It isn’t even close to Easter yet and we have already put down the Christmas ornaments. Italian humor aside, my husband bought two light boxes to take some pictures at my felt creations. Here are some of my Christmas ornaments.
Friday Snippet #30
Here we are again. The fog is finally gone. It rained. In the attempt of keeping the headaches under control, I started a new exercise regime and I’m checking the daily calories intake. Still alive. My productivity isn’t back to normal, but I’m working on that.
From X:
Her nose caught a scent she didn’t like. “We can’t stay here.”
“Where to?”
“Out.” She pulled him out of the bed and a moment later they were already downstairs, having mindlessly run through the bedroom where they had slept, Clarissa’s bedroom, the hallway, and the stairs.
They were at the main door, when Julius stopped her. He brought one finger to his mouth and then pointed it at the shadows dancing behind the opaque glass composing the door panels.
At the same time, the smell she had barely perceived a few minutes earlier became too strong to ignore and Allegra gagged. She stepped back, her lungs burning and her heart racing. She looked right and left, but when he shook his head, she turned toward the large window overlooking the gardens.
“Yes.” Julius squeezed her hand and they ran to the back of the room.
Allegra was lowering the handle of the back door, when she heard the sound of the main door being forced.
“There must be a treasure inside.” A muffled voice. A crack.
Julius propelled her outside and then tore through the garden, only to stop a few minutes later behind a tall bush. “Looters.”
She had already reached that conclusion. Julius’s house was going to be violated as hers had been. She couldn’t help two tears to escape her control, but was fast in drying her eyes. The sound of broken glasses reached them and Julius startled. She resisted the urge of looking back at the house to see what was happening and looked straight ahead instead. The Royal Palace dominated the view on top of the hill. “Not sure where else to go.” So many questions unanswered and no time to think about anything.
He nodded and she moved forward.
Shrimps and Vegetables Cous Cous
Last week, we went out for dinner. Craving African food, we decided for a Moroccan restaurant that had good reviews. It was a disaster. The cous cous they served was appalling. The night after, I made some of my own to erase the memory of that disgrace from my taste buds.
What I had in my pantry:
2 cups of Whole Grain Cous Cous
2 cups of Shrimps
Costco Vegetable Stir Fry (can’t remember the amount, but I tend to be generous with the vegetables in my cooking, 2 or 3 pounds at least)
Extra virgin olive oil (don’t ask don’t tell policy on the quantity)
1 tablespoon of Butter
Salt
Red Pepper (only if you like it hot)
Sriracha (because I like it hotter)
How I prepared the cous cous:
I cooked the vegetables with some extra virgin olive oil (be your own conscience on the number of tablespoons…) and a pinch of salt, lowered the heat and covered the pan. Italians like their vegetables well cooked, but again you’ll decide the crispiness of your broccoli. I put the vegetables aside and started cooking the shrimps . After browning a clove of garlic in enough evoo (as previously stated), I removed it from the pan and added and salted the shrimps. Once done, I put them aside as well but kept the broth they left behind, which I enriched with a tablespoon of butter and some red pepper. I adjusted the quantity of liquids required by the cous cous by pouring two cups of water in the pan and incorporated the cous cous. Turned off the heat, stirred the cous cous and covered for a few minutes. Finally, I cut the shrimps in small pieces, and mixed all the cooked ingredients together. Once on the table, my husband and I decorated our plates with some Sriracha. My idea of comfort food when I’m in a hurry. Can’t believe a restaurant could screw up something so easy to make.
Second try with Painter
Lately, I realized that although the rain doesn’t alter my mental health as other people proclaim, the fog definitely makes me less cheerful. Especially a week of thick, gray smog, followed by mild but persistent migraine. Not as productive as usual, I decided to follow my husband’s suggestion to watch some tutorials to better understand Painter. I discovered a few things in the process, but I know I only scratched the surface. I tried several brushes and played around with the color palette. Clearly, as reflected in the drawing’s title, I didn’t go for anything in particular.
Not Just A Lemon
Monday Drawings #12
Today, at 4:57 am, there was the first “Buh!” It was followed by a second “Buh!” and then by a string of swearwords in Italian. By 5:58, I had already consumed two espressos, but remembered I’m a lady. 8:15, I have posted a didl and even finished my first drawing with Painter. Definitely a great painting software. In case you are wondering, Nero is on the couch, blissfully sleeping the sleep of the content beagles.
Friday Snippet #29
The fog is descending upon the houses outside my window. And it’s freezing cold. I don’t think Nero and I will go for a walk after all. Good news is my desk faces a big window. Also, it’s my mom’s birthday today. Have a wonderful 70th birthday, Mom. Love you.
From X:
“I was worried for you.” Julius moved the few steps from the wall to the bed and then sat on its edge, without coming any closer to her.
It wasn’t right. Touching for them was a necessity regulated by guide-and-guided code of conduct. Allegra felt his warmth and longed to reach out and take his hand, but she didn’t, which only increased the awkwardness. “Thank you.” Her voice came out too low.
But he had heard. “Of course.”
Of course he’s worried about me? Or what? “Couldn’t you sleep?”
“No. Do you mind if I stay with you for a while?”
She finally outstretched her hand and found his closer than she expected. “Can you help me relax?”
“Of course.” He moved on the bed to lie side by side with her, his head on the pillow, only a few inches from hers.
It wasn’t the first time they slept on the same bed. Before exams, they used to quiz each other the whole night. Sometimes, they did it just to prove they could without being caught. A few times, Allegra had asked him, like now, if he could ease her tension. Yet, now it was different.
She felt his gentle invasion at the edge of her thoughts. Spring and singing birds. The scent of washed linens drying outside. Warm breeze playing with her hair. Her eyes closed and she let him in.
“Something’s wrong.”
Words echoed in her head.
“Wake up.”
She turned the other side.
“Allegra!”
Hands turned her over.
“Smell the air.”
The request was repeated twice before she managed to open one eye and find Julius sitting on her bed. Memories of a few hours earlier rushed in. “What’s going on?” But she had already activated her senses. “I can’t feel her.” Clarissa’s smell was gone. She inhaled deeply and then shook her head. “I can’t feel any of them.”
Finger Painting
It isn’t just for kids anymore. If you have never tried the unaltered joy of drawing with your fingers on a touch screen, I strongly suggest you to start with the didlr app. Free your imagination and let colors and lines tell your story. Today, I was hungry and in the mood for Japanese cuisine. Below is my self-explanatory story.
Never Enough Sushi
First Unofficial Reviews for The Prince’s Day Out!
My illustrated fairytale has already gathered several endorsement by important people in 
the children’s book world. Two wonderful gentlekids, O. and R., were recently looking at one of my painted pumpkins and exclaimed, “It’s from The Prince’s Day Out!” It felt good to have my art recognized by two young readers.
Also recently, my niece Marisa, who is studying psychology, was asked to write an essay on a children’s book and she chose The Prince’s Day Out. I was touched by what she had to say about it.
Here is a translated excerpt from Marisa’s essay:
Monica dedicates her fairytale to her children asking them, “Don’t ever stop dreaming”.
Thanks to this short story we can learn and understand fundamental values like hope, love between family members , and the determination to overcome obstacles…
Life is not always beautiful and easy as it looks. Unfortunately, bad things can happen and we have to react, to find the strength within ourselves to go forward, because if we really want to achieve something we must fight and never lose hope. Because life is a continuous challenge…
Thanks to this fairy tale we can understand how important it is to stimulate and develop our imagination, to be mentally more flexible, and imagine better worlds. We are reminded of the importance of a loving and supportive family, but also of the importance of never lose hope!
It is said … “Dreams are wishes …” But we have to fight for our dreams, for what we believe, and do not let our dreams dry like tears on our pillows. We must try to make them a reality so that we earn our happiness…
Isn’t this the most amazing review, or what? And she’s barely 14!
Friday Snippet #28
Days fly by. Lots accomplished, but nothing to show apart from a variegated production of didls. In other and exciting—for me—news, I have a brand new workstation! Also, outside it’s frigid but sunny.
From X. Allegra interacts some more with Julius and his family:
“Why didn’t you leave?” Allegra asked Julius’s father.
“I can’t leave the King alone, and Caterina and the kids didn’t want to listen to reason. I gave the staff permission to leave, but Chef insisted she wouldn’t abandon us. So, here we are.” Carolus’s eyes went back to the mansion.
Only then, Allegra noticed how far into the gardens they had walked. The lights spilling out from the majestic windows illuminated the immediate surroundings, but ahead of her it was barely possible to make out the silhouettes of the topiary. She shivered.
“Let’s go back inside.” Carolus took off his jacket and draped it on her shoulders.
She accepted with a thanks without explaining she wasn’t cold. The darkness swallowing the night had frightened her. Not for the first time, the thought that Julius could only see a black canvas if left alone made her feel hollow.
They walked back to the house in silence. Not a sound interrupting their thoughts.
“Is it cold outside?” Clarissa was at her side as soon as they entered, one hand on hers to steer her away from the glass door and her father. “Come to the fireplace.”
Julius, who was still talking to his mother, excused himself and without faltering reached for Clarissa still looking at her. “You look pale.”
His sister immediately lowered her eyes and Allegra repressed a gasp. Julius had breached one of the unspoken rules among unseers. The act of looking at someone to talk to someone else was considered one of the worst faux passes. He had never done that. He wasn’t the type to forget about social dictates.
And he didn’t seem to realize what he had done. “You look distressed.”
“It was cold outside,” Allegra lied.
Julius left Clarissa and took Allegra’s hand in his. She couldn’t help to glance at the girl and see she was trying to disappear into the background.
His fingers circled her wrist in response to her pulling away.
I felt It
A few years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of felt craft a` la Japanese. Instantly hooked. Eventually, I made several dozen decorations all dessert and sweets themed to decorate the Christmas tree.
Monica La Porta 