The angel's landing

The house we have been looking at. The owners greeted us warmly and we were there three hours. It was a bit much but we learnt a lot about the house, its past, the spring with its old piece of marble that divides  the water between the two properties.

The previous night I had pored over geology and landslip maps - Tuscany, particularly in the higher hills is very land-slippy. Seems there is an area of 'high geological danger'- just above the house.

We will have to seek out some advice. There is no insurance cover for landslips in Italy. Always something eh.

But then the house has been there a long time and been through many mutations. The onwer was born there, worked for 50 years in a rosticceria in Florence and now has a difficult illness.  A man of great dignity if somewhat sunken back in on himself.

Then as we drove home we dandered up a gravel track and fell in with another group of chatty Italians. Another house for sale. The onwer now in NZ. Everyone so friendly. The woman Roberta couldn't get my name, Ferr-goose. I said just call me 'ferro' - Ironman.

It was seven by the time we were home absolutely bazongoed with all that 'parlare Italiano'.  There comes a point where the mind is willing the mouth on but the mouth just refuses - different muscles brought into play in different way.

But a fab if exhausting day.