The month started wet with the lower valley land flooded again. During the week we had a storm where the rain fell on the east side of the house but the front was sunny, the resulting rainbow arced right over the property and ended, so it seemed, on the road below. it was one of the most vibrant we'd ever seen.

Then we went from dining outside in 16-20 degrees c, all be it on the south side on our laps, to snow and -2 in 24 hours, a bit of a shock to the system but fortunately the snow didn't stay on the ground, just on the mountain, and our wood fueled heating system was working well. The 2 cats decided out was only for short trips and despite having baskets located under the radiators our bed was the place to camp out.

While in town dealing with the last remaining details to get our electric sorted out we encountered a man playing a set of bag pipes fashioned from a sheep or goat skin with the pipes dangling below. The noise, supposedly a carol, was dreadful and we concluded the shepherd must use these things to frighten the wolves from the flocks. It works as we've no wolves locally.

Our Christmas present to ourselves was a day trip to Verona. We set out at minus 6 on the coldest day of the month and parked the car up hoping it wouldn't be refrozen when we returned that night. The regional train to Florence, coming from Rome, was 40 minuets late and we were beginning to panic as we had to change to an intercity just out side of Florence and our chances of catching it was being reduced dramatically. In the event the intercity was also delayed by 35 minuets and all trains were out of order as the train to Naples arrived before ours on the same platform causing chaos to the commuters who weren't expecting it. Still we got our booked seats and settled in for the remainder of the journey. We arrived just half an hour after we had expected to so it didn't upset our plans and it had warmed up to 1 degree and was dry if crisp. What surprised us the most was its flat, utterly all round, not a peak or mountain to be seen and we'd expected being so far north to have countryside looking like the Swiss alps.

The people of Verona are really very nice and unfailingly polite, we had to ask several people for directions and were giving all the assistance we could wish for. The streets are paved with huge slabs of marble, the buildings are quite beautiful, the arena isn't as big as the Colosseum but still seats thousands for the operas they put on. We felt safe at all times and didn't think the shops any more expensive than any other large city. They could have done with a few more signs and two of the churches we wanted to see are only open for services but these are just a small things to mention out of a very good days visit. We did see Juliet's balcony, tomb and Romeo's house (not that pretty), the castle from the outside with an amazing drawbridge, the cathedral, 2 markets, street performers, St Nicholas church where we enjoyed listening to the local organist warming up, 2 family towers and no we did not climb them, 3 bridges, statues, christmas trees and lights, and enjoyed hot chocolate and doughnuts and there wasn't a single drop of litter anywhere. A city we'd visit again, in warmer times as it began to snow as we made our way back tot he station.

The trip home was more eventful. We arrived at the station with just minuets to spare as the train began pulling out as we were still looking for our seats. Still we'd made it. The change over was the problem. Trains were still out of kilter from the earlier delays but our regional train arrived on time, or so we thought. The announcer said it was our train the platform information boards said so too so we got on. Fortunately as we were discussing our hopes re our car the gentleman beside us asked if he'd understood we thought we were headed for Chiusi, as unfortunately this train wasn't. Panic set in but he reassured us that we could get off at the next station where the line diverged and get on the train that would be going to Arezzo, from platform 3, and change there to Chiusi. He watched to make sure we arrived at the correct platform and waved as his train pulled away. Sure enough the next train went to Arezzo and the conductress assured us although we were going to bee an hour late we'd get home, our train had been behind the one we'd actually gotten on and it seemed to be a common mistake from the way she said it. Arezzo we went for coffee and then caught the next train and the conductor said for us not to worry as the train would stop where we wanted before heading back to Rome. So later than planned we got home at ten to midnight to see on the news that Verona was now at a standstill with snow causing cancellation to air and rail links.

The following day we were so stiff and or feet felt raw from over 4 hours non stop walking. We did agree that it was one of very few places that we would happily live in if only it wasn't so far north.

Christmas arrived almost before we knew it, though this year we were having lunch with friends who may be moving back to the UK next year. It was fun, filling and we got home after 8pm so a full day celebrating. We hardly ate a thing for the next 2 days and longed around watching old films on DVD. The cats made the most of the mild weather, 18 degrees on the day and around 12-15 until the end of the month, extremely mild for this time of year. Palmero in the south hit 20c ! The locals were still predicting a very hard winter so we'll be stocking up for the next 2 months just in case.

So have a wonderful New Years eve and may 2013 be all you wish for.

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