Under the (McKinney?) Sun

There are certain movies that Alex and I fall in love with, and watch a dozen times, in any mood we happen to be in. And surprisingly, there's not a scifi epic among them:

• Amelie
• Chocolat
• Love Actually
• Under the Tuscan Sun

What do they have in common? All of them feature narration, all of them take place in a foreign country.

Under the Tuscan Sun has been our most recent fall-back, the film equivalent of comfort food. I think one additional reason that we love this film is because it features a house, and a lot of ill-advised DIY home improvements.

I've been re-reading snatches of this book this morning while my truck is being serviced. And while it's different in book form--it takes place over four summers instead of one year, no seeking-love plot, no crazy Fellini-inspired friend, even more focus on delicious food--it's still glorious. I listened to the audio version of it last year, and loved that, as well--it will likely make its way onto my wishlist.

The real advantage of this book, of course, is that rather than feel overwhelmed by all the house fix-up projects we've come across lately, I now feel energized and ready to tackle them in order.

Now, if only I didn't work until 9pm tonight...