993

Scotland go down 24 - 6 against Wales in the Six Nations Rugby. The team lethargic, error strewn and pacifist. Not even a 2005 Chateau Montrose can salve the pain. 'The font' emerges from the kitchen to ask if this ' is the thirty fifth or thirty sixth year in a row they've lost ?' . " You forget 1992 " I reply.

Volume 2 of the ' Life in Italy' blog arrives from the printers in the States. Better binding on this one. For some reason the comments are included . They weren't before. If you knew what to ask for and had the time and skills to format properly, you could end up with a really professional product.

A quick calculation shows that this is Wilfs 993rd post. One every day with a three week gap when we moved from Italy. Some days it's been a chore, other days the muse has been absent, but there hasn't been a day when laughter hasn't been present.

No workmen yesterday. Time to ourselves. With all the furniture in the hallway pushed to one side Wilf was able to play some touch rugby. He tired after eight throws of the ball , but boy, he gave those eight throws his all. Head down, top speed engaged, ears streaming behind and then a puppy like pounce. One happy fellow.

His carefree antics had the old floor tiles rattling away. The tiles were made here, on the farm, two and a half centuries ago. Maybe, one in four of them have a dogs paw print or a hens foot pressed into their surface. You can't help but imagine the frustrated farmers wife chasing the dog away with her broom, swearing profusely as the curious beast wanders across the racks of wet tiles waiting to be fired. Small, every day things of no interest to a historian. Long forgotten but still present. I'd like to think dog blogs are a 21st century version of those floor tiles.

Wilf is learning a different sense of time. One that depends more on small amounts than big ones. We're aiming for that fun filled thousandth post.