There seems no need to use the title FREEDOM any more as it feels like normal life has resumed.

And summer is here. It looks like for the next 2 weeks the temperature will be above 30C every day.

Bliss……at least that is if you get up early and then enjoy the evenings. During the day it is lovely to be inside with both doors open and a breeze ( there is always a breeze in my street) blowing the net curtains and being barefoot. Drinking icy water from the fridge, flavoured with my homegrown mint ( if I remember ) And painting through in the gallery where it is always cool. Then having a siesta after lunch guilt free.

Wearing tee shirts and long shorts or maybe my starry dress.( if I decide I can expose my arms )

It’s hard to feel heavy in the sunshine . Light clothes and the light flooding in. I love summer here.

This morning I went to the Farmacia. I had 3 things to get and I had forgotten what one of them was. I said this and the lovely lady pharmacist rattled off a list of what I usually buy. Stuff like that makes me happy. Then she gave me some free samples of wrinkle fixing face cream. ( I remember the first time I was given free sample face creams and shower stuff….I was unable to shake off the feeling that the pharmacist thought I needed them.! )

Then I decided to put €10 on my phone and after a complicated explanation about if I put €10 only on I would get only €9 credit. But if I put on €11 then I would get €11. I had to give my phone number. I was wearing my mask and must have been a bit muffled so I started holding up the appropriate number of fingers. Half way through we both started to laugh and I pulled my mask off and carried on.

Then it was coffee with friends time. Sitting outside in the sunshine with a beautiful blue sky is hard to beat. That was closely followed by a trip to buy more of the wine I currently like.

Home again with the door open I thought I would have another go at setting my still life so I draped a big old white sheet up the wall and it looked much better. I am trying to compromise by painting things with some Pisticci scenes or local objects so they might be commercial. But with enough of myself in them to make it interesting for me. In this one the black hats were James and mine.

I did another sketch on my kindle which is so useful. Much quicker and better than simply drawing. This time I have printed out a copy of my design . It looks pretty good. So I can begin any time.

However between writing that and now, my big project has arrived. I have 2 large square boards..120x120cms to paint. And I have been given paints to do it with. All I need is to make a plan…….

I am quite excited about doing it.

And I ate my first home grown tomato today.

Been a very satisfactory day. . . Wine time now…..but I might just have to go write down a few ideas first. ..