Chapter 3 in the Happiness Saga

    Contentment is the name of the game.

 

When viewing photos of happy holidays and smiling faces you can get a very skewed idea of what was happening behind the scenes. That isn't to say, that we didn't have a lovely holiday but it was not without its hiccups. It was wonderful to experience so many happy moments; celebrating a romantic relationship becoming an engagement, the continuation of a long friendship and the deepening of family relationships that can only come after staying in close company for a length of time.  

In my experience, there is no such thing as paradise or a perfect holiday. There are always hiccups... so please, when viewing photos on facebook/instagram etc remember not all is as it seems.

Contentment

My personal, recent hiccups were rubbish rental car, new strain of hungry mosquitoes, first world problems with lots of changes in favourite restaurants, wifi, drains, air-conditioning and eventually ongoing ageing knee issues. None of these can spoil a happy holiday however experiencing happiness usually involves other people but contentment is an up close and personal feeling. It comes with understanding how to access inner strength, change thought processes and appreciate every experience even if it is uncomfortable. So let me talk a little about uncomfortable. 

During the first five days, when I was on my own, the mossies were thoroughly enjoying my blood. Two punctures on either side of a finger later, I have an infected finger and a visit to the pharmacy. These 'zanzare' are voracious and are seemingly a new strain that are benefitting from global warming. Who knew... not us. So cultivating contentment meant accepting the 'punture' and being open to any means available to stop the mossies and learning  how to relieve the symptoms. The usual combo of applied practical thinking and action led to contented resolution and I am here to tell the tale.  Or rather write the chapter.

A visit to my favourite city of Siena offered some more challenges. Firstly my initial car had been upgraded so although the means of transport had improved, the travel arrangements were still to be agreed on. There was no straight road from Castagneto Carducci to Siena. The choice was either down the coast and across the hills or up the coast and across the hills. Either route could take 2 hours! We decided to go with down and across in the morning with me driving and Kenneth to drive home across to the hills and down the coast.  Maggie, Mark, Kenneth, Natalie and myself were looking forward to ambling around Siena's historic streets and finding hidden architecture treasures, including Il Duomo. Siena is an amazing city and requires quite a lot of stamina to wind your way around the maze of streets and narrow passages. 

My favourite city is built on a very big rock foundation and walking the streets were challenging to my knees. It wasn't just Il Duomo that was a surprise that day, it was discovering that my knee joints weren't up to the gradients. We had a very enjoyable day exploring but it still took me a while for my knees to find contentment. The discomfort I felt led me to the decision that when I return to Siena, it will be by train and I will be staying in a hotel in the city centre. Sorted.

I mentioned that there were changes in some of our favourite restaurants. We were sad for the establishments that were gone but it meant that we had to go looking for new venues to taste and try... 

lunch al fresco

Dinner at Rosignano Solvay

This dinner was a lucky find as plans had gone askew that evening. Maggie, Mark and I were aiming to meet up with Natalie and Kenneth, further up the coast at Castiglioncello. Lots of missed calls, chosen restaurant closed and unfamiliar roads to contend with, eventually led us to one of the most convivial moments of the holiday. It was a happy happenchance that led us there.

Contentment comes in different guises. Sometimes it comes after a day well spent. Sometimes it is just present in a quiet moment of reflection. Other times it comes after a struggle or a challenge. However or whenever it appears, it is worth welcoming and it is definitely worth cultivating the ability to feel content as your "go to" emotion of choice. Cheers.

Buona notte

 

A happy place with happy people

Here we all are. Ready to celebrate my birthday and Gordon's birthday, in Castagneto Carducci, just as we did 2 years ago. Except that there was lots more to celebrate this time.

So many pictures to choose from and so many smiling faces to share. Let's start with Gordon's birthday 

Pizza night Italian style

My birthday was on the 16th September, the day after some of the party people arrived and my request for my present was that we would chill at La Casina, settle in and then enjoy a spread, a casa mia and then take it from there. Which of course we did, starting with a pizza night for Gordon on the 18th September. A chance for us all to gather round a round meal. A very big round meal.

I mentioned that there was more to celebrate this year, not just birthdays. As you can see from the pizza photo, Grainne was able to join us for a week, as was Susannah and Sean. Susannah and Sean are a very welcome addition to the family and we were all delighted with the engagement news celebrated in style at Santa Lucia, one of my favourite restaurants, where we all celebrated with even another sunset getting in the picture. 

Tanti Auguri Gordon and Suz.

Now I am going to let the pictures tell the story and hope that you can feel the love and happiness emanating from the characters in the following chapters.

                                                  SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Gelato time

    

Pool time

Chillin' time

coffee time

lunch time

We were very fortunate with the weather as we experienced wall to wall sunshine. 

However I felt more fortunate that my pal Grainne was able to join us for a week, as 2 years ago she had spent her few days with me in Tuscany looking after me. 

Delighted to say this time no need for TLC. We just needed to chill and enjoy spending time together and to welcome Andy's Canadian cousin Maggie and her husband Mark, who Grainne had bonded with 2 years previously when I was indisposed.

Maggie and Mark

Happy smiling faces say it all ...

                                                                    POINTS OF VIEW

Grainne viewing

Murphy viewing

Natalie's view from her apartment

Sometimes a picture tells a story better than words...

my view on BBQ night

                                                               

my view in pizza night

my favourite night time view

my view of happy smiling faces

So many photos and so little space to share them. We had a ball folks. It was a wonderful time with the extended family of Suz and Sean joining us and blending in with all the activities of pool, beach, funfair, football and many, many Italian meals. They even managed to see Pisa's famous leaning Tower.

Il Campo, Siena

Wonderful to share time with Maggie and Mark. They included visiting us before their 30th wedding anniversary trip, which they would celebrate on Malta. I am delighted to say that this time we managed an exciting day in Siena and ended the day with a sunset visit to Volterra.

Many thanks to Grainne for braving another holiday in Tuscany. I appreciate all your support and your ability to make any occasion a celebration. Looking forward to catching up again soon.

Kenneth and Natalie stayed on with me after everyone had left and helped me make sure that all was as it should be, in the many apartments we had called home. 

Rofolfo even said that I am welcome to return next year...

How lucky am I to have such a memory of this birthday time. A very precious one to add to all the other amazing times I have enjoyed over the years, in this very special place, Castagneto Carducci.

I have loved sharing time and adventures with the people who make every place, a happy place for me.

Grazie mille