We're back from the mountains, and had a lovely time. Thanks to everyone who made comments and emailed after my last post. Nice to know you're still out there. :-)

Our Internet connection here is still spotty, so I'll post in small bits. That way, I won't lose posts that have taken, say, 20 minutes to compose, and then vanish after I hit the "post" button. And then maybe I won't have to rip out my hair at the roots in frustration, because I like having hair.

But I disgress.

In the mountains, as in all regions of Italy, flower boxes abound. Even the most crude stone house will have a cheerful box of geraniums adorning its windowsills. But even when the buildings are bursting with flowers, it's still not enough for the Italians.

Check out one of the many woodstacks we saw...

...ready for winter stoves and fireplaces, yet not quite ready to admit that summer will eventually come to an end.

Kind of like me.

Welcome to the Cocco Bar!

Hello? (tapping the microphone....) Is anyone still out there? (now blowing into the microphone...)
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It's been 18 months since I've posted, so if anyone out there still checks in periodically to see if I'm alive, thank you. :-)
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For this first post, I've decided to show you what my 8-year-old daughter picked out at the toy store. Yes, it's the ever-popular....Cocco Bar! Step right up and order a drink with a paper umbrella, 'cause it's Happy Hour for 8-year-olds aaaaaaaaat the Cocco Bar !!!
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As I've posted before, bars in Italy are not the same as bars in the U.S. The most-consumed drink in Italian bars is coffee, and there's often a gelateria inside. Very innocent.
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But still, when my husband and daughter came home with this, the first words out of my mouth were: "I've got to post this on my blog."
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And so I have.
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We're off to the mountains for a week without Internet access, so I'll be back next week with another post.
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Ciao for now,
Natalie