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Helpful Labels – The Car Posted by Serena on Jan 19, 2015
In our previous ‘Helpful Labels’ posts we looked at short, useful phrases which could be made into labels and placed strategically in relevant places around the house. Today we are going out and about in the car. Sticking labels all over the interior of your car may not be very practical, so we’ll leave it…
Castagnaccio – Tuscan Chestnut Pancake Posted by Serena on Jan 15, 2015
Large parts of central and northern Italy are covered with castagneti (chestnut woods), and for centuries chestnuts were the main source of food for the contadini (peasants) during the winter. This is reflected in the large variety of chestnut dishes, both sweet and savoury, which are still popular today. The traditional Tuscan pancake made from…
Lucky Number Seven: Past and Present Posted by Serena on Jan 14, 2015
By Serena (and Amber), with Intro and photos by Geoff Last September, our lives were enriched by the surprise arrival of Amber, or Lucky Number Seven as we called her in our previous posts. Little Amber has come a long way since Geoff discovered her abandoned, and at death’s door up in the garden. She’s…
Pino Daniele Posted by Serena on Jan 8, 2015
Last Monday Neapolitan singer Pino Daniele died at the age of 59. He was one of Italy’s best-loved singer-songwriters. Born in Naples, Pino Daniele burst onto the national musical scene in 1977 with the album Terra Mia (My Land), and in the ensuing years produced 26 studio albums. Pino Daniele’s music was characterised by a…
Past, Present and Future Posted by Serena on Jan 5, 2015
Here we are at the beginning of a new year, and isn’t it funny how saying something like “I haven’t seen my friend Fabio since last year” makes it seem like a distant event, when in reality I saw him less than a week ago? Past, present and future, now seems like a good time…
I Nostri Buoni Propositi per il 2015 Posted by Serena on Jan 1, 2015
Every New Year’s Day when I was a child my parents made me and my brothers write i buoni propositi per l’anno nuovo (our New Year’s resolutions). My buoni propositi were always the same, seeing that I had failed miserably to stick to them during the previous year: 1. prometto che sarò più ubbidiente e…
E’ Arrivato Babbo Natale Posted by Serena on Dec 26, 2014
Da bambina avevo paura di Babbo Natale! Mi piaceva scrivere la letterina di Natale a Babbo Natale, mi piaceva l’attesa, mi piaceva ricevere i regali da lui, mi piaceva tantissimo vedere Babbo Natale da lontano, ma avevo il terrore di avvicinarmi a lui per prendere i regali. Quell’omone grande e grosso vestito in modo così…