We had something resembling a lie in this morning, neither Lucca or Reggie acted as the alarm clock today so when I opened my eyes I was surprised to find it was eight o'clock, a very welcome gift although I assume it was an unconscious one on their part, in more ways than one.
The morning that followed was a leisurely affair to begin with, a couple of mugs of tea while catching up on emails and communicating with Helen back in England over the internet before we decided to sit and have breakfast.
After breakfast and braving the tepid shower I made a dash to Amanda's for a bag of onions and some fresh bread and dashed back home again to start on cooking our Tuscan bean soup, an extra large batch as not only was it for lunch today, but a large batch was destined for the freezer for the coming weeks as we have helpers due again early next month from NYC.
After getting a kilo of pre-soaked cannellini beans simmering with four litres of stock, I needed to do some holiday rental administration as yesterday we took a booking for May meaning May is now largely fully occupied downstairs in the apartment so it looks like it's shaping up to be a good year if things continue in the same way, fingers crossed all of our efforts are going to pay off.
In between letting the dog in and out for either a bark or the toilet (I have a real appreciation for how much he slows down any office work now Helen) it took me until midday to get that part of the day done and I went to finish the soup with the help of the trusty food processor before sitting down with two steaming bowls of it (not both for me I hasten to add) and some lovely fresh bread (most of which I did eat), Mom having worked up an appetite by taking it upon herself to clean the upstairs of the house for us, a job we've done somewhat half heartedly of late as we've been rather preoccupied with the work that needs doing outside (so thanks mom!).
With the soup dispatched I needed to head to the Doctors surgery for a repeat prescription, for those that don't know, the door of the surgery is magically opened to sometime around lunch time as technically his ours start in the village at 1 o'clock but he always arrives at 14:15 prompt regardless of this (post three course lunch I would imagine), so either you arrive early at around one o'clock and wait for the hour and a quarter knowing that you'll be seen at 14:15 and be on your way shortly afterwards or you take your chances and turn up sometime after one and wait in line, previously I have done the former but as lunch was a bit late today I didn't arrive until half one, happily though there were only two people in there, both of which I soon realised were together, so second in line, result! but by the time Alex and Donatella walked in around 14:40 the waiting room was full, the first time I've seen it like this and that must have put them around tenth in line, I didn't envy their wait as the first couple before me had been in with the doctor for nearly twenty minutes before reappearing.
After getting what I went in for and chatting briefly with Alex and Donatella I left for home to collect Mom and the dog so that we could head into town for a walk along the river.
After a shady and slightly chilly walk up and down the river banks we put Reggie in the car and parked in the Piazza so that we could have a coffee, as we parked up we bumped into Alex and Donatella who must have only just escaped the surgery, after introducing them to Mom we chatted briefly before both heading off our seperate ways although with similar agendas, drugs (of the prescription variety) and caffiene.
Mom and I sat in an unusually quiet Bar Pulter for half an hour and sipped on Cappuccinos while we people watched as the odd person came for a quick shot of coffee and young school children came in for ice creams.
After not one but two cappuccinos each we left to head home as it was now gone four and the fire needed starting soon as the evening's battle with dropping temperatures was on the cards.
When we got back I was pleased to find I had 'caught' two cats, before leaving for town I had set the cat flap to accept incoming traffic only and at some point while the three of us were out both had realised there was no mouthy dog around and had gone indoors for a nap in a warmer place, so after saying hello to them and removing a tick from Florence's temple I went back to pruning olive trees for an hour or so whille Reggie tore around the terraces thoroughly wearing himself out and Mom amused herself by fetching fire wood and lighting the fire before coming out with a rake to try and clear up some of the mess I was making.
Yet again I got lost in the job of pruning and darkness was almost fully upon our hill when Mom called out to tell me there was a cup of tea waiting indoors, so I put the geese away and took Reggie back inside with is tongue hanging out of the corner of his mouth, fed the cats, fed the dog and tapped out this blog post before retiring to the now warm living room for a glass of red and to make a start on dinner.
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