Back pain. Three months on from the robbery.

The font of all knowledge has just driven off to Orvieto to see a back specialist. This reminds me that it is exactly three months ago today that our little idyll here in Italy was invaded in the small hours by a group of armed, hooded men firing their guns and beating us and our friends with fire irons. It's amazing how quickly time heals both the memories and the physical damage. Fractures have mended, stitches have been taken out, bruises softened, and the bullet damage to the floors and walls patched up. The back sadly has not recovered from the kickings and beatings so quickly. Why is it that modern medicine has made so many advances but the field of back pain remains in its infancy?

It's easy to criticise Italy. It has many faults - the bureaucracy is dreadful and anything to do with computers is at best hit and miss. What you can't criticise is the genuine warmth of the people - the support of the villagers has been both freely offered and practical. Where else would the local restaurants take it in turn to send down food while we were recuperating? Certainly not in the UK, where the sense of community as it exists here disappeared years ago. We have also found new friends - a local American couple have proven to be towers of strength and support. I take great cheer from the fact that you can stumble across new friends and untrammeled human kindness at any age and in the most unexpected of places.

Both boyz are still very nervous

Both boyz are still extremely nervous after Thursday mornings robbery. We think Digby went and hid under the bed while the attack was under way.Wilf seems to have been barking at the getaway car and driver outside and was only found seven hours later by the Police a kilometre or so away. It's possible the robbers picked him up and threw him out of the car so his barking didn't attract the neighbouring farmers attention.Both of them are still acting as though they are joined to me at the ankle - everywhere I go -they go! They are getting lots of walks, games and tickles.

We are still amazed by the kindness of strangers. The local restaurant sent down a lamb roast for Easter, together with some wine ( which sadly I'm not allowed to touch until the head injury heals ) and desert. I'm sleeping ok ( in the belief that lightning doesn't strike twice ) but that's not true of everyone in the family.

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 .