Sunday, February 05, 2017

Artnotes: Anything could happen


 Siracusa on the Square   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas  11.5 x 19.5" 30 x 50 cm
 Liberty Style Catania   Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas   31.5 x 23.5   80 x 60 cm
Framed by the Temple of  Apollo   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas  12 x 12″   30 x 30cm
 Siracusa Duomo Square   Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  11.5 x 19.5" 30 x 50 cm
Our apartment in Siracusa  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  11.5 x 19.5" 30 x 50 cm
 By the sea in Siracusa   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  12 x 12"  30 x 30cm
 Temple of Apollo   Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas  12 x 12″  30 x 30cm
On the Square of Minerva  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas   11.5 x19.5"  30 x 50cm

We left Siracusa yesterday, not before a smattering of difficulties.  I wanted to see a place with shore birds, and we took off in the car to look.  I forget that I am not in Washington state, where the beaches belong to everyone – and it is impossible to get to the sea in Italy without passing through a gate (most of which are closed this time of year).   In our haste, we drove over a very significant pot hole, and heard hissing air.  Flat tire!

We haven’t changed a tire in more than 20-something years, but it’s something you never forget.  It was the follow up which challenged us -- luckily, we stayed in a house with an active “greeter/helper” and she was able to direct us to a garage to replace the extra tire.  Next morning, we arrived bright and early.   We were fully prepared to be told we needed to buy at least two tires, and it would take days and hundreds of euros to do; but NO, even though our snow tire was beyond repair, they had a reasonable old tire we could use, and they put it on the rear passenger side.  Harika and I got to stay in the car as they jacked it up.

There was an adventure to going to a Sicilian repair shop.  It made me think of my friend Sal’s Volvo repair shop in Seattle.  It had that smell oil and rubber, and no intrigue other than what’s wrong with the car.  10 bucks.  Seriously, they charged us only 10 euros for the whole job (Sal might have charged more).

So, we are “home” in Palermo.  It is funny how we have formed an attachment to this place.  We went to the library of our friend Pietro, and bought five new books.  We  found a bronze Ibis at the flea market.  I got a package of buttons to sew onto my shoes.   The local dogs recognize us and Harika.


We are ready to go back to Rocca Malatina, but will stay this final week to avoid snow.  Anything could happen!

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