The last day of my first week and I felt I deserved an aperol spritz! Yesss! Another lovely day with sunshine but also cloud, I’m sorry to my friends in the UK as I hear you have had rather a lot of rain, maybe it’s coming. Anyway, school was good, we lost three out of our class of seven as they were only doing one week. There was a festival atmosphere and we all agreed that we had had a good time but no promises to keep in touch, just as it should be. Moments in time.

I went back to the place I had been to twice before for my lunch, partly as the salads are good and also they have blankets so you can sit outside but also keep warm. The waiter became quite chatty and after my aperol spritz, I was fluent but it probably sounded to him like Sofia Vergara speaking English!
After lunch I bumped into my fellow house mate and we went to the Leather museum as he would like to buy a leather jacket to take back to USA (which you pronounce ooosa)! Actually it was a fascinating place with a monastery dedicated to St Francis and an active factory which had been started by one man and handed down to his three daughters and now their children run it. You can watch the workers making things by hand, as near to the genuine article as you will get. Some of them were stunning but not cheap. Lawrence decided to think about it so we marched back to the house and disappeared to our own rooms to do homework or watch a film or whatever. Actually I have been watching a very good series on Netflix called The Asset, a bit violent but gripping.

Hallelujah! Tonight it was veg-tastic supper – spaghetti al pomodoro, followed by chicken a limon with huge dish of delicious spinach, followed by salad and then Eva had made individual puddings with chocolate, oats, bananas and nuts – quite dense actually but nice. The son was there again and conversation became very political, not easy to follow but he was asking if I minded that UK is over run with every different nationality including a Spanish prime minister! Erm…. Everyone got involved and once I mentioned that at least we didn’t have Trump we all went off on different tangents. So off to bed!

PS – due to popular demand, I shall mention the wardrobe as today it was mentioned in class since I had on my red trousers, with an orange and red Desigual shirt and red patent leather boots. Yesterday as I was meeting the friend of my mother I was quite smart in brown leather trousers with a very nice cream shirt and the cream and brown ‘fur’ coat with pearls. Buona notte tutti xxx

I didn’t manage to write anything yesterday so I shall endeavour to squeeze quite a lot in, yesterday was the usual scurry in the morning, walking through lovely just awakening streets in the cold but weak sun, I never get blasé about the sights especially the duomo or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore as it is properly named. The lessons were good in the most part, we are getting a little more fluent but at the same time the grammar is getting much harder and there are many irregularities. As I said to Lorenzo, it is not as if our career depended on our knowing Italian perfectly, certainly in my case it is purely an indulgence and a pleasure.

After lessons, I dashed to a cafe for a salad – actually a shade disappointing but still good to eat colour. Then I took myself to my second singing lesson with the lovely Beatrice. We did some great exercises and once again she had me up against the wall – good discipline. We worked on some new stuff including the beautiful mi chiamo Mimi which is not easy but so beautiful. She was complimentary and once again it feels so good to sing with someone who is so talented and can really show me how it should sound. A bit like playing tennis against a better person and it raising your game – not that that is difficult for me since tennis and I don’t get on. Afterward she said I can use the room to practice which is great as I find it difficult in the house as it’s pretty noisy and I’m never sure who is trying to sleep.

After my lesson I had a spring in my step and walked to find a rather nice lake with some ducks and trees and stuff – so nice to have a little bit of peace in a crazy busy city. I sat on a bench and thoroughly enjoyed myself. There were a couple of lads hanging around and a person sleeping it off on a bench but live and let live I say. Later at supper, Fabio told me not to go there as it’s dangerous and full of drug dealers! The ducks and I enjoyed it anyway.

We had had some lovely news of a birth in the family so I decided to drink my small box of wine which I had bought at the super marche – felt quite naughty in my bedroom as we have not had any wine during supper. It didn’t taste very good but it was better than nothing.

So supper was a bit of a feast as the prodigal son had returned and we were quite a little party. He is very sweet and speaks good English which is dangerous as it’s easy to slip into. Once again poor Eva was working late but Fabio had made not only ravioli stuffed with potato and cheese with a meat sauce but to follow – pork with fagelot beans. Phew! My poor stomach, it was very late and things were looking up when they got out a bottle of wine but sadly for me, it was red which doesn’t like me. Anyway after quite a lively evening I retired to bed where I slept very badly. Probably the bad wine box!

Today I am over half way through my first week so must try really hard with the Italian, quick cold walk to school, the two young girls just didn’t show up, hope they haven’t been sold as slaves. It was quite a good day but I couldn’t face the 5000 steps to go down and get fresh air in the break so on we trotted into the next lesson. I think everyone was feeling it a bit as we got quite silly – or was that just me?

I had arranged to meet up with a charming friend of my mother who lives here for half the year and works as a sculptor. Unfortunately she has wanted me to meet at 3.45 so I had rather a long time to kill, not as easy as it sounds since I have been into nearly all the free places and the ones you need a ticket for sell out until later in the day. Anyway I walked around and sat on a bum freezing stone bench for a while people watching. I set off in very good time as I don’t like being late For unknown reasons we missed each other on the bridge and phones didn’t work, eventually we met and she took me to her studio. The landlord and fellow sculptor was there so I was shown all the lovely pieces they are working on, so interesting and inspiring. Then she and I walked to the Strozzi palace to see the Fra Angelico exhibition, absolutely stunning. Very good for me to go with someone very knowledgeable and also fun, we were being quite irreverent which I thoroughly enjoyed as you can easily become overloaded with the weight of so much talent, beauty and history. It is a relief to be able to say there are some that don’t do it for you and of course others are so moving and make you stand quietly.
After a long day, I left her in the gallery at about 7pm and took a taxi back ‘home’ – I hope we get some veg tonight!

I am late tonight so will keep it brief. A good day with some productive Italian lessons at school, the French girl – named Fanny – has moved up as she is too good which is a shame as we need her, but the others are lovely.

After lessons I went in search of salad for lunch and had a delicious thing with a glass of beer, then I went shopping. Honestly the prices are crazy here and there are a lot of rip offs. Needless to say I succumbed and came back carrying a very nice purchase thank you very much – happy Tuesday to me love from me! I also bought a lovely b&w photo of the famous floods in Florence in 1966, with a little Fiat 500 floating forlornly (nice alliteration). My first car was just such a one and I loved it sooooo much so I have always had a soft spot for them.

Having walked home I lay on my bed and did my homework and rested, once again I slept badly partly as I was trying not to want to go to the loo six times and wake everyone. I watched a rather intriguing Danish film with English dubbing and messaged my babes. Supper was the ubiquitous pasta n sauce followed by beef carpaccio and a very nice salad of fennel, tomatoes and avocado and cucumber – yum. We talked about the floods and Fabio (mine host)’s sister had been rescued by the mother. Very spectacular pictures and story and worth searching for.

Now I am wondering which fabulous outfit to wear tomorrow – Monday was the red and purple silk shirt with the purple jacket and white jeans; today was the champagne silk shirt with the coral and gold Missoni-like jumper with black jeans; I think tomorrow may have to be the orange long sleeve top with the nude vest and crazy “born to be wild” jacket with the black jeans and print trainers, after all I have another singing lesson tomorrow. Xx.
yesterday’s photos:-

Back to school – after a quick shower at my allotted time of 7.30 and a scurry to very quietly get dressed and grab some coffee and a small biscuit, Lorenzo and I left together to walk to school. I was grateful that he knew the way and it was quite a relief to chatter away (more me than him) in English. Once arrived I joined my class of seven pupils from all over the world – one man from Germany, other ladies Japan, Switzerland, France, Sweden and me, all different ages. The first teacher went very slowly which was good, lots of repetition and writing on the board. I was armed with a large notebook as I learn by writing everything out – also we were given text books to take away. The room was warm and after an hour and half we needed a break. I raced down the 700 flights of steps and grabbed some coffee and a croissant, then trudged back up.

The second teacher had a different style, lots of chat but having been met with blank faces for the most part, she slowed down a bit. Another text book and some exercises to do together mostly in conversation but describing what was going on in the pictures. A bit of stumbling but I wasn’t the worst which was good. It was fun actually and we are quite comfortable together so that works.

Truly ready to stop for lunch and get some fresh air – we all peeled off to do different things. I ate a yummy insalata caprese with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella – very Italian and delicious. I had to gird my loins for the next one – was just standing in the sunshine doing my super woman stance – if you don’t do it I would thoroughly recommend – looked up to see a road sign with a bird doing a poo which made me laugh.

So arrived at the music school and was met by a charming young woman. I had had no idea how many would be in the class and during my mostly sleepless night, had begun to think I have no idea what style of music I signed up for – it could be pop or jazz – all my fears allayed, it was just me and her doing opera which is my genre and what I wanted. I was definitely rusty as have not been able to practice properly for ages but she was so great. I explained a little bit, that I had only sung in choirs, and begun having lessons with the wonderful Connor who had then found my inner diva. She was so great as she showed me the mouth placement and breath control which is different for opera. She is so good with a lovely voice but she was very complimentary to me which was nice. At one point I had to stand against a wall with bent legs, getting all my back and neck and head on the wall and then sing scales, so different. She asked me what I could sing and found it on her iPhone so we had a go at Caro Mio Ben and O Mio Babbino. She said both were difficult but that I did very well, she had several pupils who could not do them. She said I am a lyric soprano and that my voice placement was good – wow so amazing to hear from a professional opera singer. I felt so buoyed up and so pleased that I made the effort to come out – it could all have gone differently. Anyway we meet again Wednesday (not tomorrow as I thought) but that’s ok. She has given me some more to try to learn so look out family, maybe I better sing under water!

I went to the piazza and bought a glass of wine before going back to the house, very happy but tired. Now I must go and do my homework, before I am called for supper at 8ish. I will sleep well tonight. Xx

Well today has been quite the day! I had to check out of my lovely hotel this morning but they agreed to hold my three suitcases for me thank goodness. So then I took myself out for the day as the family did not want me to arrive until 6pm! Honestly my poor feet – I had to wear the big walking boots as they don’t fit in the case and it got pretty hot and steamy in there.
I decided to go to the Uffizi as tickets were free today but of course the world and his wife were there too, luckily I am tall so could see over a lot of them. I was having a lovely gaze at something classical when a young man got talking. Told me his name was Nico and said I was beautiful and was I alone, then asked if I wanted a hug! Imagining all my pockets being picked I said no sorry I don’t do that. So he left. Anyway it really is spectacular and so well worth the crowds and aching feet, when you see those wonderful pictures up close they do make you stop and just look. Actually I love the sculpture too, I can never imagine how they carve those sinuous limbs and delicate faces so well. The ceilings are all beautifully decorated too so it’s worth looking up as well as around.
since I had all the time in the world, I also went outside on the terrace cafe and got a beer, it tried to rain but it was lovely and refreshing. I realise that my photos don’t all upload until the next day so they might be out of order.

Anyway I then went to the church of Santa Maria Novella, which is absolutely lovely with a most dramatic altar piece and important bits of art. It also has a lovely cloisters and garden where the two monks who live there can walk. There was an extraordinary fresco on the walls and an amazing tomb under my feet (see photo).
So then I wandered to a cafe and had a Diet Coke and a salad and then I slowly made my way back to the hotel. They kindly let me sit in the lounge for an hour before I could call a taxi to my next adventure.

The taxi journey was quite long and I was getting anxious about how far away it was from the school for tomorrow. Anyway I found it and was let in by a man about my age with lots of hair, he quickly showed me my bedroom and bathroom. A black dog tried to jump on my bed – I don’t think so! The room is full of furniture with drawers and cupboards but they are all full. My huge amount of luggage will balance precariously on a bench. I was told supper would be about 8 so I just sat in my room, feeling tired and hungry and hoping for a glass of wine. Actually I had a mini wobble – it felt like being dropped at boarding school so I moaned to my darling daughter who made me feel better of course. Having unpacked as well as I could, a voice called me out. It was the wife who is sweet and tiny, she had just finished her work as a masseuse and there was another man who is American and is also going to the same school to learn Italian. He has done a week already so is pretty good but the great thing is he can help me with finding the way tomorrow. Apparently he is mega fit and walks very fast so come on feet. – we can do this!

I had gone past my hunger by this time and there was no wine but we ate delicious creamy pasta followed by slices of beef and green beans. Man and I have to negotiate our shared bathroom which will be interesting, I didn’t like to say I go about 3 times a night! Not sure I am allowed to flush – eek.
Anyway I am feeling much less of a baby now and ready to tackle school tomorrow. What shall I wear?……

Such a beautiful day here, hot and sunny. There was a market at St Croce so after my usual full breakfast, I set off to see the sights. Unfortunately the Q for the tickets to Uffizi were huge so I left it for today. It is All Saint’s Day which means you cannot go into the Duomo either but I discovered a little darling called orsanmichele ( the name which reminded me of my brother). Two stunning groups very different from each other – one St Anne with Mary – the look on Anne’s face made me stop and sit having lit a candle. The other was a fascinating marble tabernacle of the Madonna and babe with such detail and different mediums. The artist devised an ingenious method of keeping it safe by allowing someone (small) to climb up a miniature staircase inside and lower doors. Amazing! Then I went to the museum where there were amazing statues. How on earth do you depict reality so graphically with such medium? The detail of John the Baptist’s eyes, sandals and sheepskin under garments. Loved them!
I walked around and then went back for a wee siesta and to do my singing practice – hope the next door neighbours were out!
My hotel only does breakfast so I need to go out to eat. I am pretty confident on my own but some places are certainly more welcoming than others. I had looked up good places on my guide and one was shut down and the other had the family sitting eating and glaring balefully at anyone who dared come to the entrance. In the end I found a very nice place and had delicious truffle ravioli whilst eyeing a single man sitting opposite me – he was doing the same back but quite surreptitiously so I left without speaking to him. May well go back there though as food was good. Maybe I should do top tips for women eating alone in Italy? As I told my first born – who was horrified – I haven’t eaten any green veg since I have been here, they don’t go big on it. At least there are prunes at breakfast.!
tomorrow I have to pack up and check out – how have I spread out all my stuff so much? – Then I need to wander about – Sunday lots of places closed again – then I move to the family at 6pm. Eek!

Well I decided to get up and at em. Having consumed my body weight in flaccid scrambled egg, bacon, yoghurt and granola, surreptitiously pocketing two bananas and an apple, I set off to explore. Omg I just checked and I have done 18,000 steps. That’s a record for me and I take big steps!

Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli gardens were the goal as you can get closer to the art at the palace and some of it is lovely, you get quite blasé after another Fillipo Lippi or Reubens, and a crick in the neck from the fascinating ceilings. I love all that rococo over the top stuff, Greek Gods being magnificent. A welcome walk in the gardens and a Diana moment sitting alone on a bench listening to the colours of voices and many accents. A maze to exit from though but in the end I made it and decided to proceed to try to find the school where I will be starting on Monday.

Having walked back and forth and up and down for a while I found out that business numbers are in blue and residential properties numbers are in red! But of course they are! Quick bite of the knuckle and it was a doddle so I am armed at least with that knowledge.

after all that it was time for a spritz and a flirt with a waiter or two. God I love this town – if you are a woman walking in Florence, men just look – makes you feel there is life in the old dog yet! I strutted along beside the good old Arno and eventually found the restaurant which the hotel had recommended. Having tucked me into a teeny table for one I sat with my delicious glass of Frescobaldi rose’ observing – and dare I say being observed! Such fun! I ate a really delicious stuffed artichoke with onions in Parmesan and onions with Parmesan, followed by lemon sorbet. Yum! I shall attempt to attach photos but not sure how.

When I got back to the hotel I was too buzzing for bed so went to the bar and decided on a glass of vin santo, I noticed another middle aged woman on her own nibbling her free snacks with her glass of wine so I struck up a conversation. Turns out she is here at the behest of her husband and child who have sent her to art school. She was so interesting, from Brussels having been a banker she semi retired and ran a charity for women all over the world – putting in wells and schools etc. Then a young woman from Azerbaijan came over to help these two doddery dears use Chat GBT to find a tram to our schools.

I am now sitting on my bed admiring my dear little feet who have done me so well today and no doubt will do more of the same tomorrow. My only sadness is that I am missing Traitors as you can’t stream it but I am listening to music which is probably better.
and so to bed……..

Well! I turned 60 with a bang and had a big party with lovely friends and family; had an inevitable bucket list most of which I ticked off during the following year some – like the wing walking, I didn’t.

One important one however, which I did manage was singing lessons which I commenced with the lovely Connor. When, after six months, he said he thought I should try opera, I threw myself into it with gay abandon and was delighted to find it fit me well. I felt and still feel very ignorant of the medium but I listened to the greats and Con and I found our favourites. Whilst still in my 60th year I wanted to do a recording of a couple that we had been working on; having played it just to my fab children who were so encouraging, I ventured to send my little offering further afield. I will just say thank you now to all the lovely people who gave such generous and warm feedback.
My next challenge was to sing to a live audience, so accordingly I donned my big girl pants and went with Connor and two other of his clients, to a local pub where we performed our very different pieces to a small audience who were nonetheless, encouraging and kind.

So, I come to the next step along this unknown path. I am off to Florence on Thursday to go to school! I have taken the plunge and decided that in order to sing my chosen arias with more Italian authenticity then I need to speak the language better, and there is no better way to do that than to immerse yourself literally, in the culture. So I am going to stay with a family (whom I have not met) and go to school during the day. I will be having Italian grammar lessons in the morning and singing lessons in the afternoon. I had no idea what to expect – what ages will the others be; how many of us; what will my family be like; and given that I have the sense of a hedgehog – how will I find my way from one to the other?!

Nothing daunted I have got myself a new tattoo – when I made the recording, the techy guy came up with a title and artwork for my CD and it couldn’t have been more perfect – he christened it “The Voice Within”. Considering that I had not really discovered this particular voice I was charmed so of course got a tat!

Since writing the above, I have arrived a Firenze. Last night I trod the streets in the rain from my hotel to the Ponte Vecchio and ended up in a small pizzeria. I found myself laughing aloud as I strode along and while sitting at my table for one looking through the open door, I smiled at my particular Shirley Valentine moment. Not being able to eat bread, I ordered an omelette which came as a stack of pancakes with strawberries, blueberries, cheese, ham and chocolate sauce! I definitely need to improve my Italian!

I have loaded up with free breakfast and so armed with a full stomach and an umbrella I am about to sally forth upon this beautiful city. Ciao for now. X

I have just been for a wonderful walk; early morning with the sun shining and birds singing their little larynxes out. I have a marvellous app on my phone which helps me identify all the birds by song, I am always thriled to discover that not only are there the usual choir but the descants are provided by little treasures like chiff chaffs, nuthatches, siskin and song thrush to name a few. To walk at this time of the year whether in town or country is to have access to a smorgasboard of sights and sounds, a positive reinforcement of life doing what it does.

I have never been a gymn bunny, it has never appealed but walking is something I can do and athough at times I enjoy being lazy, when I do get out and walk to the shops or walk for walking sake, I feel better. I do miss having a dog and I love walking with a friend but putting those excuses aside, when I walk alone I do really feel a pleasure from the leaves on the trees, flowers and plants, birds and bees. There is a tree near here which I absolutely love, I have mentioned it on here before. It is a big old oak tree with spreading branches but you notice some which are dead, barbed wire cuts through its trunk and it has a cancerous growth in a fork of branches. And yet it lives and grows slowly but surely, putting out new leaves every year; takes the barbed wire and the diseases and gets on with it’s purpose.

My latest round of radiotherapy are over and apart from a headache and some tiredness, I am fine. As always friends have been amazing and the wonderful NHS team keep creating masks; using their expertise to diagnose, check, guide machinery and treat those of us who need it. They are all unfailingly cheerful and polite, they bend over backwards to make our experience easier inspite of their own challenges. I was allowed to keep the plaster of paris mask this time as I told them I might use it for fancy dress as the Phantom of the Opera. The lead one was so heavy that I wouldn’t want to carry it back; I was horrified to discover that they use a company to melt them down but the money goes to that company and not to the NHS!

There are so many things that they do so well but managing money is not one of them. Having worked in the NHS for many years I do worry about the furture for it. The powers that be need to consult with the consultants, doctors and nurses and not the managers to ask what they really need. It reminds me of filling in pot holes instead of replacing the entire length of the tarmac road.

Anyway, I am not going to rant. Time for lunch and sitting in my garden trying to ignore the work that needs doing out there. Love to you all and may it be sunny for you too. xEditSpring at last