72 hours...after the operation

Since Nate in Okinawa took such a concerned interest in MB's welfare (yes it's still Mister - he's got his dingaling you know), I took some time out of my busy gardening schedule to stitch together a bunch of videos shot this morning. I apologize for the lack of choreography and for dancing in my overalls, but weeds just don't give a hoot if you need to break for 10 minutes. Special thanks go to Baxter the dachshund for demonstrating his boogieing moves.

And as stated two posts ago, I usually don't care to swipe pics of guys in uniform but the ???'s raised on the masked man necessitated an explanation...of sorts. This is a couple years back and I imagine that after some time, anybody would bulk out "guns" if they did the dirty work like these boys do. Eat your heart out, Tom "Top Gun Maverick" Cruise.

It's off....to the vet

By my clock he should be back in about 3 hours, and I hope that for what MotH will have doled out (130 euros), the "operation" will prove to be the right decision to lessen the aggression in our beloved little dachshund. I think he knew something was up this morning when I said 'no treats for you', and when he and the MotH were driving away, I could hear him crying in the back of the car. Maddie wasn't the least bit bothered by his absence and spent the better part of the morning hunting lizards.

“Take it like a man Mister B! Big boys don't cry.”

Now while I don't usually make a habit of pinching OPP (other people's photos), I really doubt that my son would mind me illustrating this post one step further. It's not like I didn't take the time to shield his identity. I was supposed to have flown down to Sicily (Sigonella) to meet him but the USAF doesn't send its men out on taxpayers' dimes to play tourist with their mommies. I am in total agreement with that. It's just that he wasn't even able to fly up north to meet us (on our dime) which is a shame. A shame as I'm sure he'd have a little chat with Mister B, who I might add, would have been in awe of all that testerone-fueled muscle.

Le Merende Sinoire

Vineria Trattoria - via Piancroesio 64, Paesana (Cuneo)

I wish we had these types of eateries in Lombardia. Merenda [singular] means a snack taken mid-morning/mid-afternoon. Add to this the word sinoira [pl. sinoire] and what you've got is a late-afternoon reason for skipping dinner altogether. In the Po Valley we saw at least 3 of these wine/snackbar establishments with signs out on the roadside, and just like the leafy frasca in Friuli, we couldn't miss out on the region's local flair. Typically, the merenda sinoira begins at around 5pm, but according to the woman who runs Vineria Trattoria, customers can expect to be served meat, cheese and whatever else on the menu any time during opening hours. I like the casual ease of places like this since you don't have to dress up. People come in for an espresso or a glass of wine and a quick chat before heading off their merry way.

The dialect of this area was mainly undecipherable by the MotH, but it was enough to know that like anywhere else in this great big world, the local hangout is where you share your ups and downs with the regulars. I only wish that I had thought to ask one simple question of the man sitting next to us: 'Scuse me, but could you tell us where's the best place to eat dinner?

A selection of locally cured meats: salame, prosciutto, lardo, mortadella, roasted pork. Meat plays a large role in piemontese cuisine. Fried, boiled or stuffed into pasta, they are all delicious but it left me hungering for fresh, leafy greens when we got back.

Not for bland palates. This dish of cured anchovies on toast doused in a potent garlic, parsley and olive oil sauce (salsa verde) was heavy on the salty side. I enjoyed it but only between sips of red wine to wash it all down. If we had ordered cheese and whatever else on the menu, it would have been just too much for the arteries and blood pressure. Still, I'd do this all over again. For less than 24 euros we avoided having to go out again for dinner. The following are just some reviews on a couple of other restaurants we went to in the area.

La Torre

via Villa, 35
Brondello, (Cuneo)

Where or where did I go wrong? How is it okay to be kept waiting almost 40 minutes for each dish? I chose this restaurant out of the Slow Food guide because it was noted for having an excellent choice of cheese. I guess we'll never know because in the end, the 'mouse' in me squeaked, "Let's blow this joint because no stinky cheese is worth sitting it out for 2 hours." End of story. I'll refrain from giving this place a bad mark since the pastas, duck and lamb were fairly decent, albeit lukewarm. The owner needs to realize that timing is essential. Even if you don't use "pre-cooked foods" (he actually said that), Slow Food does not mean operating at a snail's pace. Regrettable, rude and boorish.

Ristorante Sarvanot

via Maestra n°3
Castellar (Cuneo)

This is just the sort of place where locals in-the-know go for a satisfying, unfussy meal. I regret not having amazing food pics to share, but it would only disappoint those who fancy form over function. We will definitely return here the next time we visit Po Valley, and believe me, for 22 euros pp, the degustazione (tasting menu) of 3 antipasti, 2 pasta dishes and a secondo (meat) was filling! This included an old-fashioned apple cake with gelato, every bite confirming that the food here is definitely made from scratch. The service was welcoming but discreet, and the atmosphere was that warm, comfy, italian style where everything is in polished wood and pale, crisp linens. The name of the restaurant, if you haven't noticed, is the same name for those woodland creatures that I had written about previously. We didn't go so far as to ask why Sarvanot because something else caught our attention on a poster outside. On the first 2 Sundays of May, a Festa degli Spaventapasseri (celebration of the scarecrows) is held in the village. Our restaurant host explained that it was a great family event for kids, with scarecrows (they look quite cheerful in the photos!) all around and activities for the little ones.

il Sarvanot

Tales of mischievious, mythical beings exist in nearly every culture, but this is the first I've heard of naughty woodland imps in my 6 years of living here. In Hawaii there is the industrious menehune, and while I can't ever claim having seen them, the story goes that the menehunes built a ditch and a fishpond on the island of Kauai. In Italy, stories of sarvanot in the Occitan valleys portray a creature bent on causing trouble, and while researching trails in Valle Varaita, I came upon info where they were implemented in a particular itinerary. A cultural group in the village of Rore had created an environment depicting these short, unbecoming and hairy creatures in their natural surroundings. See link (italian).

We were only able to see one of them. It felt a little bit weird taking the photo because I had to get up pretty close, but I felt as if someone unseen was watching me! Just an overactive imagination because the dogs didn't even turn to sniff. Awww mama! That's only a dummy!! This was the first outing where we were forced to turn back barely 15 minutes into the hike. Landslides and heavy snow melt had rendered parts of the path impassable where it crossed over a normally tranquil stream.