| :: June 2020 :: |
| WE BUSTED OUT Hurrah! We are free! Sort of. And, well it was a legal bust out. From 18 May we were allowed to travel freely, without the declaration, within our home region, so we booked a hotel (that was open and had amazing views) and went to Como, specifically Brunate. It was heaven to be somewhere else. To see something else. To run with views of the lake vs fields and la pianura. It felt normal and decedent. We hiked. We ate in restaurants. We ran. We sat on the promenade and enjoyed prosecco. We gazed at the views. However, the continual, hand sanitizer, masks, temperature taking is a ball ache. We popped into some shops in Como. the masks and plastic bag gloves are hot and annoying and I definitely will not be enjoying any in-store retail therapy. Sticking to online because masks and gloves are a super sub-par retail experience - unless it's absolutely necessary. Being in outdoor cafes is worth it just to be able to take off our masks, breathe, drink, eat, talk. Not much of this follows any logic - or data or science. Trying to be patient, get through it and not be made crazy with stupid illogical rules. 23 & 24 May 2020 Brunate & Lake Como, Italia |
| We have to wait until 3 June to travel between the regions, which means we can't go to the vacation house yet. So, we decided to get away again this weekend and visit Lago di Garda. We have been a few places on the lake before, but never stayed in Desenzano, this was just a random selection - also because we had to stay on the west side, (still part of Lombardia) of the lake as the east side is part of the Venezia region. I think this is my new favorite place. The town is absolutely adorable - quintessential Italian - picturesque, charming. Our hotel was right on the lake and in centro. We rented a boat, drank prosecco, ate cheese, olives and strawberries - listened to my most excellent curated play lists, cruised around and enjoyed the gorgeous views. For dinner, we ate sushi, our first in months, it was delicious and went for a long, and fast, morning run. The hotel brought us breakfast in our room - which helps contain the covid sanitation process and of course is wonderful when you have a lovely balcony to enjoy the view. Desenzano, Italia Lago di Garda 30 & 31 May 2020 |
| Yahoo! The foundation/ floors, after 6 months, covid and quarantine, are done! It was so nice to be able to come back to the house. I was terrified of what I would find. And it was justified. Yes, a ghiro/dormouse had come in and partied upstairs, ate a woven footstool, wooden utensils and pooped all over. Thank God they are adorable and not a rat. And then the floors - cleaning. The kitchen - renovating. And the terrace - putting the stones back. It was like we moved. Organizing, throwing so much old crap out - purging. I loved it. I feel like we still had stuff from the previous owners 14 years ago. Yikes.Two solid weekends, loooong days, of cleaning & putting together. We invited Gianni, our builder, to come celebrate and have a little prosecco. We have all been so desperate to be out and be somewhat normal. My happy, favorite place in the whole wide world. I love this house and plan on spending a lot of time here this summer! |
Our first beach day! With covid we have to pay a bit more at our favorite beach, but it is worth it to be mask free and not have heaps of people around. Club Vittoria Noli, Italia 20 June 2020 |
| Adopt don't shop. While running this morning, this little baby came out of the field covered in cow manure and toddled right up to me. I took him home and bathed him, we took him to the vet and he has a horrible lung infection - cow shit in his lungs - I suspect that the farmer has been dumping the farm kittens out in the fields and this little one somehow found his way back and ran up to me. He may not live through the night. We domesticated these animals and we have a responsibility to take care of them. We can do that by not buying animals but instead spay/neuter & rescuing them. And not supporting money grubbing asshole breeders. Watching this baby struggle to breathe...breaks my heart. Tuttle Leonetti |