Copyright © Louise Bostock 2007-2013. Please give credit where credit is due.

Saturday 27 September 2008

Happy Anniversary!

On 27 September 2007, Louise sat down to write. And she didn't stop. At five in the morning, at 11 at night. She wrote. In between the last few breast feeds and in between nappy changes. She wrote in her head while walking her son up and down the hill for asilo, and she wrote at the computer during precious nap times. She made notes in the car, on the bus, in cafes and on planes. Gradually, as the world turned and the seasons changed, a year went by. And today is 27 September 2008, the first anniversary of A View from Carmine Superiore, weblog, personal notebook and burgeoning portrait of a village.

The original idea was simply to stay sane. As a mother of two very small children rattling around an unfinished restoration project, surrounded on all sides by people who speak a different language (including those two small children), and perched on a now-famous granite outcrop of rock with not much in the way of permanent neighbours, my sanity was in serious peril. Writing every day offered a discipline outside of mothering and housewifery that ensured I took a step back from the daily brouhaha and got to see the funny side (to remember which side the funny side was).

Without meaning to get so serious, I gradually also found myself trying to make sense of living here on top of a rock in a depopulated medieval village with no vehicle access, to try to understand that accidental life-choice I made when I came here to live permanently in 2003.

That's my excuse for adding one more drop in the ocean of, reportedly, 8 million weblogs online.

And I'm sticking to it.

In the past year, the site has received more than 13,000 hits. While the phenomenon of the floating IP address makes it difficult to be totally sure, a painstaking process of scientific triangulation leads me to believe that it is read regularly not only by Carmenites, or by members of my own family, but also by kindly lunatics as far away as Canada, Queensland, New Delhi, Jakarta, New England, Houston Texas and Hobart Tasmania. (Hello, Hobart Tasmania. Why don't you leave a comment? I'm fascinated to know who you are!)

A recent surprise article in the provincial newspaper outed A View from Carmine Superiore from the cyberspace closet, and onto the streets of the region. The response was, actually, wonderful. My 15 minutes of fame. Friends, acquaintances and total strangers approached me on the street, at the asilo, in the supermarket 20km away, even in the cemetery, to tell me they liked what they saw. For a moment there, the glare of publicity was so great I looked out my old 80s RayBans and started to price smoked windows for the Panda. Thank-you neighbours all for so many kind words!


So, as the world turns, the leaves start to change, and the people of Cannobio start to shove their hands in their pockets and complain about the cold mornings, I'll go on writing. Perhaps not at 5am - I am, after all, a year older and I'm starting to need my beauty sleep - but I'll try for once a day. And I hope you'll keep checking in periodically to see how we're doing up here on Sasso Carmine.

Thank-you for reading,

Louise (in RayBans)


Copyright © Louise Bostock 2007, 2008. All rights reserved. Please ask first.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Louise,
How about an English interpretation of what the newspaper said ? Yes, Happy anniversary and long may you continue with the blog, its great stuff.

Anonymous said...

We were delighted to see Hobart on your Blog! Happy Anniversary, we have never commented before but today is a good day. My mother and I found you after a comment from a colleague and a web search while doing our genealogy tree. My surname is Cannobio and my grandfather was born in Cannobio (his home was close to Hotel Pironi) before moving to Melbourne Australia. We know our links to Brissago, but Carmine was often mentioned. We check your blog most days for fun so thanks for keeping us close. Lois C

Red Hen (dette) said...

Happy anniversary! What an interesting blog, you are very brave to completely relocate as you have done!

J.M said...

Happy anniversary! Stick with it, never mind the 8 million. Blogging is a fantastic way to connect with the world.

" ..but also by kindly lunatics as far away as Canada, Queensland, New Delhi, Jakarta, New England, Houston Texas and Hobart Tasmania."

From Jamaica too!

Louise | Italy said...

Hi Jacqueline from Jamaica! Thank-you for reading!L

Louise | Italy said...

Dear Lois - How exciting to hear from you. It really is. I've often wondered who you are and what your special interest is. And now I know! I'm thrilled that you should choose to keep in touch with Cannobio by reading the Blog. My best to you and your mother. Louise

Anonymous said...

Hi again Louise,
How wonderful to have contact from Hobart describing the ancestors. Please publish anymore you get from Australia and all the others.
This is a great bit of blog writing.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on making it to a year. I know you've had a certain amount of opposition to your writing it! Stick to your guns, baby. I'll say it again - when are you going to turn this into a book? V

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Louise! I've recently discovered you from 'Expat Blog' and totally relate to your needs to blog. I believe it's therapy for so many... 8 million or so people worldwide!

I too am an expat - from the UK and now living in New Zealand. I too am a mother to two small children far away from all my extended family. However, I don't have the language barrier or renovations! I'm in awe of what you are doing and feel there's more than a blog in your writing... there's a real story in the making!

I shall look forward to reading more.

Best wishes to you and your family,

Sarah

Louise | Italy said...

Dear Sarah-in-New Zealand, Now YOUR story is awe-inspiring. New Zealand is an awfully long way away! Thank-you for your very kind words. Louise

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just came across your wonderful blog today while researching some places in Italy. Great writing! Keep at it. I'm looking forward to reading more.

Louise | Italy said...

Hello Jeff, and welcome! I'm glad you liked the blog. Did you find what you were looking for? Louise

MsTypo said...

I think we share a blog-o-versary! :)

Saturday 27 September 2008

Happy Anniversary!

On 27 September 2007, Louise sat down to write. And she didn't stop. At five in the morning, at 11 at night. She wrote. In between the last few breast feeds and in between nappy changes. She wrote in her head while walking her son up and down the hill for asilo, and she wrote at the computer during precious nap times. She made notes in the car, on the bus, in cafes and on planes. Gradually, as the world turned and the seasons changed, a year went by. And today is 27 September 2008, the first anniversary of A View from Carmine Superiore, weblog, personal notebook and burgeoning portrait of a village.

The original idea was simply to stay sane. As a mother of two very small children rattling around an unfinished restoration project, surrounded on all sides by people who speak a different language (including those two small children), and perched on a now-famous granite outcrop of rock with not much in the way of permanent neighbours, my sanity was in serious peril. Writing every day offered a discipline outside of mothering and housewifery that ensured I took a step back from the daily brouhaha and got to see the funny side (to remember which side the funny side was).

Without meaning to get so serious, I gradually also found myself trying to make sense of living here on top of a rock in a depopulated medieval village with no vehicle access, to try to understand that accidental life-choice I made when I came here to live permanently in 2003.

That's my excuse for adding one more drop in the ocean of, reportedly, 8 million weblogs online.

And I'm sticking to it.

In the past year, the site has received more than 13,000 hits. While the phenomenon of the floating IP address makes it difficult to be totally sure, a painstaking process of scientific triangulation leads me to believe that it is read regularly not only by Carmenites, or by members of my own family, but also by kindly lunatics as far away as Canada, Queensland, New Delhi, Jakarta, New England, Houston Texas and Hobart Tasmania. (Hello, Hobart Tasmania. Why don't you leave a comment? I'm fascinated to know who you are!)

A recent surprise article in the provincial newspaper outed A View from Carmine Superiore from the cyberspace closet, and onto the streets of the region. The response was, actually, wonderful. My 15 minutes of fame. Friends, acquaintances and total strangers approached me on the street, at the asilo, in the supermarket 20km away, even in the cemetery, to tell me they liked what they saw. For a moment there, the glare of publicity was so great I looked out my old 80s RayBans and started to price smoked windows for the Panda. Thank-you neighbours all for so many kind words!


So, as the world turns, the leaves start to change, and the people of Cannobio start to shove their hands in their pockets and complain about the cold mornings, I'll go on writing. Perhaps not at 5am - I am, after all, a year older and I'm starting to need my beauty sleep - but I'll try for once a day. And I hope you'll keep checking in periodically to see how we're doing up here on Sasso Carmine.

Thank-you for reading,

Louise (in RayBans)


Copyright © Louise Bostock 2007, 2008. All rights reserved. Please ask first.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Louise,
How about an English interpretation of what the newspaper said ? Yes, Happy anniversary and long may you continue with the blog, its great stuff.

Anonymous said...

We were delighted to see Hobart on your Blog! Happy Anniversary, we have never commented before but today is a good day. My mother and I found you after a comment from a colleague and a web search while doing our genealogy tree. My surname is Cannobio and my grandfather was born in Cannobio (his home was close to Hotel Pironi) before moving to Melbourne Australia. We know our links to Brissago, but Carmine was often mentioned. We check your blog most days for fun so thanks for keeping us close. Lois C

Red Hen (dette) said...

Happy anniversary! What an interesting blog, you are very brave to completely relocate as you have done!

J.M said...

Happy anniversary! Stick with it, never mind the 8 million. Blogging is a fantastic way to connect with the world.

" ..but also by kindly lunatics as far away as Canada, Queensland, New Delhi, Jakarta, New England, Houston Texas and Hobart Tasmania."

From Jamaica too!

Louise | Italy said...

Hi Jacqueline from Jamaica! Thank-you for reading!L

Louise | Italy said...

Dear Lois - How exciting to hear from you. It really is. I've often wondered who you are and what your special interest is. And now I know! I'm thrilled that you should choose to keep in touch with Cannobio by reading the Blog. My best to you and your mother. Louise

Anonymous said...

Hi again Louise,
How wonderful to have contact from Hobart describing the ancestors. Please publish anymore you get from Australia and all the others.
This is a great bit of blog writing.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on making it to a year. I know you've had a certain amount of opposition to your writing it! Stick to your guns, baby. I'll say it again - when are you going to turn this into a book? V

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Louise! I've recently discovered you from 'Expat Blog' and totally relate to your needs to blog. I believe it's therapy for so many... 8 million or so people worldwide!

I too am an expat - from the UK and now living in New Zealand. I too am a mother to two small children far away from all my extended family. However, I don't have the language barrier or renovations! I'm in awe of what you are doing and feel there's more than a blog in your writing... there's a real story in the making!

I shall look forward to reading more.

Best wishes to you and your family,

Sarah

Louise | Italy said...

Dear Sarah-in-New Zealand, Now YOUR story is awe-inspiring. New Zealand is an awfully long way away! Thank-you for your very kind words. Louise

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just came across your wonderful blog today while researching some places in Italy. Great writing! Keep at it. I'm looking forward to reading more.

Louise | Italy said...

Hello Jeff, and welcome! I'm glad you liked the blog. Did you find what you were looking for? Louise

MsTypo said...

I think we share a blog-o-versary! :)