Am searching for cheerful things and I thought the date was quite fun.

And the weather was amazing. I sat on the doorstep  again with a coffee and had to take off my extra jumper. 

Next , another record breaking day of positives  in Basilicata. Over 800! Another 5 in Pisticci . It seems like almost every town in the region has at least one case.

And the cheerful bit? Am sure Google won’t be offended if I write a list of some of the translations of towns in the region.

Starting with INDEED, BARREL, MOUNTAIN TOAST , ( I like that particularly) BUNDLE, SINK and FUSSY.

I think I might have an infection which would be why I’m  so tired and a bit fed up. However I have a plan to fix it so am feeling better already.

Today I finally made the first of the stretchers I need for this month’s work. It was 150×120 cms  and is I think the biggest one I have made so far. I persuaded  myself to start by telling myself that it would  only take 4 cuts. Wrong!!! I had to use a separate piece of wood for every side  so it was 8 cuts and then another one for the cross support. I am seriously thinking of buying a new saw and mitre block. Sawing is really hard work, not counting the stress  of measuring. But it’s done.

Tomorrow I might make the next biggest one . 120x80cms.

And I might order some better tools. Not sure if it’s a case of “a bad work man blames his tools ” or a €7 saw doesn’t last long. ( on that subject , one of my children, when young and asked to do an exercise on proverbs wrote ” a bad work man blames his wife”. The teacher was quite impressed. )

Last night I stayed awake until midnight and then as I think there was no official fireworks I watched all the unofficial ones which had been going off all day.

I celebrated new year with camomile tea. I was tired!

Now it’s wine time . There is a lovely sunset again.

Cheers 🍷🍷