Brought Back to Life

The Periwinkles are back in Tuscany. After weeks of cleaning and renovating, their house is finally finished. Julie looks through one of the kitchen windows and lets out a happy sigh. 

The Periwinkles have gone for a cosy, Mediterranean style of decoration, displaying some of their favourite pieces in the kitchen/dining room, such as the most wonderful blue frame displaying the appropriately named "Treasures from the Sea of Galilee" gifted to them by Drora, beneath that a beautiful clay vase given to them by Cutata, and beneath that their Portuguese green ceramic plate purchased from Cecília. 

On the kitchen counter are some more items from Cutata, such as a clay jar and a basket which they have filled with fruit. On the windowsill facing the meadow is a pot of rosemary with the face and ears of a teddy bear (Rilakkuma, actually) and next to that is another gift from Drora - a red vase filled with delicate yellow and orange flowers.

Julie is happy to be in Tuscany again, but she is also missing her best friend Teresa Babblebrook, which is why she is looking out of the window and at the letter box, hoping to receive a letter from Teresa soon, with the latest news from home.

James has just presented Mama Ghostie and her babies Wispy and Boo with their evening meal. He was on the look-out for birds and wild animals for most of the day.

Although he loves the new cottage, his favourite place to be is the garden. He spends hours outside with Jemima and the ghosties, looking at birds, playing games with Jemima, barbecueing, reading, tending the flowers, and so on.

Did you notice the lovely red doily on the garden table? It was a gift from Siiri and Iivari.

James feels he has done enough bird watching for today. The geese that fly past in the morning have just flown back home. As he slowly walks toward the kitchen door you can see Dragon, the lizard, sticking to a porch beam as lizards do, and Red, the squirrel, sitting on top of the veranda roof chattering, as squirrels do.

Let me show you the other rooms inside the cottage. Here is the bathroom.

Soon James is going to fill the tub with warm water so Jemima and her friend can take a bath. 

Yes, this is the third photo of the bathroom, but the Periwinkles are awfully proud of the way it has turned out, you know. No more dragons in the loo and all that.

Finally, let me take you upstairs to the bedroom. Here is Jemima's sleeping bag and her favourite stuffed animals Hans, Button and Sally.

Molly, the kitten is sitting on a red carpet (also a gift from Siiri and Iivari) with a dead toy mouse in front of her and Pip is on top of Jemima's sleeping bag doing what he likes best - taking a nap.

Here are Jemima and her friend Ralfie! They are sitting on top of her parents' sleeping bag, looking at a book.

The Periwinkles like books. They have a large collection and have brought some of them to the cottage. James' smiley plant has come along too.

Julie feels totally relaxed as she is preparing some porridge for supper.

Soon it is time for the children to undress, as James tests the temperature of the water and shouts: "Children, baaathtime!"

What a pleasant evening this is turning out to be. Quackie doesn't like baths, but maybe she can hide before Jemima reaches for her and only then go downstairs when the porridge is done...

HAVE A LOVELY SUNDAY, EVERYONE!

And thank you, Kathy, for the gorgeous sleeping bags, pillows, bathroom carpet and blanket (dining room carpet) that have turned this tiny cottage into a comfortable home!