Buongiorno!!

A BUSY, BUSY, week!!

Five days in Italy.....

....and back in time to celebrate with the birthday boy!!

Today is Mother's Day. 

Wishing my lovely mum a very happy, hopefully relaxing day.

Remembering always, Jeff's mum, taken far too soon. 

And thanking my two, love being their mum xx

Sophie left to go back to Cardiff yesterday, only to return 10 minutes later with the most cheery bunch of tulips. I always say to my two not to get me anything......

.....all I ask, is that take the time to choose me a nice card.

And I have had bonus time with Sophie this past week and had a lovely video chat with Sam today.

She and I headed to Pisa on Monday. A short five day break enjoying all things Italian! 

I could happily live in Italy.

Day one!

Flight to Pisa, Pisamover, train to Florence.
Got our bearings, first glimpse of the Duomo and tea at il Mercato Centrale.

Having been to Florence this time last year with Jeff, I knew Sophie would love it! The forecast was very mixed, with rain forecast, but on the whole, we were very lucky. Was on the chillier side than I was expecting but for Sophie, that was fine. She doesn't do heat!! We stayed in Florence for 3 nights. The trains are brilliant in Italy, plentiful, reliable, cheap!! So we based ourselves near the train station.

Day two!

A fabulous day trip to Siena.

Siena is a tricky place to get to. Considering it's reliance on tourists, it doesn't make it easy for you to get to the centre once off the train. Once you do find your way there, you just stand and soak up the splendour surrounding you.

We decided to climb the 400 steps to the top of the Torre del Mangia

Where you are gifted the most beautiful views across Siena and the Piazza del Campo below, and then the wonderful Tuscan countryside beyond.

Focaccia for lunch - simple but deeeelicious!

We headed back to Florence as it just started to rain and once back we went in search of tea, at a traditional trattoria.  A perfect Italian combo!! A cold beer, bruschetta, lasagne, tiramisu, coffee!

Day three

A train ride to Arezzo

 You leave the station and just head straight out and up towards the old city and the Duomo. The old, grand buildings and piazzas are incredible and plentiful. A charming old Italian city. 

We headed back to Florence for the afternoon, as the weather was better there.

Sophie LOVES books and reading and I'd seen this cool place, which was a book store, cinema and cafe in one. In the day, you can watch a silent film, with subtitles, sat in a relaxing chair, or use it as a place to study or just enjoy the book shop. Later in the evening it becomes a cinema. There is also a cafe to the side. The Giunti Odeon Libreria e Cinema was a great find. 

We'd also been recommended this rooftop bar, with incredible views of the Duomo. Great if you'd booked. Otherwise, really expensive drinks on a windy rooftop, with no view of the Duomo, as you had to sit round the corner. So we took a quick photo and left, in search of our aperitivo with a view!!

I think we made the right decision

We then went in search of a few Florence gems. The Piazza della Signoria and the temporary statue 'Time Unfolding ' alongside the replica statue of David. Rubbed the lucky boars nose for good luck. Wandered through the Uffizi Gallery courtyard out to the river Arno overlooking the Ponte Vecchio Bridge.

It's hard to think that a week ago, the river Arno was on flood alert!!

Day four!

 

Farwell Florence, hello Pisa.

We started each morning with the best strong Italian coffee and the most delicious pastries. 

The pistachio creme, a favourite of mine x

We were able to leave our luggage at our accommodation, freeing up our morning to explore Florence. We walked up to Piazza Michelangelo. We didn't go up at sunset as it gets busy but planned to venture up in the morning with fresh legs.

 It is worth the walk, for views across Florence and in the morning, very few people!!

How beautiful is that view?

After a morning in Florence, we got the train over to Pisa for our final evening. Once we'd checked in, we went off exploring. You really don't need that long in Pisa. Once you've seen the main attraction, the Leaning Tower, you feel you've 'done' Pisa

We enjoyed a final Aperitivo on the terrace with views of the Tower, before going to my favourite place to eat. We have enjoyed pastries for breakfast, bruschetta and focaccia for lunch and had the classic pizza, pasta and lasagne for tea, with a couple of treat tiramisu's for pud!!

Day five!

Having 'done' Pisa and with a morning to fill, we got on the shortest train journey we could find, to Livorno. Not a tourist destination, more a utilitarian port, where the cruise ships dock but somewhere different to explore and only €5.60 return. It was a good way to fill the morning

A mix of city life and busy fisherman down by the port.

We also made the most of 30 mins of sunshine, whilst waiting for our train back to Pisa. Where we collected our bags, had a bite to eat, got the Pisamover back to the airport, which was ridiculously busy, before flying home.......

......getting back in time to wish Jeff a very happy Birthday!!

Sophie headed back to Cardiff on Saturday morning. I had to go into school for a couple of hours for artist collections. Then back in again in the evening, to help Jeff blow up some balloons for his Year 11 formal (first pic) Have had a relaxed day today as it's Mother's day and the hour went forward this morning. I have a busy week ahead, before Jeff breaks up on Thursday afternoon and we head off for a week in the sun (fingers crossed)

Exhibition over and out!!

My time in the gallery is done!! The past 4 weeks have whizzed by and the Old Millfieldian Exhibition has come to an end. I'm next in, in September/October, for the next exhibition. I do have a couple of hours pencilled in for artist collection next week but it's back to exams for the duration. I have been in on Monday and Tuesday this week for exams and exam training. A busy work week!

We've had some lovely weather, which I have had to just view from afar!! 

It has meant that the Magnolia has flowered, later than in previous years.

And the tulips are beginning to burst forth too.

Everything is flowering as Sophie and I head off to showery Italy. 

The weather forecast is looking a little soggy for the first few days, drying up at the latter end of the week!! We will just have to play it by ear and hope for the best. At the end of the day, it's Italy and even in the rain, it will be wonderful. We return, as Jeff celebrates his birthday. Hoping we don't experience any delays and can spend his birthday evening together. So, I'm off to finish packing, have got an early alarm in the morning.

Ciao for now x

Gallery week 3....already!!

My time in the gallery is marching away. I have just the one week left of this exhibition. It's been a quieter show on the visitor front but I've been busy archiving, so easily filling my time.

It's hard to think we are already halfway through the month of March. The weather has been freezing this past week, waking up most mornings to a frost. Everything seems to be behind this year. Only just, has the magnolia really started to flower, and where it's normally gone within days, it's sticking around a while longer, due to the cold.

Lynn and I managed to walk a stretch of Coombe Hill woods this week. The cold has hardened off the mud, just enough to actually walk some of the woodland paths. It made a nice change.

I think I may have gone in too soon, washing and de-bobbling my jumpers, ready to put away until next winter. It's been so chilly, I could have done with the choice.

I got my hands on a new 25/26 diary. I like to plan!! And I like a paper diary!! 

I get far too much joy, than is probably normal, filling in a new diary!! 

But it gives me thinks to look forward to.

It's been lovely having the lighter evenings. We've had the most beautiful full, bright moon too.

 I will never tire of this view of Glastonbury Tor from our bedroom window. 

It's ever changing and in different lights, beautiful. 

Today (Sunday) my one day off, I met up with my Uni partner in crime over at the Newt. We were supposed to go a month or so ago but the weather was bad, so we postponed it until today. The weather gods were on our side, albeit blumin freezing! But to be fair, it was just lovely to see each other. We just pick up from where we last left off. I don't think we could ever run out of things to talk about.

The grounds were looking lovely, even in March!

This is the difference in growth 2 weeks on, from when I was last there. 

So, going forward. I have one week left at work, which means just one week until Sophie and I go to Italy. They have had the most awful weather over in Florence and Pisa. Huge amounts of rain and as a result, flooding. The river Arno is at full capacity. We won't be seeing beautiful reflections in the river when we are there, for sure!! It's terrible to see and I hope there is not too much damage for those living there. It's like the rain in Valencia on our Spanish trip, all over again. Let's hope things settle down a little this week xx

Bring me sunshine....

What a week of the most welcome sunshine!

Frustratingly, I had to spend most of Monday indoors waiting for the carpet fitters but it was sunny nevertheless and boy, does it make a difference!!

And how good does the new carpet look?

Tuesday was lovely and was spent over at the Newt.

I had a guest pass leftover from Christmas to use, so Lynn and I went over, as I knew it would be fine to walk on good paths. And now there is more to see over there, we did 10,000 steps easily.

What a beautiful day.....

.....and there was warmth in that sunshine.

Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday - pancakes of course!!

I've spent the rest of the week in the Gallery. 

I find it so hard when it's lovely weather out, but you have to be in! That was one good thing when I was self employed, I could sometimes jig things to make the most of the weather. We get so little nice weather, it just feels wrong to not make the most of it!

Here are a few details of the work on display. 

The daffodils are looking stunning. 

Splashes of yellow cheer.

We've had a few frosty starts and a bit of fog but the sunshine......

......the sunshine has been glorious and most welcome. 

And this afternoon, it felt warm enough to sit out side in the garden for an hour or so. 

I can not stress what a difference it makes. Shame it's all change next week!

I have started to think about my little upcoming Italian adventure with Sophie. It's only 2 weeks away now and I honestly can not wait. I love my job in the gallery but do like the fact it's just for little bursts of time. Having two, zero hour contracts suits me in terms of flexibility but financially, I could do with just a little bit more, so I can save for the months when I'm not working. Ideally a day a week would be good, but that would then restrict what I could do and when I could go away. I am trying this year to not buy clothes for the sake of it, only if I really, really like something or genuinely need it and I'm doing the majority of our food shops online. I feel I can make the best of the offers and resist impulse purchases. It's also easier when I'm working four days in a row. Food is just so expensive now!! Particularly when you try to eat healthily. And the dentist is a killer!! £70 for a 15 minute hygienist appointment on Monday morning, and then I had to pay upfront for my appointment in 6 months time. So £140 gone in a flash and it wasn't even on anything nice!! Anyway, when the sun is out, I don't have to spend any money to enjoy it. Walks are free and spending time sat out in the garden is a joy. Let's hope the weeks ahead are sun filled and warm xx