Set fair...

We have a kitchen! Not one that works yet, but everything is in its place (apart from the lights, extractor and tap which, like the oven, hob, fridge, sink and dishwasher are awaiting the arrival the connection service sub-contracted by IKEA) and it’s looking as good as we’d envisaged - and not at all crowded. It’s one of the unfathomable TARDIS-like things about houses how, when you put furniture in rooms, they somehow look bigger than when they are empty.

Work on the kitchen started more or less on time when a van containing the entire components and two Romanian fitters (one who spoke Italian and one who spoke English, so that was most bases covered) turned up. The English speaker was very spruce in his tight white t-shirt, but may have regretted encouraging Harry to welcome him effusively when he left dusty paw prints all over it. It didn’t, however, dismay him and they both worked their proverbial socks off all day and made a good job of fitting the units and hardware.

The kitchen would have been completed by teatime, had there not been a hiccup with the last unit housing the sink. For some reason, one of the drawers was just not playing ball, but this is where IKEA shot to the top of my personal top ten (ahead, even, of One Direction) as, when the Italian speaking fitter phoned them up, they arranged for another team to drive out immediately with a replacement. How good is that? By 7pm the first team had left, the second team had arrived, fitted the new drawer and also departed. A bit different from having to wait six weeks while a new one is ordered and a fitting time found. Well done, IKEA.

As for today, we sourced some other things for the house, which meant a trip back to the coast. The middle of August and the main holiday season, and whereas to most Italians the coast means the beach, to us it means the shops in Civitanova. Today we went in search of a washing machine. We went first to Trony, which had a very interesting take on selling goods: a double whammy of not putting prices on items and employing salespeople who couldn’t give a toss. We made a sharp exit and headed for Euronics, which had a much better range, people that knew what they were talking about and a washing machine with €150 off. Good enough for us.

We also took the opportunity, or rather Stephen did as you know how I glaze over when anything related to DIY rears its head, to bob into Obi and buy a set of ladders and sundry other stuff, with which Stephen is going to set about the beams and make them look loved.

This evening we had a very pleasant time when we went to Fermo with Elsa, Giovanni and young Marzia to visit the street market, after having tea with them at their new apartment in Lido di Fermo.

The market is held every Thursday in July and August; in July it is more geared to antiques whilst in August it’s more like a Christmas craft fair on steroids, but one that starts in the early evening and goes on until late. When we left at 10.30 cars were still arriving. All the shops stay open as well, or rather they close at 8, the normal time, then reopen at 9.30 for the evening trade. With the warmth of the night, the charming setting of old Fermo town and the wide variety of stalls it was a lovely experience.

So what did we buy?’ you ask. Just the usual stuff: half a pecorino cheese, half a wild boar salami, a new scarf for me for the autumn, some quartz blocks to help my skin and a second hand pressed glass ice bucket. Just your normal, everyday items… though maybe what we should have bought was, like Marzia, a pink pony with shocking puce hair.