sometimes a pumpkin

...but today I was Cinderella. It's Halloween, but I think I'll choose another fairy tale instead.

I spent this morning in the palazzo all alone... and with no distractions other than my work my imagination had a field day, imagining the magnificent staircase and rooms in different eras. Have I walked up this wonderful staircase in beautiful gowns, with delicate slippers on my tiny feet? Or are my size 41 broadfit running shoes the only ones that know this marble?

I wonder if that is why I don't like television very much? Things are so much more colourful, the music so much more to my liking, in my mind. I have far more choice as well; the imagination knows no bounds! It isn't hard to prefer my own thoughts to what is offered on the free-to-air channels, but I do admit that they are useful for revising my vocabulary.

This morning I found the "sweet spot" in the "music room" of the palazzo as "Po Kare Kare Ana" reverberated, my vocal chords unfettered by listening workers. No, I didn't tape it! But I did think about the Kiwi soldiers who were living in the building, singing to their guitars in the same place 65 years ago. I wonder what songs they sang, as they wrote to their sweethearts at home?

Now to prepare the panels for the room, and tick that job off the list as well.

Today I am grateful for "Eskimo slippers".


Later:

heeheeeheeeheeehaaaaa
I'm going out for pizza shortly. I was going to a Halloween dinner in another town, but the travel arrangements didn't work out. I was disappointed at first, but now I have an evil plan! The halloween torches with a selection of shadow images wont be wasted! I am ready to go out, and had time to play...

Dressed with Halloween earrings (brown owls with orange shining eyes, the black cat ones I have already worn this week, and the pumpkin ones I thought I had are not there... did I give them away, perhaps?) I shall slip a torch up my jacket sleeve... there will be a bat image shining down onto the footpath as I walk with my unsuspecting English friends. I wonder if I can manage two torches, perhaps a jack-o-lantern on the other side?

Who says that "grownups" can't have fun?

Today I am also grateful for a sense of mischief!

friday came fast

I can't believe the week is over already. Wasn't it only yesterday that it was Monday? I tidied all my pots and pans and paints and brushes into the corner, made sure that the sponge was in clean water, and walked out of the building into beautiful sunlight. I am thinking of going back to work tomorrow and taking Monday off, but deep down I suspect that when tomorrow comes I will have changed my mind. I do work so much better when it is peaceful though, and I suspect from this afternoon's activity that all the apartment doors will be hung on Monday; that will be a noisy event.

We are having incredible weather, well into the 20s and with glorious blue skies. It's not even cold at night yet... the bathroom is still warm enough for me and that is usually the telling factor. Last night's fire was for ambience, not warmth.

Photos of autumn coming.

drat drat drat

I am missing my temporary flatmate already. I have no idea what to eat tonight! He was only here for a short time while relocating to Rome, but it was rather nice having someone to share the shopping and the dishes with. We even managed some real conversation, but my lack of serious Italian did frustrate him terribly! I suspect I will also miss the unending supply of grapes that arrived home with him each evening. How did he know that they would always be gone the next day? On the plus side, I have my computer back, my pages will stay up where I want them, and my television now works. It also augurs well for the real flatmate arriving next year, that will be fun!

I found that I eat better meals when I have to think of someone else as well. I think I would be pretty hard to live with, but compromise might be worth the effort.

Something to ponder though. As he gathered his things to leave this morning he made the mild observation that being in my house was rather like living in a studio... I suspect he was referring to the endless number of work stations, my lack of domesticity and no apparent order in my chaos. Ah well, colourful and welcoming it is, you can't deny me that!

Today I am grateful for shared evenings.

PS I'll start with a beer and a bag of Hula Hoops (thanks CyNICal) while I think about dinner... maybe I should try a more Bohemian lifestyle for a bit?

PPS I progressed to peanut butter toast and milo made with full milk.

PPS With a glass of red by the fire, a magazine or three to read, the kitchen clean and tidy and Zacchi curled up at my feet I'm pretty OK. There may not have been a balanced meal, but there was no compulsory watching of TV at my house tonight!

full potential

I'll write this blog when it is fully formed in my head. This post is to make sure that I do it.

In brief, though, I think that we must always do what we can to reach our full potential. I don't mean striving to the point of stress or unhappiness, but working steadily to that place of completion, when you know that all is right in your world.

Maslow, I always did think that you knew what you were talking about.

christmas chocolate

The wonderful Italian chocolates, not available over the summer months, are back in the shops again. Will Power, wherefore art thou? I think it is most (un)fortunate that my favourites, Mon Cheri, are among the expensive and not to be munched every day. The box I bought for my sister is already half gone.

Today progress was difficult to mark at work. I did a little bit of this, a little bit of that... nothing really worth photographing. The surrounds of the round window are finished, I will add that photo later. I continue to be frustrated by a huge spa pool which is sitting between me and a wall I need to work on. Not only is it stopping my progress, but it also blocks my light. Other areas are held up because they need plastering. I will soon run out of the things that I can do, which might be a blessing as it will give knee and wrists time to settle again.

Today I measured for panelling up in the apartment where I worked initially. The acoustics in that room are amazing; I couldn't resist a little echo testing. Even my warbles sounded good - well, at least to my ear! (Don't feel obliged, I didn't actually record it for public viewing. Please keep in mind that these were tiny little sounds made very tentatively so that the other workers didn't hear me).

Today I am grateful for handcream.

i have discovered

that it is difficult to blow out matches with a paintbrush in your mouth
that quiche doesn't cook when the gas bombola runs out
that two dogs create 4 times more poop than one
that I would rather live alone than be second to a TV set
that my expectations from life don't change
that laughter really is the best medicine
that the generosity of friends is amazing

Today I am grateful for yellow leaves on trees.

bits and bobs

It's the little things that count. Every day I bend down to wash my brushes, fill my bucket, use the hose. This morning some thinking person had lifted the hose up to a much more user friendly position, tucking it in behind a downpipe - a copper downpipe, I might add! Why didn't I do that?

I have a love-hate relationship with the entry to our building. It is a shared space, quite magnificent if painted and re-dressed, but noone but me cleans it. I hadn't swept for many weeks, and it certainly showed. I was being obstinate... but in the end I crumpled. There are limits, after all! OK, so it's not a love-hate relationship with the entry, I love it unconditionally and wish I could restore it too to the grandeur it once had. It's the dirt I hate to see there.

I have a slight knee problem (recurring but not a major) but long doggy walks are out of the question. Those pleading eyes certainly know how to make me feel bad!

to be continued...