Wonderful English/Scottish words

I have been reading a lot this holiday. And it always means that I find words that aren’t used so often and, because I live here, I never use now.

One of these was charabanc (pronounced shar – uh – bang), meaning coach or bus, usually for tourists and often used for day trips. An old, English word, little used nowadays. A rather splendid word, I think.

The second was a Scottish word, dreich (pronounced dreek) meaning dreary and dark, applied to the weather (we wouldn’t really use it so much here anyway). It does, in my mind summon up a rather damp and miserable day.

Piero makes a break for it!

Piero is growing fast. Now he is half the height of Dino. He is also getting more mischievous.

Take this morning. F took them to the pinetta and let me sleep for an extra hour. Then we got ready to come to the beach. Piero was, as usual, outside. This time he was round the back of the house, discovering some new thing, something new to chew or somewhere colder than elsewhere.

It was nearly time to go. I walked round to the back and could see him the other side of the low wall, tucked in by the back fence.

I called him. He pricked up his ears. After another couple of calls, he got up and came trotting towards me. Dino had appeared by now and so they followed me back round to the front. Dino went ahead up the (marble) steps and I followed. I got to the door and looked behind me. Piero had got halfway up the steps but, realising that we were going inside, paused.

I noticed that he half turned and knew it was because he didn’t want to come in and went to get him. He turned full circle and bounded down the steps.

Luckily for me, he headed for the gate so I got him but it’s only a matter of time before he realises that his best bet is to head towards the back where he will be more difficult to get.

I can see us now, running round the garden with him thinking it’s a great game!

The White City

I don’t suppose I’ve ever mentioned before but this place reeks of marble. This is, so I am told, the place for it. It is mined (or is it cut) from the mountains that sit behind me – me being on the beach, looking out to sea.

Apparently, this place (of which I had never heard before I came here with F) is famous, if not infamous, for it’s marble and. In particular, it’s white marble.

Various famous people have come here to pick their own marble for their kitchen or whatever. There are big yards, near where F has his house where there are huge, almost square blocks of the stuff, where they also cut it into huge flat sheets. Yesterday I saw some people who were being shown round one of these yards, obviously choosing the block or sheets they wanted.

The marble, since Roman times, was hauled down the mountainside, to the sea front where it has been shipped all over the world.

As one would expect, with marble being such a big thing here, marble is used in some of the strangest of places.

I mean, there are the usual, expected sculptures and monuments. At every roundabout, variously placed outside public buildings, in squares and one, of what looks like a baby polar bear, outside the school.

Some are modern, like one with waves with hands and heads sticking out – I guess to remember those lost at sea, some old and rather forgotten like the one of a dog, about 5 feet tall.

Then marble is used on houses that, elsewhere, would be unthinkable. Like, for instance, the base of houses, up to the damp course. And for tables and instead of skirting boards.

Then there’s the street. The pavements are not paved with gold but often marble. And, for me, the most extravagant thing is its use for kerb stones.

This is certainly a place for marble and mostly white marble. And it gives the place a rather opulent feel.

Woof Woof Sands

Today, as it was cloudy, was the day for bau bau beach.

Bau bau is what young kids get told are dogs, much like we say ‘doggy’. Bau bau is also the Italian for woof woof or bow bow, being the noise a dog makes when it barks.

We took them to the pinetta first so that they would be tired. They were definitely tired – just not tired enough, it seems.

Actually, bau bau beach is one of the free beaches – i.e. one doesn’t have to pay. But you don’t get any facilities – like a bar, tables, a cabin, loungers or umbrellas.

Except, for €15 per season, you can use one of the loungers and one umbrella (that you must put up yourself).

Unlike a normal free beach, however, on this one you can take dogs.

It was Piero’s first time. He wasn’t keen on the water but, as it was the only way to get to some other dogs, he went in.

Dino wouldn’t go in further than his belly – until we threw a stick in. Then he went to retrieve it. Dino’ hair is short now so getting wet made no difference. Piero has never had his hair cut so when he got wet, he looked so skinny and drowned!

We did the paddling/swimming thing a few times and then went to sit under our umbrella for a bit. Piero found his voice. He wanted to be with a couple of border collies that were playing on the shore and, sometimes, swimming in to retrieve a ball that was thrown out for them. Piero didn’t like not being part of it so barked – a LOT!

But it was good fun for a few hours.

Then we took them to the pinetta again and then had breakfast (it being nearly 12.30). After doing some supermarket shopping we tidied up the garden a bit.

F is now having a bath, after which is dinner – stuffed tomatoes, watermelon and fruit salad.

Today was the dogs’ day. They are exhausted. And so am I!

Minutes away ………..

Well, this is it!

The last time for getting up at 5.30 a.m. for 23 days.

And the last time for getting up at 5.30 a.m. with a temperature of at least 26°C until, probably, next summer, since it will be almost September by the time I do it again.

And my test worked, and I am happy about that.

In one hour, I leave work. I go home, hold T’s hand whilst she does her test; pack; shower and, with any luck, we shall leave.

F is going to be really busy today and doesn’t know what time he will finish – but I reckon he will try to finish as normal which will enable us to go.

It is so very hot an humid here, right now and, although it’s hot and humid there – it’s not as bad as here.

Less than 1 hour now.

Not that I’m counting down the minutes or anything ……….

Half-preparing

Well, my first night ‘free’ for a long time.

I have been so busy and will continue to be busy for the next two days before the hols. I have tried to set up this WordPress thing to allow me to post by email. I got it working partially but the text of the message came out as gobbledygook. I might have another go tomorrow. It would allow me to post whilst I’m away or, at least, it would be much easier to post. Still, if I can’t do it that way, I can try something else. We’ll see.

I should have done a few minor repairs to some jeans and trousers but I will take the stuff away with us and do it then. Maybe. I mean – maybe I will take it away. And, anyway, even if I DO take it away, maybe I will do it. The probability is that I will take it away and bring it back in the same state. But I do have one week without F and I think I might do it then.

I have given the dogs their monthly anti-heartworm and flea stuff tonight so they’re ready to go.

I did the last shopping (I hope).

Tomorrow evening, I shall pack as Friday will be busy and I don’t want to have to do it then.

Two nights from now and I should be eating pizza (with aubergine, asparagus and lardo) in Bati Bati on the first night of our holiday (subject to F finishing work early enough, T finishing her English Test early enough and the traffic not being horrendous).

The weather is very hot right now but is due to change on Monday (typical). This evening, walking the dogs, it said it was 34°C which is quite warm really. Still, even when it changes it will still remain n the high 20s, so not too bad.

And I sit here finishing my nice cold beer before I take the dogs out and go to bed, for I am exhausted.

Till my next post. If you’re going on holiday too, then have a nice time. If not, then have a nice time anyway.