How many taxes did I say?  39?  I exaggerated.  There are only 29!  Oh and they dropped the occupying space tax but added a volcano tax.  No shit. 

This morning GP and I went for our weekly river walk along the Po.  There was a meet-up of Fiat 500 enthusiasts.  Absolutely the cutest car ever made.  A boy in Grace's class has the distinction of being the grandson of the original designer of the 500.  The family has a bundle of money, the kid's handsome as hell, in facts does some modelling, and he is starting his own clothing line.  I am getting royally sick of these over-achievers and silver-spooners. 

they look like M&Ms

this one matched my shirt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bridge excitement

 On the way back home our footbridge was closed off as rescue teams were practicing river rescues with dogs pulling people ashore and guys repelling into boats from the bridge.  People were backed up on both sides of the bridge and after 15 minutes or so they started getting impatient.  Typically Italian there had been no notices put up warning anyone of the closing.  Also typical was the fact that the volunteer "police" let some people through on one side but not the other which caused much anger and confusion.  GP got excited and threw himself into the fray telling the volunteer on our side that he was being made an ass out of by the volunteers on the other end who let people through.  Our guy got all shame-faced and walked us up to the center of the action and insisted that "his" people be let through if the other guys people were let through.  For a while there was a stand off between the guards and then they each escorted a group through to the other side just like prisoners being exchanged at a border!  It was very exciting.  Italian men are very easy to instigate.  All you have to do is tell them that someone is making a "figura di merda" of them, (loosely translated as making them look like shit), and their pride takes over.  xxoo me