What have I been doing, I don't hear you ask:

Last time I remember blogging it was halfway through the day and I'd just finished watching The Incredibles with Monica. Owing to the huge post, I didn't mention that I thought it was good.

In Italy, the woodlice are bigger, and they call them the little pigs of St. Anthony. I have no idea why. They also have an exciting insect called, in dialect, a cavaocchi, which caused me no end of trepidation when I encountered one on my way to take a slash. I can't find the proper name for it, or I would have found out more about it, but cavaocchi means something like "one who takes out your eyes", which I recall Freud linking to fear of castration. It is really long, and looks like it shouldn't be able to fly, but it does. I thought it was two insects in the marital embrace, but apparently not. Yellow and black deal. I also saw a thing like a daddy long-legs which was black and yellow too. I've seen a couple of lizards as well - cool. The Zagaglias have an orchard, and they keep the car near it, and there are chickens near that. Chickens remind me of velociraptors.

We went to see Marghe at the convent in S. Angelo in Pontano t'other day. Was good. Did evening prayer as well. She says hello to my family, so there you go - hello from Marghe. She made a comment about God being a playboy, but always making you feel that you're the only one, which reminded me of this:

Show me dear Christ, thy spouse so bright and clear.
What! is it she which on the other shore
Goes richly painted? or which, robb'd and tore,
Laments and mourns in Germany and here?
Sleeps she a thousand, then peeps up one year?
Is she self-truth, and errs? now new, now outwore?
Doth she, and did she, and shall she evermore
On one, on seven, or on no hill appear?
Dwells she with us, or like adventuring knights
First travel we to seek, and then make love?
Betray, kind husband, thy spouse to our sights,
And let mine amorous soul court thy mild Dove,
Who is most true and pleasing to thee then
When she'is embrac'd and open to most men.

We also went to Offagna Rock Festival #2, which was an experience. Four bands, of which we saw the first two. They were both amateur, and one basically covered Rage, the other Metallica. The second lot could play their instruments, but their trouble was that they liked Metallica.

Went to an ordination yesterday. I like ordinations; I've decided. It's a good service, and a lot of singing, though I wasn't sure about the choir. [N.B. Monica has been assuring me that only in England can you see men in pink shirts who aren't patently gay. Italy? You must be kidding. I counted four in the one service and have been watching, with great success, for more since.*] I like the litany of the saints, I like the laying on of hands of basically all the priests in the diocese (not least because it's great to see loads of different priests all at once; fat, thin, old, young, grave, cheerful) followed by a really enthusiastic hug from all the priests in the diocese. It's a joy to see.

* A word from Monica: "I'm not responsible. Since I left this country's lost it's way."