Tuesday, April 21, 2009

SOME GOOD NEWS

You could be forgiven, reading this blog, for imagining that, apart from the irritations of the water supply and the post office, my life here is an endless round of lunches and festivities. Well, I have my ups and downs like everybody else and, although I am happier now than I ever imagined I could be, I don't have an easy life financially and long-term readers will know that the past year has been marred by a quite scary period of illness.

So it is with great pleasure that I am now able to share with you some good and, for me, very exciting news: if you have been following the almost weekly poetry posts, you will remember that I have been translating some of the work of our Modican poet, Antonio Lonardo. I have now finished translating a new collection and the book is to be published soon. Professore Lonardo is a finalist for the 2009 Premio Internazionale di Poesia "Coluccio Salutati" and is invited to the awards ceremony in Buggiano [Pistoia] on 3rd May. And guess what? I am invited, too! I was delighted to accept the invitation and I am going to read Prof Lonardo's entry in English, after which I will be interviewed in Italian about the process of translation and the special difficulties and joys of translating poetry.

I'm also excited because we are going to Buggiano by train and, although I have previously visited the beautiful city of Messina, this will be my first crossing to the mainland from that port. [I've always flown before.] And if that were not enough to have me almost dancing in my sleep, Buggiano is only about half an hour from Florence so if everything runs to time, I will be able to spend a couple of hours in that glorious city on the way! [I haven't seen it for 13 years and I have missed it.]

I'm not nervous, except about what to wear and getting up onto the stage in my [pink] heels, but please, wish me luck, readers!

20 comments:

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

WONDERFUL NEWS :-) so pleased for you.

I am sure you will be fine getting up the steps ...slowly but surely.

This is all very exciting WL...well done..and Good luck. Can't wait to hear/read all about it.

Damon Lord said...

Bene! Have a good 'un! Congratulations! Have fun!

Leslie: said...

Oh my gosh! That is so exciting and such an honour! Oh that I could speak in Italian well enough to be interviewed...

Ellee Seymour said...

I am thrilled for you. I am so delighted. I would like to see it recorded on YouTube - could anyone manage that.

sally in norfolk said...

Well done... so nice to hear lovely things happening to lovely people ...wear flat shoes and you will get up the steps fine.. lol. and i know you would never wear flat shoes :-)

Have Fun x x

Liz Hinds said...

congratulations, pat! You deserve the treat. Have a wonderful time - and practise in advance clmbing steps in your heels.

Unknown said...

Congratulations!

flutterby said...

Congratulations, WL. What a wonderful treat for you. It is also a wonderful acknowledgment of your talents. Miss Simi must be so proud.

Unknown said...

Huge congratulations, Pat! And I bet you will look gorgeous in your pink heels! This is perhaps silly, but vistprint do free (or at least very cheap!) business cards. Might be an idea to have some to hand out to potential clients who want translations!
Can't wait to hear how it all goes! a kiss for Simi. mary-ann x

Lucia said...

Wonderful! Have an amazing time. Don't forget pictures!

Whispering Walls said...

Brava WL!

Mopsa said...

How lovely - hope you have a wonderful time.

Betty said...

Congratulations on the exciting news. You'll have a wonderful time!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Thanks, Anne. I'll certainly be telling you all about it! Thanks, Damon. I will! Thanks, Leslie. I still can't really believe it. Thanks, Ellee. I'll see what I [or someone more techie] can do! Thanks, Sally. Definitely not an occasion for flatties! Thanks, Liz. That's a good idea - a bit of practice. Many thanks, Lost. Thanks, Flutterby. You are very kind. Miss Simi knows all about it! Hi, MaryAnn. That is a very good idea. Thank you. Thanks, Lucia. I won't! Thanks, WW and Mopsa. Love to you all xx

jmb said...

How exciting for you Welshcakes. What a wonderful opportunity for you. I'm sure you will do brilliantly.

Rowena said...

Good news indeed! That is exciting!! But now I'm wondering...who will care for Simi while your gone??

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Thanks, Betty. I do hope so! Hi, jmb. I'll do my best! Thanks to you and thank you, Rowena. Simi will go to the boarding kennels for the 3 days. She knows them there as that's where she goes when I visit the UK and she gets a haircut and beauty treatment as well! [Come to think of it, I need both of those myself.] They are very kind there and make a huge fuss of her.

CherryPie said...

It sounds exciting, good luck and have fun :-)

Cat said...

So exciting - congratulations!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Thank you so much, Cherie and cb.

Counters


View My Stats