It was different . I couldn’t wait to go out and after realising that I couldnt paint the work room floor before I went out or I wouldn’t get back in there was nothing stopping me. I took 2 masks with me….incase my home made one broke. And off I went up the hill. It was impossible not to feel exhilarated. I could have bounced up the practically vertical brick road. Only I didnt because I had to stop and look at all the flowers and speak to the builders ( at a safe distance) who are restoring a pretty little ancient house.

The sun was shining. The sky was blue. The landscape was stunning and I felt as fit as a fiddle. There were so many wildflowers everywhere I looked. Tomorrow I will take more photos . Today I just wanted to be there. .

I walked past the water tower and the castle and I looked down and saw my house. I could nearly see the flowers. Its a lovely view from up there of the whole town. And you can see the sea.

I strolled dowm towards the chiesa madre, the church where all the music comes from most days. From there I headed towards the doctor’s office. I sat outside on the wall watching people while I waited. Actual real people!!

I only needed a prescription and I thnk she can email it to me next time. There was a notice explaining this beside the door. She has a pretty new tiled notice with her name and a little painting of the piazza.

On the way up the street people are mostly wearing masks but are greeting each other and carefully avoiding getting too close. In Pisticci it is considered to be showing respect by doing this.

There were only two people in the Farmacia when I arrived and I waited outside until the previous person came out. The pharmacists are behind a perspex screen and have masks, gloves and visors and you are obliged to wear a mask to enter. Despite looking a bit scary they are perfectly friendly as usual.

I was going to go home and then I thought I would just go and see if my favourite bar was doing takeaway coffee. It was so nice to see my friend who runs the bar. It must have been a really difficult time for them. I had to take my coffee outside….as it was takeaway.

After that someone asked me if I was still painting because they wanted something and then I greeted several people I knew on my way home. I was out for just over an hour . It was the longest I have been away from my house for 56 days . It was wonderful.

So now I had my workroom floor to paint. I had already mixed up the colour in a jam jar. I found last years net curtain and a pole and some clips and hung the curtain in front of the door to keep flies out .( and birds. I am scared of birds and a little one flew in once. I had to get a neighbour to get it out. He thought it was very funny.)

I had brushed the floor as when I opened it there was lots of stuff trapped under it.

It all went very well until I ran out of paint half way and didnt have enough white to make more grey. But I thought a two tone effect would look ok so I made a very dark blue by shaking out the remains of some black ink and mixing it with a small amount of white acrylic paint. That went well too until I got near the door and the net curtain blew in and got stuck on my brush. Closely followed by leaves and rose petals and assorted nature. Am calling it a natural paint effect due to the nature mixed with the paint. Possibly there are also a few ants or other insects too.

However it was done and now I’ve varnished it and it looks very satisfactory. Am trying not to put all the things back on it until its dry. Patience is not one of my gifts.

I feel quite unsettled now. I have not had to make many choices or think about the future for quite a long time and now it is changing.

At the same time. Nothing has changed. The virus is still around . People are still being infected. It could all go horribly wrong.

Better carry on one day at a time……

Wine time now . At least that’s the same.

It was a beautiful first day of phase 2.