Something clicked

So here we are at the beginning of March, and I hope that both my readers remembered to say ‘rabbits’ (or, if you are very particular, ‘white rabbits’) three times on waking this morning otherwise it’s all downhill from here for the next thirty days.

As for the past seven days, they have been of mixed fortunes if, albeit, lacking any real drama. The important news, of course, is the progression of the coronavirus which so far has affected Italy mainly in the north, though Le Marche did confirm its first three cases on Friday. As of yet, it has made little impact on daily life in this region apart from there being a distinct lack of tinned and certain frozen foods when we went to Lidl on Wednesday morning to do a stock up, while conversely fresh produce was in plentiful supply.

Wednesday was also the day that the schools closed, something that was flagged on Facebook and confirmed verbally by Maddalena when Stephen spoke to her the previous evening, with a provisional date for reopening of March 6th. On a different topic, she also mentioned that the McIntosh continues to be the place to be in MSP and that rumour has it if you want to eat at the weekend then you need to book a table. As we tend to go midweek, we should be all right, and surely being customers of some standing and having supported the pub when others had forsaken it should mean something.

The subject came up when Stephen said we would like to treat Marco (and Maddelena, of course) to beer and burgers as a way of an apology for forgetting his birthday at the beginning of February. This was met less enthusiastically than we had expected, but after she talked it over with Marco, it was agreed that we would wait till next week for the belated celebration. This may have had not a little to do with Maddalena’s reluctance to be within close proximity of someone recently returned from Milan.

As for the weather, this has continued to be reliably unreliable with another week of changeable conditions. Things started out very favourably on Monday morning when, for the first time this year, there was a definite spring-like feeling. While we have had warm days, this has been mainly due to afternoon sunshine but for a couple of days the air itself felt warm, allowing Stephen (whilst I was busy with more mundane occupations) on Tuesday morning to strip the fallen branches of their leaves and cut them into manageable lengths to move over by the house. The leaves he then spread over the lane to try to make a dry path for Bella, Harry and me when out walking and avoid the claggy area created by Mario and Luigi’s most recent intervention.

This foretaste of spring didn’t last long, however, as yet again the temperatures started rising on Wednesday evening and we were woken in the night by ferocious winds battering the house. It’s very strange how we seem to be getting these apparently maverick spikes, though the longer they go on the more they seem to be becoming the norm. On the plus side, this one blew itself out fairly quickly, as Thursday morning saw the return of calm, clear skies.

Thursday was also a significant day as we at last took possession of our long-awaited coffee machine. Stephen had phoned Massimo at Click Café the day before, expecting to hear that he was still waiting for it to be delivered, but to our joy he was told that it had arrived and was awaiting our arrival. We didn’t think we would be able to collect it before the weekend, but as my lesson with Vanna was cancelled because the Helen Doran School in Montegranaro was closed (see above) we had a window of opportunity. We are very pleased with it, not only because it does actually make a better cup of coffee as Massimo promised, but also the faffing about with the Nespresso machine and the compatible capsules, which were anything but, had turned what should have been a simple operation into a frustrating palaver.

And that about wraps it up for another week for after venturing out for the usual Friday business (shopping, haircuts, lesson with Rocco and takeaway pizza) we decided to err on the side of caution and stay at home all weekend, battening down the hatches, with the proviso of Neelam’s rescheduled first lesson yesterday morning. We are still, however, waiting for this to happen as despite sorting the materials and waiting in the car park for fifteen minutes she failed to appear, nor did she reply to my WhatsApp message checking all was ok till after lunch. She apologised and has suggested that we try Monday evening instead, so we shall have to hope that it is third time lucky.

To end where we began, the start of a new month has been marked by yet another change in the weather and one forecast to continue for the rest of the week, being a bit warmer, a bit duller and a bit wetter. March has come in neither like a lion nor like a lamb, just somewhat more mundanely. We will not, however, be lulled into a false sense of security for, as the Italian says, ‘Arriva marzo pazzerello; esce il sole e prendi l’ombrello!’ or, if you prefer, ‘Here comes crazy March; the sun comes out, and you grab your umbrella!’ Odd, though, how it makes no mention of grabbing your face mask.