Our house is undergoing a major renovation. I seriously mean major. We are starting with the kitchen since the cupboards are falling down and we don't even own an oven. So I've been feeling very adult and spending hours in hardware shops looking at about a million kitchens. We've only really decided on a traditional oak wood for the cupboards and a fantastic six hob range cooker for my culinary needs (not happy that the hated cooker hood was £459!) because there's scary walls and wooden beams to take care of first. Our kitchen is quite large and there is a lot to do. Handing over my debit card made me cry a bit.

The living room will be next and I am crazy excited about that. I have only been looking at Laura Ashley, Zara, Next, House of Fraser etc for ideas. I am not even going to start on blogs as I'd spend all day every day online. We are going to free one of the fireplaces that the last owners fiendishly bricked in, put in real wood floors and skirting boards and get big brown leather sofas and just other wonderful things I need in my life.

Then it's my room. Don't even get me started!

In the meantime I have been decorating my mother's room & bath because they didn't need a lot done. So I have been painting, removing carpets, tiling, stepping on nails and breaking my back. Because we are basically poor I didn't spend that much. It was only really paint. Most of the other things we got from charity & second hand shops and my mother did some stealing from around the house. The flower painting and prints were by me. Generally the style is shabby beach house! I need to find a nice red material for the chair and then it's finally finished.



















Oh yeah, I totally want new staircases with lovely wooden bannisters that can be varnished. AH!

Sadly, because I am not a fan of debt, we've decided not to go to Seychelles for Christmas which SUCKS but I've had 5 holidays this year so will have to get over it.

I have been watching a lot of films this past week. Good films. I am working through my list of about 300 that I have typed up for my highlighting pleasure. This joins nicely with my list of albums and books - I was always a sucker for a good list.



Roman Holiday, His Girl Friday



Metropolis, Sherlock Jr.



All About Eve, Citizen Kane



Scarlet Empress, The General

My final set of photographs are from Pisa. The tower felt really weird to climb especially the beginning but we did it. Apart from that, we had a walk around and were generally unimpressed with everything. We met a cat that my sister named Tuomas.

We went to Florence. That cathedral is GORGEOUS!














We took a bus ride just outside and visited Fiesole. It was so hot and I only took one photo:

After Verona I flew back home for a few days and then flew back to Tuscany with my mother and sister. Not good planning in hindsight but I did not actually know we were going. I am so glad we stayed in Montecatini Terme. It is so good. From what I could gather it is a holiday destination for Italians...epsecially Italians of an advanced age. I loved walking out in the night and seeing them dressed up to party. The gelaterias would be packed come 9pm. Obviously that's the time to have a deliciously refreshing treat. We hiked through the mountains from Montecatini Alto and ate blackberries, went to the spa and sampled the water cures, caved ( a word?) and had a lot of afternoon naps.