morning comment

It's Wednesday morning, and the sun is streaming in. Zacchi is standing soaking it up on the doorstep. I've ticked off a few more jobs and even tidied myself up a bit.

A comment on a skype call from a friend had me review my recent blogs. Some of them do sound a bit down and negative, perhaps, but in fact it is important to have balance. If I told you that life was just one long series of paintings, concerts, pasta and festas I would be leading you astray.

Life IS one long series of concerts, pasta, festas, visits and visitors, with a little bit of painting when I can squeeze it in. But it is also cold marble floors, steps and cobblestones, power cuts and mail going missing, ringing out the oily rag and waiting for the sun to shine when the skies are grey.

Life is friends, family and fun. It can also be difficult, frustrating and lonely. But I have choices, and I choose to work my way through the difficult patches and stay here to appreciate the wonderful parts.

Life is good, and as my language skills improve it is getting better. I like a challenge, and I love learning. Teaching English slows down my Italian, but gives me other pleasures and a means of support. It does interrupt what I would really like to be doing, and sometimes I forget to be grateful for it and indeed resent it a little. But it puts money on my phone, petrol in my car, and brings internet to my computer.

I guess I am a little frustrated that over the winter I have been less efficient, and am behind my own schedule. But, as a wonderful person once said (the editor of Angle and my daughter) "If it were not for the last minute, nothing would ever get done" (or words to that effect). I find that the "last minute rush" is a very effective way of identifying your real priorities! Some things, in the grander scheme of things, really didn't NEED to be done!

Today is all we have in this life. And here, with the sun shining, Legato works all but sorted, food in the freezer and a list of urgent jobs as long as the page is, I'm assessing my priorities again and think I will turn off the computer, and put the list where I can't see it. Not on the list, but most urgent, is getting the dogs to help me put the washing out and then take me for a walk.

Today I am grateful for caring friends.