Today (July 11,) Grandma, Paul and I spent the morning in Deruta, about a 20 minute drive from the villa. Deruta is the home of hand-painted ceramics and their pottery can be found in restaurants and stores around the globe. We were in search for good deals, went to about a dozen shops and saw thousands of pieces, but can’t say that we found any bargains. We were expecting the prices to be less since we were shopping at the factory stores where the pottery is created.

Rolando, from Rolando e Goffredo Nulli Maioliche, did a demonstration on his pottery wheel on how to make a bowl. Rolando was very friendly, and Paul recognized his name as the designer of the ceramic plaque outside the villa. We also toured the showroom and factory of the place which supplies Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, and their plates have been featured in Bon Appetit and other magazines.

We spent the afternoon lounging by the pool, and Paul dropped Papa off in Perugia for the afternoon and evening. Miss M enjoyed going down the slide at the pool, and D enjoyed swimming in the buff. Their swimming has improved a lot over the past few days, and they are both now swimming two lengths of the pool without needing to touch down. They have had almost too much sun….both kids are tired and their bodies are practically steaming.

Paul returned to Perugia in the evening to meet up with Papa for a show at the Umbria jaz festival.

Food report:
Lunch on the patio again. This time porchetta sandwiches from the local Conad supermarket.
Dinner on the patio as well. Two helpings of pasta with butter, with a side of cherry tomatoes, for the kids. Paul grilled sausages, we had roasted yellow peppers, eggplant, and a salad of arugula and tomatoes dressed with an Amalfi lemon that Antonella had given to Grandma last week.