Saturday, January 12, 2013

A quiet life in the country

Oh dear, I think when I called this blog, My Life As A Story,  I really meant my life as an exciting story with lots of weird and wonderful things happening. Its been a bit quiet recently.................................................
I suppose flying off my scooter  was quite exciting , in a painful sort of way! Then being reasonably vain and not wishing to inflict my horrid looking face on other people I did sit around for a month - so adventures were a bit limited. Unless you count the time I just had to get some stuff from my studio and rushed from the car to studio in heavy disguise and then back again . Was still limping at that stage so luckily no one saw me as I may have borne a passing resemblence to quasimodo. (limp - creep-limp-creep!)
Admittedly going out on my scooter now feels a little more of a scary adventure than it did before. Am on the look out for dogs round every corner. Have already been chased by 2 more and spoken to the owner. But now know that if a dog jumps out at me I will stop. I  don't believe any longer that they will not attack my scooter. Having tried this - it looks like they lose interest and go away.
It has been very pleasant though- living the quiet life. I have been baking. Due to a temporary financial crisis I have been using up all the things in the cupboards and freezer and quite enjoying myself.
I invented olive and parmesan scones which apparently are just perfect with a glass of wine while in the bath. I found a tin of pineapple - but not the tin opener- so after some work with a hammer and screwdriver I made pineapple crumble. But what I am most proud of are my chocolate squares - made from a large lump of old cooking choc which had gone a bit white round the edges, half a packet of slightly soft biscuits, some marge  and half a bag of raisins. Yum!!
I have also found lots of old soup mix hidden behind things and we having been having soup and olive and parmesan scones for lunch every day.
I cant eat properly - my teeth are still partly numb, but improving- since the accident. So most of my cooking and baking has been with this in mind.
Sunsets have become important so I have to rush outside with my camera to photograph the best ones.
However the thing I have most enjoyed in my temporary quiet life, is my 4pm finish.
At 4pm I stop work, cooking or whatever and go put my pajamas on (think fleecy red ones) go find a glass and fill it with a really nice 15% red wine, shut the curtains, put on the heater, sit on the furry rug on the sofa and organise the night's viewing on TV. And that is my idea of a blissful winter evening in Italy.
We have been out and had  a lovely evening in Casa Elizia in Pisticci with friends in a beautifully restored house in Dirupo. A glass of wine, interesting local and sicilian snacks and good conversation - a night I would like to repeat.



But for all the rest, keeping warm , being entertained and a glass of wine will do nicely.
(The last photo is my temporary studio space in the country.)