Living in San Giorgio di Pesaro and Kingston

Have restarted the English classes on Wednesdays and I am continuing to teach some students on a one-to-one basis.

In the English class I sometimes use songs. The text we use suggests some well known songs with simple words and well-known tunes. So last year we used “Stevie Wonder and I Just Called to Say I Love You” etc. One of the students brought me the song that they have used in their English class at school. Instead of Stevie Wonder they use Radiohead’s song Creep. The words came as a surprise. Made me wonder which text is closer to spoken English today.

I have been digging over our garden for the past 3 years. Have found old broken bricks and tiles buried by the builder instead of taking it to a dump; have found old broken bottles; have found old hinges and parts of doors. Nothing of interest. But then last week I found a 50 centesimi coin from the Fascist era.

 50 centesimi coins were produced from 1936 al 1943 (series: Empire) and are very common. However, the coins minted in 1939 are interesting because it was the first year steps were taken to reduce the cost of the coinage by replacing nickel by stainless steel.

As a discovery it cannot quite compete with the anglo-saxon treasure found recently in England but much better than another rusted hinge.

Non-biodegradable plastic bags will be banned in Italy from 2011. Originally it was 2010  but the government postponed its introduction. In the meantime the Coop has taken the lead and no longer supplies free plastic bags for your shopping. You bring your own bag or you buy some biodegradable bags – 15 cents for basic plastic and 85 cents for a longer lasting bag. Its introduction has been painless and some people even bring straw baskets as in olden times. We now keep a stock of bags in the car. Some bags, given as gifts, we have decided to keep in the hope they become collectors’ items – in the picture we are keeping the Obama bag as new.

	The weather has changed in the last 10 days. The temperature has dropped by about 10 degrees and the nights are cooler. Television has news of students preparing to return to school and here in San Giorgio the comune is making final arrangements for the evening classes beginning in October.So we decided to have an end of summer trip with Elizabeth who lives in Cabarnardi. We decided to do a round trip from Cabarnardi to Matelica, San Severino, Cingoli and home. We left Cabarnardi at 9.45 and stopping on route for a coffee and brioche we arrived in Matelica at 10.45. We immediately went to the Museo Piersanti. This resident of Matelica had worked as secretary to 6 popes in the 18th century and the museum displays his personal collections of pictures, bric a brac etc. Very interesting collection set in Piersanti’s house, complete with kitchen on the top floor. Well worth the visit. After our spot of culture we had an “aperitivo” in a local bar and as Matelica is famous for its white wine this is what we had.

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Most people get buried rather than cremated in Italy. In San Giorgio, as with most Italian towns, the cemetery is just outside the town. You are not buried in the ground but placed into a hole in the wall. The space is rented from the comune. 

The comune had decided to increase the number of slots available and a recent communique from the comune has asked people to register an interest in acquiring a slot by the 30th October.

It appears that work may be beginning on restoring the “Church of the Holy Spirit”at the top of our alley. Not all the money has been found but enough to let the work begin.

Lack of money and restoration seem to have been a consistent part of its history.

There had been a church on the site when in 1772 it was decided to enlarge and restore it. The previous church had been owned by the Confraternity of the Sacrament which had existed from at least 1702. The Confraternity was formed to prepare people for the after-life but became involved in social, political and religious issues. The richest families  were members of the fraternity and often left money in their wills to the Confraternity and this allowed them to build churches, support priests and to help the poor. In fact two of its members left money to the church to ensure that 700 masses a year were said for their souls.

Initally, the architect, Damiano Piotti, wanted only to alter the church and strengthen the foundation. However, he noticed that water came in through the bell tower and that the store room above the sacristry was so damaged tht grain and vegetables fell onto the priest while celebrating mass.  So the confraternity decided to build a new church on the site.  It took 50 years to complete. Miscalculations about the costs meant that, despite selling land, houses and building material from other churches in the area etc, money had to be borrowed to finish the work. In fact just as the work was nearing completion in 1837 the new bell tower was hit by lightening and damaged the church.

	On Sunday we decided to take a trip to Piobbico. The town is up near the Umbrian border. Not having been there before we were surprised how charming it was. Its by a river, an old historic centre and a very interesting castle.

It is also home to the “Club dei Brutti” (Club for Ugly People). The club was closed when we arrived and so no-one asked us to join. When joining, the person enrolling you
grades you for ugliness. There are now 20000 members worldwide.