Fashion Update

After reporting on how to spot a Dane, I have noticed a disturbing melding of cultures. People I would have bet money on as Danes, turn out to be Italians in, baggy multi-pocketed, shorts, sandals, and white socks. Some even have a man-purse. However, once they start talking it is clear they are not Danish, but Italian. Are they Italians from Rome or has the Danish influence infiltrated CVS? Today I spotted an Italian in Birkenstocks!! I m afraid for the Italian culture of being well dressed no matter what the occasion. Luckily this disturbing trend does not seem to have affected Italian women, quite the contrary, Danish women now go for the “bella figura” while Italian women maintain their proud tradition of the tallest possible high heels, tight pants or dresses.

 You decide....

A new trend to watch, enormous purses that hang from the elbow with silly characters on them. I intend to find out how large such a purse can be before it pulls the shoulder out of the socket. After intensive research in the piazza I have a hypothesis: the purses are huge, but empty. I will try to get photos, although the subjects are skittish of being photographed and the full effect is only possible if the purse is actually on an arm.

On another front, we now have a piece of furniture that Victorio offered us last summer. It is mid-century modern and will be our bedroom dresser. ( our house is also mid-century modern, but a different century) First it needs a through cleaning. Ten bowls of clean water have already been required. By the time a small portion is cleaned the water looks like ink. We are very grateful for this piece of typical CVS furniture which we are repurposing from kitchen to bedroom. It probably does not take as long to clean as it does to put together a piece of IKEA furniture, however meatballs are not included.

This morning we visited Victorio at the Commune. We had a list of questions I had translated on Google. All but one were answered and we did not owe anyone any money which is a good thing. The last question could not be answered because I had forgotten what it was. Note to self: always include English with the Italian translation.
I also found out what the word piase means. (not how to spell it) It is the word for village and I hear it all the time.

I finished my pastel of Castel di Irie this afternoon. I decided it was never going to be cool enough to walk there again so I did it from a photo in my studio. I do not feel quite right about this tactic, but it sure would be nice to be able to do that instead of returning, sometimes as many as three times, to finish something.

I have started a new project: drawing my elderly friends from CVS. I took four pictures today and started one drawing. It was hilarious to see my two friends arguing over who was most photogenic. I do not know why they love me, but they do. I love them as well. One of my big worries is that I will come some summer and they will be gone. They are the first friends I made here.

Just when we thought we had managed to eat all the apricots, more arrived. Not as many this time, but there were more zucchinis. Wow it is a beautiful life where people give us furniture and food.

Jim making his 40th kill of the tiny mosquitoes that plague us. No bug bites last night.