Already it is Wednesday. We left home four weeks ago today. The sun has moved south a little bit from the solstice on its journey toward its due west equinox location. We will be leaving in five weeks. We are half way through our Italian summer. Jim and I have each done 16 landscapes. I have done lots of portraits, but with the help of audio books, I have enjoyed it quite a bit. I have done all the portraits I “have” to do and now I am doing some that I have been wanting to do.
Today it was really hot, but it was dry. What a difference the humidity makes! I painted up behind our house on our Danish friend’s terrace. I have really enjoyed this painting spot, but I may be done now. I like staying in the same spot a few days and doing everything I can see before finding a new location.
Jim was thrilled to stay home in case Paolo, the plumber and our savior, came. He was due either before noon or after six. After lunch, we hung out and then went up to Linda’s piazza to paint. The Irish dude gave a call and Jim went off to coffee with him. I finished my painting from yesterday and was just starting a new one when a car parked blocking my entire view. Oh well, at the same moment our friend at the hardware store called to say that Paolo was on his way. I packed up all my stuff and just as I was walking into the street Jim passed on his way home. We hurried to find Paolo sitting on the porch 30 minutes early. We only have tiny problems this year and they will be quickly solved after he picks up supplies. I wish we had more for him to do because he is so awesome. His Italian nickname is the Oak because he is so tall. We have added the word fantastico to this name. Now he is the fantastico oak. Turns out nicknames are a big cultural thing here. Our friend, Vitorrio, has written a book on how nicknames were awarded back in the day. There are lots of people who’s names we do not know so we have continued in the tradition of giving nicknames.
Here is our market swag from Tuesday!! Everything to the right of the cantaloupe
Jim sitting with two of our friends at our painting spot.
My grandfather (Giovanni Polidoro) who lived next door to Salvatore on "Your block" had the nickname "meeshheee" (don't know how to spell it but that's the english phonetic) which i think is dialect for cat....don't know why he was called that.
ReplyDeleteOh Thanks for that. I will tell Vittorio.
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