Tomorrow (Monday, May 2) the movers bring our things to the apartment and we will spend our first night there. In the meantime we have been taking care of the deferred maintenance. Dom replaced all the rubber bumpers on the roll shutters and bought the parts to fix the one that is not working properly. One of the toilets is cranky and leaking so the entire tank will be replaced. It is a plastic tank (common here) and it is easier to do that than just replace the guts. We have purchased all but one light that is needed in the apartment. Those will be installed after Dom has his drill.
In spite of all the work we are doing here we still have quite a bit of free time.
Yesterday we drove to the race track at Mugello north of Florence for a mostra scambio (swap meet). It was an interesting visit because they were also having a track day. Wannabe racers were running their cars around the track at high speed but not exactly racing. A track day is really an opportunity for boys (and girls) with toys to really see what they will do. There was everything from a couple of Lamborghini Galardos to Renault Clios. There were a lot of Porches so probably a local club was involved in the track day. The swap meet itself was a little disappointing as it was mostly motorcycle parts. However, we had a good walk around and enjoyed our visit.
Afterwards we stopped at the Barbarino outlet mall for lunch. Neither of us felt much like shopping so we just ate panini (sandwiches) and headed back to Partigliano. We did stop at the apartment as we had left the notebook pc there the night before. Dom puttered a little while I checked email and then it was back to Partigliano and a quiet evening.
This morning we met Mary Caselli and we all went to the marcia podistica (non-competitive organized walk) in Camigliano. It is a rather intense walk--a steep uphill walk for a couple of kilometers and then a steep, gravel downhill portion. It was a nice morning--broken clouds and not too warm. However, by the time we were finished with our 5 kilometers we were all sweating heavily.
Back at Partigliano Dom and I puttered around until mid-afternoon. We packed everything except our big suitcases (including all the food and the bag and box we have been leaving here), showered, had lunch and even had time to read and watch TV. I went to Mass at 4 pm after which there was a joint procession with the parish from Valdottavo down in the valley. It was a three priest mass complete with incense and afterwards all the parishioners walked up the hill behind the priests and the parish banners, crucifixes and icons while singing and praying. At the chiesetta (small chapel-like shrine) near Erina's house there was a blessing and then everyone headed back down to the church.
I skipped out on the walk back down the hill and Dom and I loaded up the car with everything we had packed. In Capannori the May 1st (a holiday here--labor day) was already getting started. The stage for the bands had been up for several days but now there were barricades and a number of trucks with vendors selling various kinds of food. We unloaded our stuff and then walked to the old town where there was a market just closing up. Lots of people were strolling around and the weather was perfect. We worked our way back to the pizzeria behind our apartment and put in an order that would be ready in 45 minutes. Then we went to the piazza and found a place to sit and listen to the music.
The music has been VERY loud but not obnoxiously so. Our terrace provides a bird's eye view of the party but it was fun to sit down in the thick of things for a while.
Eventually we went back for our pizzas and some gelato, returned to the apartment and ate dinner. The main act--Modena City Ramblers--started playing about 9:30. They are a Celtic-Italian band and quite good. However, we are both tired and plan to head back to Partigliano shortly for our last night there.
We will be back early in the morning to meet the movers. Yeah!
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