| January 2021 |
| Buon Anno! Happy New Year! I think everyone is in happy agreement that 2020 has come to an end. 2021 is starting off with a the snow storm of the century. We have at least 60 centimeters and more coming. Biznonna purchase transaction meeting will likely be delayed again due to covid and not being able to move or meet. We have the keys so Joe has begun to do some tearing out and tearing down, we have also met with an urban planing agency about the renovations - very excited about our plans. 4 January 2021 Brallo, Italia |
| Four hours of snow shoeing with E&E, Matti & Lula and some delicious banana, chia seed, almond, dark chocolate - no sugar or flour - power muffins. It was a very snowy work out. 2 January 2021 |
| I can't remember a more cozy time between Christmas and New Years. New Year's Eve fondue and post snow shoe raclette, outdoor fires - snow, snow, snow and cheese and wine and heaps of hygge 1 January 2021 |
| The official last day of the holiday break. I think it was my favorite ever. It would be perfect if Zaven and Avalon were here with us - but Zaven is head down working, and loving, his new job and Avalon is moving apartments. And the world is covid crazy, so... The snow finally stopped. It is such a crazy amount. At least a meter / 3 feet. We should have a few days without new snow. I am terrified thinking about the mud and landslides to come. But for now it is absolutely lovely. A gorgeous walk with Lu with the sun peaking out and snowy views for days. 6 January 2021 Brallo, Italia |
| Lula is still timid with Joe, we think she was abused by a male and so she is super skittish with men. Poor girl. |
What a blessing, running Lula out before my crazy day starts and seeing the sun rising over the Alps The Biznonna house purchase is complete. It was delayed because of covid, but we were able to conclude the transaction, our retirement home is purchased and we have a huge project in front of us. It looks haunted, and it might be, but we have great plans to make it fabulouse with or without ghosts. 9 January 2021 View of the Alps from the end of the garden |
| Go Lula Go! Pure joy watching her blitz and play in the snow. Sunny and gorgeous day and a day after her first vet visit. As we don't have her history, the previous owners 'lost' her health records, we have to treat her like a street dog or puppy - all the tests and vaccines. All I have are her pedigree papers, which don't mean anything to me, but the vet looked at them and said she is a champion, from a long line of champions bred for their beauty and perfection and suspected that she had been bred beyond the two years, which is how long, by law, pedigree dogs may be bred, she was given an abortion and sterilized while she was pregnant - which the vet also thought was strange and that is why her utters are extended. Maybe there were complications? She has a bit of incontinence recent pregnancy and sterilization (botched or rushed?) so we are treating her with hormones and if that doesn't work then she may have to have surgery. She is such a well behaved girl but timid and the vet said that dogs used for breeding tend to be fearful and timid. Lula acts as though she has been beaten. People who breed animals for profit are assholes. Animal eugenics. Think Aryan - creating the perfect human and destroying humans who are not perfect. Humans were not designed but domesticated animals have been designed by humans If you buy animals from breeders - you play a part for the suffering of these animals and perpetuating unnecessary animal eugenics. Everyone says, "oh I know the breeder, they are nice - they aren't like a puppy mill." Nope, it's the same. They are using (and abusing, animals) for profit. They don't care about them - only about making money. We domesticated these animals and we have a responsibility to them. So many dogs and cats need homes and families who love them. Don't be a pretentious dick. Save a life. Adopt don't shop. 16 January 2021 |
| It snowed. Again. Gorgeous snow shoe trek to Bric Puschera - our favorite place / aka the picnic area - highest point in the province of Asti. It takes about an hour on the road and an hour and a half on the trails to get up there but it is always well worth it for the views. Days are getting longer and Spring is just around the corner. 23 January 2021 |