Buon Natale!

First and foremost, we would like to wish all our family, our friends both near and far, and everyone who reads our blog a very merry Christmas and a wonderful happy and healthy new year. Thank you for reading and for your ongoing love, support and encouragement - it really does mean the world to us to know that you are all out there.

The week leading up to Christmas feels as if it has been a marathon training session - preparing ourselves to eat and drink as much and as festively as we can.

There have been plenty of dog walks of course. On Monday, we found a new stretch of the River Pescia to walk along, where we seemingly came across Reggie's long lost twin brother - it really was a case of who's who, and with both dogs running around, at times even we called out to the wrong one!  

A new stretch of river.

Who's who?

This one's a little easier.

Reggie must have thought he was looking in the mirror.

There have also been a couple of days of hard work tidying terraces and tidying up the woodpile, although we managed to get the Christmas spirit into things by sipping hot mulled wine while we watched the bonfire.

Paul at work on the terraces.

Mulled wine by the bonfire.

We've had a festive walk around Lucca:

 

But the overriding theme of the week has been eating and drinking and enjoying the company of Sheila, Paul and Marie.

 Blogging will resume in the new year, but for now, Auguri a Tutti!