I just made an appointment with Our Geometra to meet the builder at il Poggiolo about the fireplace in the Upstairs Apartment.

Yes, temporarily, I have gone back to the old name. L'Appartamento Azzurro is too long & futzy.

This latest appointment for Friday morning at 11AM is the ninth arranged to discuss the construction of the fireplace. I cannot imagine what could be delaying the work. Unless, of course, after the builder's Big Blow-out of September 23rd, he needs some hand-holding, worried that I might break his balls on the fireplace by revolutionizing the program. Frankly, it ought to be the other way around. I broke no-one's balls. Instead, mine were crushed by four months worth of absurd delays on re-constructing a simple open-plan apartment. Since we ARE in Italy, where victims have NO RIGHTS, I would like to Post for Posterity that I have not changed... altered... modified... revamped... or, tweaked, for cryin' out loud... the fireplace design in the Upstairs Apartment. And, I won't. All I have ever wanted is a simple box faced with marble from the old stairs in La Casetta and a new Carrara marble made for the top where the metal smoke stack will pop-out on its way up to & through the roof where a simple copper chimney piece will sprout. The builder has heard this from the first appointment. I suppose victims are condemned in repeating themselves ad infinitum. We shall see on Friday.

In the meantime, I was wondering if, say, King Louis XIV of France spent a good deal of his time away from The Chase to discuss with his builder the program for the 352 fireplaces in Versailles? I doubt it. And, I have a hunch they were knocked off in less time too!!! Gads.