GALLINELLA E GAMBERI

We didn't eat shrimp but to catch a gallinella fish, you have to give it shrimp! Classy thing. With or without cocktail sauce. A highlight of our trip to Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia, excluding my surreal conversation about sustainable wood at the Timbuktu shop - which had the most amazing tables, but no certification scheme running.

And so it was that we came home empty handed, with just a tan to show for a lovely weekend on the Costa Maremmana.


Once cooked, Gallinelle prefer to eat potatoes.


Gianni admitted having fished baby anguilla in his youth.


Beppe and Petula stuck to seppie.


Whist Matteo and Yoanna ordered the entire menu.

TWO SHEFFIELDIANS & DUE CAPPUCCINI

Tolentino sounds like Torremolinos, Sheffield University's student disco night. Somehow, Toby and Helen managed to get their hands on a property out there, in the middle of an olive grove, for their holidays. For an even more inexplicable reason, we did not manage to go and visit, so they came here instead, and helped us swat a few mosquitoes out of the way!

AN ITALIAN WEDDING

Chiara and Massimo waited 14 years for their special day, so they turned it into a weekend and had absolutely everything, from the dress, suits, shoes, to the flowers, black cab, horse-drawn carriage, canapes, cakes, fireworks, confetti, the lot.


and the veil of course.


and round-looking guests at Il Melone, Camucia.

COLD CUT GALORE

Where can you combine Una Vita Spericolata with a Salami? Where can you find pici and entire legs of ham for under 5 Euro?
Pozzuolo of course!!

On Wednesday night we listened to Vasco (needless to say that it was not Mr Rossi that was performing but a look-alike that Paolino adores, possibly less that he loves Zampo or the boat driver, but he is still besotted). After the pici and before the concert, we gambled five euro on the lottery. Michela got wine, Paolino got a salami, Federico got a pecorino cheese and then, with the same number, a whole prosciutto! Duty bound to help them make their way through their winnings, we invited them to dinner on Friday. Michela surprised the crowds with a GREEN cake.


Before hoards of mozzies arrived.


Spinach and coconut?

ST MEDIE PARADISE

The second group of poulettes squawked in St Medie, between Sisteron and Aix-en-Provence, for a full three days, occasionally dipping in the pool when the Mistral was not blowing, and chasing night markets that did not exist in Cucuron. Dindon Cris got a gold medal for shopping with JP on Saturday morning, and Fredo was nominated best child entertainer, bringing them back from Roussillon covered in colours. Valerie took on her natural role as lead organiser and Helene, Fred and I sometimes did what we were told. A fun break that passed all too quickly!


A moment of peace by the pool.


One of the many moments at the table!

NURSES AND THE FULL MONTY: THE COMMON DENOMINATOR

You might remember our nurse friend from a post about biros on the 21st of April (and if you don't, you should check it out as it contains important medical information for anyone needing first aid). Anyhow, Giandomenico works in the emergencies unit of the Silvestrini Hospital in Perugia, a sprawling mass of concrete that is getting larger by the minute as it expands to accommodate and replace the old hospital in the centre of town. Yesterday, we nipped over to say hi, or so we thought before we got entangled in the biggest labyrinth (without hedges) that you have ever seen. All the doors that had a "please close" sign were open, all the main doors had no signs at all, and the only information point and reception area that we found was a wooden garden shed, brand-new and empty, sitting along the main road. And so to my point: do nurses use the info-shed to sneak away for a secret, guilt-free mars bar (whilst wearing clingfilm under their overall)?!? and what happens in an emergency?!


spot the shed...

LOUNGING

and that is how we spend Sunday afternoons... a reminder for the winter months!


Casa Wieters, restored by Arch Marco Carlini www.studiocarlini.com, bought by me - ie, I had power of attorney for them, or whatever it is called ;)

PASINIS MOVE OVER

For a full week, Jandro and his girls took over Petrignano's Spinalbeto Case Vacanze, visiting nearby water wholes, such as Camucia's Seven Point and Lake Trasimeno, before heading off to the seaside and a trip down memory lane at Bagno Mercuriali.


We pedaloed round Castiglione del Lago, stopping at Pepe Rosa for an ice cream on one day, and then, two days later, when the pain in our legs had faded, we went to Lido di Tuoro and narrowly avoided the ferry as we were making our way back from Isola Maggiore, where we stopped for another ice cream.
Who is addicted to ice and coke?!


The whole family gathered to spend an evening with us. Only Nicolo was out with his mates - to be expected at six years old!


The happy family took one more dip before it was time for some parmiggiano and Sagrantino di Montefalco, and a drive back down to Rome.

NEW HOMES

or should I say a home, as opposed to the floor of the bathroom or the box near the lorry shed - shared with mum (Luna) and flanked by dad (Mister (Ringo) Star) - but still not particularly comfy.

Puciottina, who nearly got killed by the Alsacian planting its teeth into her head, went off to be pampered by Roberto and his dog-loving family. Her toe-biting, flip-flop-nibbling brother, Puciotto, took the place of a guard dog in Pozzuolo and cried his first night away (clearly no feet to graze on in the vicinity...). Hopefully they will both live happy lives.

Do you like my new shower mat?

My not-particularly-clean but super cheeky Puciotto.