Inka dinka doo

23rd February 2025

If you thought last week offered slim pickings, then, as someone once said, you ain’t seen nothing yet – though I think he, unlike me, was offering something better than what had gone before.

We can happily gloss over most of the week, though Friday does merit an honourable mention on two accounts. One was waking up to a frosty morning with ice on the cars for while clear skies meant a sunny day, it also meant temperatures dropping to zero overnight. The other was a dramatic (ok, not that dramatic) change to our morning routine.

With Stephen off to Milan yesterday for his February date with MICAM and LineaPelle, he naturally enough wanted some tonsorial attention. The problem was, it was his turn to do the shopping and mine for the haircut. Easily solved, with a bit of juggling and him having made an extra appointment last week. This is how it panned out (I bet you can’t wait): Stephen did the shopping early while I took Harry for his walk and saw to my ablutions. He then came home and we went, in separate cars, for breakfast at Bar del Borgo and then to Rocco’s. I had first dibs on the chair so I could get back and get sorted in time for my Friday morning lesson leaving Stephen to go straight to work after his turn. Now aren’t you so much happier being in full possession of the facts?

Other than the weekend continuing sunny and taking Stephen to the station yesterday morning, that would have been it, if not for receiving a message from an erstwhile student just before setting off for Civitanova. Giulia, as we will call her to protect the innocent, had half a dozen or so lessons just over two years ago but decided to stop as it turned out to be a bit difficult to fit it into her work commitments. She has now changed jobs and is finding that the level of fluency required in English is a bit above what she can manage and was asking if I could help her. Of course, I said no.

Only kidding. Of course I said yes, which is why we had a very nice chat for half an hour this afternoon about what she needed and how I could help. This turned out to be two lessons a week, focusing on listening and speaking generally, and thankfully not on work specific stuff as I’m not that up to speed on engineering.

As for Stephen in Milan, he arrived safely and on time and took up residence in his compact apartment with plenty of time to check out the shops and find something to eat. Today he’s been doing the fair and networking before heading out tonight for pizza with an old shoe acquaintance, so it’s been all go. Unlike me, all I’ve done today is wash and iron and make chili and hoover and clean the bathroom and take Harry for walks and help a damsel in distress. I must try harder tomorrow.