Earthquake,wind and fire.

If my schoolday memories serve me correctly there used to be a hymn that had a line that went something like: 'through the earthquake,wind and fire a still small voice of calm'. It is many,many years since that line has come to my mind but last night we had two out of the hymn writers three terrors- more earth tremors and a thunderstorm with winds of biblical proportion that literally picked up the garden furniture from the terrace and cast it into the courtyard below. We knew something strange was going on when a startled looking Wilf suddenly rushed up to us while we were having dinner outside and started scratching urgently at the kitchen door to go in - two minutes later the sky turned instantly black and a howling whirlwind slammed into the house. We managed to clear the dinner table ( I prioritized and saved the wine bottle and glasses ) before everything that wasn't tied down started to be blown around. Thirty seconds later the table and chairs ( all metal and quite weighty ) went sailing over the parapet and deposited themselves in the courtyard grass below. I thought whirlwinds only existed in Kansas.

This morning after some torrential monsoon type rain we woke to crystal clear skies with four eagles and two falcons floating overhead. The builders came at six thirty to fix the spout in the courtyard fountain - this is now gushing away to its heart content. I say gushing because instead of a gentle, calming rippling sound the fountain makes a noise like a miniature Niagra Falls. This may have something to do with the recirculating pump which looks as if it is big enough to single handedly work the bilge tanks in an oil tanker and pushes the water out at a 'muscular' pace. I shall speak to the builder and ask him if there is anything that can be done to moderate the rather alarming rate of flow.

After last nights traumas the two boyz are sensibly taking it easy today. They are settled down outside the front door under the lemon trees and keeping a wary eye on the swallows that are milling around overhead. It seems that the unspoken canine order of the day is to conserve their energy.

Another earthquake

After the big earthquake in Aquila four months ago everything has thankfully been quiet - until last night when there was a huge tremor and aftershock just as we had turned in for the night. On the radio this morning it said it was a 6 on the richter scale and again is thought to have had its epicentre in Aquila - about 80 kilometres south of here. There was a rumble like an express train passing close by and then the whole house juddered sharply. Wilf who usually is aware of the tremors a good ten seconds before we are was just settling down in his bed when it occured - so he was as shocked as the rest of us. Thankfully, no damage was done either to us or the poor folks in Aquila.

What a 36 hours : An earthquake and robbery with violence

Will post later but we've had the most traumatic 36 hours . On Thursday morning there was an earthquake at 2.35 am that was severe enough to wake us all . There was a noise like an express train, the building swayed and plaster came tumbling off the roof.  Then at 4.30 am after everyone had settled back into a deep post-earthquake sleep the house was stealthily broken into by five armed and masked men . Wilf and Digby were too tired after the tremors to notice their arrival. The intruders fired off their machine guns, knocked me unconscious in the bed when I tried to grapple with them, tied up and beat everyone else with fire irons and monkey wrenches, dragged each of us off for mock executions and finally left half an hour later with their loot , leaving us and house guests locked into an upstairs room. What a wonderful start to the holiday for our guests! Believe me it's not pleasant to have to watch your partner and closest friends being bludgeoned in front of you while a masked robber holds a pistol at the back of their necks screaming that he's going to pull the trigger. The last thing I remember before losing conciousness was Wilf and Digby gamly defending 'the font' despite being kicked, punched and shot at.
 The Italian health service was fantastic - I was in the hospital and having an MRI for the fractured skull within an hour of the incident. Wilf was traumatised and was found twelve hours later by a Carabinieri patrol a mile away - they think he had been chasing the robbers get away car up the hill. A bloodied and bruised Digby went straight to ground under our bed and did his bit for the general pandemonium by barking loudly and continually - I thought the gang might shoot him to keep him quiet but there was so much commotion elsewhere they probably didn't notice. We spent most of yesterday giving statements to the police and helping out the forensic staff. Everyone here rallied round and we have been simply overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers and the staunchness and selflessness of neighbours and friends . American neighbours looked after 'the font' with heartwarming kindness and tenderness. One learns not only the downside of human nature but also the counterbalancing upside. Some friends took the boyz to the vets to have their wounds stitched up  and their bloodied noses cleaned. We'll get them back later today .

Another tremor

Wilf was awake at 1.14 this morning with the house shuddering with another aftershock from the Abruzzo earthquake. Everyone else slept through it. It's the sound that surprises me - all of a sudden there is a whoosh that grows in volume and then suddenly stops. The best way of describing it is like a really heavy fall of snow sliding off a roof. Sadly, the death toll looks as though it's going to rise above 150.Was amazed at the number of messages from friends and colleagues from around the world who e-mailed or texted to see if we were alright. People are basically kind.

Have just finished 'Naked' a collection of essays by David Sedaris - his third book. It's a bit rawer than the first two - 'Me Talk Pretty' and 'Dress your Family in Corduroy' -which I really enjoyed. The final two chapters about his mother and his trip to a nudist colony in Scranton , of all places, are the best. I can see why he has become one of the 'must read' American authors.Have started on a biography of Dean Acheson which is very worthy.

Time for a quick nap after the earthquake

Routine becomes ever more important to a dog the older he gets. This morning at 3.32 exactly Wilf was woken ( as was I ) by strong earth tremors. He came racing up the stairs into the bedroom to alert us to the fact that all was not as it should be. Thankfully, the earthquake was about 100 miles away to the east of Rome but the aftershocks kept coming through the night.It seems that as many as 13 people have been killed. After the horrid novelty of nighttime tremors both dog and owners are a little tired this morning. Digby snored through the entire process.