Montepulciano and Other Thoughts

I’m very excited that I am able to use my own computer at the internet point, because the computers there could not read my flash drive and I was unable to update my blog until today. I’ve taken some nice pictures and am glad to be able to share them.

I am enjoying a beautiful view out the window as I write this by candlelight. I try to be economical as the utilities here are extremely expensive. Candles add a romantic touch anyway, and I could use a bit of romance!

Yesterday I stayed home here in Cortona. It was Sunday and I was surprised by how many shops were actually open for business, but then this is rather a tourist town. I joined in the passegiata, stroll, which the locals take around town in the early evening. I am too shy to really strike up a conversation with anyone though….and my Italian really just isn’t strong enough to support more than “Hello or “Goodbye.” I do make it my mission to learn a new word each day. It’s remembering the new word that next day that’s the problem!

I was a bit melancholy yesterday. I checked my email Saturday to find no email from my family, and none from my Italian friend with whom I’ve been exchanging email for nearly 6 months. Perhaps now that I’m here he is no longer interested in getting to know me. I confess to sending a rather whiny email asking him if he no longer wanted to write, to which I deservedly received no reply. I am reminded of what my friend, Edie, tells me about having expectations. I don’t THINK I have expectations, but the fact that I was disappointed says that I did, in fact, anticipate SOMETHING. Often I’m like a small child craving love and acceptance. Please like me! I’m nice, I’m funny, and I’m worth knowing! I need to be more mindful of having expectations, either good or bad, of others. It really only leads to disappointment and triggers a negative thought pattern, which I am trying to break. If my Italian misses out on knowing me and looking my happy face, he will never know what a good friend I could have been, but it’s really no reflection on me. After a good cry and a fair night’s sleep, I felt better. Still no email from my family though, when I checked today, but a nice one from Debra…many thanks for being the first, Debra!! It came just when I needed it!

Today I got up relatively early, 7:00, and drove to Montepluciano where I parked and tackled a BIG HILL. The trick is to meander up hills extremely slowly and to have people and stores to watch while I’m walking, as a distraction. I bought a beautiful free-form, glass heart made in Murano. Its dichroic glass so is iridescent and sparkles in a rainbow of blue, green, and gold. Really, I’ve got to quit shopping! I also treated myself to a lovely cappuccino made by a personable (and handsome) Italian man. The price? One euro standing at the bar. It costs more to sit and drink.

Back in Cortona, I sat on the stairs of a public building in the main square, Piazza della Repubblica, and chatted with a Canadian couple, David and Judy, who are touring Tuscany and Umbria for 10 days. There were also some American students there who are studying at a local art school for 3 months. They mentioned it snowed last week! No wonder I am always cold. I purchased a pair of fuzzy slippers at the Coop to keep the feet thawed, but seem to have grown two large, 5 digit ice cubes where my hands used to be! It takes me a long while to warm up enough to fall asleep at night. In looking for a small blanket of some sort that I could cover up with when watching TV, I opened a wooden bench with a hinged seat to discover a pair of hideous marionette type dolls with painted faces. I nearly came unhinged! Truly, I was a much happier woman before I opened that bench. I could have nightmares about those things, but I won’t!