June 2013 The weather continued unsettled with glorious days, followed by thunderous ones. The grass thrived in the conditions but so did the roses and the poppies. Mike carefully strimmed around those he could safely do so and I didn't weed out those that popped up in the paving or pathways. Local fields were strewn with them and proved that no herbicides are used hereabouts. Mr Sofia began work to improve our road by first laying waste to his corner, taking out the bump, widening and leveling it all before the stone arrived. Our neighbours, impatient and rude, proceeded to plough up the ground with their 4x4 vehicle turning the entire area into a morass, stupidly, as they have an alternative road to use 1km around the hill, and they only succeeded in getting stuck and making both the post and rubbish men boycott their house. We'd planned a bit of a do in the garden in the first week but in view of the weather and the road conditions we canceled it until we could be sure that everyone would not only be able to arrive, not get wet but also be able to leave.

Weather here is atrocious! Yesterday afternoon, thunder, no electric, and pool cover filled again.  Its difficult to plan to open the pool when its colder than November in June! The news is saying its the worst 8 months for 500 years in Northern Europe, Mossies in full force (bitten all over) and had to have a hot water bottle to warm the bed in June!! BBQ? pass a bucket to bail it out first! Still they hope its going to improve by the weekend and then more rain and storms? Who ordered this and can I have the take out instead?

Mach1 was doing his "my plate's empty" dance and moaning so I looked in the kitchen, but both bowls were full,so thinking he's just being fussy I went back to what I was doing but he insisted and led me to the bowl by the bedroom - biscuits all over the floor and the place-mat covering the bowl. Ahha, mystery solved I thought but no he continued dancing and muttering and then I noticed the LARGE lizard trying to hide behind the biscuit barrel in the dark corner. It took 2 people, 1 cat, 1 container and all doors open to expedite its escape from the inside to outside - the fact Mach1 hadn't eaten it tells you how big it was - and all was returned to our normal state of chaos. Really who needs excitement?

Mid month and Annie was taken ill in the midst of her renovations so the workaway she'd planned to have came to us instead. James, 23, from Worthing, gladly knocked off the lose plaster in the utility and redid the wall, de-sprouted the acacias we'd chopped down earlier in the year, and helped erect the last fence for a while and then cleaned all our windows inside and out. We were sorry to see such a helpful, considerate pair of hands leave us to go on to Annie who'd had a spell in hospital, new pills and was back on her feet once more.

20th and Italy is roasting, at least we are having summer it has been said, but this is too much after a long and unseasonal wet spell. The thermometer hit 49c on the kitchen window (reflected heat off the bricks not air temperature) but we are inside in 24-28c so cooling fans on full blast. The news is advising to take lots of water, drink lots of it, sit in it, stand in fountains and there are teams of volunteers handing out bottles of the stuff to poor visitors standing in long queues to get into palaces, galleries and the like. We are taking the advice seriously and watering the garden pots every day too. The cats are lurking in the cool of the woods and only venturing in the early morning, 6ish, and lat eve, 9ish, when the fireflies are about.

Ma & Pa finally confirmed they'd be arriving on the 28th but due to the regional trains being reduced they were uncertain when they'd arrive, so meal and things to see planning went into action. Despite the aircraft arriving 15 mins early all the trains in all directions were delayed by 30 mins as Italy had a national thunderstorm that dumped an inch of hailstones on citta della pieve, we just got wet!

Fortunately it seemed to have rained itself out and the week returned to seasonal norms with blue skies and 28c temperatures.