Firstly, it’s not really our place – Villa Greta belongs to The Casola family who also own our favourite hotel in Positano – Eden Roc. But for this week it’s our place as we settle in, slow down and adjust to holiday time.

Villa Greta is on the main road through Positano about 500 metres from the village proper. Being on a main road there is the constant sound of passing scooters and cars, the occasional bus and always locals walking, chatting, laughing and discussing everything. We love this – it’s the sound of Italy and we wouldn’t change it for the world.

Today the temperature is truly “troppo caldo” at 29 degrees plus – it has warmed up after a poor July – and the pace of life has slowed accordingly.

Jean is suffering from a head cold that has, over the last couple of days, turned into something more. So this morning we had a house call from Doctor Paolo Buonocore who has, through a diagnosis made in a mix of English and Italian, prescribed a raft of antibiotics and painkillers for a sinus infection.

Either that or our poor Italian language skills means that Jean is being treated for a urinary infection or possibly a heart condition.

As a result of the heat and the meds, it’s a quiet day spent at the villa. So for those of you who haven’t seen our place before, a few photos are attached. I have to confess there are two shots taken during our last visit in 2011 – the clues are the dogs asleep on the couch and the dog toys on the end of the bed.