Ah, another rainy day in Dublin....another Barbour day. Also experiencing the usual 35 mph wind. This ain't Tuscany....may convince wife to accompany me to our local in Rathgar, the Bottler's Bank, for a pre-prandial apperitivo. But must I physically remove her from her computer desk where she is finishing her latest book? (I cannot reveal its plot or setting, mainly because she has not told me,even when I asked.)

While I am thinking of Italy, we will be visiting Venice 16th of September for a flying visit, meet friends, drink prosecco (outdoors!), see the lagoon again, visit our fav restaurant, da Gianni on the Zattere, and our old local bars in Campo S. Margherita and take the no. 1 vaporetto down the Canal Grande.

The bar we frequented most often was a nameless place at the far end of Campo S. Margherita, near the church of the Carmini. The proprietor was a dour fellow named Aliberto who never greeted us when we entered his joint, which we did daily for both caffe and prosecco (later on). We lived in Venice for 10 years and never got a greeting from him. And we won't get one next month even though we have not been there since March 31st. I don't think he'll be running over to give us a kiss.

Will Advise....