Montefalco and a happy Wilf.

Sunday saw us making good use of the beautiful weather and heading off to the local hilltop town of Montefalco. A trip there lets me buy the papers while the 'font' has a cup of coffee at the bar on the main square. As well as being on a save the planet kick (hence the chemical free home made mosquito repellant that can also double up as a marinade) 'we' are also apparently on a cut down on caffeine routine. I tasted the evil decaffeinated brew that was proffered and instantly went up to the counter and ordered a double espresso. The caffeine free route is one best travelled without me. Like all Italian towns Montefalco was completely devoid of people on the streets at 10.30 am. It felt as though it has just been decimated by some chemical or biological disaster- all the signs of habitation were there but all the people had gone.

The town boasts a new and rather chic hotel on the main square. It is perhaps over designed for our primarily agricultural region but a welcome addition nonetheless. The floors are made of that high gloss white cement that you find in hip hotels in South Beach or West Hollywood. I couldn't but help notice that every visitor left behind a trail of footprints which required the constant attention of some poor young thing with a bucket and mop. No sooner was the floor clean than another tourist would come wandering off the street with dusty size 11 feet and so the process would repeat itself.

Wilf has been down with me at the pool since seven this morning sorting out the pool chemicals. Digby is catching up on his sleep under the kitchen table. For Wilf any trip poolside is an opportunity to pick up a ball and drop it in the water with a satisfying splosh. I am then expected to pick it up and throw it. He then returns to drop it in the water and so on and so on. He never tires.

For the sensitive souls who visit this site I would recommend a blog http://www.29blackstreet.blogspot.com/. It is very beautifully written and the latest post has a rather thought provoking piece of 13th century eastern poetry that we enjoyed - maybe surviving the attack has made us both more grateful for all life brings.