Yesterday evening I found my jeans, my favourite black shirt and a long red patterned velvet jacket to go with my ” sentimental ” trainers. And then my 2 escorts for the evening appeared bearing gifts of chocolate and wine. After a glass of wine together we set off for a celebratory proseco before finding somewhere to eat. So I strolled uptown accompanied by 2 attractive single male friends and ate in one of Pisticci’s pizzerias before walking back through the crowded corsa and stopping for an amaro lucano in the bar in the piazzetta. On the way home we stopped to talk to a good italian friend and discussed manly things ( machines) while I translated the occasional word. Then we parted company and I walked down the street to my little studio covered in flowers……what a lovely evening. And to my surprise every word of that is true.

People often say that I am ” living the dream” and I think that they mostly are talking about their dream , not mine. I never dreamed about moving to the south of Italy, living in a little house in a beautiful town, being an artist , having a scooter, being in a video, having international friends and much, much more. 20 years ago if someone had told me I would do all this I would have told them not to be so stupid.

Which is why when I saw the photo of myself looking a little fuzzy in the mirror…….. it all felt a little unreal.

However back to today. The sun came back. I didn’t exactly bounce out of bed…when you sleep in the attic bouncing would result in a sore head… but I got up with a lot more enthusiasm than yesterday. It was nice to have breakfast outside again and enjoy the blue sky.

I spent the morning making lasagne and a chocolate cake.( using up the 99% cocoa chocolate….its just too bitter) and it seems have been a success. I used the ciambellone tin. Makes a cake like a giant polo mint. And I have one lasagne in the freezer and the other ready to reheat. I was worried that my ancient microwave/ cooker would break so made it early. My gas oven burns everything

So now all I need to do is hope that the weather stays ok and put the big table out in the street. I enjoyed cooking and baking the cake. Everything is all washed up so now weather permitting I get to make the table look pretty and enjoy the evening. I haven’t done something like this since last year. And I have a bottle of fizzy rose` wine which was a gift and I have been saving it for a special occasion.

The friends coming to eat tonight also have ‘ stayed at home” in the last few months here , so I think it’s special to be able to spend my birthday with them.

I had better go get organised now as I only have an hour. And the darn table; restored by james, needs the top screwed down or it falls off when it is opened out.

I have had a lovely birthday and received lots of kind wishes.

Still blue sky so fingers crossed will be ok to eat outside…….