This month I’ve been reminded about a trip I took to the Florence area of Italy.  In fact it was a twin town exercise between my local country town in middle England and a gorgeous place btween Florence and Piza.  So old.  The churches, and there were hundreds, were full of serious antiquities and we spend our off duty time just wandering about in awe.  The furniture stores were unbelievably elegant.  Even the village houses were a mark up from the norm.  We actually stayed with families in apartments.  All sleek cermaic tiles and granite work tops.  Fitted cabinets looked sumptious.  None of the bulk purchase look we have over here!  I recall my hostesses bedroom was all chic silks and pastel satins.  The typical lover’s next I felt at that time.   It made me look much more carefully at my own humble abode when we eventually got home from our travels.