a little busy

Life is just a tad busy right now, so posts will be few and far between for a while.

Progress continues in the palazzo, the fine weather making it much more pleasant work although the workforce is small at the moment.

The olive picking is underway, the mandarines are still a little sharp for me but pretty tasty, and the oranges look promising. The days of constant rain ruined what was left of the persimmons, but at least the birds wont have gone hungry.

Dogs are de-flea and de-ticked for the next month, there is dry firewood in the cantina, gas in the bombola, food in the kitchen, wine waiting for a quiet moment, all is right with the world!

Today I am grateful for people with lovely manners.

so good

Today I painted from my "cot" up high in the entranceway. It was so safe and secure that I worked at least four times faster that I did when precariously balanced on uneven scaffolding. Progress is never fast enough, but it is visible. I am happy with the overall effect... photos when I get a chance.

Today I am grateful for visiting Kiwis.

happiness is...

feeling connected!

I tripped over my internet connection this evening, but didn't notice that it had become unplugged. Later I wondered why I had lost internet when there was no cold rain, but not too upset I turned the computer off and headed for bed.

Unable to sleep, and not being able to count sheep as they are all indoors away from the wolves and the cold (there was snow on the mountain behind us this morning), I got up and hopefully turned on the computer. Nothing, just the grey unconnectedness of Skype trying to launch itself.

Then I remembered. And yes, one little plug was several inches away from its mate.

I tripped on something earlier this evening, too. I was severely growled at by the poor little creature who promptly removed himself to the safest spot he could find, against the wall and well away from my clumsy feet.

Today I am grateful for forgiveness.

today's research

My evening "unwind" with mouse in hand took me to this essay entitled "Why we travel". Sometimes I wonder where my head has been for the past 20 years. Why had I not read anything by Pico Iyer before?

I like what he says about writing too. In his words, "Writing Undoes Me".

My meander with the mouse-clicks took me to an interview with Alice Walker. The challenges here sent me off to put the kettle on... what great opening lines these are:

Alice Walker: If you just try to do something, you’re not actually accomplishing anything. But if you resolve to do it, you accept that it is there for you to do and that you’re perfectly capable of whatever it is. And of course there’s no point in trying to do something you’re incapable of. Then you use every conceivable atom, sinew, and instinct available to move whatever it is you’re trying to move. There’s a world of difference between that and simply trying to do something.

What did we do before we had internet?

yay for new zealand!

My website and domain name both expired because I had changed my credit card. Luckily my host gives 15 days grace when this happens. This evening I phoned NZ to give my new details and update my credit card so the bill could be paid.

The efficient, pleasant young man was a delight to talk to. Before we had finished the conversation notifications of the updated account and the receipts for the two payments were in my in-box.

It reminded me of the helpfulness of the bank staff I phoned when I was a bit stuck in the USA.

New Zealand might be short of a few million people, but the ones I strike when needing to deal with something from the other side of the world are competent, pleasant, and refreshingly efficient!

Go Kiwis!

This evening I am grateful for international phone calls.

tired but not wicked

Today was/is wet and cold. It is dark, not great for working but work continues the same.

My grandmother and my mother sometimes said "There's no rest for the wicked!" I am not sure if that related to the present day or the after-life. As I child I assumed it meant the present day, but as I write this I wonder if the seemingly innocent phrase had much darker meaning.

But I haven't been that wicked, really! No rest is not good, so Zacchi and I will put our feet up for an hour, hoping to be more productive later. Pickle is in the dog box for peeing in the cantina.

Aaaah life! It's beautiful but it has its bumps along the way.

Today I am grateful for visible progress at work.

late night

several attempts to blog today came to nothing... but dinner with Kiwi visitors was excellent!

Today I am grateful for flexible agendas.