The past couple of weeks has been spent recovering from what we are pretty sure was Covid. Neither of us has ever had it so we looked up the symptoms for this version of the disease and we had them all. We are better now. I still have a cough but I expect it to last a long time. It’s just me…

We are also now in the midst of our FOURTH heat wave. Temps here in the low 100s for the next two weeks. Europe is on fire, climatically and literally with multiple fires across the continent. Terrible ones in France and Spain. Italy has some too, to the south, for now.

Due to the mass migration of 60,000 Moroccans who swam into an autonomous Spanish territory which is situated in North Africa called Ceuta, italy has temporarily rescinded the Schengen Agreement. All people entering Italy will again have to go through passport control and customs. Half of the immigrant wannabes have been turned back. 34 people have died. Almost all the people coming in are young men.

So that’s the news of our summer so far. Today is the first day of August (agosto) which is the beginning of the mass migration of the Italians to the beaches, or the mountains. As of today, nothing will get done in this country, for a month. There is no sense railing about it, or complaining. This is a sacred rite amongst Italians. Even the poor go on vacation. Somehow. I’ve become accustomed to it. All month there will be sagre, or fests of all sorts. Recently I saw a polpo festa. That’s octopus. An unusual choice.

Umbertide is really hopping. There are many summer residents here with big houses in the hills. And also there are a lot of vacation homes that people rent for weeks. If I go to the store for groceries now I hear a mish mash of all languages. People come and shop to stock their houses. This morning I went to the local market in the piazza. Busy. Then I did a shift at Books for Dogs. It was so hot! There is no AC anywhere. Didn’t seem to stop folks though. It is fun. I bought pomodori because my two plants have finished their next spurt and I’m running short.

When our last heat wave broke we had massive thunderstorms during the night. It wrecks havoc on the roof terrace. I go up and do damage control in the morning. Much to my surprise my kumquat tree, which is doing very well after a difficult period was blown over and its massive terra cotta pot broken. Must have been some wind! So now repotting will be in order.

The industrious Italians are setting up a weekend festival in Piazza Carlo Marx which is in front of our building. I am bracing for loud music. I think it will in some way benefit the Colonie Feline Umbertide which I’m down with. So I will endure the noise and maybe even venture down to see what they have to see! Buon agosto a tutti!