So after finishing work (sealing around the worktops in the apartment) at about 3:15am this morning, I collapsed into bed, as we all did. The next thing I was aware of was the brain-rattling sound of a petrol-powered strimmer outside the bedroom window at around 8.30am. A quick check with my hand meant that as the bed had only one inhabitant, my wife was attached to said raucous alarm clock, it was not the kind of noise you can sleep through and soon I heard mom get up and I followed suit once the bathroom was free, Ben was also awake and had his face pressed into my tablet PC. There was no sign of Kerys, but I later found out that even she had woken up to the noise of a two-stroke petrol engine but she at least persevered and went back to sleep.
I crawled downstairs and switched on the coffee machine while booting my computer up, I had emailed Lorenzo yesterday to get an E.T.A. and he replied while we were out at Sue's asking for sat nav directions, so that was my first job today. Three coffees later and feeling almost human, I went down to the apartment to find Mom doing the final clean.
It was then time for Helen and me to drop the rental car back to Montecatini Terme, so it was Helen's turn to drive the little Alfa and we headed slowly in the direction of the Europcar office. I had tried to make mental notes on my way home from the mattress shop so that today would be easy - that combined with Sue's directions given to me at ten to three this morning proved to be all I needed, and one small inconsequential turn was all that got in the way of a perfectly navigated route.
The nice man in the office gave the car the once over, took only one signature and let us go on our way. Much to Helen's relief, I took the car keys for the return drive. I can see why she didn't enjoy driving the little 147, it was a little petrol-powered sporty number that seems to have had something of a tough life - no sun visor on the driver's side, the passenger window doesn't work, the air-con needs re-gassing, tyres need inflating, and it's covered in dents - it just drives like quite an old car.
After getting back home around 11:40am, having made a stop at a shop for the last few bits we needed for the apartment (a door mat, ash tray, screw-fitting light bulb, citronella candles and a wooden spoon, we made the final tiny tweaks to the apartment and shut the door until our first ever guests arrived (said they would arrive around 1pm).
We all busied ourselves for a while and I then sat with Mom and a cup of tea on the patio wondering a) would the guests like our home and b) whether the rumbling I could hear was thunder or lorries heading up the valley. It had been muggy all morning so I soon realised it was thunder.
While preparing lunch I was called from the house as our guests had arrived, pretty much exactly when they said they would - no mean feat considering they had driven from somewhere in the centre of England to get here!
So this was it, the moment of truth. We greeted them and showed them in. They made what seemed to be genuinely pleased appreciative noises, and we breathed an enormous sigh of relief then left them to unpack and settle in.
It was about five minutes later that the rain started (welcome to Tuscany), and then the wind whipped up. We ate lunch inside while the storm tore around the mountains, blowing over chairs and blowing candles and lanterns clean off the outdoor tables!
What a terrible start to your holiday!
Fortunately, the worst of it passed quite quickly, and soon the rain stopped. At this point we decided to head out for a bit of sightseeing - the first proper sightseeing of the trip for Mom and the kids.
With the weather being the way it was and the car being the size it is, we decided that a short trip to Collodi (a 15-minute drive away) was the best option. Here there is not only Pinocchio park (Collodi being the birthplace of Pinocchio's creator), but Villa Garzoni with its stunning gardens and butterfly house.
After finding the place, we spent half an hour or so in the butterfly house where Helen found a friend that took some persuading to part with her before we could leave.
After that, we ambled around or should I say up and down the gardens of the villa. They were very beautiful - not big, but certainly stunning and well worth a visit.
On our departure, we witnessed rehearsals for the entertainment for a wedding reception that appeared to be due to start this evening, hence the marquees in the gardens. It looked like the newlyweds had a few euros to burn judging by the set up. Stunning place for a reception though.
On leaving, we crossed the road and went straight into the nearest ice cream shop where a quiet five minutes of licking ensued, all of us feeling a touch jaded from lack of sleep and having just climbed numerous steps in what was by now a very hot and sunny afternoon (great news for our guests).
I decided that on the way home a quick stop at Bar Poulter was in order before heading home to make sure our guests were OK. This didn't materialise though as the square was chock-a-bloc with extra cars and people heading to another wedding reception - today must have been a popular day for it!
With nothing else left to do, it was time to head back to the sunny patio for crisps and beer/wine, where we spent a very relaxing three hours as the sun went down and the evening grew cooler to the sound of cicadas.
When we got home, it was really great to see Lorenzo and his family outside on the apartment patio enjoying the change in weather and looking like they had been making themselves at home.
So the day we have been working so hard towards and lately feeling anxious about, has finally come and pretty much passed, and all seems well. We heard the reassuring clinking of plates and cutlery downstairs and we eventually went inside for own dinner - late again despite the lack of work, but that seem to be the way the days go over here.
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