Pakistanis!  Why, we asked, have you chosen Pakistanis.  They are reliable and legal he laughed, the price is agreed at outset and the boss speaks Italian which helps!  My man commented on how good the weather was now and that  he hated cold weather.  Claudio said it was perfect for the harvest (vendemia), not too hot and not too cold.  He then laughed and called my man a ToscanoDoc.  This was quite a compliment as he was saying that the man was one of ‘them’, that is a true Tuscan!  As all you wine connoisseurs will know, a DOCG Chianti wine has been formally approved as a true Chianti and Claudio’s wine is in this exclusive club.  My man was beaming all the way home, bless him.

Yummy birthday cake photo J Finnigan

Yummy birthday cake
photo J Finnigan

Last Wednesday, was our grandson’s thirteenth birthday (compleanno) so we drove over to his house near Siena for the festa.  He is now the proud owner of a Yamaha acoustic guitar which fills my heart with joy and excitement.  Hopefully, he will be able to play with my band in the future!  Our teenager is also a brilliant rugby player and today he is being assessed for moving on to greater opportunities.  Over the weekend, whilst we dog sat, the family went off to watch Rovigo play their opening match of the season.  They were guests of Rovigo’s New Zealander player Billy Ngawini, who was busy signing autographs, and as a birthday surprise they all had dinner with top rugby star Mirco Bergamasco who is the gorgeous blond guy all we girlies adore!

This morning at the alimentari/bar, it was busy with locals collecting their bread, groceries, drinking coffee and generally catching up, because Laura (the owner) and family had closed over the weekend, to go to Milan.  The break seems to have given Laura a lift and with Benedetta back behind the counter and the newspapers being delivered every day, all is very relaxed again.

Seasonal figs and local Tuscan Cheeses Photo J Finnigan

Seasonal figs and local Tuscan Cheeses
Photo J Finnigan

The evenings are closing in fast and last night, as we were enjoying our aperitivo after handing back the dogs, my man let out a groan, ‘Oh no, the automatic garden light has just come on and it’s only seven twenty-five!  Yesterday it was seven thirty…’  His face grew long and his shoulders slumped.  I have a cunning plan to keep a small torch in my pocket and to shine it in his face every time he complains about the sun going down too early!  Also, I remind him how beautiful autumn is with all the fruit and veg and particularly figs still in season.

Farty Barty in indecisive mood. Photo J Finnigan

Farty Barty in indecisive mood.
Photo J Finnigan

Farty Barty the cat, also seems to be effected by the changing season and has been sitting on my lap a lot.  He is acting in a very indecisive manner which is probably due to the girlie cats being off-season!

So what is happening in the Italian news, and is Silvio still getting the coverage he deserves?  Well, yes and no.  Vladimir Putin my not have helped Silvio’s case by quoting ‘SB’s personal life would never have become a scandal and ended up in the courts if he had been gay!’  However, back in November 2010 Silvio actually said in public  ‘it’s better to like beautiful girls than to be gay!’.  Mmmm, there could be a considerable loss of vote in a certain section of the population if this carrys on.  However, in a sixteen minute recorded speech last week Silvio insisted he will remain in Italian politics even if his fellow senators strip him of his senate seat.  Phew, that’s a relief  for all the make up artists, hairdressers and plastic surgeons that see him as a walking advertisement…..What do you think?

Well, it’s Monday morning again and I am a little late posting this blog, I hope you don’t mind too much and that you have enjoyed reading it.

Have a great week and see you at the weekend.

salute June x

PS Don’t forget to start building your Christmas book list and visit http://www.firstchapters.net where you can read the first three chapters of any books listed free of charge!  First check out the romantic thriller ‘My Father, the Assassin’ by J W Finnigan.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »