{"id":38,"date":"2010-02-18T12:52:00","date_gmt":"2010-02-18T12:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katebailward.com\/drivinglikeamaniac\/?p=38"},"modified":"2011-04-01T12:41:40","modified_gmt":"2011-04-01T10:41:40","slug":"i-am-the-ostrich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katebailward.com\/drivinglikeamaniac\/2010\/02\/i-am-the-ostrich\/","title":{"rendered":"I am the Ostrich"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>(image by <\/em>Gilmoth<\/em><\/a> on Flickr)<\/em><\/span>
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After a long absence, the sun has come out in Salento today. \u00a0It’s beautiful. \u00a0I’m sitting here writing next to an open window, a light, warm \u00a0breeze ruffling the curtains, and the sunlight glinting off the screen. Actually, that’s a bit annoying, but we’ll ignore that. \u00a0Except that I can’t, because now all I can see is the grubby fingermarks on my screen. \u00a0How do those *get* there? \u00a0I blame the Mac monkeys in the factory, as I’m damn sure I’ve never poked my screen about. \u00a0Oh well.<\/span>
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\nOn the subject of hidden dirt, I got into my car earlier and noticed just how much *crap* there was over the outside of it. \u00a0While it’s been pouring with rain it’s not been obvious, but now? \u00a0Oh dear. \u00a0This weekend may have to be spent with a bucket of soapy water and a large sponge. \u00a0In the meantime, I’ll just take emergency intermediary measures: i.e. making liberal use of the windscreen washers, and driving in the dark as much as possible. \u00a0Nothing like ignoring a problem to make it go away.<\/span>
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\nThe sun seems to have drawn out some of the crazier drivers around here as well. \u00a0This morning I have had to swerve to avoid not one but two cars reversing at speed into my path. \u00a0I was also stuck at a roundabout for a good minute, while a pair of old biddies drove their knackered old Fiat Uno \u00a0v e r y \u00a0 s l o w l y \u00a0past my junction. \u00a0In the usual Italian fashion, they stared, utterly unabashed, at me as they did so. \u00a0I’m slowly getting used to this, but it’s still pretty disconcerting. \u00a0Especially when it’s car drivers doing it. \u00a0Look at the ROAD, dammit! \u00a0As well as the staring, these two were having a heated debate, complete with waving hands, which was even more unnerving. \u00a0What with the eyes not being on the road and the hands not being on the wheel, it’s a miracle they made it across the roundabout at all. \u00a0Sometimes I think Italian cars must be magic. \u00a0How else do you explain the way in which they stay on the road?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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