piogga / sole

So the mild rainstorm last night quickly changed into a full throttle thunderstorm. They make em bigger here in Italy, let me tell you. I kidded myself into thinking I was fine, I wasn’t scared or anything just cause it was pitch black and the thunder was shaking the windowpanes and I was fully ALONE in a giant old house … I decided to equip myself and rooted around for a flashlight. Found one, but no batteries. Found a candle, yet no matches. Then I remembered the dog outside. City slicker me assumed that dogs shouldn’t get wet, so I ran outside in the storm to the dog’s big cage. Dumb bitch wouldn’t come out of her doghouse at first so I turned to go back inside. That’s when she revealed it was a cute game and knocked me over in the mud before running inside and getting her disgusting dog stink everywhere. I got up and ran back inside and found out it was a he. Don’t ask.
At this point I was getting a little nervous, the homeowners here had mentioned that the power sometimes goes out in storms. I knew where the breaker was but wouldn’t be able to find it in the dark. In situations like these, I begin to envision every single move I make will someday be dramatically re-enacted on a Discovery Channel or TLC special like I SURVIVED A TUSCAN THUNDERSTORM or TOP FIVE HURRICANED ALIVE. I remember the Fiat outside has a cigarette lighter so I dash out with the candles stuffed in my sweater pocket. ("Little did Elizabeth know, those very candles would soon be her only hope of staying alive...") I manage to light them up and then try to race back inside through the rain with them still lit. Stay in school, kids. At this point the lightning is flashing, the entire sky lit pure white for painfully long seconds, the dog is rubbing its stupid nose in inappropriate places, I’m wet and ten seconds from collect-calling my dad in tears when BAM the door swings open. It’s the hunky farmhand with a fresh pack of matches and an offer to go out for pizza and beer.
He looks me over. “Sto bene?”
I try to laugh super casually as I hide my panic pile of flashlights and candles and dry my hair with paper towels. “Ma, si. I love the rain.”

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Today made up for it, a brief rain in the morning as we drove out through Siena to Montalcino, home of the current favourite wine (like how after Sideways came out everyone loved pinot noir) Brunelli. We scaled an old fortress and I told myself I wouldn’t be like the rest of the tourists snapping pictures of the view but then I caught this shot which just seemed too surreal. I swear I didn’t photoshop it. I can’t even start a fire, remember.

We had lunch at a cute little trattoria, I had tagliatelle fatto in casa with funghi porcini, and Brunelli, and then panna cotta with chocolate syrup on top which tasted so much like Dairy Queen I got a little homesick.

Then I took a picture of marius with his spiffy paisley umbrella. He’s a smoker. The fresh air here doesn’t agree with him.