From time to time I have workaways at Casa Pecora Nera (My House). Workaways are people who want to travel the world on a budget, stay with hosts in exchange for some work that needs doing. A couple of years ago I wrote about this simple concept when I Pressed the button and ordered two from the internet.

Two weeks ago Fräulein arrived form Germany, in a huge black truck. We only just managed to get it down the little streets of my village, streets which were originally designed for donkeys and old people.

Fräulein appears to have an even crazier sense of humour than I have. Last Saturday there was a knock on the back door, it couldn’t be Fräulein because she had gone for a run and she has a key to the front door. Obviously it wasn’t a delivery, because they come to the front door and I hadn’t ordered anything from Amazon. I opened the door and a smiling Fräulein was stood there, barefooted and with her trainers in her hand. She beckoned me out of the house, gave me her dirty trainers then slipped past me. I heard the door click shut and her laughter as she disappeared into the house..

I was left outside my house, with her dirty trainers in my hand wondering how long I had agreed for her to stay.

Now I am not a morning person, normally I shuffle downstairs half awake and make myself a cup of tea and contemplate if I really need to go to school and teach my sticky kids. One morning very bleary eyed I opened the cupboard and was shocked to find only three plates, no mugs and only one glass! Either my workaway had stolen the crockery, broke it or was using it in her bedroom to have midnight feasts! Nothing as simple as that, she has decided to rearrange my cupboards. The plates and glasses are now in a different cupboard. However I have decided to forgive her because for the past week I have staggered downstairs to find a mug of hot tea, some biscuits and my bottle filled with water.

So Fräulein is a bit of a prankster and is trying to keep me on my toes well we all know, revenge is a dish best served cold. So watch this space, because as sure as God made little apples, she will remember her stay at Casa Pecora Nera