The other day when I was so fed up with myself, I asked myself how hard can it be? Just eat meat, vegetables, fish, fruit, healthy breakfasts, sprinkle everything with seeds and soon you’ll be glowing, smiling at the sheer joy of life and just exuding …
There was a time in my life when I would get very excited when end of season sales started. I was younger, and I’m assuming I also had more money to spend. Actually, I definitely had more money to spend then. I would be there …
Today I put all the Christmas decorations away. Funny how this job was left for me to do alone, although just as well because my OCD kicks in big time and I like to have everything separated and organised in separate zip-lock bags. Our Christmas Tree was fake (not like the sweet smelling real tree we had every year when I was growing up), and after spending much time fluffing it out before decorating, the opposite must happen to get that thing back in its skinny box. I didn’t think to shut the shutters so I am imagining I provided a funny spectacle for anyone in the building across the road who may have been looking into our apartment at that time. The tree comes in three sections, and after taking the tree apart, the branches have to be squished back to lie as vertical as possible to the middle staff… thus facilitating it going back in the box. I used the string I have in the kitchen for tying roast meats. I sat on each section, straddled the tree, tied the string around, pulled tight, and then used my knee to hold where it was tied as I secured it with a double knot. I was exhausted once I’d finished. I taped up the box with packing tape so it won’t spring open during it’s hibernation in the ‘cantina’ during the year. I then had to vacuum all the fake needles that were casualties of this ‘end of season’ ritual.
I was thinking, that I was a bit slow in getting into the Christmas spirit this year, and yet and seems only yesterday that I put the tree up, and now it’s all over again for another year.
Annabella & Joseph returned to school today, and so now the house is strangely quiet since they went back to their father’s house. I take a couple of days to digest their absence which is why I didn’t write much in the last two days. I wasn’t really in the mood, and I didn’t cook anything interesting enough to share either.
Now 2016 has definitely begun, and I must get busy to organise myself work-wise. Positive thoughts and positive actions will be my motto this year. I must keep myself busy and not wallow in the past as this only brings me down. The year has started off well though, and I’ll be busy over the next two days catering for a friend’s party. I’m doing the desserts. Alberto and I were already invited as guests to this party and the chef cancelled a week before the event!!! WHO does that? So, there will be another chef handling the savoury side, and I’ll be making four desserts. Three will be finger food, and one will be served in mini individual cups.
Next week I’ve invited a guest to my blog who will share some healthy recipes to approach 2016! She will explain how we can eat well, without sacrificing all things sweet!
As I sit here contemplating my year that was 2015, I struggle to write anything inspirational or positive. I can’t really complain about 2015, but I can’t rave about it either. My Australian family and friends will be waking up at this time, and we will be …
I suppose it might be a little late to write about our Christmas lunch, but as it was only 2 days ago I’d still like to tell you what we had. I will start by saying that there were only three of us here for …
I was just thinking, it’s really day 6 considering I arrived here on Sunday.
I am feeling much improved today, and was happy to meet one of my Australian Instagram & Facebook friends in Florence today. Her name is Paola Bacchia and she has a beautiful blog called Italy On My Mind. I came across Paola thanks to another Australian living in Rome, Maria Pasquale who is a food and travel writer, and her blog is HeartRome. Both these talented ladies are nominees in the Best Living in Italy blog category in the 2015 Italy Magazine Blog Awards, so I suggest you check out both their blogs and vote for them. The weirdest thing though was that while I was wandering around Florence with Paola, my twin sister Lisa just happened to be having dinner at the same restaurant in Melbourne, Australia as Maria! It really is a small small world!
Paola and I met and started the morning with a scrumptious breakfast at Caffè Gilli in Piazza della Repubblica. This is another stunning historical bar which I strongly suggest you visit, even if it’s just to admire the décor and their pastries and traditional panforte. Being Christmas, there were beautifully wrapped panettone throughout plus the usual sweets and decadent chocolates also for sale. I went with the intention of buying panforte though. I bought 3 ‘pieces’ you could say… and spent €50.00 ! I will wait to taste them, although the most expensive, and traditionally wrapped one is to be a little Christmas present for someone who I know will appreciate it a lot. I think I’m going to try and make it though so stay tuned!
I then took Paola to the department store, La Rinascente, because if you go to the top floor and walk through the little restaurant, you will find stairs leading to a roof top terrace which offers breathtaking views of the city. Stunning photographs to be had from every angle, plus the bonus that the whole terrace was decorated for Christmas – pure magic!
Back to Rome tomorrow afternoon for me. Matteo and Thomas were easy this afternoon and I have our little routine down like clockwork. I managed to get the laundry done, tidied the house and even cleaned the bathroom. I’m going to let you all in on a little secret though, I can’t wait to enjoy my sleep in on Sunday morning in my own bed. Then I better start my Christmas shopping and get back into the kitchen. I think this blog has rambled on enough this week without a recipe in sight!
As you can see, I am an excellent babysitter! This is Thomas helping out with the laundry, as I am a firm believer in getting kids to pull their weight around the house. Yes, I’ve been doing the laundry for Lisa and had everything ironed …
Today has gone quite well (so far), I’ve just got home from picking up both boys and they are playing together beautifully on the floor of the play room…. Let’s see how long they last. I woke still feeling unwell though, and after taking Thomas …
My twin sister Lisa lives in Florence, and she has had to go to Australia for work! SO…. I have come here for a week to help out my brother in law Emiliano with my nephews Matteo, aged 4 and Thomas who is 1. I am definitely not used to needy little ones and I’ll confess I’m relieved they are both at Kinder and childcare respectively for most of the day. I arrived yesterday and dinner, bath, nappies, bedtime all went smoothly. I slept with Matteo and when he woke up early this morning and I spoke to him, he said ‘Mamma’! I said no Matteo… it’s Zia…. His little disappointed face thankfully recovered quickly because I didn’t fancy starting the day with tears.
SO… the day has gone quickly and it’s almost time to go and collect both of them. I had a lovely wander into the centre and love seeing Florence decorated for Christmas. That, a supermarket shop, and coming home to do the ironing in front of SKY pretty much wraps up my day…. well, the quiet part of the day.
Off to get the boys soon…. then its full hands on deck until bedtime!
It’s the second day of December and that means that if I had any intention of doing traditional Christmas baking, I’m already running way too late! When we were growing up, every year before Christmas, my mother would get together with my two Aunties, Aunty …