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
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 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.
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