Living in Italy -- 13 months and counting.

[LisaKinVA]

I don't know how much longer we have here -- could be 3 months, could be 6, could be 2 years.  We are waiting to find out.  

 

Last month I went to Sicily with my two oldest for a swim meet.  I didn't see much in Sicily.  After all -- we'd be going back next year :p  We DID go to Matera on the way back from Sicily.  We mostly walked around, and we took a lot of photos (My FB homepage photo is of Matera).  It was beautiful.  I think what struck me most is how "normal" it felt.  I walked through an ancient grotto/museum.  As I stood in the kitchen, while it was small -- it seemed very useful.  My guess is that while the grotto was pretty old, the kitchen had been "renovated" sometime in the 17th or 18th centuries (the tour guide probably said something about it, but it was in Italain...) I could easily picture how people lived in that space -- even with the chickens under the bed, the cow and horse in the corner, and a chamber pot next to the bed.  I easily recognized many of the tools that were used...and envied the giant dresser they used for storage (Maybe I can get my husband to build one like THAT!).  While there were tons of stairs, I was surprised at how easy they were to navigate.  I thought I'd certainly be sore/tired from all of the walking/stair climbing, and I wasn't.  If you ever go to Italy...Matera should be on your "must see" list.

 

I'm officially jealous of PonyGirl's shoes.  There was this GORGEOUS pair of Italian Leather boots that were only available in her size.  :sigh: It's really sad when your tween-ager has nicer shoes than you do!  Finding outfits I like for the girls has been a challenge.  Wrong colors...wrong styles (everything looks like a pillowcase dress, and that style is really bad on 2 of my girls.  The super-skinny one, and the curvy one.  I have found quite a few things that would be awesome for Boo, though.  Oldest daughter is classic style/colors/lines.  So many of the tops in her size are too juvenile, or the colors are just wrong, or the dress is just way too short.  It also seems that Disney characters are on *everything.*  Shopping for the boys has been a breeze.  We're going to northern Italy in 2 days...maybe I'll be able to find outfits for the girls there!

 

Notes:  Our tenants gave notice (joy...said in deadpan voice). My in-laws are here right now, my parents are coming on Dec. 8th.  DH is going TDY in the 2 weeks between his parents leaving and mine arriving.  I see school schedules slipping, grades falling, and my house fall apart. We are in the middle of a very competitive swim season (oldest two), I really want to get the younger three in lessons a couple times a week, but stressing about the money situation due to the tenants is preventing me from making plans. Hmmm...I think I'm a bit stressed, don't you?  I also can't help but feel a bit frustrated and sad over the prospect of leaving Italy so soon.  This was the year we were supposed to start traveling.  We haven't really done much, because we were watching pennies and trying to get settled.  I was supposed to go to Greece for our anniversary next year.  Instead, I find myself trying to do the "Living in Italy highlight reel," by just seeing a little bit whenever I can squeeze it in (spending 6 hours in Florence isn't a lot, but doggone it, I'm going to see the David!)  

 

Finding new tenants is a huge priority -- and will allow us to remain here longer.  Please pray that SOMEONE will take our house!  We've lowered the rent by nearly $400/month, so it's highly competitive with much smaller, less finished houses.  This is perhaps the biggest weight on my shoulders right now.  If this one would be taken care of, I know I could easily deal with starting to clean-out, and re-pack everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Penguin]

Lisa, you have my prayers. We are also seeking new tenants. And I am discovering that there is quite a bit of money needing to be spent just to get the house ready again. Definitely crimps the budget and (as you know) living in Europe is expensive!

 

Best wishes through this time of uncertainty.

[Jean in Newcastle]

:grouphug:

[celticmom]

:grouphug:

[trulycrabby]

Thanks for another great update! I hope you find a good tenant very soon! :)

[LisaKinVA]

Oh wow...how could I forget? Both cars were broken into on Friday night. My van now has the plexiglass special in two windows. They took my husband's stereo, sunglasses, car documents, and safety gear. From my car, they took the car documents, Boo's baby blanket, safety gear and an 8 year old DS game. One year to the day our van arrived. They hit roughly half of the cars in the parking lot. Our van was the only "American one."

 

This sort of thing isn't unique to Naples, though. Happened to my cousin in San Francisco about a week after we got here. I had hoped it wouldn't happen to us...but oh well. Made for a chilly ride home. Boo was fairly upset, as it was her favorite blankie.

 

Going to a market tomorrow. And, of course I need to pack for northern Italy. Birthplace of the Renaissance...here I come!

[LisaKinVA]

Dp

[Susan in TN]

Oh goodness.  It's a wonder you are still coherent. 

 

The market and Northern Italy sound wonderful!  I hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing time!

[TammyinTN]

You may have to leave so soon????  I'm so sorry about you vehicles!