Janathon Day 4 : The best laid plans of mice and men

I've often used the expression "The best laid plans of mice and men" without really thinking about where it came from. It seems it is from a poem "To a Mouse" written by Robert Burns in 1785 and adapted by John Steinbeck in his 1937 novel "Of Mice and Men." The poem includes the lines

"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley"  roughly translated as "The best laid schemes of mice and men / Often go awry."

The 1997 novel "The Best Laid Plans" by Sydney Sheldon also takes its title from the poem.

But back to now ..... I had planned, if it was a nice day, to walk to Casalabate market this morning. The Sunday market is a definite feature point of our Puglia week here, and something we recommend all our summer guest visitors. A traditional market with fruit and veg stalls, mostly locally grown, very few food miles here; deli stalls with the best cheeses and salumeria and lots more too. Our neighbour, Domenico, has a permanent stall in the market, where he sells vegetables grown on his farm just 5km away.

I got up this morning to a beautiful sunny day, light breeze, temperatures in the mid teens. Perfect walking day to continue with the #janathon 2015 challenge. Before I set off my mobile beeped with a message ... would we like to go to lunch with Mino and Val, the Puglia Chef and his wife. A quick rethink.... I could still schedule my walk in and then go on to lunch, an offer too good to turn down. The Puglia Chef service is one of the extras we offer our villa guests during the summer season, one of the things that make our villa holidays, villa holidays with a difference! The Chef service together with our independent event organiser, Yle, who can organise just about anything, really make the difference. The independent traveller remains independent but has the option to explore the extras!

Back to today, I set out at just after 11 am. striding along in the direction of  Lendinuso, one of the summer holiday villages close to Casa Mare. Like yesterday the sea was blue, the sky was blue and the sun was shining .... a perfect day for walking. Just a little over an hour and nearly 6km later I reached Marulli Bar in Casalabate for a very much appreciated caffé americano and a sit down while I waited for my transport to arrive to take me onto Val and Mino for lunch.

As luck would have it, the best laid plans did not really go awry, yesterday my lovely Italian friends, Antonella and Giovanni visited in the afternoon and brought me a huge Torta di Mimosa. Far too much to be eaten alone. It arrived with me at Val and Mino's; Mino' sister Rosaria and her son Albie where there too, so there were six of us. As always Mino's food was fab .... garlic mushrooms, cozze gratinate, tuna and swordfish carpaccio, strips of pork - all for antipasto. Followed by  .... ummm I  can't remember the Italian name ... crespicci? Pancakes with ricotta and fresh spinach. Okay I am full already.

A short respite and out came the Torta di Mimosa ...... I needn't have been concerned, it was loved by everybody, devoured .. a cake that was too big for just us was done justice by the six of us! Thank you Antonella, Mino sends his compliments!
 

So, I may be failing on controlling my eating habits .... but the #janathon exercise plan is still in place. I have promised myself a heart/exercise wrist monitor band if I complete the whole of #janathon 2015. Watch this space!


My best laid plans may have changed, but definitely did not go awry!

A visit to Val and Mino is never complete without mentioning the animals ... today Nico, the three-legged cat