From time to time the weather forecast predicts a bit of rain and the view form our house gets cloudy. But it's doomed. Half a day later the sun is battling its way back up against a few lazy clouds, which are not ready to let go of their precious cargo.
It's obviously all or nothing right now in Italy. Or for whole of Europe. Even Switzerland complains about a lack of water. My Tuscan native is speechless - the country he has only ever seen via a curtain of rain or snow?
Preparing for a rain dance in Tuscany, one may think of calling in Etruscan god Aplu (responsible for thunder and lightning). But that's exactly what we DON'T want. Torrential rain has produced enough tragic meteorological disasters this autumn in Italy.
What we need is a contemporary saint looking patiently after those clouds - making sure they will dispatch the rain in even shares: enough here and not too much over there. Pop stars being the gods of our time, I think Jovanotti is the only Tuscan who can possibly measure up to the job. Not just because of his fame, but because of his curriculum. Weather-wise he knows his way round Sunshine (with Michael Franti), just as much as Rain (with Madonna):
Piove! Madonna come Piove!
And in case not even modern day god Jovanotti will do - I will have to fall back on science and order one of these high-tech rain machines.