You left us last time eagerly planning our anniversary party.....but as we are English and dared to mention the letters BBQ we shouldn't have been surprised that this heralded a severe change in weather.

An unseasonal north wind caused temperatures to plummet to 12c prompting Italians to rapidly change their summer attire for woolly jumpers, fleeces and quilted body warmers. After 3 days of this and even a 10 minute hail storm (which prompted lots of aghast upturned faces with everyone seeming to be non-plussed by this phenomenon) we decided to postpone the party until the weather was better.
This turned out to be an indefinite cancellation as by the time the sun returned a week later our workmen had returned and set about completing the other half of the central heating installation and placing waste pipes for the new bathrooms.....prompting a text message from one of our Italian friends stating "no poo pipes... no party!".

Unfortunately we had already purchased 2 cases of beer...these have been put on ice for Christmas celebrations as we have just heard that Sarah’s aunt and uncle have booked flights to come for a week for crimbo. This has prompted us to ensure that everything building wise is finished by then. In the ensuing 6 days we had quotes for a kitchen and trawled around electrical outlets sourcing domestic appliances and to date we have ordered everything and we are assured that the completed kitchen will be in place in 5 weeks time...MMMmmmmm we wait with the utmost confidence!

On the plus side our kitchen designer and fitter put us in touch with a friend in an electrical outlet who gave us a very, very good discount but as with all women Sarah used the money saved to buy other ‘necessary stuff’.
The return of the good weather inspired us to try out our outside forno (pizza /bread making oven) for the first time. It was surprisingly easy...very efficient and Sarah produced roasted vegetable kebabs, rosemary potatoes, lamb and rosemary and veal and sage kebabs (the herbs being picked fresh from our garden) they were absolutely delicious.....this prompted me to enquire with a smile, our need for an inside kitchen and new fan oven....I think I got away with it....(the jury is still out though!).

New neighbours also arrived this week, owners of a renovated trullo 50 metres away. Giancarlo and his wife are from |Genoa and only rent out their holiday home to friends and family. We have become good friends and were taken out for a meal in the nearby town of Cisternino (famous for roasted meat dishes).
Giancarlo introduced us to a rosticceria which is half butchers shop and half restaurant. You choose your fresh cuts of meat from the butchers counter and then cross over the narrow street to a table where 10 minutes later (if you elect not to have the extensive antipasti) your meat arrives sizzling from the wood fired oven.
Everything was unsurprisingly delicious...my favourite being ’bombetta’ wrapped parcels of bacon filled with local cheese....absolutely fantastic. |After eating far too much complemented by a litre of local Vino Rosso we paid the bill which worked out at around £6.50 a head.
After returning home we invited our guests in for wine and cake....(prossecco and pastries) which led to amaro (a digestivo) and then the introduction of our Italian neighbours to the delights of a fine Irish whisky, the perfect end to a very enjoyable evening.

Next day we decide the time has come to acclimatise our new puppies to walking on a lead and introduce them to the nearest town of Ceglie Messapica.....I fear the worst and am not disappointed.
The walking lesson turns into a synchronised dragging session with the smooth ancient pavements of the Centro storico becoming even more polished by the backsides of our puppies.
Locals looked on in amazement as they witnessed two crazy people alternately dragging and stopping, tangling and untangling as the pups cris-crossed back and forth through the streets culminating with much hilarity as 'Foo' decided to stop for a very lengthy irrigation session over a drain in the main piazza....much to the amazement of a man talking on his mobile who didn't hesitate to tell his friend on the phone accompanied by shouts of 'Bravo, bravo!'.....still at least we've been noticed.
We decide to stop at a cafe the owner comes out and welcomes us with "Ahhh yu arrr English", "how did you know" ....."just a guess really" is the reply.