This week has been all about creating lasting memories, spending quality time with family and celebrating significant birthdays. A year or so in the planning means that we are now able to sit back and enjoy all the preparations as they unfold. We are based up in the foothills of Montecatini Alto in the heart of Tuscany and our view from our outdoors covered dining table stretches for miles and miles.
We are surrounded by silver olive, tall cypress and stunning oleander trees and bougainvillea. There is a cow just up in the hill behind our house whose cowbell tinkles constantly. There are many small birds which are extremely chatty all day. The cicadas are active in the evening and geckos dart about the terracotta walls.
There is a dog that barks in the house across the valley, a cockerel that crows for a couple of hours each morning, a few chickens are heard clucking and there are two churches which chime the hour and call people for morning and evening mass. These are the sounds of Italy and come together to form a beautiful chorus of absolute bliss.
The sun is fierce from midday onwards yet it is fairly slow to warm up giving us an early window to walk at sunrise. Winding our way up the hairpin gravel tracks, we then stroll back down through the olive groves finishing back at the pool for a very welcome dip. Simply divine. Consider our well-being pots topped up!
This holiday has provided each of us with an opportunity to rest, recharge and reframe. Everyone has found their own way to down tools and prioritise their self-care. Some have painted, others have read or listened to audio books. Some have chosen a lilo to simply drift from one side of the pool to the other, one has gone on solo early morning runs, we all have played water polo and experienced the joy of a siesta post lunch!
We have already explored Siena and today we are off to Florence to see the Duomo. Sunday evening we return home but not until we have sought out what Lucca and its market have to offer.
How about you? What are your plans for a summer holiday?
Focus on Holidays!
ACTION POINT - What are you planning to do on holiday?