Tuscany day 4 - happy birthday Steve

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It's been a strange old day. Steve and I woke early again and headed for the spa only to find it shooting water everywhere, the sauna on compounding the situation too. After a mild panic we stuck the hose into the spa to bring the water level up and set to clean up #1. You see some hours later we returned to the villa and discovered the spa overflowing, cleanup #2 for Steve and I. We did enlist Sam and  Libby to help this time too. 

Back to the 50th! We took a drive to pick up Dani and Amy from Arezzo station in between cleanup events. Don is so happy they are here. A short hunt for birthday cake failed to elicit any good options. A supermarket visit for more prosecco was successful though - trap for young players Coop is a shortened version of cooperative, not pronounced coop like a chicken house - poor Dani has been shopping at the coop all over Europe. 
 
Post lunch and cleanup #2 we all headed to the fabulous medieval town of a Poppi. It was wonderful. Simply beautiful. We elected to walk up the hill which was fantastic, steep but well worth the extra effort. Here are photos of Poppi. 

We ended the Poppi visit at a cute hilltop bar. Paul and Karen headed off for their second run for the day while the rest of us returned to the villa for a swim and beer pong. 

Let the party begin. We chose to have the wonderful Villa Carda owners cook our dinner which was beyond words and sooo much food. 4 courses. Wine. Lovely dining room. Freshly made pasta. Just wonderful. 

Now for the pressies! Steve has been totally spoilt. First up the wonderful art work all the way from NZ - thanks Milla and Zara. Then a cannoli from Paul and Karen follow by the two things he has been longingly looking at in every Coop- giant jars of wine and giant jars of Nutella, guess which one costs most. Paul and Karen also gave him fabulous artwork. 

Don got a birthday card from Zara too. Dani and Amy gave Steve a bottle of Prosecco yum.  The gifts from Don and Sam were fantastically wrapped in toilet paper with bandaid sticking tape - we suffered from siesta again shopping today. He was so spoiled by them with chocolate yumminess, limoncello And whiskey. 

We are still going and there is a risk of a very massive 50th night for Steve who is so very happy to be here with his family and friends in Tuscany!



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