End of the season jobs, a wedding booking and more visitors...

Our last group left on Saturday and it's been another record breaking year for Casa Leana, we are so very lucky!  

All the garden furniture has been brought in.  The pool hasn't been closed yet as we're going to have to empty it this year and have a few maintenance jobs done.  Leigh is planning on cutting down a couple of dead trees so although it's the end of the holiday season, we still have some bits and pieces to do in and around the house and gardens.  It is a bit like the Forth Bridge but we love every moment, even after 14 years!

We're having our massive corner sofa re-upholstered (the one in the main top floor lounge at CL). For this we've chosen dark brown with blue patterned cushions and our lovely seamstress has already started work - I am really looking forward to seeing the finished article before the 2024 season begins.  I bought that sofa when we were back in the UK where I had a relatively small lounge.  I remember the delivery men turning up to my house in the UK and saying “did you not measure your lounge?!”.  There was a long conversation about whether it would be too big for the space (let’s just say, it was very cosy!).  I think I must’ve known that one day we would have that great big lounge at Casa Leana where it is a perfect fit.   

We've also ordered two new sets of curtains for the kitchen shelves and we've replaced the chairs in there too so a bit of a refresh and update with a slightly more modern feel (I hope!).  We've also got a huge mirror which is proving a bit difficult to move but we've found the perfect spot for it in the middle floor lounge.  Pictures to follow of all the updates as soon as we've put them in place. I don't think I'll be touching the super heavy mirror - that is definitely a "Leigh Job"!

Our most exciting news is that we have another wedding to organise!  One of our guests has charged us with planning their wedding next year in Anghiari. We love doing this - we've had a couple of weddings to plan over the years and it is one of our favourite things to do.  We have already confirmed the date with the local authorities and the translator.  Next week we're planning to book the restaurants and bars for pre and post wedding drinks and food.  Very exciting.

No bike rides this month as Leigh's mum was here and some friends were over too so not much time for exercising - we just ate and drank too much again! Oops. Apart from our normal haunts, we had a couple of lovely walks and a visit to Assisi which was lovely.  Assisi is only a 50 minute drive from Casa Leana and it is so beautiful.  We had a spot of lunch there and a little bit of retail therapy before heading off to Perugia airport to drop our friend off.

The usual annual October events have been taking place, we didn't manage get to all them but we went to two of our favourites - L'Intrepida and The Chestnut Festival in Caprese Michelangelo.  There was even more going on this year with a (very loud!) band seemingly following us around the village!  Such a fun morning out with a traditional pork and stuffing roll with crackling for lunch, yum.  

We are now officially winding down (apart from getting through the never ending list of jobs in the garden) and looking forward to the festive season. 

As I said before it's been another amazing year full of fun and happy holidaymakers.  We are eternally grateful to them and all the friendly locals who make this part of the world such an amazing place to visit! 

Have a great weekend.

D I A N A   xxx