Field Trip to Buy a Sheep!

After setting up my presepe last weekend, I came to the conclusion that I wanted, nay needed, a sheep. Or more than one. Which meant, of course, a trip to Deruta -- where I had purchased the original set of figures.

I asked Roberta if she'd like to go with me to Deruta, and added blithely that I needed to stop to get a sheep while we were there. She blinked a bit, and agreed cautiously, later admitting that she was perfectly prepared to believe that I was going to put a live sheep in the back of my car, and she'd be riding back from Deruta with an animal baa-ing in her ear! The worst part? My children happily backed her up, saying that it wasn't unreasonable, given the variousness of my *ahem* activities. Really? A REAL sheep?

No matter. Off we set, and had a lovely time scouting out the shops in Deruta and visiting my buddies. As usual, there were some really lovely things.

After a few false turnings, we found my presepe shop. The man who was there last time wasn't there at the time, but his mother happily opened the door to me...standing her tallest (she had lovely posture), she came to my armpits. I explained my predicament, namely, no sheep.

Unfortunately, she only had cast sheep, but then she found the most adorable little hand-built lamb that actually looks fluffy! And this is in terra cotta! I fell in love, and demanded more. She dug around for a little while, then called her son -- who confirmed that there were none available now -- I'll have to wait until January or February for them to be back in production.

I sadly acquiesced, deciding that I'd have to have a pair of the cast sheep (and of course the lambkin!) to make my presepe satisfactory for this year. Then I consoled myself with the dromedary, which I was also missing, and a cheesemaker. Did you know that a presepe is incomplete without a cheesemaker? I didn't, but now I do. Thank goodness they were there to set me straight.

As the mamma started wrapping, in walked the son. He announced that he remembered me perfectly because of my darling car, and was quite happy to talk about presepi until ... well, whenever. But we had a convivial time until the (very) careful wrapping was completed.

Home again, home again, jiggety jog.

Love,

Alexandra

p.s. They gave me the sheep as a gift