The cold didn’t stop me. I had decided to explore a flea market just outside Milan, and what’s a bit of snow in the face of such determination? So I went anyway (dragging the saintly husband and a snow-proofed Caterina with me, while Niccolo went to the acquarium with his visiting nonni).
It was freezing cold and wet, but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Let’s say that there wasn’t exactly a crowd queueing up for the goodies—the only stall making brisk business was the one selling coffee and warm drinks. I found a nice little stall crammed full with ephemera and cabinet cards—bought a few of women and babies for a decent price.
One of my Italian flea market finds: a vintage photo of a child
But the real find was a Victorian-style metal box decorated with an angel. It was just my thing, but was languishing in a cardboard box under the falling flakes. I hovered over it for a while, until the vendor told me I could have it for one euro. I ended up getting two. So it was a good day, even though I am paying the price for it now—I am nursing a sore throat and ear ache.
