We don’t  have a specific word for it in English, but sprezzatura, first coined by an Italian diplomat in the 16th Century, could have been invented for Lois. It might be translated as ‘effortless grace,’ making hard work look easy.

So whether it is bringing welcoming flowers for Watermill guests (top left), preparing mouthwatering Italian meals (top right), modelling a cowl designed by one of our knitting tutors (bottom left) or becoming a Doctor of Philosophy for ground-breaking research into 18^th Century Florentine music, Lois can indeed mask all the underlying effort with a graceful smile.

It is like that quintessential Italian desire to fare una bella figura (‘to make a good impression’) –  radiating charm and elegance but concealing the effort behind it. Grazie per tutto, carissima Lois.