Scorchio

16th July 2023

First things first. Stephen didn’t, in the end, have to finish off putting chains on the remaining leather straps as before he could source some more, he got a call from the factory saying that on looking again at the order, only some of the boots had this design detail, the others just had the strap – and as he only did two over the required amount, it wasn’t as if he had wasted too much time.

Now onto other matters.

If you have been following the news, it won’t come as a great surprise to know that this year’s unpredictable (you might even say bizarre) weather has turned up the heat. Monday the temperature was well into the thirties, and even hotter in the Panda. Stephen had with forethought parked it in the shade when he went back to work in the afternoon, but even so when he got into it later it was reading 40°.

This set the theme for the week. On Tuesday the Renegade showed 46° and even after I had moved it into the shadow of the barn, when I went to do my taxi service for my evening lesson, it had dropped but 33° in the shade at 7 in the evening strikes me as a trifle over the top. Even my mobile phone was complaining. Being of a newer variety, you can (theoretically) charge it on a contact disc, but not if the screen reads that charging has stopped as the phone is too hot.

Stephen is continuing to water the orto diligently, even if it is still being mean in return. We have had a few tomatoes and courgettes, but nothing like the usual abundance. And he has a new theory: it is not so much the amount of rain that has affected them, as the second lot avoided the worst of the deluge, but what the rainwater running down from the wheat field and into the orto might have contained. The crop has been sprayed two or three times, and even though it is for Mancini who don’t use chemicals, he thinks the produce might have seeped into the ground and found its way into our vegetable plot. It may be paranoia, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wrong, especially as it isn’t just the orto that seems to be affected.

The two grapevines that have, every other year, grown with abundance are also looking sorry for themselves. By now, the one by the well at the west side of the house that Stephen has trained along wires and which has gradually spread itself along the railings of the terrazzo, and the one at the east side, that twines itself along the wire fencing, are lush with leaves and bunches of grapes starting to swell. Not this year. What bunches there are look very pitiful and the leaves, that normally are a deep shiny green are brown and mottled and falling off. As if that is not enough, the quince tree at the bottom of the lane which marks our return point on our walks has no fruit – and now I come to think of it, whilst I saw evidence of flower buds earlier in the year there wasn’t actually any blossom. And let’s not even start on the three spindly stalks that had been promising self-seeded cherry tree saplings. It seems to me like a case for Mulder and Scully.

Thursday saw a new arrival at LCDDB when Stephen came home at lunchtime with a large parcel, which he opened to reveal our new sun umbrella. Our old one was ok, but as we used it to shade the front door the shape worked a bit against us. Given its multiple corners, we had to angle it sharply to cast a shadow on the doorway, which also meant that when it was open we had to duck down to get past it. It was also anchored in one of those white plastic bases that need to be filled with water, and the fact that it had started to leak was not really helpful. This one, on the other hand, has a solid base (an optional extra, of course) and being half an umbrella the flat side fits snuggly against the wall - at least it did after Stephen chopped a few inches off the bottom so it missed the guttering - at the side of the door. Altogether much more convenient, and chic.

Friday was a busy work day for Stephen as they had a visitor to the office, who had been driven from Rome airport that morning and was driven back in the afternoon to make her evening flight to New York. Not that she is American, nor is that where she lives. She only works there, for as is the way in this brave new world of international fashion, she is actually an Italian who lives in Paris and works in New York. I guess if that is the lifestyle you crave, or at least put up with for the status and the glory, that’s fine. As for me, fifteen minutes to Montegranaro is stretching my idea of a manageable commute these days.

After a day of bits and pieces and trying to avoid the midday heat yesterday, we had a jaunt out, Campiglione way, in the early evening – and not just so we could enjoy the air conditioning in the car. First off was petrol, it being the furthest spot, then the Chinese store as the next stop on a leisurely route back home. Stephen was in search of something for repotting the tiny cacti that we bought a couple of months ago at the market in Civitanova, and which were outgrowing their small containers. He found just the thing, but we also found several other things that we had no idea we needed when we walked through the door, including a pack of printer paper at a very good price and two garden lights, because why not?

Next stop was Girasole to kill a bit of time before dinner and because I thought it would be a good idea to buy some cotton boxer shorts from Intimissimi. Now, I don’t want to get too personal in these matters, but given that I spend the summer in shorts, unless etiquette demands, and given that the temperatures are consistently hovering around 35°, some comfortable, loose-fitting undergarments as opposed to the boxer trunks that I habitually favour, I thought might allow for a more refreshing circulation of air. And that is as far as I care to go on that topic, other than to say that they do.

Final stop was Mascalzone Latino, the new and vastly improved spot just outside Campiglione to where our local pizzeria transferred a few months back. And what a difference: larger, more urban chic and with space for outside dining in this hot weather. Not that we ate outside, as not having booked (I won’t say who dismissed that idea, but as a clue I’ll say it wasn’t me) there were no tables available al fresco. That was ok; we thought a spot of air conditioning (see above) wouldn’t go amiss, and at just after 7pm we were eating bizarrely early so were not missing out on the buzz, there not being any other diners at that time. The pizza bianca (limonissima, with salmon, mozzarella, caviar, lemon and rocket) was very good indeed and Alessandro was very happy to see us, so we will definitely be returning. And what better way to end a perfect outing than stopping at Bar del Borgo and taking home a selection of ice cream (fior di latte, amarena and tiramisu) to enjoy while watching a spot of tv.

As for today, we have instigated a new regime. Usually, Stephen takes Bella and Harry out for a quick comfort break first thing while I prepare breakfast, and then I take them for their long walk around 8.30. It will come as no great shock that the past few days when we have returned from the walk I have been perspiring to the nth degree while B&H have been more than ready to flop in the comparative cool of the kitchen. It seemed, therefore, to make more sense for me to take them at 6.30, before the temperatures broke the 30° barrier. That’s what we did, and will continue to do for the foreseeable future – which given the current long-range weather forecast looks like being sometime around when the clocks go back.