Family and Friends

As promised I would reflect on where we were last year this time and what was going on in our life that first year in Italy. 

I remember when we were in the decisive stage of buying a house here, we asked our boys what their thoughts were. Having lived a modern 'nomadic' life for most of their formative years, I was in doubt whether they would like us to live closer to them. Their answer was very simple and clear: you go ahead and provide us with a great place to go to when we are off work and need a few days of relaxing, good food, vitamin sun in a familiar place. 

Some of you know we have spent many a summer break in Marradi, living a primitive life in our own little paradise. 

No surprise our boys came to visit regularly last year (and this). One of the rituals when they arrive (or we when we get back from elsewhere) is to head straight to the bar in the airport to get a real italian coffee. We have become addicted for sure to Italian espresso, macchiato and capuccino.  

Our middle son spent a week with us, before his partner Joanna arrived. Having three boys I sometimes wondered where I would fit in in the activities when they were younger. Not anymore (resolved ;-)). Nowadays I find no greater joy than watching my boys spending time with their dad.

In Marradi it is the time when the children get ready to go back to school. Sometime mid-september they will all be dressed with new uniforms and back packs. My eye got caught by things I have never noticed before while vacationing. Shop windows all adorned with 'back-to-school' items. I love that aspect of this small village that is fortunately home to a good number of specialized shops, offering everything one might need in daily life.

Just before school starts though, the weather usually is still gorgeous. Where better to spend those days than at the beach? Our favourite place to go to so far is Casal Borsetti on the Adriatic Coast. We usually meet up with friends at one of the smaller beaches and spend a wonderful day enjoying the relative quietness when most people have gone back to work and grandparents get to entertain their grandchildren.

Sun, sand, icecream, magazines

Ending the day after sunset when the temperatures have gone down to comfortable, with a digestive game of volleyball full of silly falls, lots of laughter and maybe a bit of friendly 'fighting' over whether the last move was less smart or more!