Florence was lovely, as was Pisa, and we packed plenty into our short break. 

I arrived in Florence feeling dreadful, with a heavy cold, blocked ears, sore throat and streaming nose... so it was straight to bed for a few hours sleep before taking an evening stroll.  Now I am home, my ears are still blocked, my throat is better and my cough has progressed to the 'productive' stage (tmi probably).

As is so often the case, a few major sites is lovely, but it's the unepxected bits that take my breath away... like the cloistered convent we stumbled across in a side street, or the (now) Orthodox church with air so heavy with incense it permeated my lack of smell!

Likewise with cafes, it was Il Vegetranio, frequented by locals, and serving honest peasant food, where we enjoyed the best meal of the holiday.

I was amused (and impressed) to be able to give directions to a French tourist in Pisa, using my limited French, and being understood.

Now it's auld clase 'n' parrtich...

Annual trip to breast clinic this morning, and all seems good (depends on outcome of mammogram) so I'm now 8 years a NED unless they tell me otherwise.

Lots of Admin and some service prep - and kitties reclaiming me!

In all this ordinariness, God is there and God is good.