Welcome and Benvenuti to all my Lovely followers around The World
Well, where to start? Here in Beautiful Tuscany the dreaded lurgy played a big part in shaping Christmas and New Year Celebrations. ‘You’re not alone’ I hear you say. Yes, I know this to be true, having friends and family all over the world who have had to make the best of things. Like many self-employed people, I found it difficult to relax despite the fact that we have been working from home for years now, so nothing much had changed! But I did get the guitar out and tried to get to grips with an on-line course. This then, prompted me to think about my repertoire for the next Rock Chick Band Concert, currently penciled in for June 17. So I had a few fun hours singing along to some great rock tracks; watch this space! Foto Certaldo Alto.
A pre-Xmas family restaurant lunch ended up with just the two of us. In saying that my man and I rediscovered Il Pirate Restaurant in the centre of Certaldo and enjoyed a very nice meal indeed. It was also quiet as fewer people were eating out at this point in time. They do a delicious pasta sauce called Crema di Zucca, which translates to Cream of Pumpkin and my gluten free pasta was perfectly cooked. See pizzeria il pirata certaldo on Facebook.
One bonus about not eating out so much is my man’s newly discovered pleasure in cooking! Since my little accident at the end of July, it has been a slow recovery and he has had little choice but to start cooking. So thank goodness, he has discovered he likes his own cooking more than mine and reckons he cooks up some better meals than our local restaurants! I have to say that I agree with him, but don’t tell him I said that! I do like to eat out. Note his new professional apron.
A couple of weeks before Xmas our Grandson, who plays rugby for Siena, had enjoyed a great winning performance against a very strong team up north. Sadly, members of both teams went down with Covid, all were told to isolate and the series has now been put on hold. But being so proud of him, I had to include a foto of our boy in action.
Well, today is Sunday 2 January. The sky is overcast and tomorrow will be a working day for us. Ooh, I’ve made that sound a bit gloomy, which was not intended. I’m actually looking forward to a very rewarding 2022 from a business point of view. I would also like to say thank you for buying my books last year, I hope to have book four in the series out in the spring or early summer. I’ll keep you posted.
What else? Oh yes, very important, I want to thank my man with all my heart for his support over the last few months and during my slow recovery. Apparently I was a terrible patient! But, he still loves me! Proof of this was the surprise gift two days after Xmas of this lovely heart box full of chocolates!
Now, life remains very good here in our little bit of the Chianti Hills and whilst there are restrictions we can still function very well. We are currently in a Yellow Zone which means showing our Green Passes (at least two vaccines) in restaurants and other public venues. Schools are verging on home studies again so our granddaughter is preparing for the worse scenario.
Do get in touch, I love to hear from my readers. http://www.junefinnigan.website
Salute June x
Before I start, I must apologise. I have spent most of the weekend watching the Rugby World Cup, instead of writing to you. So I trust you can forgive me for making this blog a little shorter than usual as it is already lunchtime on Sunday! What a great match yesterday, England played incredibly well, the poor All Blacks couldn’t even get a look in. So today’s match between Wales and South Africa was rather an anti-climax. Anyway, now we know that the final next weekend will be England vs South Africa. Make sure you diary date to watch it! Foto UK Telegraph
I must also mention that the local farmers
Well, must dash off to lunch, but will add a little more to this blog when I return. OK, I’m back and ready to tidy this blog and get it off to you. But before I go I thought you might like to enjoy this bottle of Sticciano’s Cantastorie Rosso with me, which my man and I had with lunch at C’era una Volta Ristorante. Ooops sorry, we finished it off. Oh well, perhaps next time!
“look at this lot, all crushed under car tires and ignored!” My man, having been a champion player in his youth, is bemoaning the fact that hundreds of conkers are going to waste in the Piazza in Fiano, which is also a car park. There are several big Horse Chestnut trees growing around the edge of the Piazza that are looked after quite well and pruned when needed. They also provide shade for villagers during the summer months so that they can sit outside and enjoy village life. But, O Dio, the poor conkers are left to be crushed by the cars! My man decided to check this disaster out with Rossella at La Dispensa, our local alimentare and coffee bar. ‘No’ she replied in very good English, ‘We have never heard of conkers!’ My man was visibly upset by this. How could generations of children never have picked up the conkers, selecting the best, threading the old shoe lace through and leaving them to dry in the sun? He decided to rectify this and between us we threaded up two conkers and took them in this morning. Rossella and her handsome young amore, Alessio, thought this hilarious. So we showed them how to play, rather restricted by all the breakables around us and here is a foto. You have to look closely for the conkers, but I think my man will have started a whole new craze in Tuscany! Foto J Finnigan
Meanwhile, yesterday evening was the big celebration party for having won the beautiful hand-made Calambur banner. The banner was apparently made by a disabled person, I will try to find out more. If you want to see how the Italians celebrate, here is the village crammed into the Old Cinema, enjoying a feast of home-made food and gallons of wine. Foto Rione ‘Le Fonte’ Fiano, Facebook page.
Earlier in the day I managed to capture one of the villagers and got him to pose in the bar next to the banner. Let me introdude you to the very handsome Massimo Maccari, who always has a smile on his face and readily posed for his picture. Sorry ladies, I have to tell you that he is happily married and the father of two children, but I promise to find you a Hunk of the Month for October soon. Foto J Finnigan
On a quieter note, I do love Italian men’s classical clothes. Other than my man, very few men can wear beautiful tailored outfits and still look sexy. I know, here I am a bit of a Rock Chick, black is my signature colour, but I do like to be seen with a man who can really wear his clothes well. My man, being ex-military and having a naturaly tall balanced frame, finds it impossible to look scruffy. Clothes hang on him like he is made for them. The alternative to being like my Englishman is to be born Italian, as male models here just have that subtle edge. Don’t you agree? 
Then I noticed something quite different for we ladies (I prefer to say girlies, but you know how it is). This outfit from Fracomina is strikingly different, a subtle designer edge to the jeans and matching cuffs, very clever. And, the jaunty little cap to set it off! I would order this but just need to slim down a bit first…… 
OK, what to say about the Rugby? I am almost speechless after watching England’s terrible performance, losing to Scotland yesterday. However, we do want to congratulate the Scots on a game well played. On Saturday we watched a much more exciting match between Wales and Ireland, which followed a disappointing meeting between Italy and France. Italy did put up a good show in the early stages, but they still have so much to do to improve their game. So for us, being English and living in Italy it was a poor weekend of rugby! But never mind, life eeez good, life eeez now! Foto SkySport
Meanwhile, there was a snow warning in place for the region of Florence, so we have dashed to the local village and stocked up for a few days. La Dispensa shop and caffe bar is such a godsend for us and the local people in the Fiano area. Back in our cosy converted Monastery Farmhouse, it’s good to be in the warm and to watch the heavy snowflakes from inside my studio. Despite this, daffodils and snowdrops are popping up; roll on spring! Foto La Nazione.
Now, I know I go on about fashion and I know that last week I groaned about the miserable looking models on the catwalks, but I have to inform you that I am now campaigning for happy models that look as if they are enjoying the clothes they are wearing! If you look at the pictures in the paper, no don’t, of the shows in Milan this last week, you would have cringed. So each or every other week I will share with you a fashion shot that will make you smile. Only beautiful things Made in Italy of course. Foto La Repubblica.
A question; are you nervous about carrying a clutch bag? I am, as I’m always afraid it will be snatched or I will put it down and forget it. Well here is the answer to both those dilemmas, a clutch with a wrap around strap, brilliant and I love this one too! Do send me a picture of your own favourite bag! foto La Repubblica.
Back in the world of good Italian food, I just read this great article about 3D Printed Pasta! I’m also quite keen on an artistic presentation in the right surroundings, and these creations hit the spot. Produced by BluRhapsody in Emilia (Foto La Reppublica), you can take a look at their amazing 
And last but not least, Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister, has written a book dedicated to their mother, called Imagine This. It is the true story of John Lennon’s childhood. She is currently in Italy on a book promotion tour. Foto La Nazione. If you are a fan of JL you may want to buy a book at 
Yes! Rugby Six Nations has started and whilst I don’t intend bombarding you with unnecessary results of the first weekend, I do want to mention yesterday’s match between England and Italy in Roma. Now, whenever I watch these two teams play I am torn between them; who am I supporting I ask myself? My man has no such problems, he is English and an ex-serviceman, so Queen and country naturally makes him a supporter of England. I am also English, but after nearly fourteen years in Tuscany, I am cheering both sides on and delighted with every try, conversion and drop kick. And Italy put up a really good performance, they even scored the first try, only to lose in the end to the stronger team!
Anyway, back in the world of politics, and whilst enjoying my morning coffee at La Dispensa in Fiano, I read in La Republica that eighty-seven year old politician Lilian Segre, has been nominated ‘Senatrice a Vita’ by the Presidente della Republica Sergio Mattarella. Now, this either means she has been given a life sentence or made a Senator for Life. In the picture she appears to be in a state of shock, poor old thing, so take your pick!
But let’s turn our thoughts to the world of music, which is close to my heart as you all know. We are in the run-up to the Sanremo Music Festival. This is a hotly contested song contest which, over five days will find a winner selected by a celebrity panel. Of course this makes for very popular TV watching, however, if you do attend the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo, or watch it on the box, you will have to sit and listen to some pretty awful music. The Italians are crazy for it! A guest appearance will be made by Ornella Vanoni. Who? Ah, well she was a hugely popular singer donkeys years ago and this will be her first appearance in nineteen years. Good for her, I say. If you would like to learn more, or even buy tickets you should go to 
Meanwhile, at number two in the album charts, you will find the lovely EMMA, with Essere Qui, which means ‘Being here’. Born in Florence, she is currently a bit of a Blondie lookalike, but her voice is very different. Husky and very much a singer of the modern age, she became popular after winning Sanremo in 2012. She also plays acoustic and classical guitar; impressive! Hear her sing here 
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