And it begins again....

...the application for my Permesso di Soggiorno (permit of stay)

I can't believe that the 5 year one that I got is already expiring.  It sure doesn't seem like it's been 5 years since I got it.  That is, of course, because it hasn't been five years, it's been four.  By the time the application process was finished, one of the five years had already passed. 

So here we go again

I've already been to the office once to inquire what I need to do to renew.  A surprisingly happy and nice policeman (it's a branch of the police that deals with us foreigners) told me that all I have to do is collect the above listed documents, make two copies of them and they'll give me a permesso for LIFE.  I will never have to go through this again.  AND, once I've collected all these documents, I can CALL and make an APPOINTMENT so I don't have to wait half a day in the sea of humanity to get my turn. 

Papers collected, copies made, appointment scheduled.

Actually, I called today and got an appointment TOMORROW. This is weird.  It's all going a little too smoothly.  In fact, I feel like with every word of this post that I type I'm jinxing myself just that much more.

Just to be safe, I'm bringing this

I've seen the video.

So, I was driving up the road the other day and I saw a couple of people walking.  People don't usually walk up our road, so I took notice.  I noticed that it was the local kabab shop owner.  Yes, in the land of the most amazing food on the planet we have kabab shops. 

L: Ciao!  Che ci fai qui!?!  (Hey, what are you doing here?!)
KSO: we're asparagus hunting, of course.  And you should be too.  You know there are a ton just below your house!

At this point I pause for a second....how the f$%^ does the local kabab shop owner know there are wild asparagus growing below my land?  Ok, whatever.  I grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business.  Why wouldn't he know this. Better question...why didn't I know this?

I wish him well and good luck in the hunt and high tail it to my house to get the dogs to go for a "walk".  Yeah, dudes, we are hunting asparagus and we're going to get them before our turkish neighbor does!

Ever wonder why asparagus is so expensive?  Yeah, let me tell you.  Ever tried looking for it in the wild?

Here we go....

first, you find a plant that looks like that one.  And then you look under it.  Which looks something like this

Yeah, that's tough.  Lots of thorns.  Mental note:  next time bring leather gloves.

So we walk on.... oh look, someone has landscaped the road

Lovely little voilets.  that's nice.  Still no asparagus.  Let's keep walking.

Oh!  Another asparagus shrub. Great!  And below....

More undergrowth and thorns!  Awesome. We're doing well.  Still no asparagus.

Keep walking.  Keep looking.  Keep thorning.  Awesome.  Actually, this sucks.

Oh look,

Discarded frames from bee hives.  Fantastic!  No honey for me, but obviously someone has some.  And well done to that person, for just leaving those frames on the side of the road!  I'm sure someone will come by and pick those up.  Someone who ventures up the road to .... say....look for asparagus. 

I love my job....

And the coming of spring.