Amiable Jottings

LL

I guess, LL, you wonder sometimes what life might have been like with me. You should. For certain you made the wrong decision.

Take this last week or so which I have spent in our home in Nantucket, Mass.  Yes, we have been entertaining which wouldn't have been your scene fifteen years ago, but you would have grown into it. I love people lots of them and despite what you thought back then, I am the adventurous and very social one, not you. One thing for sure you would never ever have been bored.

We have a home cinema in the Nantucket home (and the Florida, California and Oregon ones), and our own section of private beach (not owned, all beaches are public in Massachusetts), but private in the sense that it is not overlooked.

I am writing from our ranch in New Hampshire, having spent the early morning out for a ride with Ash and our head wrangler. Fall hasn't arrived yet, but it's on it's way. We were up in the tree line way above the meadows where we graze our horses. I love it in the countryside/wilderness..any countryside. As you know I grew up in the country and you never get it out of your system. As far as I recall, you have never learned to ride (horses that is!), but you would have gotten on just fine, and loved it.

We are away for  around four days on the weekend visiting at our home in San Diego. Takes about the same time in our Gulfstream as it does for you to reach the Canaries. Bit of a difference between the two though. Our San Diego home, which you have seen via photos I have posted in the past, is very, very modern in architectural style and also in the way it is furnished. I guess it is unlikely you will ever get to California in your lifetime, which is a shame when I think how much I wanted to do for you.

You 'scotched' that well and truly with your infidelity. I rather like the use of the word scotched - very appropriate don't you think😀.

That's enough for now - coffee calls. Have a nice day ma'am...as the man said.

Stranger Than Fiction

It's about time LL that I let you in on somethimg a little stranger than fiction.

I have two birth certificates/Social Security numbers . One under the name you know me by, and another under a completely different name. It has a connection with one of my family names in the past, but not one you would know.

That might explain a lot to you, or nothing at all. Depends if you can think deeply enough. Why do I have two identities? Pretty obvious really, if you give it some consideration and think about what I used to do before finance. It runs in the family too - in a previous generation.Female surprisingly, given when she was involved.

That is probably all too mysterious for you. I can't go into any deeper explanation as I am still bound by the Act that you once referred to, and which made me laugh when you brought it up in connection with your occupation.

If you think about two identities it might just cast a little light on why your actions a few years back had no effect whatsoever. It is also why you can't trace me anywhere meaningful, as I no longer exist under the name you knew me by. I still use it of course as it aids a little misdirection, now and then.

As I have told you before, you had to get up very early in the morning to be ahead of me. You never were.Thinking back to when we were together, you really would never have kept up mentally, and you weren't too good at keeping up physically either!

Having given you a brief chink into things I will now close that door.

We are on Natucket and recovering from a hectic weekend with family. Two grandchildren under two and two under five make for a full on experience, but great fun as well.

Just the eclipse now....

Ciao Bella

People and Places

For LL

In the main LL this is a reflection of the women I met in Italy during my six months, or so, of living there, and learning the language. There are a few other places visited and stayed at too, but mainly it is a gallery of different people in different places in Italy. This time they come with faces, but well separated from any past or future blog showing them in, shall we say a little more detail. That is not to say that the people here are all necessarily the ones in the blogs I refer to.

In that wonderful and beautiful time I spent in Italy of over six months, I had many interesting experiences. I've always had an aptitude for languages. When I arrived in Italy with only the most rudimentary knowledge, I set about learning the language and enjoying the experiences I refer to. They went hand in hand. I didn't set out to find a language teacher as I planned on moving around the country, but naturally I armed myself with a number of books and a laptop to assist in my quest. My 'language teachers' were in part my 'experiences'. I think you will get the drift.

My travels took me to Milan, Bergamo, Venice, Verona, Florence, Rome, Naples, Puglia and Sicily, along with many places in between. I will elaborate more in a future blog, as I have said above, but for now here are a selection of the places and women I spoke about....

Milan - She had the legs for that dress!

Sicily

Somewhere on the Bay of Naples - Feet Up...

Shooter.... Shot - London

Florence - the place, not the woman - An Oriental 'friend'

St Tropez, France

Sicily

Venice - The one on the right

Rome

Venice - the one on the right above

Venice - the same - the one on the right above

Rome - same lady again

Portofino

 

Bay of Naples - above and below

  

Day one

Day Two

Portugal

Back Home - USA

Sicily

New York

Germany - on the right

London - Just a fun shot

At the Races - obviously! UK
Friends

California

Florida - Making friends with Ben (our dog)

Puerto Banus, Spain

New England, USA

France - Classic Car event

Stockholm, Sweden

Near Nice, France

Boston, Massachusetts - At an exhibition

London

Riva, Lake Garda

France - Near Carcassonne

Washington DC

Bologna Italy

London

New England, USA

Paris, France

 

Fort Myers, Florida

~~~~~~~~~~

The next three are all in Greece LL

I think that will do for now. You have some faces to think about. Some were in the picture, so to speak, while you were still with me, but when you were 'playing away'. You, as you will realize, are not in their class and you were never in the same league as my late wife or indeed my now wife.

The blog is intended to remind you that I was never reliant upon you once I found out. It will also serve as a reminder of the sort of women I really like. You were never in the same league and still aren't, in fact you've slipped to the fourth division to use a soccer metaphor.

Ciao 

Photographs in this blog have been edited to preserve anonymity. All photos are copyright. ©

Next Best Thing...

For LL

Your comment about 'the next best thing to being there', made me laugh. You were referring to Italy of course.

I would agree. Italy is by far and away mine and Ash's choice. But the silly thing about your remarks is that you have only been there once and that was with me. You certainly haven't been since according to my 'sources'. The other amusing thing is that if you know anything about Italy, no self respecting Italian would ever have a meat sauce with pasta. I have spent enough time there to know for sure.

We are in Cheltenham right now, but tomorrow drop in on Trish in Bristol en route to Devon for a couple of days, before heading east to Dorset and Sandbanks, Poole where we have a home (as you know). Next week, back home to Massachusetts and a busy schedule of catching up, writing and a TV appearance.

I often wonder what you would have made of a life with me. Time and the healing I needed changed a lot of things in my life. I regained my old self, which you never ever saw. Far from being a person who lives in a rut or embraces boredom, I am the exact opposite. Looking back you always suffered from short termism. Seeking the immediate benefit, rather than the long term one. That was a big mistake wasn't it!

What a life you might have enjoyed...the cars, the plane, the boats/yacht and the whole lifestyle...rather than reading and dreaming while you browse 'Hello' magazine or something similar.

Why oh why do you post photos of the food you consume? It really doesn't impress at all...and I can't think who else those shots are for. The photos of you and that tub of lard are completely unnecessary. I don't get a big thrill from fat and dumpy people.

At least I am up front. I post my photos to show you what you have missed and I will continue to do so. If only to rub in the fact that you were extremely foolish, had been given ample opportunity to change your mind and lost someone who truly loved you...once.

Out to dinner soon - two star Michelin.

Ciao

Back in Blighty

For LL

Nice to be in the UK for a while, to meet up with old friends and 'chew the cud' a little, plus a few trips north, south and west. Lot cooler here than we have been enjoying LL. One thing I don't miss, since I established myself in the States, is the weather.

I heard retirement was on the horizon a while back. That is fourteen years later than it might have been. Doesn't leave that many years to work through your tick list does it. I've worked most of mine, but then I keep adding new things back.

That short video is the first time I've seen you move in.....two years. I'll leave you to figure that one out. 'We' are quite the chunky person these days aren't we. That's not a 'bitchy' comment, purely an observation. I think you are growing toward your partner in that respect - not good. All a bit late though - whatever happened to all that keep fit you did and the calorie counting? Too much booze and too much high calorie food I guess. I hate to think what your 'top' looks like now. One thing for sure, it doesn't compare with my lady.

What are you going to do with yourself? Write a book - you have plenty of material, and you provided me with some for one of mine some way back. You can't keep shopping and eating...or travelling. Hmmm....can't imagine what you will do to occupy your time. Watch football perhaps😀

Of course, I could have filled it many times over.Which is what I have been doing ever since 2005. We have left London and are heading north, slowly, over the next few days. Ash wants to see the Yorkshire Dales and a few other places, before we hit the south coast later in our visit.

Ciao bella