disconnected

Ciao tutti... am in Firenze at the moment with Tracy and JK. Lots of wine and fun. Phone line and internet have been out for the month, hence, the lack of posts.

For your entertainment, here's a message from JK to a friend of ours:

Hey there, I think I've been abusing the wine opener. I went to open a really nice Nobile wine from Montepulciano yesterday and the corkscrew snapped in two! Hani and I just stood there, staring at each other with our mouths open. It took a minute as we both were thinking "oh shit, now what?". I ran down the street to the market to see if they sold wine openers. In the best sign language and broken Italiano I was able to convey to the shopkeeper my dilemma. She searched the store over and could not locate an opener for sale. After great intrepidation she decided to loan me hers. It is amazing how well you understand Italiano when it is explained to you without any English words "I will loan you this cork screw on the condition that you bring it back to me as soon as you open your wine. If you don't bring it back, I will hunt you down and gut you like a pig!" After which, she kissed me on the cheeks and sent me on my way.

Don't think for a minute I didn't run all the way to the house. Of course Hani and I had to decide if we needed one bottle or two opened that night. As soon as it was opened I high-tailed it back to the shop. The shopkeeper was pleased to see me but I think she was starting to sharpen her knives.