So our friend and neighbor Diego, actor of 3rd class horror films and highbrow theater that nobody sees, is doing a film in Torino with Franco Nero! He of Spaghetti Western fame! But what's more interesting is that Nero's long-time wife is Vanessa Redgrave, who is also in the film. But what is most surprising of all is that making an appearance is KEVIN SPACEY! Yes HIM! Well I never! Good thing Diego is large and hairy and looks more like Grizzly Adams than a pre-pubescent boy.

We spent the day at the sea again last Monday. Here is my new boat. Notice the SV on the side. Mine! Actually these are the fishing boats taken out at night to fish by lantern light. They return at dawn and set up their catch at a tiny beachside market. You have to be there early or it's all over. Even after all these years we have never managed to get to the beach early enough. The boats are registered in the largest community nearby, Savona. Thus the SV. Covid has come very close to home. MIL's upstairs neighbor, an 83 year old man she has known well for 12 years, died today. He took ill and was taken to the hospital a couple of weeks ago. No one knows how or where he became infected as he has spent the past year and a half closed in at home. MIL freaked a bit. The other 126,000 Italian deaths weren't worrying but when the parish priest tested positive she panicked and now with a neighbor it finally hits home. Geesh. After much drama I have my flights home scheduled and will be leaving here the 9th. Test before flying, 2 in London, quarantine, test before departure for the US, test once there. And I am fully vaccinated. This is absurd. xxoo me