Cavolo gatto

It had become a routine. And I got the shorter end of the stick. At precisely 8am, Jarvis would be scratching at my door - somewhat quite insistently asking me to wakey wakey! I swear he can read my weary mind, that little rat, as I start to gain consciousness and stop snoring when the full blast of the sunrays hit my arse. Most of the time I'd let him in so he can kiss my face and purrrr in my ears. Or sometimes he chooses to position his big furry butt next to my pillow and I continue to nooze till the alarm repeats itself.

Mercoledi was Melina's birthday and my dad's as well - what a coincidence! She called me from Pozzuoli and actually memorised my home tel no.! I swear that woman has the memory of an elephant. I surprised myself by rattling on in Italian with her. It came so naturally. These days, I found that I'm no longer haunted by italian words swimming in my head when I go to bed prior to reading/listening/writing in italian. It's sort of internalised and I had started to think rather quickly in it. Hurray! This was the natural 'progression' that I was waiting for. No need for CEL2 esame. I know where I stand. Anyway I couldn't be arsed.

Today I decided that I won't be travelling anywhere this Dicembre during my office's annual Xmas-NYE week-long break perche:
1) I dont wanna spend more $ so I can save more for next yr in Italia
2) I cant find any decent company
3) I have enough of myself to travel alone so soon
4) I'd start hearing voices in my head if I do so, or worse, doing stupid tricks like try to touch a faraway tower in the distance!

I can also finally get cracking on the pile of books including the very cheem Dante's 'Divine Comedia' - it excites and frightens me at the same time. Currently I'm reading 'Bella Tuscany' (BT), a follow-up to 'Under The Tuscan Sun' (UTTS) by Frances Mayes (who is coming to town by the way for the Sun Festival and her travel writing workshop costs an arm and leg). I re-read UTTS in August and reading BT now made me hate her even more. Una bella casa in Toscana?! Buying fiori to plant in her perfetto giardino!? Shopping for more shoes at Cortona?! She made it seem so easy, these rich americani. Puuiii.

Coincidentally she mentioned the works of Piero della Francesca who was an acclaimed Italian artist of the Early Renaissance. I saw some of his famous frescoes and paintings at Arezzo and Firenze, and had been curiosa to find out more about him. Strangely when I googled him, I discovered that tomorrow would be his death anniversary, October 12 in 1492! Eeeeeriiie lor. Anyway salute, Piero!