I had forgotten how much I enjoy going on the bus. I needed to post a parcel in Marconia so after buying my tickets in the tabacchi I hung out in the piazza dei caduti  for about half an hour as I was far too early as usual. Today I thought I’d  get the little bus down to the bus station. I thought it would be more fun waiting there than by myself at the bus station. It would have been more fun to have not been so early! However I did say hello to a lot of people I knew who passed by.

It was nice to be greeted by name by the bus driver.

There weren’t  a lot of people on the big bus and it was lovely to see all the familiar countryside pass by. There are lots of wildflowers now.

I began to wonder how I could travel and go places even without  a pension and thought about maybe house sitting.

Then I thought about not driving, knowing very little about looking after pets and not being very good at housework ,not counting being nervous about keys and alarm systems. Perhaps not.

By this time we had nearly reached Marconia and my first stop was the post office which didn’t  actually take very long at all. So I only had an hour and a half to wait for the bus back.

Although I can buy most things in Pisticci or online it’s nice to go to the hardware shop where they sell all sorts of art stuff. I bought 9 paintbrushes. ( I keep ordering brushes online without realising the actual size of them. ) I got a couple of jars of paint too.

Only an hour and ten minutes till the bus.

I thought I’d head to the chinese shop next as there is always lots to look at there. I bought some airfreshener as ” Jane ” the airfreshener thingy is not working very well so maybe a different can would fit better. ( It doesn’t)

About an hour till the bus.

It was then that I remembered that I couldn’t go for a coffee and have a seat for a while, as we are still orange in this area and only carry outs are allowed.

I found a bench in the shade and sat there for five minutes until I got bored. It was hot today and I was tired.

I thought maybe food would help ,but I had mild toothache and wasn’t sure that if I ate something it wouldn’t make it worse.

On the way to the nearest supermarket I stopped in at another Chinese shop and bought a set of fabric paints for €2 as I might want to decorate my sentimental jeans …..and hide some paint marks. And I bought two 40x40cm canvas boards as they were cheap and I liked the size.

The best option I could come up with to eat was a packet of cherry strudel biscuits. I carefully ate one at the good side of my mouth. Can’t say I noticed any noticeable difference in energy.

Passing the first Chinese shop again I went in and bought a big paper carrier bag for my canvas boards.

Then I walked very slowly to the bus stop where there was a seat.

Only twenty five minutes till the bus was due.

Eventually after several buses arrived which were not going to Pisticci, the right one arrived.

It was lovely to be sitting down in a cool bus.

I nearly fell asleep.

Once back at the bus station the little bus was waiting and dropped me off in the piazza san rocco.

What a very satisfactory trip. Who would have thought a year ago that a trip to the next small town would have been such a highlight.

Now I’ve drawn my next sunny scene to paint. There are 3 small 30x24cm canvases and I have 3 more scenes.

Cheers 🍷🍷