Slov worm etc…

I’m getting over my panic attack about not speaking Slovenian. Having now mastered “Thank You” I’m off and running. It is very good for my soul to be somewhere I am unable to communicate – humbling and a lesson. Yes, of course, mostly we are relying on the good-will of the people we meet and getting by in German or English. This is helped by the fact that these are people selling us stuff.

I noticed before during our long trip up to Estonia that this is the big difference between Western and Eastern Europe – people are still very suspicious here. I suppose if I’d lived two generations under the Stasi, wondering constantly if my neighbours were snitching on me, I’d be damn suspicious of strangers, especially grinning morons who say “Hello” when they don’t know me.

Yesterday we took Lily for a walk down through the village – so small they don’t have streets, the houses are just numbered Brezje 14a etc and ended up in the square where there is a magnificent basilica opposite a café. OK it was still drizzling but Badger took photographs anyway- look, a Slovenian number plate .. and brollies shut against the rain 

 

I’ll go back down on my own to explore the Basilica which holds a famous icon and the old gals in my Rosary group will want to hear about it as I bought a tiny replica for 3€60 yesterday.

Today I was very upset to be given a gift by Piston… a dead thing which I suppose I have to call a Slov-worm. I used to have slow-worms in the garden as a child and it it were nippy I’d pop them up my sleeve to keep warm. So the death of a slinky pal even though it is in Piston’s nature to hunt, gets to me. 

Surprise! After a short period of recovery in a bin bag, Sloveslinko was all better and fit to be sent off back into his habitat with a blessing after Badger had taken a photo of it. I was so pleased to be sending it back to the wild, not to its maker! 

All jolly good fun and the sun seems to be coming out.