tea & comfort

I'm getting a little nostalgic, about leaving our apartment...and as I always regret not having photographs of the spaces we occupy for periods of our life...and this apartment certainly has been my home for 2.5 years and our home for nearly 2 years. So over the next week or so, before we leave for good and as each room gets packed away I'll try and document our space and the home we have created.

Snow across Europe came down like a blanket this weekend...Rome even came to a stand still, somehow here in Verona we escaped the depths and just had a couple of flurries, although we spent to weekend as though we were snowed in...hearty food and hot drinks.

Sale time!!

It's nearly the end of the winter SALES in Italy... and I know it's SALE time everywhere, but Italy really has great SALES.
We have a set start date in Italy for the 'saldi'...although if you go in several days before the official date and ask for the discount they will often give it to you, but officially they start the second week of January and run through till the inventory has gone, which is usually the end of Feb.There are definitely bargains to be had, it's not like in the UK where the past 5 years stock is dragged out from some warehouse...and put in as sale. If you're willing to wait you can generally find what you want in the sales...and with the cold weather coming so late this year...all the more reason to buy those bargains...

January comforts

It's been a fairly quiet month January, the winter has meant we've been hiding away enjoying our flat for the penultimate month...plenty of tea has been consumed and evenings spent on the sofa watching the BBC's The Hour under our favorite blankets.

Stress levels are under control for packing...but the to-do list seems to be getting longer and more significant...I tell myself one step at a time...and then one mad crazy rush!!
Packing has begun, although it's a slow process, it makes me sad to live in an empty space, but pictures are coming off the walls and things are being put away in boxes..it's always the same when you decide to move, you feel more attached to the place you're in and notice things and do things you've never done or seen before...making you think you'll miss them.
I'm saving my excitement for the new house, once the craziness of packing and moving is done and we're in!
One month to go...

First read of 2012

A lovely Christmas gift, and a wonderful read.

Liverpool

We headed up to Liverpool after Christmas...but we did stop off in Cardiff to catch up with two fabulous friends enjoying an Indian take-away and watching Trading Places...these are the best nights for us old fogies! The plan was then to drive up through Wales to Liverpool but the weather was grotty, we got as far as Ross-on-Wye stopped off for our obligatory tea and cake had a mooch around the shops then headed to the M5.

I love this city, not only does it have such crazy happy memories for me as a student, I now get to share in Michaels home town memories too. 

Tour of the city

The New Liverpool Museum is fab!! Firstly it's free to get into, they have daily films playing, my favorite was the the old overhead railway exhibit it was wonderful...the question on all our lips...is 'why isn't it still here?

Are we ready for New Years Eve?

Time for a pint before we head home!

Christmas in Somerset

Michael & I had a wonderful time in Somerset, this mainly consisted of sitting, eating & drinking in various forms...I took Michael to my favorite vegetarian cafe in Glastonbury, Rainbows End Cafe is an institution in Glastonbury and one of the few originals left from my childhood...even if it's to pop in for a cup of tea and one of there home made cakes, we stayed for lunch with homemade lemonade and hot apple spice...we were in no hurry to go out in the pouring rain.

Next stop another vegetarian cafe Good Earth in Wells, I have such fond memories of going with my Mum after riding lessons and then poking round the shops...happy days.

More tea vicar...this time with warm home made mince pies

Christmas day morning Woody and I raided the garden for our Christmas table decoration...

And a very Merry Christmas!!!

Boxing Day we headed to Frome, I've really not spent any time there since we lived there over 25 years ago...we had a lovely morning exploring all the old streets and nosing in peoples windows luckily for Michael and my purse strings the shops were all closed...

pasties & pirates

 It wasn't quite the honeymoon we had planned, but going home to England for the Christmas and New Year festivities, seemed the perfect way to end our year. Plus the chance to speak English for 2 weeks without having to think twice is such a treat! 

We headed straight to Devon for the first couple of days, our little mini break within our break, we stopped off on our way to Kingsbridge in Ashburton which is a treasure trove of great vintage/antique shops, I'm so excited to find homes for my new treasures, but the excitement prize goes to Michael, once he'd feast his eyes on his treasure for the day he was content all day..see above photo! First pasty of many pasties of our trip...

Bantham Beach looking out towards Burgh Island

Hallsands - the village that collapsed into the sea.

I love the story of Miss Ella & Miss Patience Trout...Sisters against the sea

Start Bay Inn for its famous Fish & Chips...delicious!!