FALLING FLAT – November 2-12
I’ve often said I fall all the time. I’m not sure if that’s true because I don’t know how often friends of mine fall. Of course Tim fell off a 15-foot ladder last year and got a concussion and broken rib, and this summer Heidi fell through a 15-foot tree and landed on a Buddha statue with two broken wrists and a shattered spleen. Many years ago my brother, father, and first boyfriend fell in succession from the roof of our house, my boyfriend landing in a rose bush.
But those falls, as dramatic as they were, were one-offs. No more falling for any of them after that, or before. As far as I know.
Then there’s me. I’ve tripped coming out of Baskin Robbins and splatted me and my Jamoca Almond Fudge cone all over a parking lot (I was 42 and in a business suit). I’ve tripped over the yellow dots and splayed myself across the middle of Highway 1 that runs through downtown Tomales. I’m sure there are others, but you get the idea.
So, as I was walking along enjoying the sunshine of a beautiful day at the chestnut festival in Pianacastinaio (yes, I can say that without tripping over it), I tripped. I didn’t see it, but Tim says I was walking next to him and the next instant hit the cobblestone walk like a … lucky for him, he didn’t say “ton of bricks” or “sack of potatoes.” I landed on my face, wrist, and knee in that order and nearly simultaneously, judging by my injuries.
My glasses have four large, vertical scratches on one lens, my chin has a lovely scab which I can’t help but pick at, and my knee does too along with a delightful purplish color. But the MAJOR DAMAGE was my wrist. It hurt!
When it didn’t stop hurting after a week, Tim said it was time to get an x-ray. I’ve fallen a lot but never had any broken bones. He’s had several (including a broken finger whe
n part of my house fell on it, but that’s another story), so for once I listened to him. We consulted several friends and they said we needed to go to Casteldepiano (there are few simple town names in Italy – well, except Rome and Siena and Milan) to the Pronto Soccorso – literally
“Fast Help” – beside the hospital.
We arrived at 10:00. We left at 3:00. Not so pronto, but the total cost was 74 euro, including 10 euro for a CD of the x-ray! The nurses asked me, “Trump or Cleenton?” The doctore asked, “Trump or Cleenton?” The radiologist asked too, and then said, “Trump is fascist.” But I got my x-ray and – no broken bones. Just a bad sprain. And severe depression over the election, wondering what the Italians would think if the unthinkable happened.
And then it happened.
Everyone here is very, very worried. The Italian newspaper headline this morning was Trump, a danger to Italy. It’s hard for us because we STILL don’t have any Internet except in the café, and no English newspapers or TV. Maybe it’s a good thing though.
Anyway, our Italian lives go on. Yesterday Tim got a private tour of one of the 40 geothermal plants that dot the hillsides in Tuscany with the man in charge of it, who is the partner of our UK friend. The steam that is trapped inside the mountain (Mount Amiata is an extinct volcano) is 400 degrees C. It is piped up under pressure and powers all the electricity in the region. At least I think that’s what he said.
The day before, Tim and over 600 schoolkids got a tour of the Santa Fiora wa
ter system. Again, amazing. The water trapped in the mountain is tapped and gravity pushes it out at 700 liters per second, flowing to all the faucets and toilets in our village and several others within 15 kilometers. He has a cool video of
it if you’re interested.
Technology in Italy is truly 21st century, even in tiny Tuscan hillside villages.
Last night we had a great dinner at our favorite pizza restaurant with UK friend, Linda, boyfriend Bruno (of the geothermal plant), and our neighbors, Sandro and
Simone. Today we went to Arccidosso and Casteldipiano 
both and had lunch at a cool restaurant that was literally carved out of the rock of the hill the town sat on. Beautifully appointed and lit, with a collection of antique copper cookware on the walls. Vino bianco for Tim, vino rosso for me, salads, and pasta.
That’s life in Tuscany!
SONOMAVORE™ 
I’m so glad you are ok. But jamoca almond fudge, my favorite! 🙂
I’ll tell you, many of us are very concerned too about Pres-Elect, and especially who he is choosing to work with him. I kind of wish I didn’t have internet and newspapers. It’s all still very upsetting.
Ah the memories – the “Morningside Skydivers Club!” Yes I fell off the roof onto the top of a stepladder, then the ground. Was in the hospital for 3 days as I recall it. “For observation” – something that went the way of milkmen and dial telephones didn’t it? Glad you weren’t hurt, and also glad you don’t have internet or your stomach would be tied in knots as mine has been for the past week. It ain’t good.