I hurt my back yesterday. I never hurt my back. I hurt my back getting my camera out of the back seat of the car when we arrived home. Is that stupid?

Last night I knew the wind howled all night because I was awake. As a result I slept very late and we did not get onto the road until 11:30. We headed to the monastery Sant’Antimo to hear the monks chant their prayers at 12:45. This was ingrained in our heads today. Ann drove due to my delicate condition.

I must say that it was interesting watching the 10 monks chanting and singing their prayers. The church was full of tourists and when the monks arose the “congregation” arose. Fortunately I could hardly move at that point due to the back pain and deferred all further standing to Ann. Once more was it for her and she was done. Up and down. Up and down. I felt no need for standing since I am a protestant and this was a Catholic Church. Aren’t there certain protections and dispensations from offending God in a “foreign” church? Wow, I sure hope so.

Lunch was at a roadside osteria somewhere between where we had been and where we were going. That is as close as I can figure since Ann was driving. It was fabulous. It was very rustic with a stone barbecue out in front where the meat was grilled. Ann had carne ala brache (Grilled meat) and I had salsiccia e fagiole (Grilled sausages and beans. Yea, I know, franks and bean – really unique). A half liter of the wine of the house when in the Brunello wine producing district meant the $3.30 was WELL spent.

Things got interesting after lunch. Le Foce is an estate with wonderful gardens 8 km from Montepulciano. On Wednesdays from 3:00 until 5:30 it is open to the public. We paid our $12.50 each (ouch) to get in and waited in the courtyard for the guided tour to begin. Oh, did I say that thunderstorms were forecast for today? I didn’t, did I?

The first drops hit as we began our tour. Then the heavens opened up to what seemed like the beginning of a flood of Biblical proportions that lasted exactly until the tour ended an hour later. Did the two idiots from Seattle have their raincoats? No. Did the two idiots from Seattle bring the apartment umbrella with them? No. Did the two idiots from Seattle get soaked from head to toe? Yep.

Ann had only a denim jacket and no hat. By the end of the visit to the gardens she looked like an orphan left out in the rain all day – clothes drenched hair a matted mess but still that happy smile on her face. I had a water resistant windbreaker and a hat but that too was sopping wet.

I believe yesterday I mentioned the lack of sharp critical thinking.

We are now dry and my back is fine. Ah, another perfect day…

Lesson for Day 30: When thundershowers are predicted it does not hurt to bring defensive equipment along in the car