
... and on the 1st December I traditionally decorate our house. I guess something I brought from Switzerland, where it is tradition to decorate in- and outside the house to make everything look pretty. I generally torture everyone around me with Christmassongs, while I'm decorating and at the end of the day, no one can stand the songs anymore.
Italy is not big in decorating, since a few years one can admire Florence under decoration as northern countries (Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Scandinavians, USA and Canada etc.) are used to it, there is even a very small Christmasmarket (Christkindlmarkt) on Piazza Santa Croce. But of course nothing regard to German and Austrian Christkindlmärkte! But Italians are really great with the "Presepe" the crib. It comes in all sizes, materials and with living people as well. That's why it's easier to find all stuff to do the crib, instead of decorating Christmaslike. Thank's the Universe that there is an OBI (a german based do it yourself market) where I bought already - month's ago now - the stuff I needed.
But now something totally different:
weather! I don't know who of the readers here know
T.C. Boyle if you know him, you may have read "A friend of Earth". I read it a long time ago, but weather now is so disturbing strange, that I'm often reminded on what he wrote. Constantly rain, nothing dries, thunder- and lightning storms etc. Well friends, since a few weeks now it rains constantly, thank's to our very efficent stove the washed clothes dry in front of it, without that it would be a problem (as we do not have tumblers here, due to very expensive energy! And the electricity in our house would turn off, it turns off if I have the dishwasher and the washingmachine on the same time on). Since a few nights we have heavy rain storms, thunder and lightning included! And that in winter. A bit scary I must say.
But beside this, life is good. Uma's poisoning signs are gone, she's fine now. Dado's eye healed from the cat's scratch and Milou's eye healed from Dado's bite. I would like to have some winter tours but obviously people do not really travel now. In fact, Florence is almost empty of tourists. I made myself a nice Christmas gift, the M.A.C. store here in Florence had a Make up seminar which I booked myself in, cool to draw in your face with this products and penciles, which by the way are very good but very expensive! The amazing capable Carla, originally from Southafrica guided us (5 girls and 1 boy) through "how to get from shabby to amazingly good looking". Next time I would like to have an advanced seminar, as I know how to make up since I'm 14, where I started my first contact with Theater make up. A girl never can't have enough colours to play arund with I would say.
Well, nothing more to say for now, but will be back. As usual!
cari saluti
Christina