Return Trip to Venice

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Today Laurie, Jasmine, Dion and I travelled to Venice train. The purpose of my trip was to see Rear Admiral Maurizio Ertreo who is the Commandant of the Institute of Naval Studies at the Venice Arsenal. I had been in communication with Maurizio about certain Italian aspects of my book. Jasmine and Laurie spent the day looking around Venice.The Arsenal is an impressive building that would date back the 17th century. Maurizio had an apartment attached to his Headquarters. He was able to provide some useful documents and some leads to follow up.After the meeting Dion and I had a very nice lunch at a nearby ristorante and then ambled through the now familiar city.We then met up with Jasmine and Laurie at the station of the return journey home.As another part of Karen's birthday celebration, that evening the kids with a bit of help from Jasmine put on a play. It was a murder mystery set in the Villa with Evan playing Detective Robert Quick Mystery Blucher who had a final line 'all this mystery is killing me' and then expired. I then recited a poem the The Girl from Pefferlaw which was based on the Man From Snowy River. It went as follows: There was movement at the Villa, for the word had passed aroundThat a 50th birthday for Karen was underway,And so they joined at Villa Saraceno where they say the rent was worth a thousand pounds,So all the family gathered for the fray.All the tired and weary Paygets came from places near and far,They mustered at the Villa on that Saturday night,For the Paygets love chatting and where travelling is to be had,They were joined by partners various, as well as other friends that met with delight.There was Johannes, who made the Munich trip to join the Paygets to supp,There was old man David with his hair as white as snow;Few could keep up with him when his blood was fairly up —But he and Bernadette would come wherever Tony and Karen would go.And Anne of Earls Court came down to lend a hand,No better friend ever came to Saraceno;For never could an event throw her and she would always make the best of any hand,She learnt to travel while EOing on the alto-plains. And one was there, a stripling called Dion who had his own room which he thought was just the best,He had with him a Galaxy tablet that he highly prized,With a touch of Padawan there was young Evan — two German board games in his bag at least —And such by his cousin Calum, his company was highly prized.But there were other games that were on hand which were hard and tough — just the sort that makes a kid, TV to deny —There was Laurie at ping pong with his quick impatient tread;And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eyes,And the proud and lofty carriage of his head. But still so slight was Levi, one would doubt his power to stay,And the old man David said, 'That lad will never doFor a long and tiring family gathering— lad, you'd better stop away,Those lunches and dinners are far too long for such as you.'So Levi waited sad and wistful — only his Mum Nikki stood by her son —'I think we ought to let him come,' she said;'I warrant he'll be with us at the end,For he has a gong and he is London bred. So he went — they would find Karen's birthday restaurant on a big mountain side — Ristorante Castello,They raced in cars away towards the mountain's brow,And old man David gave his orders, 'Use your GPS from the jump, but No use to try for fancy driving now.And Radan, you must lead them, try and lead them to the west.Drive boldly lads and never fear the parking spills,For never yet was there a driver like Tony who could keep the mob in sight,If once they gain the shelter of those hills.' So Laurie drove to wheel them — he was racing on the wingWhere the best and boldest drivers take their place,And he raced his Citroen past them, and he made the roads ringWith his GPS, he met the roundabouts face to face.The others halted for a moment, while he swung up the dreaded hill,But then the others saw their well-loved mountain full in view,And they charged up the hill with a sharp and sudden dash,And off into the mountain carpark they flew. Then fast they filed into Castello the family avid for a feastKaren resplendent at the head,And the meal arrived in all its courses with plates circling overhead.And wine appeared and good cheer and conversation held sway,Between courses the views were taken and children's games were seen,And old man David muttered fiercely, 'We had a birthday to be remembered and fitting for a queen.' Siblings Jasmine, Rhonda and Radan were relieved that all had gone so well,but some travellers were unrequited, and more Villas were to be seen that day,But for the children, Villa Saraceno was now a home in which to stay. And so down at Villa Saraceno, where the figs trees grow asplayed,The ghosts remembering the Payget clan with their special twins, Their laughter and their stories left them amazed,But they will always remember that birthday and the fondness held for Karen by her family and friends.

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