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September 2006
The other evening I walked down
to our veggie patch, looked across the valley and breathed
in the soft Autumn air. We’d been at hospital
all day with Issy after a bad asthma attack. Two things
were in my mind – how efficient the ambulance
service was (we have one stationed in Montalto). They
whizzed Issy down towards the coast to our nearest hospital
to be met half way there by an ambulance from the hospital
with a cortisone injection for Issy. We were impressed!
The other thing in my
mind coincided with the tolling of Montalto cathedral
funeral bell. What really matters in life?
Let it be good health, fresh, local food on the table,
appreciating the changing of the seasons, the rhythm
of life. When one of your children is ill, all those
things that build up and cause us to feel stressed fall
by the wayside. I generally try very hard not to get
too stressed and worry too much. It’s difficult
sometimes, life in Italy throws up lots of challenges,
but when I succeed in rising above it there’s
a wonderful feeling of release. After all what does
matter really?
I know it’s high time for an update. Spring and
Summer were very busy times for us, guests coming and
going, upkeeping our land, improving the garden (little
by little) preparing people’s pools, entertaining
the kids, who have three months off over Summer! Also
Thomas has almost finished our living quarters so I
can unpack the rest of the boxes now which were packed
2 years ago (can’t remember what’s in them
any longer)
I thought I would relate a typical ‘day in the
life of’ for us in the summer. Just in case you
think we sat around in the sunshine through those long
sultry days!
7.30 – We get up and Thomas will prepare breakfast
for guests. His restaurant background stands him in
good stead.
I look after the kids which is a full time job in itself!
9.30-10.00 – Thomas now entertains the kids and
takes them into Montalto, buys proscuitto from the butchers
etc. The kids like to go as they get given sweets in
every shop! I clean the apartment or a B&B room
– whatever needs doing around the house.
12.00 – We lunch together. Tomato and mozzarella
salad is a big favourite and our veggie patch dictates
what we eat.
1pm – The children play in the pool. I await any
new arrivals. Thomas either drives to various holiday
homes we look after to check pools, collect laundry,
check up on building projects, water gardens etc or
if he stays here he’ll work on the house.
6-7pm – We all eat together if possible.
Evenings – we don’t stop. There’s
the veggie plot, watering the grass the flower pots.
We pick the fruit, make jam or make tomatoes into passata.
We may have a glass of local wine with guests, chat
to them. I answer e-mail enquiries, Thomas will update
the accounts.
By 10.30 we’re pretty tired and ready for bed.
However when it all gets too much we pack the cool box
and head for the beach!
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