19. Florence Shopping

Il Poggio B+B was about eighteen kilometers south of Florence, Italy.

There was nothing urban about Il Poggio and it could have been anywhere out in the Tuscan  countryside--there was no traffic and no noise--no rush and no hurry.

Several times during my stay Elisabetta took me shopping with her into the city.

The drive to Florence with Elisabetta at the wheel of the old company van was a totally enjoyable experience. She was a competent and careful driver and as the traffic increased close to the city she was only more competent and careful--no rush and no hurry.

I was her only passenger and we were going on a shopping trip  to visit a couple of old friends' warehouse-style antique shops. 

This trip to Florence seemed to be the only kind of shopping trip Elisabetta ever took. She seemed totally uninterested in buying anything modern and everything else she needed she had delivered.

She had furnished Il Poggio herself--every last corner of it--with practical, unique antique items.

Her method of shopping was also unique to my experience. Her contacts would call her when they had something very old new and she would drive in to take a look.

While she was in the shops she would also prowl around eyeballing the other merchandise. She knew what she needed and what was not a part of her plan and no amount of salesmanship would sell her anything she didn't need or want--but if she saw something she liked she would get it with fierce determination.

This day she wanted to look at a table the dealer had called her about. We left without the table but with some very used "fire dogs"--the iron things which go in an open fireplace to hold cooking ware up out of the flames. By very old I mean used until they were burned thin, but still useful. Just the thing for her kitchen.

All the way in and out she talked quietly about the countryside and the city--how it had changed--what was what and what was where. She was a marvelous tour guide and seemed to know everything--answering my few questions before I asked them. I really liked that.

We left before noon and were back before dinner since she wanted to help cook something for her guests.

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