The holiday spirit really took hold last night as we sat outside with the fire pit alight, and I think we maybe all had one glass of wine too many - this meant I nodded back off to sleep after Helen had come back in from her exercise and by the time I was climbing out of bed John was knocking at the door reporting for work and ready to start strimming. So, bleary eyed, I got the gear out, filled the fuel tank and loaded the backpack onto his shoulders before pointing him in the direction of the upper terraces.
Then, while trying to eat breakfast, I was getting Mom and (auntie)Helen sorted with tools for weeding and a car sponge as they were planning to clean the car inside and out - the first time that's happened since we bought it.
After sorting everyone out, I took off in the car to Chiesina again - the strimmer head/line feeder was very much on its last legs and John was already having trouble with the cord not feeding then knotting itself up, so a replacement was urgently needed.
By the time I got back, it was already past 11am so I fitted the new head to the strimmer and left the car with Mom and (auntie)Helen before going indoors to send a few emails - including a plan of the roof to the guy we've been recommended to supply and fit the required life line system before we can have solar panels.
By now, (wife)Helen was already starting to prepare today's lunch - a rice salad with spring onions, boiled eggs, cannellini beans, tuna and tomatoes, which was a huge success with everyone. We ate lunch indoors today though, as the breeze was a touch chilly.
After lunch, with most of the terraces strimmed and the car looking cleaner than when we bought it, the guests switched into holiday mode and sat out on the patio in the now warmer afternoon while I took my turn with the strimmer to finish the last couple of terraces.
As four o'clock approached, I downed my tools, hit the shower and went to see how Helen was doing in the office. She had just about finished what she needed to do for the day too, so we left Reggie at home and all piled into the (very clean) car to head over to Montecatini Alto - a very small but perfectly formed village with restaurants and bars lining the edge of the small central piazza. We had a slow amble around the village before settling into one of the bars for a drink and to watch the world go by for an hour before heading home. (But not before John and the two Helens had given the car a push out of the car park to get it rolling so I could bump start it!)
When we got home we let Reggie out to play for 20 minutes, watered the veg, put the geese away, fed the cats and fed the dog before jumping back in the car again to head out to Sorana for dinner at Da Sandrino. We had a lovely meal, but were all starting to feel a bit jaded by the end and, with no room for desert after an epic antipasti course, we went home to give Reggie a couple of hours out of his crate before all retiring for a good night's sleep.
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