Day 2
il figlio were awake late, and I woke early when nearly 3yo was dreaming loudly in il camper, so Husband let me sleep in, oh, what a feeling! The italian sun was shining and the air felt so lovely and fresh, even before we went outside. We had an authentic breakfast with la agritourismo la genta – cake and fruit! Boys loved the cake and the fruit was picked off the trees on the property. I would love to be able to do that. I’m not sure if they grew the wheat to grind for the flour, that sounds like a lot of work.
We managed some half decent phrase book conversations with signora at breakfast, and il figlio were felice a play with la signorina. There were a few sharing-related scuffles, but when bambinos can’t talk it out, that would be pretty standard.
Driving later, we saw what I thought at the time was a monastery, but may have merely been an uber picturesque montagna villaggio in the distance, I wished we could investigate. Perhaps we should come here for a month next year and just live it.
We stopped in Grosseto and determined the place to be abandoned, or la genta were taking itialiano siestas. We found a small cafe that was open, and frankly the parking situation was bad, so we stopped at the first place we could find. La signor was very helpful with il cibo for mia figlios, and had some broken english of his own. He loved it when Husband hit him up with a “thanks mate” and a horn toot or two when we found our way out of the confusing street grid.

Husband surprised and frustrated that bagno su il camper is almost full after only 24 hours. Photo ops go begging due to lack of sensible car spots and pazzo drivers.
Nearly 5yo always hungry therefore not enjoying himself. 6.5yo always screen time and disinterested in gorgeous la montagna villaggios.
Made it cross country to San Gimigniano, or san jimmy johns for the uninitiated. Gorgeous la montagna villagio, dinner w famiglia, carina il cibo, and I ordered all in italian!
Then still il figlio shenanigans in bed, wt, it’s after 10! We didn’t bring a corkscrew, so marito opens the 2nd bottle of vino in as many days with a knife that we did remember to bring. Making swear words w animals and the word bottom.
Day 3
We are a little bit nasally this morning, but husband let me sleep til 9.30. I demanded smooches from nearly 3yo in Italian, and coached Husband in ordering te e caffe. Boys seemed to wake at about 6, so I expect them to be shits most of the day.
We drove through, or rather, around San Gimigniano – after I tried my hand again in a superercato and bought some mele aceto for our sinus – and saw a table with la bottiglia di vino on the side of la strada, so we had to pull in. The ristorante was hidden amongst the trees, but plenty of spazio for il ragazzo to run around. Simpatico marito and oi had bello bruschetta, plus a slice of torta with marmalade – la genta seem to have marmalade in most of the la dolce. The proprietor was head to tow in linen and somewhat flustered as the chef – Nonna? – hadn’t arrived yet. He had some broken english but we managed pretty well with the phrase book. Il ragazzo didn’t think much of the bruschetta, so we had to eat all the eggplant and foi gras ourselves, what a shame. Nothing senza glutine, but nearly 3yo was happy enough with the gelato, as were his il fratello.
We found il Castagno easily enough, and the view is carina! Stunning bello casa, but we are staying in a different – less bello – casa, woe. No gilt furniture for us.
Negotiating bowel movements for swimming w nearly 3yo after we are unpacked, then everyone into the pool.
Everyone outside and I have time to wrestle with some bikini maintenance, egad! Waxing was never so painless as when the italiano nuotare acqua awaits tu!
Came in to check on il figlio and heard piccolo ma forte snoring, carino bambino! Nearly 3yo has wicked snores most nights, like his grandmother. Day 4
Dreamt last night, of course, that I was struggling to find the right words in my phrase book
Went to bed after 1.30, husband woke me at 4.30 rummaging for anything to soothe a sore throat, and now I can’t get back to sleep. (Aceto is already working for our sinus, but we need something more for our throats.) I lay awake for a bit but my brain had started whirring so, I have stayed up so I don’t fall back to sleep, only to be woken 17 minutes into a sleep cycle and feel worse than if I stayed up too long bere vino. New bed feels like sturdy cardboard, not great since my lo stomacho feels like a tin box with benzina sloshing around inside. Add in a polite piccolo headache, this is going to be a grande il giorno.
Its super hot, naps for mama e nearly 3yo, then il figlio watching la televisione, flicking channels we see italiano Happy Days, and now they are watching The Penguins of Madagascar, italiano edition. Pazzo pazzo!
Change of air, perhaps, we are feeling a leedle worse for wear, and while I did pack imodium and fever reducers, I did not bring vitamins. A trip to la supermercato did not produce any vitamins, but i have written (a crude, I’m sure) sentence for Husband to use on la genta in la farmacia when he gets on la bicicletta. In the mean time, we are dosing up on the vinegar I bought for our hair, as well as some Ricolas, and now blessed Echinacea. Day 5
I suppose when one goes to bed uber late all the time, one gets used to it and can do it pretty often. Case in point: although I felt pretty poorly when I woke up this morning, and have developed some gnarly congestion, I was not tired at 1am before going to bed. I am in need of a nap already, though, and it’s barely past 8am. I do not want circles under my eyes to detract from my carina vintage ensemble, oggi of all days! It is the most advantageous day for a family portrait today. Sure, BIL is marrying the woman of his dreams, but my il figlio will be wearing bow ties and suspenders e il matrimonio is in the Toscana montagna. A better photo op there could never be. So I have taken some more vinegar, echinacea and water, and I’m off to catch some winks before it all starts.