Imagine waking up on Saturday morning in Italy and being able to watch the baseball world series: top of the 18th as we speak, 2 to 2. One of the things I most miss about the USA is baseball, and this is a rare treat, no matter who wins. (I am routing for the Red Sox, however)
To me, this is news – the longest game in World Series history, and it’s barely mentioned outside of the Boston and LA newspaper. I felt the same way yesterday after a 6.8 earthquake hit the Greek coast, and the only place I read about it was in the Italian newspaper. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not down on the press, it’s just that there are many things that could bear reporting besides politics. Although it is noteworthy that Blair and I have been unable to vote in this election (the first time in 25 years of living abroad), because of barriers put into place since 2016.
Fall in Marara sul Panaro Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 23.5 x 15.5" 60 x 40cm 325.00
I got a new daily journal this week, where I keep my own news: important stuff, like “saw a man dressed in camouflage walking his brindle-coated dog near Castelfranco” or “praying mantis walks across via Carlo Marx, narrowly escapes death by BMW.” Wee chickens are setting beneath our 2016 Christmas tree this week – I think it might be bad for the tree, but they are so darn cute, I hate to chase them away.
Chicken away Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/newsprint 23 x 17″ 63 x 41cm 110.00
We are trying to wrap up life here in Rocca Malatina and move down to the Rome region for the winter (Christmas excepted). It’s not really cold here yet, in fact the sun is shining between raindrops in 65 degree weather. Last 2 November we had a foot of snow, and we had stupidly delayed our 1 November departure.
We are awaiting the status of tomorrow’s Castagna Festival, dependent on the weather. It is a typically Italian philosophy: we’re all in or nobody’s in. There’s no standing in the rain by oneself, something I am likely to do. Never mind dying of exposure, the show must go on. That’s an American attitude, and I am dyed in the wool. Just ask the four painters who painted with us last March: rain gear, umbrellas, and rubber boots, we were all six outside, painting. I suspect it is why America had a reputation of winning wars: war, like the show, goes on.
Three Generations
Blair’s “artnotes-tshirts” site is up and running. Rocca Malatina is a local hit, but Venezia is showing the most sales. Last week’s Famous Chef will make it to apron fame; I hope I get one. We printed up order forms for this week’s Castagna festival. They may have to wait until Christmas.
Pomegranate on Yellow Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/newsprint 17 x 23″ 41 x 63cm 110.00
`The thing that is holding up this year’s departure for the South is our “Permisso di Soggiorno”, our visa for Italy. We made our appointments five months ago, had all the right ingredients, got the nod, but are awaiting the printing. “We’ll notify you by SMS,” the uniformed official says. Now THAT will be news.
Laurie and Blair PESSEMIER
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