February & March 2021 – L E O N E T T I

Tomorrow starts another 3 weeks of hard lock down. I am over it. Joe gets vaccinated on Tuesday. There is hope.
A warm and sunny Spring like day in Pavia with Lula. I bet she will love going to the river in the Summer, but for now
the currents are high and fast and I don’t want to risk it. So no water dogging for Lulylloo.

14 March 2021
Pavia, Italy

Because our cases are going up and we will be back in lock down from Monday through Easter all restaurants and bars are closed. But happily you can get cocktails and beers to go. It was a huge, socially distanced (mostly) party in Pavia – knowing there is a lock down coming just makes people desperate to socialize, be out, come out more, feels like it is counter intuitive. I gave up on type of
applied logic with covid rules. A balmy evening and it felt almost normal. Except the masks.

Drinking cocktails to go on the
church steps.

13 March 2021
Pavia

How did you get covid? Because my dog is so ding dang cute! I try to bring dog wipes and remember to wipe her after
she has been given some street stranger lovin’. But I forget and then I cuddle and kiss her. So if I get covid (again?), we know why.

They are practically cuddling! Like cats and dogs. But it is getting better. Lu gets lots of treats and cuddles when she doesn’t lunge for the cats and so it’s ok if we know they will be running into each other. If it’s a surprise meeting instincts (to chase and run) kick in.
Fribble, WTH. Figalily is the bravest and Babaloo is still indignant and hisses at ME for bringing a dog home.

Lula is not allowed into the kitchen. 1. It is the cat’s space – where the cat door is at and she counter surfs

Hike, prosecco, sun & cheese. Everyone in Lombardia ‘should be’ vaccinated by June. This hope is keeping me going.
In our 3rd wave lock down. Uff.

6 & 7 March 2021
Brallo, Italia

We had to be in Milan two weekends in a row. 1. I needed some Uniqlo warm clothes and UPS couldn't find Brallo and
Amazon doesn't carry much Kiehls and 2. Zaven had a doctor's appointment. We were super stealthy - masked up and didn't doddle - no food - in and out. Lula came with and was a total celebrity. Avalon takes Fawn everywhere and I know Italians take their dogs into stores but we never did that with Baci. I think I was worried about him peeing or pooing. Lula is a girl and doesn't mark but she is a country girl and barks at her image in mirrors or people she doesn't know or anything
strange or new. I was apprehensive, but she did great! Definitely wanted to smell everything and everyone - I bought her a short leash after her first city visit. "No reason for your dog to be more than a meter away from you, " Daisy's Trainer. Words of wisdom. Not only to wrangle in the sniffing and keep her out of people's personal space but also because she lunged at a pigeon in front of the Duomo and about took my ring finger off because her leash was wrapped around it. I am pretty sure she broke it - it has been weeks and it still hurts.

20 February 2021
Milano, Italia

Bisnonna Update: 
We met with an architect and she is drawing up plans and we have begun work. It is actually going faster than expected. We removal and demolition takes zero skills. Just time and muscle.
We started to cut the branches off the apple trees in the orchard. We will keep the big walnut and cherry trees but cut
most of the million green apple trees down. We will leave the trees at the end of the property to afford us some privacy and
shade. The trunks will be removed when we level and dig out for the swimming pool. It is wonderful to be able to go over
there and make a big fat mess of dust and rubble  and then come back to this house / the old Rifugio   - which is comfy
and clean. Being able to do the work and not have to live in it is a luxury.
Check out a sneak peak of an after in the domed studio - scroll down to see the after
Villa Leonetti In Progress