July 17, 2017 Finishing the Mural

Finishing the Mural

Last night there were the most beautiful clouds. The colors were amazing. So I took some more cloud pictures. It is irresistible. 

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This morning Jim went off with Noel for three hour coffee. I took a three mile walk. It is a beautiful day. The temperature is fresh, there are lots of clouds and wind. The sun is baking, but it is fine with the clouds and breeze.

Castelvecchio in the distance

 I walked about three miles on a road that goes through the middle of the valley in the direction of Secinaro. On my left was Galaino Aterno and below and behind me was CVS. So far I have resisted talking about tics in Italy, but, there are, in fact, tics. Their name in Italian is Zacca. (note the feminine ending) Usually they are in the grass or trees where sheep hang out. I also have a theory that because Italians keep planting oak trees because truffles grow under them and oak trees make acorns and mice like acorns and tics like mice that this is why there are now more tics in Italy. But as far as I can tell, if a tic bites someone they do not rush off and get antibiotics. I rarely have occasion to walk in the grass and I try not to walk under trees. So far so good. 

On the way home I saw an old friend sitting outside her front door. She told me she is not well. I already suspected that and, in fact, I was concerned that she had died. This is the story of my old friends this year. They are all failing. One is in the hospital “enjoying” his last days. I bought my friend, Linda, some candy today. Since she has no teeth it is the only kind she can enjoy. The word for “whatever” or actually for “but” is ma. These older women can say it with incredible inflection and meaning. Ma is the answer to all the problems of the world.

“Ma”. Next I saw another old friend who is a laugh riot. She is outrageous. The other day she was on her way to mass wearing gold lamee converse high tops, a gold lamee purse, regular dress and real gold earrings and necklace. This is just how she is. I sat down with her a bit and ate a hard as a rock piece of bread that looks like a bagel and is flavored with anise seed. She said it would be better with wine and I said that it was a little early. Then we agreed that it is always wine time. 

Since the rain, the wildflowers are blooming

When I came home I just hung around the terrace until Jim came home from coffee. (yes it was three hours) I convinced him to go for another walk. It is just that kind of weather. 

Portrait of the day

After leftover pasta we went up to the bar to finish the mural. I did the black outline and Jim repainted most of the interior, gray, lines. I think it looks pretty good and probably good enough unless the owners do not like it. The reason it is an elephant and dancing woman is because the owner liked that best of all the ideas I showed her. I did three different color schemes on the computer and she picked out “the hippy elephant”. Well actually her daughter picked it out. It was a lot of fun and I hope they really enjoy having it. She is from the Dominican Republic so maybe that is why she did not want a traditional Italian scene. 

Tiny kittens and mom

Tomorrow we leave for Pescara where we will spend the night at an Airbnb and then fly from there to Copenhagen on Tuesday. The blog goes inter-European!