July 15th menorca, still…

only a few days left, and then it’s on to the next chapter… but for now alles gut… sis has arrived – in a million pieces, but miraculously recovered within a few days, to be able to go to a dinner with old friends/neighbours, and sing until 2 a.m. yes…

as I said to her, just get here….and she did. Today we did Business – bank, lawyer etc… and we have cleared the coach house, with two midnight runs to the dump, highly illegal but necessary… I had a nasty encounter with one of the big purple medusas a week ago, truly horrible, but things are better now, altho’ I am gun shy of the water, which is a real bore…

Italy was a Good Thing… slightly strange, but really lovely people, and a gorgeous old palazzo to live and work in – what’s not to like? The production is slated for this time next year… meanwhile, while I was in Italy Karen and Olive were here in menorca, having a fabulous week without me (I postponed my departure a couple of days so I could overlap for 24 hours and give them the whirlwind tour). doug showed up before they left, and was waiting or me upon my return. they drained the cisterna accidentally, huge drama which sebastian duly rectified, only for doug to find himself without water completely the day they left and before I returned… s. eventually drained the cisterna on purpose, removing giant beards of tree roots, and replaced the “press control”of the cisterna pump – we have yet to see the bill… but doug and I had a lovely couple of days before sis arrived, and his being here for her arrival was all to the good… now he’s back in the u.s.of a. and she and I are sorting through the layers of “stuff to be done together” – unpacking the rest of the boxes from saltoun, bank, lawyers etc etc…

we have decided to go ahead with giving a party for mum (and dad) before I go… kind of insane, given the time constraint, but next year just won’t do… so wednesday it is… federico and maria arrive tomorrow, mirabile dictu, as do Mark and Katy, and Jean, so it will be last minute and très informal…