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We have spent three weeks in a tuscan villa perched in the hills above Rome with Child One’s Italian fiancee and her family. \u00a0I had only met her mother briefly after R’s funeral and never met her father but we arrived here, complete with our dogs, Sunny and Rainbow to spend Christmas. \u00a0They are very brave.<\/p>\n
Rome is the most beautiful, breathtaking and serene city I have been to and, considering the circumstances (Brexit and Covid) the people are incredibly welcoming and friendly. \u00a0But the scenery! \u00a0Every corner has a secret, every building has history. \u00a0I know a \u00a0little about the Roman Empire mostly from Spartacus and the Life of Brian, I’d like to add I Claudius but I can’t but nothing prepared me for the reality.<\/p>\n
The beautiful Mama Rosella and I spent a week exploring on our own while the others worked. \u00a0We visited the Imperial Forum and stayed for hours, searched the churches for hidden masterpieces, my new favourite artist is Caravaggio, we saw work by Canaletto, Michael Angelo and so many others. She showed me her city and I was entranced.<\/p>\n
I loved it and her as each day I felt myself uncurl.<\/p>\n
Lucky arrived by aeroplane on Thursday, we immediately introduced him to Roman food by means of a restaurant belonging to a family friend. \u00a0Pasta as a starter, a steak as big as his plate and he was hooked!<\/p>\n
We all went to Pompeii – we could only go for a day because of the dogs which wasn’t enough – we will go back, we barely saw half of it. \u00a0My two offspring went off by themselves on a body hunt which left me to spend as long a I liked looking at things and absorbing the place.<\/p>\n
We went to the seaside, a 30km beach, ate vongole which the Italian had been craving for months, they have a summer home at the sea because it’s too hot in Rome in the summer.<\/p>\n
I must describe the dogs, Sunny is as noisy as can be, Rainbow an adorable and gorgeous puppy, Bart is an elderly old gentleman and Lisa is an \u00a0absolutely lovable walking dustbin. \u00a0They formed themselves into a little gang, teaching each other dreadful things, Rainbow covered the whole house in sticks, Sunny and Lisa emptied the fireplace, Bart sat quietly observing them and expending discipline as necessary. \u00a0We were very careful to remember to put food away but on our last night Child One had placed a bowl of cooked endive in the middle of the kitchen table, hearing a noise I ventured upstairs to see Lisa in the middle of the table exactly like a mountain goat, finishing the last of the vegetables!<\/p>\n
It has been a fabulous holiday and a wonderful Italian Christmas with a beautiful family who have welcomed us into their home and their lives. \u00a0I hope they forgive me for bringing a Christmas pudding and setting actual fire to it in their microwave (underestimated the power) leaving behind us the gentle aroma of burnt sugar and raisins that will take days to dissipate.<\/p>\n
We head home today, Lucky and I, the girls go home by plane. \u00a0 We had planned to spend a few days exploring together, choosing where to spend new year. \u00a0We can’t, France won’t let us, we have to be in Calais within 48 hours of leaving Italy. \u00a0I am currently at the bottom of the Alps, cosy and warm in my bunk with Lucky and the dogs ‘downstairs’ listening to the wind blowing down from the mountains. \u00a0We’re crossing via Mont Blanc tunnel tomorrow and hope the French let us pass.<\/p>\n
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We have spent three weeks in a tuscan villa perched in the hills above Rome with Child One’s Italian fiancee and her family. \u00a0I had only met her mother briefly after R’s funeral and never met her father but we arrived here, complete with our dogs, Sunny and Rainbow to spend Christmas. \u00a0They are … <\/p>\n