On Top of the World

Well, here I am sitting on top of my very own hand-made haystack together with Joey. It has taken me months of labour to get this far and I am justifiably proud of my handicraft. Indeed, I feel as if I am on top of the world and I couldn't be any happier. Such moments are to be cherished as they do not last forever. This picture reflects a moment in time. Life has a habit of dealing the unexpected and so the moral is "Enjoy the simple pleasures of life whenever you can."


As busy as a bee



The past few days have been spent in the garden busily pruning olive trees, tending to seedlings, turning over my fresh compost and getting down to digging my vegetable plot all in bright sunshine. On 13th June it will be the anniversary of my first year of life in the Abruzzo countryside and it has all passed unbelievably quickly. I feel I have adapted to my new life and I love living here. On 6th June, I will write about the day my life changed forever....

A bit of a hybrid
A very interesting question was asked of me by popps, a reader who has recently commented on my blog. Do I consider myself to be English or Italian? Well, my answer has always been that I am English, as I was born in England and spent most of my life in England. However, my blood is 100% Italian as both my parents were born in Abruzzo, Italy. I am in fact a Hybrid- a mixture of both. I would say my character is typically English - quiet and unassuming, but on the other hand, I do have a lot of typical Italian traits- namely, sociable, gregarious. My mother tongue is English and yet I was brought up listening to Italian. My grandmother Natalina, who lived with my family for 30 years, spoke very little English and in fact communicated to me only in Italian. However, I feel I do not speak Italian like a native and am trying hard to learn and brush up my skills.


Heart and soul
Another interesting question was where would I like my remains to be placed at the eventual end of my life. It may indeed be a taboo issue but it is one that is inevitable and unavoidable. Would I like to remain in Italy or be sent back to England?? Well, the answer is I don't know. My spirit will be in the ether and so does it really matter where my mortal remains are? My heart is English but is my soul Italian?? A fascinating question and one which I need to think about. It is deep and spiritual. If I find the answer, I will keep you posted.


Macmillan Webinar
On that truly philosophical note, I will sign off for today. I will soon be attending my first Macmillan "Webinar" and so I will hopefully write feedback on my experience at a later date. Til then have a good day!

Having fun with Joey and Kelly in the garden earlier today.