New Year

I am glad that 2022 is over and we start a new and hopefully improved year.  We stayed up to watch the midnight fireworks standing in the rain on our balcony.  They were spectacular,  all private displays to equal anything we see in Italy, it felt joyful to see them and quite exciting as some exploded immediately above us.

Of course the aftermath of last year continues, it’s almost 6 weeks since we forked out the money for a new water supply in Italy.  Nothing has happened, at the 4th time of asking we still don’t have the documents to connect to the planned new meters though neighbours have.  Some things do not change.

The soul destroying despair at the Italian bureaucracy and life in general have been wearing, I have felt more than usual the passing of years. Physically I feel I suddenly look old and somehow smaller, diminished by the stress.  I shall be 75 in November, I’m determined not to be defeated by the setbacks and currently I am sleeping really well though maybe 10 hours is rather excessive.

Last year we lost several friends, additionally a dear friend has gone into a care home and another is battling cancer, as he said learning live with it rather than die with it.  On a brighter note we heard from a friend we haven’t seen for 19 years.  He was diagnosed with cancer and given 2 years to live 10 years ago, he is reasonably healthy, surviving. 

So I won’t complain as the lines on my face etch deeper and I won’t worry too much about the few pounds I’ve added over the festive period, my clothes still fit though I might have been a bit hasty donating some of the larger ones to charity.  I’ll take what this year brings, no doubt there will be much ranting and a lot of frustration but I’ll keep on keeping on, there is no alternative. 

I wish you and yours all good things for 2023, that the world can become a better place and that we remember to be kind.