A New Place

It takes a little time to get used to a new place.  You have to figure out the quirks and the little hidden surprises.  The sounds and the smells and where it’s warm and where it’s cold.  We spend most of Saturday doing this.  It was a cold, overcast day – perfect for staying inside.  I forgot how cold it can get here.  The temperature wasn’t that bad – low 50’s.  But it was windy and damp and felt like it was about 20 below.  We didn’t bring the right clothes for this weather, so we’re struggling to stay warm when we have to venture outside.  So I didn’t – venture out, that is.

Steve went with our friend Stefano and his girlfriend, Ludovica, to the Tim store in Sansepolcro to get our electronic needs.  This is kind of like a Verizon store.  We needed a booster for our internet connection.  These thick stone walls make it tricky for signals to reach all over.  We also got an Italian phone and minutes on our mobile hotspot.  Millie and I stayed home and puttered.

Millie’s had a harder time adjusting than I thought she would.  Some dogs are very particular about certain things – like drinking water out of those courtesy bowls you see scattered around.  She won’t touch them.  She’ll only drink from her own bowl.  And apparently, she’s very particular about where she poops.  We have this great yard here that we can just open the back door and let her into.  She’s enjoyed sniffing around and has peed all over it, but no poop.  We have to take her out for a walk for her to poop.  This is not good.  We walk her a lot, so that’s not a problem, but we want her to feel comfortable in her new yard.  We cannot coax her into going here.  We keep hoping she’ll go, but she has no interest at all.

We went to dinner at our friends Michelangelo and Rossella’s last night.  I’m really out of the habit of photojournalism, because I did not take one picture.  So sorry – it was a meal that should have been documented thoroughly.  Crostini with assorted toppings – tartufo (truffles), radicchio, tomato, liver – these fabulous little parmesan chips, and salumi to start.  Then one of my favorite dishes.  Baked polenta with sausage and mushrooms.  Then not one, but two, desserts.  A cream tart with figs and nuts and the most gorgeous little strawberries topped with cream.  Yes, lots of cream – but worth every gram of fat.

It’s always so good to sit at their table.  Rossella speaks no English but somehow we make it work.  Michelangelo speaks perfect English and their daughter Anna speaks good English, so they translate for her.  And we know enough Italian words to have a rudimentary conversation.  Somehow it works and we have such wonderful times with them.  It’s good to be back.

We left Millie at home by herself last night.  What’s the worst that could happen?  She could whine and howl and disturb everyone near here.  Or she could figure out that this is her home now and make herself comfortable.  Unless someone complains to us, we’ll never know what happened.  But this morning, after the bright sun streaming in the window woke us up, Millie confidently ran out the back door into her yard and pooped.  I think she’s made this her home.