After the battle think of me

Intense varnishing today from early light to sunset. Began the second coat ( in Italy a coat of paint is una mano, two coats is due mani - literally two hands or, I suppose, passes.)

Parky with it, the first serious frost (brina) and then low sun to contend with.

Listened to the wonderful harrowing BBC Radio adaptation of Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate. A huge epic novel of war-time and Stalinist Russia. Utterly gripping. On the Sounds app.

It goes on for hours and has a great cast. His Stalingrad is also good. Episode 1is slow but 2 is brilliant on the battle fir Stalingrad.

As darkness fell I went to the coop and bought wild boar stew ( cinghiale in umido) roast potatoes and peppers and a bottle of Chianti Ruffina.

My mouth feels like the inside of a varnisher’s glove.

Still not sure about the colour but I’m so far in t’would be weary to return to the far distant shore.

I learnt today that my guy outside the coop - a boat person from Nigeria - is called Saturday.