Now comes the hard part.

We have finally run out of packing cases.Today is therefore a day for relaxing and taking stock before the storm breaks tomorrow morning when the removal team arrive from Rome. I thought we had downsized to a simpler lifestyle after leaving Scotland but the slimmed down version will still take four guys, four days to box up. The boyz are still unaware of the change that is rapidly approaching - they will be getting a lot of attention and reassurance in the coming week. In the meantime they are chilling in the courtyard.

Tonight we have a farewell dinner at the slow food restaurant in the village with our lovely American/South African neighbours. It's one of the joys of life that you can unexpectedly meet and make new friends .These people were so caring and kind after the 'late unpleasantness' that we want to work at keeping them in the close family circle. It is all too easy to let friends become acquaintances.Parting will be a little sad but France is only twelve hours down the autostrada.

Our other duty today is harder, the funeral of a young Carabinieri sergeant. He was gunned down and killed and two of his colleagues wounded in a shoot out with a car thief. They had all been to the house three our four times after the burglary and had been most concerned and solicitous about our welfare. We never came across violence until recently and now it seems to have become a background to life in Italy. The 'font' has written a letter of condolence to the wife and family which we will deliver to the cathedral. Funerals generally take place within 24 hours here and I am steeling myself for an event of great emotion. Isn't it strange how Europeans view America as a land of violence yet our American friends don't need state of the art security systems.