09/08/2009

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

BACK HOME! When something good – like my seaside fortnight’s holiday – comes to an end, we tend to draw a balance . To be honest, I must confess, I didn’t expect much. What I really wanted was just to relax and to recover my energies after the last never-ending school year. And, indeed, this is what I got: relax, long night sleeping and also afternoon naps, long reading sessions under the sun with consequent tan, long evening walks, pleasant boat-trips to wonderful places – Capri, Positano, Amalfi. By the way, do you want to see my photos of Positano and Amalfi ? Here they are!








These were the pros, of course. What about the cons? I definitely ate too much and I’m not used to that and I put on weight (HELP!) and , since I’m not very good at going on diets … (DOUBLE HELP!) Then, I stayed in a hotel so, let’s say, I was spoilt a bit: no cooking, no housework, none of that! How can I re-start with all that without feeling sad?
So, you see, there have been lots of pros and very few – if any – silly cons. I was even able to go on posting, though I really had little time for blogging in general. Now, still two weeks off then … BACK TO WORK!

P.S. Just wanted to let you know that I had started reading Anne Bronte’s “THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL” but something happened which scrambled my plans. I bumped into Nick Hornby’s SLAM in one of my evening walks. I’d better explain: I was having a look around in a small bookshop, I saw it, I bought it and started reading it – just to see what it was like – as soon as I came out of the place. I was there, sitting on a bench, waiting for my husband and son gone for an ice cream, and couldn’t stop reading and smiling and laughing. I kept on reading it in bed that night and … finished it in a couple of days.
What was it like? Great fun! It was warm, witty, wise and touching. Lovely, indeed. Nick Hornby is super! Now I’ll dive back to the Regency time, when the more serious “Tenant” is set.

P.S. 2 You want to know what SLAM is about? Yeah, you’re right, of course. The protagonist is Sam, 16 years old, a skater. Mind, there’s no ice: skating= skateboarding. Life is ticking along nicely for Sam: his mum’s got rid of her rubbish boyfriend, he’s thinking about college after his GCSE and he has just met someone. Alicia. Then a “little accident” happens, one with big consequences for someone just finding his way in life. Sam is trapped, he can’t run nor skate away from this one. He’s a boy facing a man’s problems and the question is – Has he got what it takes to confront them? Tony Hawks , the world famous skate-boarder, will help him through in an odd and rather unbelievable way…

From tomorrow back to my old life. At 7.00 o'clock MY FAVOURITE WALK !!!


8 comments:

Fiona said...

OMG I can't believe your photos! They are gorgeous!!! I am so, so jealous!

Fiona :)

Maria Grazia said...

@Fiona
I'm so glad I could visit such wonderful places. I had always heard about their beauty but seeing it with my own eyes was so exciting! To catch a glimpse of Amalfi and Positano embedded in those steep mountains by the sea approaching them by boat is such an emotion!
Have a nice day, F. and thanks for commenting.

Mo said...

Lovely holiday slide. The book sounds like a perfect read after a holiday.

Maria Grazia said...

@Mo
Well, thanks Mo. You're a great photographer so I'll accept it as a real compliment. Nick Hornby's SLAM is a very good read for a very pleasant summertime! Thanks for passing by.

JaneGS said...

Gorgeous photos--thanks for sharing. Picture postcard pretty!

I've only read N. Hornby's book reviews and comments, but I'm glad to hear he's a good novelist. The subject matter doesn't really appeal to me, but sometimes the writer is so good that that doesn't matter.

Maria Grazia said...

@JaneGS
I have a very multifaceted fondness as for literature, I know. My favourite novels are Victorian and English but I've read and often read completely different things as well. SLAM is about a teenager and since my sons and students are teens I am very interested in stories with young people as protagonists. Have you read, for instance, David Grossman's "Someone to run with"?. It's another novel with two teens as protagonists which I love.
Thanks for commenting. Have a wonderful evening,J.!

Sun said...

Hi friend.. Great post.. I have added you to my blogroll.. hope you too will add me…(http://sunishot.blogspot.com)

Maria Grazia said...

@Vijay
Hello, V. It was kind of you to drop by and commenting. I had a look at your blog and, apparently we don't seem to share that much. Let's see... I'll add yours to my blogroll as soon as you add mine to yours. Is it OK? Have a nice day!