Amelia is on her way

In a couple of hours we will leave for the airport to collect Amelia and her family. Everything is ready for them and we are so excited if a little concerned about how they will all cope with the heat. Every day seems just a little bit hotter and it's difficult to keep the house cool, 29 degrees in the hall when we went to bed last night. I'm not complaining through, loving the sweltering days with heat that almost knocks you over when you step out of the air conditioned car, loving the morning freshness when I get up around 6.30 and wander outside still in my nightie, loving the balmy evenings sitting out under millions of stars.
Mr FF has purchased some blogging app that he says will enable me to load photos, plus some device that will enable me to get them off my camera. Whether I will have the patience to learn how to use them is another matter altogether. I have finished my first pair of socks, never realised before now much yarn and nedles could raise your temperature, a few rows had me in a complete lather.
Must shower and dress, busy day ahead and be nice to wear something other than my usual shorts and a camisole.

So hot

A week has flown by, it's now 2 weeks since we left home. The weather is amazing, we wake up early to see the sun come up and it shines all day long. Yesterday the temperature reached 38 deg and it is apparently much hotter in Rome, no wonder half the population has moved out for the summer. According to our neighbours down the road who just arrived from the city this morning the forecast is for even warmer weather tomorrow which will continue throughout August. Phew.
Our friend Franco came out from Ostia briefly on Friday, we also invited his English neighbour who has been in Italy for 40 years but she refuses to leave the house until the temperature drops.
Mr FF and I have however found a bit of respite from the heat, we inflated the paddling pool we brought out for Amelia's visit and find that we can both fit in and lie down quite comfortably, though whether there is room for Amelia too is debatable.
The iPad is now almost fully functioning, I don't like it any more that I did when it wasn't working properly but I do like it better than nothing.
Finally, and you must have been wondering when this was going to happen, Mr FF has started a little project to coincide with the reopening of the builders yard tomorrow after the August holiday. He is building a log store for our winter fuel. This has involved moving some blocks left over from a previous project, taking out an old tree stump and putting the pick axe through an irrigation pipe before he starts the build. He is only working early morning and I'm not complaining as he brings me a mug of tea and I lay in bed reading for a while. Be nice to find out what all those lovely boys down at the builders yard did during the holiday, I'm sure we will be there very soon.
OK I hear the sound of hosepipe in paddling pool, must dash

IT and me in Italy

Not liking the iPad one little bit. We had big problems once we got to Lazio, purchased a mini sim which we were told would be operational at midnight but once we inserted it most things stopped working, in fact we still can't send email tho we can receive. Eventually yesterday we went back to the shop, found some one who pressed several buttons and at least we are getting some kind of action. No idea how to load photos to my blog, hate the fact I, a proficient touch typist am forced to hover and peck at the letters, hate this business of tapping at the screen which seems quite hit and miss. Surprisingly the machine didn't come with any instructions at all and since we couldn't get on line for help we have been very much working on trial and error Rant over.
We are now relaxing into the holiday, fully recovered from the journey and loving the sunny outdoor life. Apart from chasing round sorting out our IT problems which does make a change from chasing round the builders yards, or sitting in the local outlet village using their free wifi, we've not been far. However tonight there is an event in the village Nettare Divino where we will be able to follow a route through the old streets stopping off at various points to sample local products with a strong emphasis on the wine. There will also be music in the square and many visitors from Rome who have holiday houses in the area will mix with the locals to create a magical atmosphere.
I found the 3 day journey down here a bit stressful so I didn't do much knitting, now its far too hot which is a pity as I've brought enough yarn to open a shop, almost a week since we left home and only 50g consumed.
Mr FF seems to be relaxing at last, he did wash the car today but probably as a way of cooling down. He went to the local barber and had a very brutal haircut, which looks great and will certainly last him the 6 weeks or so we are here.
I am saddened to hear about all the problems in the UK, it is big news over here and does our reputation no good at all. Certainly in this little part of Lazio there is wonderful community spirit, great respect for others and I know that tonight all generations will be out in the streets, no one will be drunk and everyone will be courteous and welcoming. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, I hope to be back blogging soon iPad permitting

Bonjour

How lovely to wake up at our beautiful b and b in France.

The drive to the tunnel was good, the tunnel itself fast, efficient and not at all scary.

Today we drive to Austria.

The man gave up on the boiler at 7.30 Saturday evening, it was not finished, nothing like despite all that work - there is a lesson there let's hope it has been learnt because the build up to this trip has been terrible.

Do you hear the jangle of my nerves

OK, 24 hours to

finish packing

eat

sleep

drive 450 miles to the tunnel

and relax
Oh yes and just that bloomin boiler to fix, this is where we are now and the engineer just isn't giving up.

Three days and counting

I suppose we are getting there, I had foolishly imagined that since Mr FF and I are both retired we might prepare for our trip to Italy in a slightly more relaxed way. Mr FF is still networking the house and has explained to me that being able to plug in a computer in the spare bedroom will add to the value of the house, pity the stress of all the mess and inaccessibility of bedrooms has greatly reduced my life expectancy. The boiler is still sitting in the garage when it should be in the cupboard off the hall, I'm assured it's just (a very over-used word in our house) a little job. On the bright side, I've had fun trying on my holiday clothes, cropped trousers, little t shirts, what fun, I have my wardrobe now sorted with a case for the car and a holdall for our two overnight stops. I've also got my knitting bag packed, another great pleasure, I'll need plenty of sock knitting for the journey with the emphasis on cotton blends. I've photocopied a few patterns that won't be too difficult to cope as we tootle along. I also finished another swing cardigan for Amelia this one in Sirdar Snuggly baby bamboo, 80% bamboo and 20% wool. The colour is Jellybaby, discontinued and a great bargain from Knitwell Online. I've posted it off to Yorkshire though she shouldn't need it when she comes to visit us in Lazio.And finally this has arrived, an iPad2 complete with red leather cover, my early birthday present to Mr FF and hopefully a way of us keeping in touch.
The relatives arrive later today, Mr FF is out tomorrow and just that boiler to fix.