Friday 2nd June

Well the day started when I left home with the 'mutt' at 8am. We headed for Milano and he was left there in his 'holiday residence' (aka niece Daniela's home) for the duration..... Then it was back on the road and off down the notorious A1 Milano-Bologna - Napoli autostrada. The plan was to meet up with 'bardigiana' and her son Nick at the Cantagallo services near Bologna at about 12 noon....Yeah, right - NO WAY! The traffic was 'stop start' all the way, and via cellphone we both realised that we would meet up if and when the traffic permitted. Storms were looming over Bologna but apart from a few gi-normous claps of thunder and some pretty spectacular bolts of lightning, the rain didn't really materialise where I was! Mind you, I could see it was chucking it down not too far away. Well we finally met up, but the 'services' was like San Siro stadium on a World Cup Final....you couldn't move! Bardigiana and Nick had already eaten a snack, so we continued to the next services - which had now - for me - become a matter of necessity!!!!
Well we finally arrived at Impruneta at about 4.30pm, and after driving around what at the time seemed like half of Toscana, we found our B&B (no '5 star' for us) See the photo above. It was very nice and after a 'wash and brush up' we set out to find Villa San Michele at Greve. Except it wasn't IN Greve but about 6km from there. But we found it at the end of a 2km dirt track in some beautiful surroundings.
Into the bar - where else(?) for an aperitivo and to be approached by this lady on the left with a 'little doll' in her arms.....yes here was Yael with the person - who for me was the "Star of the GTG" - her daughter LILA!

Now I confess, I don't usually (well almost never) like 'babies'... they annoy me and seem to have little or no personality whatsoever . For me babies emit rubbish from both ends - ot so I thought until I met Lila.....Oh what an absolute sweetie! Sweet, smiling and with a repertoire of facial expressions "to literally die for". For those of you who were there and met her for yourselves, you will know just what I mean!

We all ate together at the 'villa' that evening and apart from a few 'screwed up noses' when she decided that a jar of Piselli e Zucchini omogienizzati was never, ever going to be as good as what Mum and Dad had on their plates - she just entertained us with her gorgeous personality. Complimenti a Yael and Stefano for a super baby 'Expat'!!! 

posted by Carole B @ 3:39 PM