Sunday July 3, later

Castel di'Irie: this mornings pastel

Gagliano Anterno, this afternoon from the field.

Castelvecchico from the field.

Sunday July 3, evening

I was out painting and I asked Jim to take a picture of me. It looks like regular me. Somehow I thought I was much younger and had plenty of time to enjoy this place, painting, being with Jim, the great food. Each day seems like two or three days, but still they run away. There was the morning where we had first breakfast here, then second breakfast in town. We had our painting supplies with us and we went directly to the day’s spot past the square with a view of Castel di’lire and Castelvecchio. We decided to do this view on Sunday because there would be less traffic. It was true that there were fewer cars, but many more bikes and motorcycles. There were so many people in the plaza talking and visiting, that we could here them from were we were several blocks away. After a few hours we headed for home and lunch. We had fabulous grilled chicken sandwiches, a salad and a few cookies.

Day two and time to get going on the wall painting. We had come to some decisions about the room we had thought we would have as our bedroom. It will now be a one person guest bedroom and living room. We put one of the metal beds together using two of the foot boards and put the air mattress on it. There is an end table at either end of this “sofa”. I will pick out some fabric to cover it with at the market on Tuesday. This will be good enough for now. Jessie emailed from Seoul to say that she was getting ready for the seven hour trip to Thailand. I am thinking of leaving one room for her to finish. That way she will know how to take care of her house in Italy. In our new Italian mode, we only painted one wall.

Amazingly it was day three and time for caffe. We made the big mistake of the day: no gelato. Now it is only 7pm and we are starving. If there were any restaurants here they would not open till 8pm and we would still be the first people. We went out to the field to do an afternoon landscape. A farmer was there and gave us permission. He was harvesting zucchinis and gave us a huge handful. Some what like Vermont. It was generous and we are having them for dinner. He recognized us and told us we could paint there anytime. I think we are getting a bit of a reputation around town. No one is excited when they are see our work, but it is a hard crowd. They are used to amazing frescos, even in this town’s little church. Hard to beat the Renaissance. We were trying to think if any impressionists came here. Monet went somewhere on the Mediterranean and also he went to Venice. Manet went to Venice, but I wonder if any of their paintings are in Italy?

I have thought about Annie and Jessie a lot today. Jessie, because she is traveling and I hope having a great time and Annie, because if she hadn’t died we would never have come here. I mostly think she would not have liked it here. There is so much walking, no TV and communication would be a problem. Everyone here would have loved her. We have not seen a single person with DS since the graduation party we went to just before leaving Vermont. We are both always looking. I never wanted to be resigned to her absence, but I kind of am. I know she is not coming back, that this adventure is our compensation for losing her and that it is ok to enjoy myself here. It is what she would have wanted. Still the secret loss colors my vision like late afternoon light. She was never here. No one knew her. We can’t talk about her, because all we can say is good day or good evening. But I am thinking about both my girls. How I love them and how quick the time has gone and I am in Italy. I could see our house, our house, from the field where I was painting. OUR HOUSE.