Act I closes

The actors move from the stage. Silence reigns but for the distant barking of a dog (called Bart).

As the night fell we left having had a good day - the flue closure secured with nice steel plate, the back room fire tested, the tractor store roof measured up for repair, more briar and bramble burnt, the pond drained some more and the oil tank sounded for any remnant heating oil. And we ripped out some of the pine panelling so have a look at the roof timbers.

The wind swung to the west as night fell bringing heavy cloud that felt like rain, the weather turning. We scuttled back along back roads - meeting two or three cars on the winding climb up to the Consuma by the little hamlets of Massegrosse,  Ristonchi, Battifolle and Caiano.

We had pasta with the ragu from the day before, watched 'A Room with a View' and stumbled to bed.

Gabriele was a stalwart today and the treefelling with Giulio is in store for the week before Christmas.