4 July

Oh dear. I woke to a rather ‘pointed’ email from my publisher. Apparently, we’ve exceeded our photography budget again. Oops! I sent a reply, making all the appropriate noises and promising to be more selective over the coming weeks. But this place is just so visually stunning! Every olive grove, vineyard, terracotta roof – even the crockery – just screams out to be captured on film.

Our guests Lynne and Victor have both truly settled in. We told them to ‘treat the place like their own’, an offer that’s been accepted perhaps just a touch too literally. I found several wet towels lying in the bathroom this morning and a half-full mug of tea left on the hall table without a coaster. After lunch, Victor asked if he could play one of his jazz CDs; naturally we said yes, not realising there’d be piercing trumpet blasting through the house for the next two hours. Still, it was delightful to see them so relaxed, even if this was at the expense of others.

Our dear friends Lynne and Victor enjoying an evening meal at Villa del Vecchio.