Friday Hunk

It's been a long while since I did a Friday Hunk photo and thought it was time. Colin Farrell is not to everyone's taste but he is to mine. Even though I loved the Arnold Schwarzenegger film 'Total Recall' I am looking forward to seeing Colin's re-make, even though it seems to be a word for word re-make - usually a big no-no in terms of wanting to watch this sort of thing, guess that just goes to show how much I like him even without that gorgeous Irish accent as yet again he is going American. Kate Beckinsale will help elevate it, too, and not just because of her fabulous sky high heels.

Shame they couldn't make it slightly differently, though, or even a follow on. I don't really understand the need for re-makes if the original was good enough first time round. If a follow on film for the Bourne series was thought to be worth it without Bourne, the main man as it were, and has some other character, surely the same can be done for other films? Maybe it will set a precedent so these nuisance re-makes will change tack.

Anyway, here is my Friday Hunk, Colin Farrell, who looks as good in a suit as he does in ripped jeans

My Aunt's Home-Made Pasta

One of my Aunts in Italy is a wonderful cook, preferring to make a lot of her food from scratch including ice cream. To be invited to a meal at her house is truly something. Not only does it taste fantastic but it looks great, too. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of any of her feasts with anti pasti of many cheeses, salamis, olives etc, or her several other courses. I only have this photo of her home-made  fettuccine being mixed with some lovely sauce, parmigiana at the ready for sprinkling.

Daughter#1's Trip to Italy and a Bit of an Italian Word Class

It was only a little daunting to fly out there with her cousin as this time they landed at Fiumicino airport which is a lot larger than the airport they are used to travelling to and from. Fiumicino is actually officially named Leonardo Da Vinci although no-one seems to call it by this name but by the name of the nearby town instead. It's as large as Heathrow so daughter#1 and nephew#2 were a little worried but managed perfectly well in the end. Of course on the return journey they needed to walk the entire length of the airport to get from check-in to the departure gate, and, again of course, once arrived there they needed to change gates to one in a completely different area of the place - why this happens every time is one of those little nuisances quirks that only happen in Italy.

They tell me that they enjoyed their time out there very much despite the near 40 degrees temperature out there right now. And the mosquitoes, too. Actually we have had mosquitoes here in the UK recently! I'm going to buy one of those bug swatters which are great fun to use as you just swing them round the room till you hear a satisfying zzzt.

They didn't seem to mind going for walks only to have to stop every hundred feet to meet and kiss yet another cousin or family friend, or even neighbour. Nor to eating huge lunches though they both had to stop eating so much by the end of the holiday as they were both just so stuffed. But they enjoyed the beach, my father hired an umbrella on an ordinary stretch of sand although still near to the section he usually uses with the anziani (or older person) where the pensioners get their ombrelloni (beach umbrellas) a little cheaper.

I'm just a teensy bit disappointed as, although daughter#1 did bring me back some yummy goodies such as favourite Italian biscuits from when I was young, she couldn't get me the fresh figi (figs) and big fat juicy olives from the market as they didn't have quite enough time to visit the mercato (market) athough it was mercato day, but then unless you go early such as 8am then it can get so hot sometimes it's not enjoyable to go, although the busy bustling mercato with it's oh so cheap fruit and veg is one of my favourite places to go - I can't get over how, by the end of the morning, you can buy a whole tray or box of pesche (peaches) for 3 Euro!!

Reasons To Be Cheerful, One Two Three

1. The weather has taken a turn for the better.

2. We finally have a roof (temporary) and back door to close and protect the building in the extension which is still being built, this means that we can leave the house empty and all go out at the same time - that will be a strange feeling when we do. We will also be able to go to the goodbye camping trip to see off some emigrating friends.

3. (and the biggest) My lovely daughter#1 will be home tomorrow. She's been to Italy to stay with her Grampy for a week. She was going to go alone but in the end her cousin of the same age went out with her. I can't wait to hear their stories of what they did, where they went and who they saw. In the two phone conversations I've had with her the main thing which was discussed was what they had eaten. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised as it is my Dad she's staying with and she will have had his influence for a week. As with most Italians all his conversations turn to food if they don't start with it. Now I want to know the rest of the trip.

Just a Little Olympics Post

There has been so much said, but no wonder as it has all been so fantastic, I just wanted to add a little post to say 'Go team GB, you have done us all proud'!

So far Team GB has notched up 48 medals, other teams I am pitching for are Italy with 17, 3 of them in archery, Germany with 32, and - for Daughter#2's sake who still thinks she is Russian - Russia with 48. Daughter#2 and I watched the synchronised swimming yesterday and she was so pleased with their gold for the doubles. An under-rated sport is synchronised swimming, but there is hope the Olympics will boost take up for learning it.

Keep it up all of you taking part, from all countries, and remember it is the taking part not just the winning, for them to have reached team qualification is fantastic in itself.

Living in a Building Site

I haven't posted in such a long time, partly because things just haven't felt right. All routine has gone.

We are having the long awaited kitchen extension done, and my goodness, what an upheaval. Anyone who has gone through this and lived inside the home while it's going on will relate and understand.

The kitchen cupboards have been moved to the dining room leaving the sink in the actual kitchen but once the wall came down and we needed to use the sink or walk through to the bathroom we were virtually outside. Luckily we are big camping fans as that is exactly what it feels like, going to the toilets and washing facilities at the other end of the field under the sky.

The sky wasn't actually overhead as due to all the very unseasonal rain the builders put up a large tarpaulin, but the sides are still open to the back of our neighbours garden walls.

Our poor neighbours, especially the new one who moved in just days after work started, have been wonderful, not complaining once about the amount of noise and dust they have had to put up with, all weekend too, nights ending at 10pm, they definitely deserve a case of wine and decent box of chocs, I think.

Weeks this has been going on, but the star builders, who happen to also be good friends, are working their bots off to get it done ASAP for us to live in a proper habitable house again.

  It's not just the kitchen extension but also  the bathroom downstairs, and the small bedroom upstairs being turned into a bedroom with small en-suite, so we will have a second bathroom with a long wanted shower. It was a bit of a shock when I walked past and saw the floor being kicked out so we had no ceiling to the kitchen too as the beams turned out to be rotten in the small room above. At least the house will be in tip top condition by the end.

Have a look at the photos and see what we're living in, but do realise, we are getting some strange bit of twisted enjoyment out of it, if enjoyment is the right word, or at least I mean we aren't stressed with it all, and The Chauffeur is learning lots as he is working with them every minute he's not doing his own job.