Just Beetling About

This morning I had a visitor. He shot in as if being chased, his iridescent cloak underneath him as he crash-landed on the marble floor. I know my parties can be raucous but normally my guests lie on their back in the kitchen at the close of the night, not at 8am. I got the broom and gently swooshed him out the door; he was still prone with legs waving in the air, so being a kindhearted soul I flipped him over with a twig. Stunned at his treatment and lucky escape, he sat there thinking about the vissitudes of life. 

I returned to pick up my handbag and headed out to the bank. I'd mistakenly bought some euros thinking I'd need them for the Dubrovnik hotel so I wanted to change them into kuna. And then i had other fish to fry. 

Last night whilst chatting with a local I asked where I could buy some catch of the day. The harbour, or the fish market on the Main Street, apparently. He recommended I go early. What is it with this place and the incredibly early starts, do they not know I'm terrible in the morning? 

So after waking at my usual work time of 7.40, evicting my house bug, and going to the bank, I hot footed it to the market. I was quite excited about being an actual fishwife and had some choice vocabulary at the ready. The young catch winked up at me; the fish, however just lay there. There were three types of fish; long ones, flattish ones, or long flattish ones. I chose two of the ones which looked a bit surprised. Not as stunned as they will be later when I introduce them to garlic and hot olive oil. 

After wowing the man with my fluency, učim jezik, you know, he skillfully gutted, descaled and cleaned them. This took as much time as it usually takes me to construct a two word sentence in this language. He bagged them, and I left still boggling at the £1.20 for two massive fresh fish. That was main course sorted so went to see the lady across the road for side dishes of beef tomatoes, cucumber, cauliflower and courgette. The strawberries looked ravishing, so I invited them back for dinner too. 

I proudly walked home, after spending the princely sum of £2.50 or so on a couple of days food. Not only that but I'd shown I was capable of going to the bank, shopping for food pre-9am and pre-breakfast. I waved at the beetle who was still lurking, hastily scoffed my muesili, and legged it to the Korčula ferry with minutes to spare.