Sports, Mowers and Markets...

We had some great evenings with friends watching the England football team in the European Championship and getting to the final again was no mean feat but alas another sad outcome for the team (for the non football lovers among you we lost the final AGAIN!  At least it wasn't against Italy this time).  Roll on the World Cup so we can put ourselves through the agony and ecstasy all over again.  Ha ha.

To take our mind off the England football tournament disappointment,  we have been going into our local town of Anghiari for the wonderful Wednesday night markets which started this month.  I love these markets, not sure where all the hundreds of people come from and as usual we seem to be going home when the market is in full swing but we enjoy ourselves nonetheless!  Italians tend to come out later I think because of the heat but we have never got into that mindset so tend to eat when it's quiet before the crowds descend and we love people watching of course.  It's so nice to see the town fill up and the children enjoying the live music, dancing into the night and various market stalls filled with jewellery and trinkets - little mementos of a magical evening.  

We are still managing to cycle a bit but we have to get out early (usually around 7am) before the heat kicks in.  I love our early morning rides although it is a bit difficult to get up that early but once we're out it is wonderful.  The sunflowers are now in full bloom and the scenery is so uplifting I just have to pinch myself sometimes to realise how lucky we are to live in this beautiful place.

Our car is going in to be repaired this week, it's been out of service for a while now.  I cannot wait to start going out and about a bit further afield.  Our local area is stunning but we like having a few day trips each month and although we have been driving the vintage Fiat 500, it doesn't have air conditioning and leaving the sun roof open is just like sitting in a little oven in this weather as you can imagine!  On the plus side my knees and Leigh's head have a cracking sun tan now...  Ha ha.

Oh, I forgot to say...  We finally had the mower delivered.  It's a lovely machine and we are very excited.  It has its own little shed which Leigh built some months ago in readiness for its arrival.  I haven't managed to drive the mower yet as I am a little bit frightened of it to be honest!  I plan to wait until the season is over otherwise I can envisage myself careering into the vineyard or similar and I don't really want guests to have to witness such antics!  Ha ha.  Suffice to say Leigh is bombing about on it and I am getting on with other things in the garden.  Again, as with the cycling, we are trying to get to Casa Leana at around 7am if we need to clean the pool or mow etc. so that we don't have to work in the heat.  Taking a leaf out of the Italian's book for a change!  

For the first time, a lovely property in Anghiari have been hosting open air cinema events in their grounds, mostly in Italian but there were a couple of films in English so we took ourselves off one evening to watch Wicked Little Letters.  Great film, lovely story but the language might not be to everyone's taste! A brilliant night with friends.  There are some more similar evenings being held in Sansepolcro, another town close by, such a great addition to the area and hopefully they will continue to take place every summer.

I think that's it!  Have a great weekend.

D I A N A   xxx