THEN AND NOW

This really is today (as opposed to the retroposts I have been cheating you with). As I look back on the past months, I feel like I need to sit in a bubble bath for a day or two and ponder rather than keep up the juggling act. Maybe that will be my new year's resolution?! Take a bath.

A couple of weeks ago I was covering the Stockholm Convention committee meeting on Persitent Organic Pollutants - as a last minute stunt for IISD whose main writer had broken her shoulder. Which reminds me that maybe it is not such a good idea to sit in chemical baths?

Somewhere along that line there is also a great AlItalia travel story, but I will spare you for the time being, just adding that next week Gioia and I are back off to GVA using Easyjet.

You have been warned!

ARTISTS AND WRITERS

Our visitors hit a new dimension when Anna and Graham came and stunned us with their artistic and creative skills.

It was bliss to wander around and just gaze at menus and the countryside around Cortona. A relaxing weekend for all of us I would say.

The picture will be on the wall soon to prove it!

SANDRA, MICHELA, IL CONTE, LA VAL D'ORCIA

How could I not be totally cheeky and set up a meeting between Sandra and her husband to be?! He was restoring their future home which will also include a school for her to teach in (when she is not organizing tea parties :-)

Then we just had to go off to Montalcino to celebrate with delicious wine and bruschette. Michela and I gazed over the walls of Pienza too whilst Sandra darted about with her new digital camera.

We managed to try out most of Cortona's restaurants and then hit Route 66.

Photos will give you more of an idea...

COMING AND GOING

The visitors have been and gone, confirming that October was 2006's most popular visiting month. With mum we whizzed around, giggled, shopped for food and cleaned up. Whilst at the Coop I managed to get my purse stolen :-( with everything in it, especially the Italian driving license it had taken me sooooo long to get hold of. On the upside, it did mean that I got to meet the Maresciallo of the Carabinieri (did I say up side?! - that might still need confirming!!) who told me that it was far to early to do an official "denuncia" and that it would be better for me to wait a bit longer to see if anyone actually sent my documents back.

No sign of anything yet - and it has been a month - so maybe I will do that dichiarazione anyway now rather than driving around document-less?

Mum also prepared lots of delicious G&Ts for everyone whilst I went to my course in Arezzo.

Need her here full time!!