This weekend I was, sort of, half-offered 2 jobs. That’s nice. One of them, unfortunately, I couldn’t take. The other, well, who knows, it’s early days yet.
Something or nothing?
3
Tag Archives: Italy
A village of outlet shops. Your worst nightmare, yes?
I find shopping easy. For example: I need a jumper. I go to some shops. I walk into a shop, have a look around (10 minutes max.). I see something I like. I look for my size. It’s there. I try it on. (another 10 minutes). I decide if it is worth the money. I buy it (another 10 minutes).
There you go. Half an hour at the very most.
Bored/Fed-up
No, not me. I’m really busy and have no time to be bored, although I am incredibly tired.
Poison
Sambucca is, most definitely, poison. It is also delicious, which is the problem. That, and when we go to Sento, our favourite Japanese restaurant, they bring the bottle so we can keep topping up.
Well, it seems a nice day for the end of the world; More on Mantova.
The sun is shining. It’s about 28 degrees. It is, after all, a very nice day for the end of the world.
They think it’s all over……………………it was after three matches!
There were four groups, each containing 4 ‘teams’. From each, the top two went through, then on to the quarter finals, semi finals and final. In each group, the four teams played each other so that was three games.
Mantova, Subbuteo, Eating
Well, today, we go to Mantova to the Festivaletteratura. We have been going for about 5 years now and every year it gets easier as we understand more each time.
Post 200; Mongolian Barbeque and other food for the weekend; Clowny WILL be a real word!
Well, first, this is the 200th (published) post!* Considering I have been doing this blog for a number of years, 200 doesn’t seem that much. But it is some sort of milestone, I guess.
My 2nd week back at work and, the weekend just gone was also back to normal, if not busier.
Friday we were supposed to go and see FfI, who had the really bad accident at the end of July. However, she was on new drugs and very groggy so it was rearranged for Saturday. Then, on Saturday morning, A texted to suggest the Mongolian Barbeque restaurant. We agreed. So it was, kind of, apero at FfI’s about 5, then 9.30 we were at the Mongolian Barbeque. What a great place.
We had starters, which were “pick your own”. I chose a few small meatballs with a gravy with some roast potatoes and, incredibly, they tasted just like faggots. Now I really love faggots – you know, Brains – and we can’t get them here, so I was delighted to taste these.
Then we went up, selected our raw meat and then gave it to the cooks to griddle. And it all tasted superb. All this for a fixed price of €18. Great value for money. Even better for Sunday Lunch where the fixed price is €12. It doesn’t include drink but it’s still not bad.
The only thing to remember is that, should you not eat everything on your plate that you have chosen, they make a surcharge of between €5-10! Can’t say I blame them really as it ensures that people don’t just pile their plate and leave a load of stuff to be thrown away. However, this is a bit of a struggle for V who, as normal with free food, takes much more than he needs – and then can’t eat it! So he spent a while trying to convince everyone else to take some. Luckily, there was A – who is more like a human dustbin!!
Anyway, the food was very, very good and the experience of queuing up and watching your food being cooked, is also good. Worth checking out. It’s on Via Monte Nero in Milan, should you choose to go. Do book as it’s very popular.
Sunday was a really nice brunch with N followed by a surprise visit by friends from the UK who were catching flights back today. For the price of a nice Indian meal they stayed with us. And it was great to see them.
V was explaining about Dino to them, with the usual, ‘I never wanted another dog’ and he actually said ‘he does many clowny things!’. Now, I’m not sure why he said it. Nobody picked up on it and I said nothing. Maybe he remembered the word when we played scrabble that time with S & P. The story is that, in order to get a decent score, I made up the word and, although P, in particular, was sure it was a made-up word, no-one challenged me officially for fear of losing a go.
I made a very good explanation of why it was a real word, even though I knew that it probably wasn’t.
Anyway, now that V has said it to others, I’m sure that, in a few years, it will enter the dictionary and become a real word. And, when it does, you will know that I invented it!
It seems a perfect end to my 200th post, don’t you think?
* Unfortunately, not any more. I have deleted some posts since the move here. This is probably somewhere around the 195th post now.
Dragonflies: Montevecchio
We were up at Montevecchio the other evening (not really a place I would recommend) and walking around the cobbled streets when I saw so many dragonflies doing their acrobatic, helicopter thing above us and over the vines laden with unripe grapes.
Then again, yesterday, in the park with the boys, a load of them in the sun chasing their food.
In Montevecchio, we were with A and F. He actually asked if they bite!
I must say that they have got to be one of my favourite insects.
We found somewhere to eat. Called Il Rustico it was exactly what it said on the tin – rustic. Unfortunately, the food was too.< Not that there’s anything wrong with that but it was more than disappointing and V & I commented, to each other, that, even though people consider Milan to be expensive, we could have had a far better meal in Milan for the price. Even A & F agreed that the food was well below par. Give Montevecchio a miss. Now back to cleaning and general household chores. Oh joy.
Just thought you should know…….
The thermometer on the balcony, in the shade, says it’s currently 38 degrees. Wow, Yes!
I shall be away for a few days next week. Another fabulous trip to the delights of Wolverhampton, via Bristol airport. Oh joy. Guess I will have to dig out some of my winter stuff. 
Whilst I am away, given the hours that V is working, I expect the remaining live plants on the balcony will be dead and that Dino’s toilet training will suffer a large setback. By the way, Dino is now almost the same size as Rufus, shoulder to shoulder. Scary, considering he’s only coming up to five months old!
And next week is the final week before our (where I work, that is, not a holiday with V, of course, since that’s what we won’t be having) 2 week holiday. Which also means it’s only 11 days until S is here, with the kids. Yay. Although, notoriously, the weather breaks around the 15th (Ferragosta). I’m just hoping that this year is an exception. I mean we don’t need 38 degrees to be sitting at a café but the high 20s/low 30s and no rain would be good.