Buongiorno Tutti!

The summer is once again flying by. It’s caldissimo here in Tuscany this summer. 90 degree days have been the norm for months and we have had only 20 minutes of rain since May. Very worrying for the grape harvest this year. The foliage is starting to get a little yellow and you can just see the grapes are thirsty. With no irrigation of the vines allowed, we are just holding our breath for a good result!

The blog got a little makeover yesterday and I now have a link to facebook. I know I know, who thought I would actually move into this millenium! Nevermind that it took me all day to do and that one of my editors Michelle had to help me fifty thousand times with the facebook stuff. Patience of Job that woman. GRAZIE!!

Anyway, the reason for the new spiffyness is…my book is about to be released. Gemelli press is the publisher and I think we may have an excerpt up soon for anyone who wants a sneak peek. The new (and final) title is AT LEAST YOU’RE IN TUSCANY: A Somewhat Disastrous Quest for the Sweet Life.  Intriguing, eh?  We are still waiting on the cover art, but the ms has been sent for typesetting so we are getting close. I am hoping by mid September that you can find in on Amazon! I will keep you posted and also put up a picture of the cover as soon as we have one. The process has been very interesting, a lot of give and take as I worked with two great editors to get the book in the best possible shape. I am very pleased with the result and the readers who volunteered to read it in advance have been very positive! Whew!

In other news, I just celebrated another birthday and spent it first working, and then relaxing over a delicious dinner with my good friends Janet and Ken. I highly recommend birthdays with them, the champagne never stops flowing. I also had a lovely evening that weekend with a handsome Florentine that I have been seeing for the past few months. And also lots of wonderful gifts from my friends Terry, Gill, Janet and of course, mom and dad! All in all, I have to say this year I don’t feel older… just happier!

I got my new computer also and so I am grateful to be typing again on a full-sized laptop. Doing all of the edits of the manuscript on the teensy borrowed one was not ideal and it actually made my right hand numb for almost a week. But thanks again to Anna for lending it to me because I surely couldn’t have survived my poverty of the winter without that little thing to get me through!

Cinder is still with me and just celebrated her 14th birthday. (that’s 98 in doggy years). She can barely walk, is now becoming incontinent but her spirits are good. I just ordered her another big bag of dog food, so she knows she’s not allowed to leave me for another couple of months. I somehow think she’s hanging on until the book comes out so she can have her fifteen minutes of fame!

I am off to see what excitement is going on in town. August is my favorite month here as all the contrade are having their dinners before the kick off of the Bravio. When I get off the bus after work I am assailed by the sensational perfume of grilled steaks and sausages. One of those comforting smells of summer that always reminds me of my Dad!

A presto ragazzi!