Snow again...

It started coming down pretty heavy, but didn't stick this time. As it is it is very wet and miserable! When the wind blows it is soooo cold too! If you go back to March '07 you will see photo's of my kids in the garden in shorts and t-shirts! Antonia went to school in her ski jacket, ski hat, scarf and gloves today!! This weather is so strange! It really should be warming up by now! Normally we would have had a few really warm days by now to remind us summer was coming, but not this year. Actually, not true, two weeks ago we nearly hit 20c...so maybe summer is coming after all!

Still waiting for Antonia's passport. If you are British and now have to apply through Paris do it with plenty of time! Or do it in person in the UK. Only one thing to remember, you can only have white background for your photos on passports done through Paris, in the UK they have to have a grey or off white background as they scan them. We discovered this the hard way with Alex's passport! Sent photos done here with a white background, Steve had to do a round trip to Winchester to pick up new ones with the right background!! :P The same day service is also good if you can hang around in London or whichever city you use with a passport office, for 4 hours after your interview. Also, don't go with anyone, they won't let them in! Only one person per interview/appointment is allowed in the building, not to the appointment itself!! Back to Antonia, it should arrive today - Paris rang me yesterday and gave me the TNT tracking number for it and it is at least now in Florence!! Watch this space...!

Baked beans and Mayonnaise!

Wow! I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. But then we have been very busy here.

My niece finally arrived and brought with her the coldest weather in months! I think she has returned home believing she lives in the warmer country! It was lovely to see her. I don't know her as well as my other nieces and nephew as she is the youngest. In a way that helped as I didn't have to be her best friend, much more an auntie. She got on really well with my son and they spent a couple of days out on their own getting lost! Luckily Florence is small enough that you are never too far from where you want to be.

I asked her to bring a tin of baked beans, a jar of Hellman's mayo and some anti-erspirant.What I got was 9 tins of beans, 2 jars of mayo and 6 anti-perspirants! I was very happy with this stash!

My daughter turned 3 on the 29th March. She got the pinkest bike in the world courtesy of Winx - think fairy Brat dolls and you aren't far off! I will post a picture but as usual I am behind on downloading my photo's!

My husband took son and niece ski-ing to Abetone. They had the most snow in one day they have had all season. Visibility was atrocious and they ended up bum-boarding for the day - after they had snowchained the car and got back up to the village car park. It sounded like an adventure but one I am glad Antonia and I weren't involved in!

The weekend saw the weather improve and on the Saturday we held an Egg Hunt for the Toddler Group we go to in our garden. I provided the garden, the group provided the eggs! We also doubled it as Antonia's birthday party. She picked the world's biggest jam tart as her cake! Not surprisingly all the kids loved it and there was very little left. The turn out was really good and it was great to meet new people. Everyone brought a dish. Hoping I wouldn't have to make any tea was shortlived as all the food was great and vanished really quickly. We had some great chocolate chip cookies and little savoury tarts filled with tuna and black olive, pizza, quiche, biscuits, everything you can think of. I like the way you can buy from the bakeries here and know you are getting quality, edible food.

I'm hoping that this time the good weather is going to stay. Anyway, off to catch some rays just in case!

At Home...

Most of the week has been spent at home for one reason or another, bad weather, migraines, landlady visits etc.

The rain went but it left a very cold wind and bright blue skies in its place. So, although we have been out in the garden and to the shops for essential groceries, we have basically stayed in. Days I was planning to go out I had a migraine and then my landlady, who lives in Naples, wanted to come and say "Hello". Of course there was another reason for her friendliness, she very kindly dropped off my first electricity bill. Luckily I have nearly a week to pay it! I am finding that urgency is quite often expected from me, but it has taken nearly two months to sort out various problems in the house! All in all though I like her and if I am a good tenant maybe I will get an invite down to Naples!!

Today I had problems with Telecom, I knew the honeymoon couldn't go on! I was unable to make any international calls for most of the day which, when my husband is in the UK or Spain, is a little problematic! For some reason now he can't get through to us, but we can now call him - whatever! My main concern was my niece, I wanted to make sure she could get hold of me before she left - two days and she will be here! My daughter is really excited, I just hope she isn't expecting a constant playmate - I think she will be disappointed!

I went to my local Cartoleria for writing and wrapping paper today. 3 enormous, good quality sheets of wrapping paper cost me 3 euros. In the centre each sheet cost 6.50euros, I know as I bought the same design at Christmas, and half the size! I will certainly be returning.

After going there we walked up to Ponte Amerigo Vespucci. The bridge itself isn't pretty but it has one redeeming feature - the coypu colony that lives on the islands beneath it. There are also herons, cormorants, ducks, geese and pidgeons, oh, and lots of rats!!

It was bitterly cold on the bridge, but at last I felt like we had got out for a while. I love the view up the river to the Ponte Vecchio. Behind it we could see a few snow topped mountains in the distance. Maybe there will be some ski-ing next week after all!