A New Week, Genova

Friday night’s jazz and cooking evening had to be cancelled, as the cold sucked all of my energy out of me.  Then Saturday’s dinner at Arenzano was postponed till Sunday, due to ... my cough, lack of energy and etc.

Saturday night was a nightmare.  I coughed until 6am, then slept until 10.30am.  Francesca, Beppe, Romi and Marco were so kind putting up with the tired creature who arrived for lunch.  Then again, the conversations were so interesting that I think they revitalised me. 

Last night, I took cough mixture, a natural kind, and can you believe it ... I slept.  Almost all night.  It was a stunning departure from recent nights.

I bounced out of of bed at 8.30am today, dressed and caught the bus out to Boccadasse, deciding that these new energy levels needed tested out alongside the sea, with a stroll on Corso Italia. 
The photograph below was a part of the view ... it was lovely out there, just lovely.

Resting

Today was one of those days where I had much I wanted to do ... one of those days when my body said, ‘hey Di, you’ve got a cold.  Stop trying to do it all ...’

And when I was stubborn and tried to go on, the lovely Francesca gave me a choice and I accepted her idea for tomorrow, and went home, and climbed back into bed.

It’s been like that today.  A little here, a little in bed.
And so, a photograph from other days here in Genova.

Did I Mention the Coughing ...

Coughing is all I do these days ... since 25 October, to be precise. 
Well, the cold, not the coughing.  The coughing is the last of it, I’m hoping.

I’m horrible at looking after myself.
And I don’t like taking medicine.  I never have.  Try not to do it.

But last night, I was awake and coughing for most of the night.

I don’t speak Italian well enough to describe my symptoms.  And I have this HUGE imagination which needs a native language, or a native language listener.  I tell complicated stories when I describe things ... in my New Zealand English which, to some ears, is an excruciating kind of English.

I now have 3 different kinds of medicine from 3 different Italian pharmacies, medicines that I will probably never take because I’m not quite sure what they are.

So, a huge thank you to Paola and Simon who gifted me an exquisite collection of ‘happy birthday’ red wine bottles that have entirely replaced all medicines.
Tonight’s Fret, Barbera D’Alba ... superiore 2008, was truly divine.

I had to miss my jazz/cooking evening.  I couldn’t go out. Last night I didn’t sleep much between attempting to cough everything out.  Tonight finds me quietly destroyed, with big black rings under my tired eyes.

And I know ... how can you sympathise with me while I am here in Italy.  I understand.

But anyway ... a smiling ciao from the kiwi, loving living here in this exquisite Italian city.

The photograph below ... a reflection discovered between the cobblestones here in Genova.  If only I didn’t have to look quite so odd when taking these photographs.  I’m that foreign creature, stalking reflections in puddles in Piazza de Ferrari.