I started today by rolling out of bed after having slept through my first alarm!

It was a scramble but these things happen. After a relaxed breakfast in the nearest town of an apple tart and two, yes two cappuccini, I felt ready to go!

I dropped a breakfast off where my son works, at his request and went with my daughter to browse the jewellery shop windows. Something I haven’t done in a few years due to us being on a near impossibly strict budget!

Why, you may ask, was I parading around the jewellery shop windows when I should have been working. Well, my daughter’s car needed new tyres and if they were going to take all day, she couldn’t hang around so I was there to take her back home. In the event though, it took a couple of hours and a lovely breakfast and a local potter went down very well.

In fact we both bought a couple of pieces of jewellery. Mine, a pair of silver earrings. Studs in silver in a rose design and my daughter’s a delicate ring and bracelet with a blue stone. Very pretty.

I was particularly happy because I spent a good amount of my time looking on the internet for a simple but elegant pair of earring studs before next weekend when I go to Milan. Could I find the right pair? No but after 5 minutes in a local shop I was spoilt for choice!

Purchase made, we collected the car and drove home.

Today was the day that I Skype my mum. We always have at least two hours talking so, after work we did our weekly marathon chat, after which I made a lovely leek and potato soup.

The weather here is fine and sunny during the day times but as soon as the sun goes down, there is a chill in the air. We haven’t lit our fire yet but a good, tasty soup is very warming as well as good and healthy and when served with a tasty grainy bread it can’t be beaten!