Mad dogs and Englishmen

I’ve been so reluctant to write about the finishing of the building project, the start of the art courses and the beginning of the next part – settling in to a very different routine.

Perhaps I have metaphorically been holding my breath all this time and just praying everything will go well, or perhaps I’ve been too busy to write, but there’s no excuse really.
But however it all has gone (and it seems to have gone very well so far) there is still a need to write it down, and that’s what I will try to do to make up for all the missing posts…starting here.

The hot mid-afternoon, seen from the studio.

Summer has been here for a long while already and the girl’s everlasting holidays are drifting along in the heat, neither of them able to do much homework during these long hot afternoons. In fact they’re not able to do much at all until the cooler evenings gradually re-energise them.

I wish we could teach ourselves to get in to that ‘siesta’ mode, but it seems impossible to recalibrate our body clocks to take advantage of a ‘cheeky sleep’ in the middle of the day. So I find myself out there, with my mad dog, doing precious little in the sun.

The girls have gone all 'euro-cool' these Summer days!

However, we feel like we’re at the end of the hard, ugly bit, so my thoughts turn to our still-toiling neighbours, getting up each day to face the cement mixer. They started before we did, and they’re not finished yet, but there’s a good reason for that – they’re doing it all themselves.

And you’ve got to respect that.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Reading your blog entries and viewing the marvellous photos of the region and a taste of its luscious cultural experiences, I hope to plan a painting excursion for next year at your studio. Thanks so much for sharing this incredible wealth!

[Rosaria]

Mad dogs and Englishmen stay out in the midday sun, so the old song goes. I'm surprised you haven't got into the Mediterranean habit of the siesta. It revitalises flagging energy levels, particularly in the long summer months. Awesome view from the studio.

[Antonina]

Splendid view, very calming,those cypress trees do grow quit tall it seems.
I would say that your girls going euro cool is very funny to me, its the start of their "what to put on phase" I recall my daughter some day's walking out of the house with every conceivable type bracelets some had hearts others knots some had wooden beads and others tiny charms or letters. I asked what tribe she was from as she sauntered by , she of coarse gave me the look , eyes wide open and chin down, I gave it back!
I'm sure your neighbors while in the mists of their work would be happy to be offered your expertise Julian, as you are a master of many hats, as we have seen and can probably save them from a bit of frustration.Lovely to read you back on line my best to Amanda.

[casalba]

That is one beautiful view! How inspiring for your artists.

[joe@italyville]

beautiful photo from your studio... glad your back!

[anne]

Well done on it all turning out for you all...:-) I cannot imagine doing all the work myself, poor people must be exhusted and in the heat :-(

We manage a siesta when on holiday, I read, but my husband sleeps..well it depends on how late we were getting up and what we are doing that day and night!!

[Lorenza]

mad dog and mad italian-american-english neighbours. That's it. Two reasonable reasons to live there.Cool!

[Judith in Umbria]

Just lie down in a room in the fondo for cool, take a book, read. If you don't sleep at least you'll rest, and you might eventually learn to sleep. We should all do a turn in Spain to learn this and also how to eat laaaate at night!