Wednesday 18th September 2024

After the excitement and planning of Tuesday, an altogether more relaxing day was planned for today.

We laid in bed until after seven, and then I went back to sleep for another 45 minutes.

Then came the lull in which we had coffee, a shower, got dressed, had breakfast and more coffee before we decided we were ready to go out at 11.

In fact, we only needed to go out to get some milk, and had planned a day inside, due to frequent rain and thunder storms. Needless to say, the day dawned bright and clear, and continued all morning, so it seemed we should go out.

A couple of day ago, we went through a walled town on the way out, about twenty KM south of Roccastrada, so we would go there, and the town had a CoOp so we could get supplies.

Paganica was fortified in AD 1328, and the town walls and gates have stood witness to the complicated history of the area over those long centuries.

Houses and walls are mostly bare of plaster, so the rock and bricks used for construction can be seen.

On our walk to the town square we were observed, certainly from an old Nonna for her kitchen, but we wandered on.

The town is home to about a thousand people, yet the square has two ice cream parlours, a bar, a restaurant, and a tabac, and all were open and doing business when we pulled up.

Jools went to the artisan ice cream shop, and got two pistachio creations, that we had to leave to defrost for 20 minutes before eating. They looked like miniature wedding cakes in their fancy box.

So, we sat on a bench with the ice cream defrosting between us, people watching, as we guessed news and gossip was swapped.

I could see myself living in such a community, knowing everyone else, and when you go out, a 5 minute chore turning into a two hour trip as you speak to everybody you meet.

We gave up waiting, and ate the creations, and made a right old mess, but the ice cream was wonderful, topped with a thick chocolate tablet and a thin sponge at the bottom.

We gave up trying to eat them with wooden forks, and used our hands instead.

Still delicious.

With clouds building and the threat of rain and maybe storms on the way, we drove back to our apartment, unloaded shopping from the back of the car, then I went out butterfly chasing.

At three the clouds got so thick the butterflies went in, so I did too, and away beyond Elbe, a storm was brewing, sending forked lightning out every few seconds.

But with light winds only, the storm took and hour to drift over to us. It split in two at one point, but merged again for ten minutes of earbashing cracks of thunder, and the rain came down in sheets.

I roasted vegetables again, then fried the remainder guanciale and salami, boiled pasta, mixed them all in a big pot and served them on two over-flowing plates.

Was good. Again.

I had found a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve, so had that, and was a great combination.