Crumbs

10th April 2022

After the excitement of last week, well, of last Tuesday to be precise, this past one would have been very tame indeed if the weather hadn’t decided to give us a spot of excitement this weekend, what with howling winds and driving rain. Before we get to that, however, let’s dispense with the necessities so we can all go and get on with something else.

Tuesday saw us in Cuore Adriatico for what we now consider a periodical big shop at the Conad there – and not just because Gordon’s gin is over €2 cheaper than locally, though stocking up on a couple of bottles does pay for the petrol. Wednesday it was time to go and collect the new driving licences. As we suspected, while Stephen has five years to enjoy the open roads, it was not possible to change my catch-all listing of possible vehicles on which I could be let loose to just a plain old car. I will have to return in September, when, hopefully, my licence will be changed giving me a decent amount of time to save up the money for the next renewal.

On a more mundane level, if there is one, having opened the last packet of Ollie’s Cookies, we thought we would combine our visit to Scuola Europa with a trip to Pet Market, five minutes down the road in the same area as Mirco’s cousin’s pizzeria. And yes, Ollie’s Cookies are dog biscuits, and our preferred treat for Bella and Harry as they are a natural product, without added sugar, raising agents, colours or preservatives. And yes, boring I know when one compares them with a double-chocolate chip human offering, but every responsible pet owner cares more for his charges than for his own health. The only problem was that when we went in, the shop was rocking a Mother Hubbard vibe, for the shelves were virtually devoid of Ollie’s Cookies, and completely bereft of our preferred shape, size and gusto.

The friendly manager hove into view and we asked if they were getting any more stock. No, was the reply, because the shop was closing at the end of the month. If we were interested, the nearest Pet Market after that would be in Fano. Much as we love our dogs, even we think that a round trip of some 230 kilometres and three hours is a bit excessive. We took two bags of the larger, bone-shaped variety as needs must, though really, they are not nearly as convenient, but what to do when they run out is the dilemma. The only good thing is that it put into perspective the issue of my driving licence.

As if that were not enough spirit sapping news for one week, Friday brought a timely reminder that if you don’t want to be reminded that while you are eternally nineteen in your head time is nevertheless striding manfully forward, then don’t talk music with the modern teenager. Whilst discussing this with Marzia and Diego, I was slightly taken about when Diego said that he had never actually bought any music, but that didn’t prepare me for the body blow of Marzia’s response when I asked her what a record was. “Is it one of those big black round things?” she asked. We moved on.

Which brings us to the weekend, and yesterday morning should have seen Nazareno, accompanied as always by Mirco, come to rotovate the orto, it being that time of year again – if not even a little past. Given the weather forecast, however, Stephen received a message saying that it was postponed till next week when things should have improved. In the event, the blustery conditions didn’t arrive till late evening, reaching a crescendo sometime in the middle of the night when battering rain and frantic winds did their best to keep us from getting our eight hours. It has calmed down a bit during today, though I made sure to keep a firm grip of the leads when out with the dogs. With everything else that has happened this week, Bella and Harry making like balloons was one thing we could well do without.