one of these is for eating:

...the other is a work tool.

Today I am grateful for choices. 

feet up...

and being waited on. What more does a girl need?

Today I am grateful for my comfortable couch.

and a few hours later, when i went upstairs...

Oooops!!! Guess who was airing out the studio...

Today I am also extremely grateful that I had picked up all the piles of paperwork I was sorting a few days ago!

.

today...

We TOLD her to let us in before... but no, she let us get wet before she relented...

Today I am grateful for safe housing and shelter.

yesterday...

An unexpected invitation to display works from Legato at the hilltop town of Monte San Giovanni Compano on the occasion of the dedication of the bronze medal awarded for Merito Civile was particularly satisfying; it shows that the message of Legato is spreading beyond its immediate area. 

Monte San Giovanni Campano was not the scene of fighting as such, but was the victim of occupation, atrocities and later bombing. The records show that 26 civilians were killed, 5 injured, one church completely destroyed, and many houses damaged by bombing. 

Piccolo centro, occupato dall'esercito tedesco, partecipò con generoso slancio alla lotta di Liberazione. La popolazione, sotto posta a disagi e sofferenze subi furti, saccheggi e bombardamenti che provocarono vittime civili e danni al patrimonio abitavo. 

Nobile esempio di spirito di sacrificio ed amor patrio. 

1243-1944 Monte S Giovanni Campano (FR) 

 The selection of the works exhibited was governed by logistics, with one car for transport, ten easels at the venue, and the permanent seating of a picture theatre to work with.

 Photographs taken by New Zealand soldiers took the attention of the older visitors.

The stage became an impromptu, eye-level display space with make-shift supports.

 A distinguished visitor signs the book in recognition of the part the exhibition played on this day of dedication and remembrance.

 It is a wet morning, but the rain doesn't ruin the ceremony.                                        

 Claudio Paolucci, L'assessore alla cultura, addresses the crowd.

The standards of neighbouring towns are on display outside the exhibition during the ceremony.

The bronze medal for valour awarded to the town in recognition of the bravery of the civilians is attached to the town standard.

A solemn moment of remembrance. 

As the standard bearers leave, the sun shines again.

Huge thanks to Chrissy Brook for her invaluable help in mounting this exhibition, being an excellent navigator, and great company :-) 

Today I am extra grateful for my new flatmate.

an extra mostra

I joked, it seems like ages ago, about my mostra (exhibition, Legato), becoming a mostro (monster) that was taking over my life. While not actually being a monster, it is certainly dominating the next three weeks. This year there is an extra edition by invitation in another (hilltop) town.

I have limited the numbers to one car load of works, and the host Comune (council) has provided the easels to display twenty works. I think I will show about 30, with a little juggling and resourcefulness.

It is nice that word of the exhibition has spread, as this invitation was completely unexpected.

Today, with my wonderfully obliging flatmate to help with the paintings, I made my first ever visit to the town. I was offered two venues, one being very elegant and ornate, the other in a space that had been turned into a picture theatre.

I chose the more difficult area to work with, the theatre, because it opens onto the piazza. The elegant space, upstairs, was too far away to entice many viewers in to contemplate commemoration and peace.

The exhibition will remain up several days, so that the scuola media students currently studying WWII can visit it with their teachers. The Comune have promised to provide security for it during these visits so I don't need to be there every day. It is a bit of a drive so I am happy about that.

From there the works go to Cassino, where new ones will be added, and the main exhibition for the year will be in the Comune at Cassino with smaller works in a bank display area in the main street.

Today I am grateful for willing helpers.  

a delightful surprise

The doorbell rang just before three. That's an odd time, siesta time. I wasn't expecting anyone.

It was the postman, with a parcel.

Even more odd, I haven't ordered anything. It's not my birthday. It's the wrong shape for the prints I am waiting for.

I opened it in puzzled anticipation.

Woooohoooo!

Recent visitors had posted me an extra "thank you" - after our conversation about food, and what I can and can't buy here.

Am I spoilt or am I spoilt? It's...

CURRY TIME!

Today I am grateful for pleasant surprises.

growing some prints again

I am delighted to announce that all domestic chores have come to a halt; it is fingerprint growing time again.

I have my appointment for my permesso di soggiorno visit to the commissariate when I will hand in my expired permesso, some mugshots, plus more paperwork (there's a long story about that but far too long for a blog post!) and then begin the wait for the new permesso to be made. I will also be fingerprinted yet again, either in Cassino or Frosinone.

The permesso di soggiorno (permission to stay in the country for more than 90 days) is a magic little plastic card with all my details, life history, fingerprints (tiny problem here) and goodness knows what else imprinted into it. It's a bit like a security blanket too; until I got my ID card I was nervous without my permesso, and I still miss it when it is out of my hands.

But back to my prints. I forgot, in all my spring cleaning, that I should have been wearing gloves. So I have two weeks to grow myself some fingerprints. I went through this in 2009 too...

Here is the full 2009 story, and why I should work less (big grin) and pamper myself more!

Today I am grateful for lunch with a dear friend.

day of the disoccupati

I see from the date on my post below that we are now into morning, and it is the first of May.

Here it is labour day, the day of rest for the worker. People are planning trips to the beach and other fun gatherings.

But on FB some time ago I shared an image which showed the poster for the "Day of the Worker" being changed to the "Day of the Unemployed". I share that sentiment here. Times are tough, the austerity measures have crippled the economy. The new Prime Minister is asking for assistance for growth rather than further cuts, in recognition of the social deprivation caused by the severity of Monti's regime. It is tough for the worker, with no security and an inadequate wage. But he, at least, has work.

Today it is more appropriate to give that day to the unemployed, the disoccupati.

Happy festa, everyone.

Today I am also grateful for loyalty. 

more perceptive commentary from a writer

Elizabeth Gilbert, writer, continues to go up in my estimation. This from youtube, Elizabeth being interviewed by QTV on the occasion of the release of "Committed", the sequel to "Eat Pray Love". Really interesting comments on marriage at around 20 minutes, just before the interview finishes.

Today I am grateful for a young visitor with twinkling eyes.