Blog

Hiding in plain sight

February 14, 2025

Good morning lovely people, Victor’s shopping habits are seasonal. At this time of the year, it tends to be agricultural equipment, compost and seeds rather […]

Oliveto

February 3, 2025

Oliveto is the Italian name for an olive grove.   In November 2024 we started a new adventure and bought 700 olive trees, our Oliveto, in […]

My heart is full to bursting

January 30, 2025

Good morning lovely people  I had a moment the other day.  No 1 daughter (#no favourites) was home from tour and I was sitting with […]

Carina in Print – January The Scots Magazine

January 25, 2025

We hae meat and we can eat A steak pie is a great alternative to haggis, neeps and tatties for Burns Night, writes Carina Contini. […]

Show off

January 17, 2025

Good morning lovely people No 1 daughter is a dancer (#no favourites). Her chat is about “the performance”. Miss Alina, our No 1 general manager, […]

Happy New Year

January 2, 2025

Happy New Year Good morning lovely people 2024 was a busy year on every front and cancelling Hogmanay didn’t stop us either. 20 years at […]

Thank you

December 23, 2024

Good morning lovely people It’s almost Christmas. It’s almost 2025. Our team are looking forward to our annual two days off. We’ll be closed on […]

You are worth it

December 6, 2024

Good morning lovely people Edinburgh has embraced its full Christmas spirit. The locals may be slightly Grinchy but our visitors do love the city at […]

Magical moments

November 22, 2024

Good morning lovely people, My family is super excited about Christmas this year.  We’ve not been together in the same country for many many months. […]

It’s Personal

November 8, 2024

It’s personal Good morning lovely people I’ve learnt a new phrase: “Dial down the emotion”. Who doesn’t love the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks film […]

Worth Waiting For

October 11, 2024

Good morning lovely people Good things take time. A bit like Nonna G’s Christmas pudding. The pressure to make one this year for home, that […]

In Vino Veritas

September 27, 2024

Good morning lovely people  It’s feeling cooler than we’re comfortable with.  Jumpers are on.  We have been able to pick courgette flowers almost every day […]

And breathe…

October 18, 2022

My last missive wasn’t too cheery. Thank you to those who helped me smile the following Monday morning. One reply (very different from the many) […]

Two Faces…

October 3, 2022

Good morning lovely people, My face gets me into trouble all the time. If I’m worried or grumpy you know. If I’m happy you probably […]

Take a bow…

September 20, 2022

Good Morning Lovely People, The difference between the new PM (, the rest of us) and the Princess Royal can all be summed up in […]

Solve the problem, don’t pass it on.

September 5, 2022

Good morning lovely people,   Today we’ll hear who the new PM is. They should come clean and admit they can’t do the job but […]

Coming home…

August 8, 2022

Good Morning Lovely People, Having left Italy, with daily a la carte restaurant choices, the big debate this week, is what shape of pasta we […]

O Sole Mio

July 25, 2022

Good Morning Lovely People, This is a short and sweaty post. We’re in Italy. We did one of those last minute dot com type trips […]

When does bad, become too bad?

July 11, 2022

Good Morning lovely people, Deception, manipulation, self interest, corruption isn’t in my world or yours. It’s not welcome or allowed to be. The 7 Nolan […]

This is all so complicated

June 27, 2022

Good morning lovely people, In a week when a new Bill of Rights is being presented to Parliament, when we had a perfectly good Human […]

No, it wasn’t a hologram

June 13, 2022

Dear Lovely People, No, it wasn’t a hologram… What’s changed in our world since my seven year old self celebrated the Queens Silver Jubilee in […]

I have a plan

May 30, 2022

Good morning lovely people, What’s unfolding is like an episode of the comedy Blackadder, but not as funny. They had a plan that was “as […]

Numbers never lie

May 16, 2022

Good morning lovely people,   I thought I’d lost this email but I found it next to my ferry tickets and Mastercard statement. What do […]

Basic Instinct

May 3, 2022

Good morning lovely people, (Thankfully I’ve never said “ladies and gentlemen” as that could be offensive if I was working in the House of Commons. […]

Hiding in plain sight

February 14, 2025

Good morning lovely people, Victor’s shopping habits are seasonal. At this time of the year, it tends to be agricultural equipment, compost and seeds rather […]

Oliveto

February 3, 2025

Oliveto is the Italian name for an olive grove.   In November 2024 we started a new adventure and bought 700 olive trees, our Oliveto, in […]

My heart is full to bursting

January 30, 2025

Good morning lovely people  I had a moment the other day.  No 1 daughter (#no favourites) was home from tour and I was sitting with […]

Carina in Print – January The Scots Magazine

January 25, 2025

We hae meat and we can eat A steak pie is a great alternative to haggis, neeps and tatties for Burns Night, writes Carina Contini. […]

Show off

January 17, 2025

Good morning lovely people No 1 daughter is a dancer (#no favourites). Her chat is about “the performance”. Miss Alina, our No 1 general manager, […]

Happy New Year

January 2, 2025

Happy New Year Good morning lovely people 2024 was a busy year on every front and cancelling Hogmanay didn’t stop us either. 20 years at […]

Thank you

December 23, 2024

Good morning lovely people It’s almost Christmas. It’s almost 2025. Our team are looking forward to our annual two days off. We’ll be closed on […]

You are worth it

December 6, 2024

Good morning lovely people Edinburgh has embraced its full Christmas spirit. The locals may be slightly Grinchy but our visitors do love the city at […]

Magical moments

November 22, 2024

Good morning lovely people, My family is super excited about Christmas this year.  We’ve not been together in the same country for many many months. […]

It’s Personal

November 8, 2024

It’s personal Good morning lovely people I’ve learnt a new phrase: “Dial down the emotion”. Who doesn’t love the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks film […]

Worth Waiting For

October 11, 2024

Good morning lovely people Good things take time. A bit like Nonna G’s Christmas pudding. The pressure to make one this year for home, that […]

In Vino Veritas

September 27, 2024

Good morning lovely people  It’s feeling cooler than we’re comfortable with.  Jumpers are on.  We have been able to pick courgette flowers almost every day […]