Bats and Snails and Lizard tails...

That's what today was made of! I woke up this morning to find a mashed snail (not totally uncommon) and a lizard tail at my door. Just the tail. About 5-6" long. I will spare you the photo. I must assume that it was a gift from one of the cats. I hope the rest of him escaped. Perhaps they've figured out who the hand that feeds them is and it's some sort of a welcome gesture? Gosh, really - a fruitcake would have been fine. And if that brush with wildlife wasn't enough, I had my second visit from the Pipistrelli last night. Actually, and it kind of kills me to admit it ... they really are eerily beautiful. I'm still glad to see them from inside the complete false sense of security offered by my net-tent, but their flapping is totally unmistakable and kind of ... weirdly calming. I was not at all expecting this to be my reaction: I didn't hate it. Now, I'm not hanging rotting fruit from my ceiling to attract them, but ... I can learn to share the evening with them. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Fair warning ... to those of you who have just gotten lulled back into complacency with my regular posting ... The upcoming week is frantically busy (while all ye back in the good ole U-S-of-A are flag waving, beer drinking and fireworking, I've got to make hay while the Italian sun shines here... before the country closes up for 'holiday' in August so I won't be able to deal with anyone! Plus, there are only 10 days before I'm back in the states again, eek!). I'll be halfway up and down the country working to get things organized for our upcoming tour groups this fall. I'm sure it will give me tons of fantabulous tales for you, but you may have to be a bit patient about getting them.