Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Serpent has been banished


Insalada Caprese con salami e uova a la Pat e Kate

Command center travels with Gene

Basil from the grocery store

The weather is still warm and sunny and we didn't do much today. We drove to Lecco to shop at the big supermarket to look for mosquito repellent and other stuff. As we were leaving we ran into Tizziana, our landlord and asked her advice. "Zanzara" we said. We had spent some time this AM looking up mosquito related words in the Italian dictionary. She understood perfectly and told us she would get us some devices that plug into the outlets and get rid of the mosquitoes. Gene obligingly showed her his thigh with about 10 bites on it. He refused to take a photo for the blog though. We had also spent quite a bit of time looking for coffee pods for the espresso machine and we inquired where we could get them. "Oh you can't get them, I'll give you some" she said. Okay another problem solved. Off we went counting all the tunnels we drove through(12 in all) in order to give precise instructions to some guests arriving by car later in the week. We got our groceries and just in case bought our own repellent and zappers. We counted the tunnels on the way back just to make sure we had it right. 12 it was. Tizziana greeted us as we drove up with a bag full of zappers, repellent and citronella candles. Also a spray to use if we eat in the garden. Hopefully our problem is solved. Gene went to the Farmacia this afternoon and got some anti itch cream, another word we had looked up(anti-prurito) and we think order has been restored in Paradise.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Joan:

The last two blogs were great! They make you sound like natives. I guess your Italian is a lot better than you said - antizanzare perche puntara di zanzari, indeed.
Did Gene acually speak Italian when he had to ask for antiprurito?
Your descriptions of Varenna and the drive to Lecco through the 12 tunnels are so vivid. You and Gene should take up travel writing as a new career.

Enviously,

Kathie

Anonymous said...

Say, what does the 28 and 21 on the commander's shirt stand for?

And yes, I want to see a picture of the bites on Gene's beautiful legs.

Denis

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