DATELINE: Siena (7)

Rain.  Serious, heavy, thunder-and-lightening rain.  Sheets of the stuff started falling this morning as we were discussing our options for lunch; the in-or-out thing.  The streets were mostly empty except for a few brave souls scuttling along under umbrellas.

The neighborhood was all shuttered against the water and the wind.

Only one bedraffled pigeon could be seen along any of the neighborhood perches.  Even the one who frequents our window sill did not show today.

 Needless to say, we stayed in.  It's probably a good thing we did because it turns out the ceiling in the living room leaks.  The rain started and we heard (and felt) strange dripping noises around the living room.  Water coming in through the ancient timbered ceiling onto the sofa, the dining table, the cabinet and onto the floor.  Mr. C  jumped into action, hauled out pots and pans and placed them strategically to catch the drips.

I couldn't find a mop so used the bath mat to suck up some of the splashes.  This floor is VERY slippery when wet.  We've had rain off and on all afternoon, sometimes very heavy, and dripping to match.  I'm hoping it doesn't pour down during the night; that will be very distracting.  Anyway, I let the owner know because she is expecting new guests on Tuesday and this rain is forecast for all week.  Likewise in Vicenza.

We'll dine in tonight to finish up whatever is left; some eggs, some pasta sauce, some lettuce and tomatoes, a cookie or two and either a banana or orange.  Hard farings after having eaten so generously over the past week.  So generously, in fact, that the pants are a tad more snug than they were when I got here.  This despite all the miles of walking!

This may be my last post for a few days as I don't think the apartment has email and I don't know where I might find a connection.  If I can't find anything, the next communication will be from Genoa on Friday.  We train there from Vicenza to pick up the coastal flyer from Genoa to Nice.  I chose this route to avoid an overnight to Paris and to get a good look at the Italian and French rivieras at this time of year.  Alas, it will probably rain the whole way!