The Planning Phase (5)

Apologies for not getting back to you sooner. But life has been a tad chaotic over the last 24 hours.

Siobhan befriended a beautiful old beagle last evening lost and wandering in inner Melbourne (the dog, not Siobhan) Suffice it to say, our wonderful vet was able to identify the owner and the dog's name with microchip technology but alas, old data meant we had an overnight boarder. The Westie clan at home were not quite the hospitable crew that we had brought them up to be. Clearly, they dont do share houses!! But no growls or blood was evidenced so all good. This resulted in a canine hand-over during the day today. My only hope is that this new Mum takes better care of her kids than she seems to do with her loyal and lovely old dog!!!!

Back on message though,  I received an sms from a friend interstate whose sole comment in relation to my blog, was.....is this blog thing going to be about anything else other than you visiting the gym or not visiting the gym ? You know who you are (Clare)!

I would have thought that the title "Mediterranean Midlife Adventure", may have afforded the odd clue.! But there you go. But it did give rise to assessing what  my motives are for doing this. I am intending to write semi -regularly up until my departure date in August, to get into the discipline and habit (unlike my gym behaviour) of regularly and religiously on a daily basis, being able to write about our experiences of being in Italy in particular, for my birthday - a significant birthday ending in an 0.

Which means of course that for the next six weeks, the topics du jour may appear somewhat random to you but I will be relating them to the planning and the countdown to our trip to London, Paris and Italy. I can tell you though what this blog wont be.

This blog wont be some post divorce diatribe, or Oestregen-infused insights or menopausal musings of a woman "finding herself" Good grief I cannot think of anything more dull and mind numbingly self indulgent. Last year or the year before that, my mate Vivianne lent me a book that was of this ilk that was subsequently made into a (and there is no other way to put this ) the MOST DREADFUL movie ever. She had read the first couple of chapters and in her wonderfully pragmatic and understated way, had said it wasnt her kind of thing but as it was extremely popular, perhaps I may like it. I read the first three pages and I too, decided I'd rather take up scrap- booking or quilting. than continue to read this drivel.

Well the movie version of this nonsense was released and on a Saturday afternoon during a blisteringly hot day it was the sole thing available to get into and if anyone has been subjected to this rubbish, you will  understand why it was the one movie IN THE WHOLE OF METROPOLITAN MELBOURNE that one could readily get tickets to.

Siobhan and I went into the cinema somewhere in middle class Melbourne and there, save for one sad lone bloke, was a smattering of menopausal ladies wearing a smart three quater length pant, sensible Camper like sandles or slips ons,  a pastel colour co-ordinated polo top and carrying the ubiquitous floppy sunhat - de riguer for venturing out in the midday sun.

The movie started and and after what seemed like an interminable age the "heroine of our story" was only preparing to go to her second country of destination. It was at this point that Siobhan leaned over and with a sentence well peppered with expletives went something like.....  "F#@kin$ hell ....we still havent even reached (insert expletive here) India yet and she still has to (insert expletive here) get toBali. I dont (insert expletive here ) think I am going to be able to do this" !!! 

Well, all I can say is that the movie proved as excruciating as the three pages of the book that I read and if given the choice bewteen watching it again or chewing my own arm off, I would elect the latter as a more productive use of one's time.

So friends and followers, this is a long winded way of saying that this blog will be about the places, the people the food, the wine, the beauty, the history and the circumstances we find oursleves in whilst away. No navel gazing revelations  about finding oneself . just the observations of what will be a wonderful "journey" for which we will have a great "appetite" about which we may have many "conversations" Its just that you will have to bear with me for a wee while til we get there......

Cheers Comrades.