June 17, Further Adventures and June 18 Oggi Perfecto!

Our new internet caffe is in the piazza! The Commune wi-fi is working this year and Bar Komodo and Bar al Kaffe also have internet. I called my mom and tried to call Jessie while enjoying some sparkling white wine on tap (1E20). Also on tap: beer, and sadly, Coke. 

See me?

That is a huge change from when we first came to Italy 8 years ago. At that time you never saw coke. When I started writing this blog, a coke was a rare and amazing thing. Now it is endemic. 

After a short conversation to let my mom know we had arrived safely, we went walking around in the historical center to see what was new on the earthquake repair front. There is enormous new scaffolding and a gigantic crane looming over some of my favorite places to paint. 

The beautiful piazza that was completed about 5 years ago now houses building supplies and demolition detritus. Just getting the building materials into the Centro Storica is a monumental task as is removing the ruble. I believe that Italian’s think in centuries, not decades,  when it comes to restoration. Just the construction of the scaffolding is a work of elegant engineering. 

 This house was finished by Danes just before the earth quake. Now their beautiful courtyard is a staging area. They have never been here since the earthquake.

All the bricks come up and then debris goes down the yellow shoot.

The last time I painted just beyond the wood fence, I was in terror lest something fall on my head. Now, I am not tempted to trespass! 

More good news today!! Moose and her sister arrive at our house on Monday! If it weren’t for Moose, we would have never had a house in Italy. 

And finally, a delicious dinner made by Jim, in our fabulous home in Italy.

June 18

We were too late for first breakfast again and we had to make due with second breakfast. It is very hard to fall asleep at night and way to easy to sleep in the day. Although I think I remember things about here, I am still surprised. The traffic on the piazza is a constant source of entertainment and it is amazing that dead bodies are not littering the streets. I assume I will get over my gasps of horror at what seems to be impending doom. The coffee is just incredible. How can it be so much better? You don’t get very much, but the taste makes up for the lack of volume. 

This coming weekend is the giant VESPA RADUNO INTERNAZIONALE. I am unclear how this is all associated with San Francesco, but his relic is on the poster and in the name of the association. I am thinking it may be a little bit like the Karate for Christ I saw advertised at a church in the U.S.A. once. Would San Francesco drive a gas guzzling car? Would he ride a loud, obnoxious motorcycle dressed like a storm trooper? No, he would not. He would drive a VESPA. 

We took a little walk around this morning looking for new places to paint and things that have changed. The beautiful bell flowers are blooming on the stone walls. Last year we got here to late for them. 

The huge crane looming over CVS is new. 

The use of google for translations still proves to be a problem whether it is on a t-shirt or a car. 

Tractors gather at the fountain

Now we are waiting to go to our neighbors house for lunch at 1pm. We are excited. I hope they like the presents we brought them and I hope we get enough to eat!

Yes, we did get enough to eat. Risotta with saffron gathered by Salvatore, lemon chicken, salad from Salvatore's garden, little tomatoes with a delicious dressing, small bowls of olives, blood sausage, and fritato, cantaloupe so juicy it squirted me, gelato, candy, confetti, cookies...two kinds, lemoncello, nocello, coffee and then home for a two hour nap. Wow!! The trip would be worth it for lunch with the neighbors!