In Search of the Sun

The ground floor of the Mill is currently humming with de-humidifiers.  In my bedroom overhead, it's like sleeping in the cargo hold of a jumbo jet. But I'm not complaining!  Every pulse gets the place drier and drier - or it would if the jet stream wasn't dumping storm after storm across Cumbria. The panic you feel whenever the river surges towards the doorstep is exhausting - and it seems to happen at least twice a week.

River creeping under back door on Tuesday night.  Fortunately only made it up a couple of steps!

Tonight the wind is howling over the roof and the rain is pelting down above my head as I'm typing this up in my attic room. But I don't care.  Tomorrow I'm off to Italy for a few days in search of the sun and some much needed R & R.  The river can do what it likes!

An invitation to celebrate ten years of chipping marble into shapes like this.

The excuse is that Neil has been given an exhibition by the Commune of Pietrasanta, in a gallery on the corner of the Piazza.  He's been very busy for the past couple of weeks, polishing and painting and constructing stands and lugging heavy bits of marble down the main street on a barrow. Saturday night is the official opening and I can't not be there to celebrate with him. So, tomorrow evening (storms permitting) I will be on a plane to Italy with  my best frock in a suitcase.

An exhibition under construction.

The floods and their financial knock-on effects have been life-changing for us and there's a feeling that nothing is secure now.  What we need is some art-loving millionaire to turn up with a blank cheque!!!