Parma week

A busy week has just passed hence a single blog entry. On Sunday night I flew to Milan for a meeting with the consortium in Parma. I took a bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi airport, met a colleague at the airport lounge and flew overnight. I was not due to get back until midnight on Wednesday so I was a bit worried about everything happening to plan whilst I was away- our container was due to be delivered to the villa on Wednesday, which meant that the cheques needed to be paid to the landlords agent on Monday or Tuesday to guarantee getting access to the villa for the removals people to unload and unpack our stuff. Liz would have to attend so I asked Dad to go with her, just to be around just in case.

The Italian Job went well, aside of the business meeting we had a couple of pleasant evenings Monday and Tuesday eating Parma ham and Parmesan cheese washed down with local Lambrusco. On Wednesday the container operation itself went like clockwork in my absence- all our boxes are in and the removals guys assembled the beds, tables etc. The only glitch was with the hire car which clearly had two slow punctures when we were given it and caused some distress when Liz and Dad were effectively stranded at the villa, despite a lot of phone calls to the leasing company (via Italy too) with friends collecting the kids, taxis for Dad and Liz and a replacement car not coming until 8.40pm after an initial promise someone would be out at 11am. I am not sure if the AA and RAC operate out here but they could probably have made it out from the UK quicker. We have had the one car swapped for two smaller hire cars now, but Liz is getting used to blowing her top at the Indian delivery guys from the lease company. They seem to grin at her when she loses it which doesn't help Liz calm down, but she seems to get the results in the end. Flipping your tantrum lid or bursting into tears appears to be the only way to get responsive service outside of a hotel.

Still, at least we're in- we have a week to get things straight before we're out of the apartment in the marina- no appliances yet, ordered for Monday.

Thursday night we met Kevin and Lorna from Scotland at the Marina and sat out until 11.30 while all the kids played in the fountains- Madeleine got drenched right through. Jack seems to get on well with their daughter Heather but isn't admitting to liking her under pressure as she is 12 which is apparently too young if you are in year 9 and age 13. Today we chose and paid for the appliances then went to Sarah and Mark's for a celebration party for their new baby, Holly. There were lots of their friends coming and going, lovely food from the Lime Tree cafe and baby Holly was passed around aplenty. I took my clubs round for Dad to play golf with Mark on Monday- it would be nice to play myself but there's too much to do at the moment- maybe in November when we're settled and the weather is cooler, its still 36 degrees in the day at the moment. Hoping to get some unpacking done tomorrow, but we're invited out to lunch and a rugby/barbecue evening already, so progress may be limited!