In a world of grey there are always those who shine...

It has almost been back to what passes for normal after the hiatus of New Year, though the holidays are not quite over for Italians who still hold to the twelve days of Christmas lasting till Epiphany when La Befana makes her calls, bringing goodies things to the good and not so goodies to the naughty.

Stephen, being one of the good ones, has progressed with the office/workroom downstairs. Saturday saw him begin painting it a fetching shade of battleship grey. Not that that was the intention, but after he’d mixed the tint into the white paint and slapped it on the walls, the shade was exactly that – shady. There was hope, though, as when it started to dry out it did become quite a bit lighter and by Tuesday, to our collective relief, had morphed into a restful pale tone.

Having made a start on painting, Stephen was obviously on a roll and so we had a quick jaunt to Obi, the DIY store in Civitanova, on Saturday afternoon to buy more paint. We came away with a time of white for the office ceiling (after I gave a somewhat lukewarm reception to his suggestion that it, like the walls, should be grey – I’m not after a man cave) and one of grey, this time a very pale shade for the bedroom skirting board. We do seem to have taken on the monochrome theme with a vengeance, but I’ve been promised that when the downstairs summer loft living is done, it will be a kaleidoscopic extravaganza; a bit like the Land of Oz to the upstairs’ Kansas - just as long as we don’t have to flatten any witches in the process. Which brings us nicely to…

La Befana is the traditional gift-bearing figure of the Christmas period, and while the Americanisation of the world marches forward (thank you Coca-cola) with the red-suited Santa Claus now the prime image in many countries, including those who had never heard of him not that long ago, Italy’s witch is still celebrated here on 6th January.

The story is that when the Three Wise Men were searching for the baby Jesus, they stopped at Befana’s house to ask for her help in finding him. Having too much housework to do, she refused, but later changed her mind and went off on her broom to try to find them. She failed, but ever since then she sets out on the night of the 5th to bring gifts to children. And this is where the two traditions meet, for like Father Christmas, she climbs down chimneys and brings sweets or fruit to the children who have been good and onions or garlic to those who have been naughty. As in Britain, children write letters and leave out wine in the hope of receiving a visit from La Befana and having their stockings filled.

In case you are wondering, yes I did have a visit from La Befana, and I now have a very fine Peppa Pig stocking filled with toothsome goodies. Not only that, but our very own Befana, in the shape of Computer Luca, came to dinner and brought us a Lindt stocking. We must have been very good indeed to deserve a treat like that.

(P.S. I am posting this on the day that the news of David Bowie's passing stunned those of us who love music in any of it forms. This offering, slight as it may be, is dedicated to him.)