LOSING WEIGHT
DECEMBER 5, 2003
Last night when we were walking to dinner, I became aware of how baggy my jeans were. Not in the sense that they are too big, or that I have lost weight, but in the Italian sense. In other words, they are not skin tight. Anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a fashion maven. I buy what I like, regardless of the styles, and at least in the US, am not much concerned with “la bella figura”. This just means that you would never go out of the house looking less than perfect. A quick trip to the grocery to pick up a gallon of milk is not an excuse to go out in those baggy sweatpants and torn 1985 Aerosmith tee shirt that you have been wearing all day while cleaning the house. In Italy, it is considered offensive, no, disrespectful might be a better word, to go out looking less than your best.
Since I am no longer “young”, or firm, I will never wear my clothes as tight as the Italians do. Someone should clue those young girls who go around with their pouchy bellies hanging over their low cut jeans in as to just how unattractive this is. If you’ve got that hard body, I say go for it. If it wiggles, keep it covered. Anyway, back to thinking about how loose my jeans felt. This started me thinking about how glad I was that I had lost weight before we came to Italy. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I can never lose weight for the “right” reasons. Let’s face it, we all know what is healthy food and what is not. We all know that we eat too much…especially in the states, where the portions are always super-sized. So, if we really wanted to be healthy, we wouldn’t eat all that Ben and Jerry’s, and McDonalds would have gone out of business a long time ago.
I lose weight for specific occasions…when my daughter got married, for example. And then again when my son got married. Then for when I turned fifty…I didn’t want to be fifty AND fat! And of course, each time, the weight came back. This past spring I lost weight in anticipation of my face lift…I can’t imagine spending that much money, and going through that much inconvenience and not look as good as I possibly could. Luckily for me, I was able to go to the gym every day during the summer, and I did lose about thirty pounds. For anyone, thirty pounds is significant, but when you are only 5’1”, it’s an amazing difference!
The added bonus of losing weight before we came to Italy was that I would not confirm the stereotype that all Americans are fat. The Italians may still think that I have all the other negative traits associated with Americans…loud, pushy, disrespectful, but at least I’m not fat! I am hoping that moving to a different country, separated by an ocean, will make it difficult for the weight to find me!
I haven’t had the time or facilities to exercise since we’ve been here, but when we go back to the states I plan to hit the gym as often as I can. We shipped a TotalGym to Italy, and I hope I can get into the habit of using it once we return. If I work really hard, I might actually have to buy clothes that are a size smaller than I have now. I am not going to buy anything that doesn’t fit. I made the mistake of buying things that were just a little snug before we left, and now nothing fits. I have jeans, and that’s it. All my dress pants are way too baggy, and sure, that’s a good thing, but these are big by American standards, and definitely NOT Italian style. All I have to do now is stay motivated…and although the cost of living in Italy is not too bad, the cost of clothing may be the motivation I need!
DECEMBER 22, 2003
Since we have been back in the states, I have had a pleasant surprise….I now wear a SIZE SIX!!!!!!! Sorry to get so excited, but for me, this is something almost unbelievable! My daughter, Angela, has been working out, toning up, and has actually given me some of her clothes…and they fit!!! She has taken me with her to the Y to work out, and I agree with her that these Body Pump classes are awesome! I wish I could find these classes in Italy…there’s just something empowering about working out with weights. The results are quick and impressive…I can really tell a difference in Angela, and for me, after only three classes, I definitely know which muscles I am working!
I have had lots of fun buying clothes…this is a great time of year to shop, since everything is on sale for Christmas! I hope I have room in my suitcases for all this stuff I plan to bring back to Italy. If not, I guess some of it will have to wait until the spring. Oh, and did I mention the strangest article of clothing I have bought so far? A leather jacket! Can you believe I live in Italy and come to the states and buy a leather jacket? It was just what I wanted, and at a good price, so why not?
A MISSED POST FROM DECEMBER 10, 2003!
Looks like I forgot to post this one, and it seems unfinished, but here it is anyway.... remember, it's out of order!
Well, the electricians didn’t return after lunch. Fabio stopped by to say they will be here tomorrow. Hopefully once the power is restored in the blue bathroom, that will be the end of him for a while. Oh, except that the electricity in the garage isn’t working yet either. We’ll hope for the best.
The water softener technician did arrive this afternoon. Although this machine is much smaller than the one we had in the states, it seems to operate in exactly the same way. The technician told us that the man who started the company that made our water softener used to work for Culligan, and that he was from Wisconsin. It has a clock just like we were used to, so when we go on vacation, all we have to do is unplug is, then when we return, plug it in at the same time of day…that way you don’t have to re-set the clock.
We asked him about the various levels of softness, and he told us that we shouldn’t drink anything below 15 grains of hardness, due to the sodium in the water. He said this is a problem in Italy, but not in the United States. We asked him to set the water as soft as he could…zero grains, and decided that it was worth it to drink bottled water. Maybe we should have asked about a water purification system too?
And Mauro was unable to get a hold of Rolando, so there won’t be any painting until tomorrow. And of course, the baseboard and stair railing won’t get installed until the painter is finished. It seems doubtful that everything will be completed by the time we leave.
Art did ask Mauro about a new garage door. The one we have now is two doors that are hung from vertical hinges. Because we are on a hill, the left door doesn’t open all the way, and this prevents us from getting the car into the garage. Mauro will install and door that lifts UP for us while we are gone. Mauro asked if we wanted an electric door opener, but Art said no, he had me! Since the garage is small, I will have to get out of the car before he pulls in, so I may as well open the door while I’m standing there!
RETURNING TO THE STATES
Our return to the states went pretty smoothly. On Friday, we had finally gotten the TV that we wanted. It had been on sale for two weeks, but had not yet arrived at the store. Getting it in the house and up the stairs was another matter. The salesman had helped Art put it in the car, but once we got home, we were on our own. Our front door is a little strange…the front wall has a slight angle to it, and the door can’t open all the way to the wall, partly because of the wall, and partly because of the automatic door closer that’s attached to the top of the door. Then there’s the narrow side panel which can be opened to give you more width, but still not a lot…with the door only opening about 85% of the way, and the giant knob that is placed in the middle of the door, it’s just not an easy area to get in and out of with large objects. We hope to replace the door in the spring, but I’m not sure that this situation will improve.
ANYWAY… I was absolutely certain that the box would not fit through the door. Even if it did, it was entirely too big for me to handle…my arms are just too short, and this thing was heavy. Art measured the box and determined that it WOULD fit, but we had to turn it sideways. So, we gently turned the box on its side and pushed it towards the door and up the two steps outside. That’s when it got interesting. Now Art had to do most of the work himself. Of course, he got it through the door…just like he said he would. Now all we had to do was get it up the stairs! By putting our shoulders to the box, we slowly pushed the box up, step by step. Because Art was able to push harder than I, my side kept running into the wall, and we would have to stop and straighten the box. Once we got it to the top of the stairs, we decided to leave it in the hall, since Mauro will be removing the old kitchen while we are gone.
Mauro had stopped by earlier in the evening to bring the door for the bathroom downstairs. That will be installed while we are in the states, as will the new iron railing for the stairs, the back steps, and the new garage door. The garage door was a last minute addition. We discovered that our car will fit in the garage in theory, but not in practice. There are two reasons for this: number one, the frame for the aluminum doors that were added inside the garage, I guess to give more light while working in there, stick out just enough to cause problems. Reason number two is that because our street slopes downhill, the door on the left cannot be opened with the door flush against the house. This causes the inner edge of the door to stick out just enough to scrape the car. So, Art asked Mauro if a new door could be installed, hoping that it could be done before we left, but there just wasn’t enough time. We had planned to put the car in the garage and have Wendy take us to the train station. Mauro had told us that he would send some men to the house on Friday to take off the garage doors so that we could get the car in. We decided at the last minute that our luggage wouldn’t fit in her car, so that plan was scrapped.
We did get the house cleaned…again. I know there will more dust waiting for me when I get home, since the bathroom door and stair railing are bound to require drilling. One thing we don’t like about our workmen, especially the electricians, is the way the just drop the garbage on the floor and leave it there. Now I’m not expecting them to leave the area spotless, but every extra piece of wire, every scrap, every box, whatever, is simply left on the floor. I guess Gioberto and Adolfo had us spoiled because they were so good about cleaning up after themselves. At first I thought it was just the two boys who were leaving this mess, but then I realized that Elvio works this way too. I don’t know if this is “typically” Italian or not. Maybe the men just consider cleaning up woman’s work.
Anyway, I swept, vacuumed, then mopped the entire house. I vacuumed the carpets as best I could…one of the first things on my list when I get home is to buy a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar brush. So far, the only one I have seen is an upright Hoover for 249 euro, but that’s just the way it has to be. I HATE the small canister vacuum that we have now, and will leave it downstairs. For upstairs, where most of the good carpets are, I really want a good vacuum. This one also has the floor attachments, so at least I won’t have to carry it up and down the stairs. I closed all the shutters, and took down the curtains that still need to be hemmed. I will take them to the states with me to be hemmed. I never did get to borrow the sewing machine from my friend it Italy.
Since the curtains are already marked and pinned, all it will take is a few quick runs through the machine.
On Saturday morning, we were able to take our time. I cleaned out the refrigerator, emptied the garbage and recycling, and tried to remember what I was forgetting to pack. Going to the states for a visit is completely different that going to Italy for a visit. For one thing, we left many of our winter clothes in Louisville, so we don’t have to take many clothes. I did pack a few lighter things for our trip to Florida with our grandson…let’s hope there isn’t a cold snap! Another reason that packing is so different is because we will be staying with our family and there will be a Kroger/Target/Kmart around every corner. I almost forgot to take contact solution for our stay at the Hilton. I had a big bottle packed in the checked bag, but that wouldn’t have done me much good that night!
Wendy was due to arrive about noon. Our neighbor, Armando, wanted to talk to her about some property he wanted to sell. Art had already loaded the luggage into our car, and when Wendy arrived, he offered to help her load the old stove into her car. We are giving her our old kitchen because she knows someone who wants it. The deal is, we give it to her, but she is supposed to get some money from her friend for it. Anyway, since we found out with the table, her car has lots of room, just not quite enough room for our luggage. As Art and Wendy begin to carry the stove down the stairs, Art had a hard time, because he was at the back, and had to bend waaaaay over to hold the bottom while going down the stairs. At one point he stopped and re-grouped, and thought about taking the top off the stove. With the very next step, we all knew that’s what we should have done. I don’t think any of us knows exactly what happened, or how, but Art stumbled, and the hinged glass top that covers the cook top fell off, falling over the side of the stairs. All any of us could do was watch. Wendy later said that she was worried about it hitting our new floor lamp. But I didn’t even have a chance to think about that; I was too busy grabbing Art around the waist to make sure he didn’t fall too. Wendy had visions of falling backwards down the stairs and having the stove AND Art landing on top of her. As the cooktop crashed to the floor, it shattered into a million pieces. Several bad words were uttered, mostly by me, and mostly beginning with “f”.
Once we regained our composure and accessed the situation, Wendy left to meet with Armando about his property. Art and I had plenty of work to do. Wendy had put a grease mark on the wall as she reached to brace herself, so I scrubbed that with some soap while Art when to the garage to get the outdoor broom which I thought might be better for sweeping the glass off the carpet. We both swept and swept and swept. Just when we thought we had all the glass, we would see more. We saw glass in places that we never would have suspected. At least now the kitchen floor was really clean. And I’m sure we’ll still find pieces of glass once we return home.
Once Wendy returned from viewing the property in question, she and Art loaded the stove into her car. She told us that we had met the people who owned the property; they are related to the man around the corner, the one in the blue house who had the dog that barked all night long on the night of our car wreck. The one I woke up at two a.m. to ask him to take the dog inside. Wendy said they would like to get together with us when we got back, for dinner, and ultimately, for some reciprocal language lessons. That might be a good thing. After that, we left for the train station in Orte, after a brief stop at Ternana’s for lunch. I think Wendy might finally understand why we like Ternana’s so much. We were greeted by everyone when we walked in, and the camaraderie and friendliness was so obvious. Wendy had met Marco the night of our accident, and today we were able to introduce her to Rita too.
When we reached Orte, we were all fairly certain that the train station would be in Orte scalo, not in the upper city, but it wasn’t until we were within 500m of the station that we saw a sign. Most cities have the train stations well signed, and if we had been unfamiliar with the norm, or in a big hurry, we would have been out of luck.
The next train to Rome left at fourteen after the hour, so we had a good thirty minutes to wait. Since our train wasn’t yet up on the monitor, I check the printed schedule, and it listed the regular track as track five. Once this was confirmed on the monitor, we started the slow and very difficult task of getting our three LARGE suitcases down the stairs and back up again. Luckily for us, a young man helped us with the last two bags. And then, ten minutes before the train was due, a change was announced! The train to FCO would now depart from track one…the track where we were before the steps! Now we had to drag all the luggage back down and then back up…and of course, not only did we have those three very large bags, we also had three carryon bags and a six bottle container of wine! Once again, strangers came to our rescue, helping us with those last few, most difficult steps. Not a moment too soon…the train to FCO was there! Luckily for us, and for anyone who might have been behind us, the train was empty and the last car was close by. We heaved our luggage on board and placed it in the last seat. Within five minutes we were moving.
After stopping at EVERY town between Orte and Rome, we finally arrived at FCO, two hours later. We weren’t sure exactly how to get to the Hilton, but figured it couldn’t be too difficult, since it’s there, at the airport. Once we found the first sign, which wasn’t easy, we were okay. The walk wasn’t exactly a short one, especially with all our luggage, but we made it. Check-in was smooth and fast. We were shown to our room, relaxed for a minute, then left to see exactly what we were getting for 210 euro a night.
I had brought workout clothes in the hopes of (finally!) getting some exercise. Although the fitness room was nothing extraordinary, it was nice. There was a pool too, and a sauna. Art thought the sauna might be nice, until he saw that it cost eleven euro for thirty minutes!!! We were both surprised and disappointed about this. I can certainly understand paying extra for a massage, but just to sit in the sauna?! Come on!
We looked at the restaurants, and decided to splurge on the buffet. At thirty seven euro I wasn’t sure I could get my money’s worth, but since a hamburger cost sixteen euro, at least this way I would get plenty of variety. The buffet was definitely well done. The selection was outstanding, and everything was labeled in English and Italian, so there was no guessing. We sampled about half the items on the buffet, and everything was delicious. The desserts were the best, and after being so good for so long, I was a glutton. The panna cottta with chocolate syrup was a nice change. But, in the end, did I think it was worth it…no. I don’t mind paying $40+ for a meal, but I want to be waited on for that price, not have to schlep to the buffet and serve myself. But, we did it, we enjoyed it, and now we never have to do it again. That’s not to say I wouldn’t stay at the Hilton again if I had an early morning flight. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:40 am, and we could have stayed at a less expensive hotel, but I would never be sure if a cab was available at 5 am. I liked the convenience and security of knowing that I was there, at the airport, and all we had to do was walk to the terminal.
When we did go to the terminal on Sunday morning at 5 am, I was surprised to see how many ticket counters were open. Previously, the ticket agents hadn’t even shown up until 6 am! Check-in was quick, and security went smoothly, although I was surprised to see a sign that said computers could go through the X-ray machine. We would later see the same notice in Amsterdam, and were assured that in Europe, this was not a problem. Since I’m writing this on the plane, I guess they were right!
As mentioned earlier, we were scheduled to depart at 6:40. We saw the crew arrive, and a while later, the gate agents. But then the monitor changed, and the announcement was made that due to high winds in Amsterdam, our flight would be delayed. Schipol airport was only able to use one runway for both takeoffs and landings. We hoped this meant that our connecting flight would be waiting for us.
We finally departed about 7:45, as had been announced. Since it was a KLM flight, it was very nice…the food good and the attendants friendly and efficient. The flight takes 2 ½ hours, and about halfway through the flight, it was announced that any connecting flights leaving before 10:50 am would not wait for us. This meant that we would miss our 10:45 connection to Minneapolis. The flight to Detroit was also affected, so we had no idea what our alternatives were. We decided that since there would probably be a long wait at the transfer desk to be re-ticketed, we would just head for the gate as fast as we could and hope that the plane was still there. A quick check of the monitor told us that the flight was now boarding. Thanks goodness the moving sidewalks were actually moving, because when we got to the gate, there were still gate agents there, but not a passenger in sight. We were asked a few security questions, told that our luggage would not make it, but that it would be sent to our final destination and delivered to us. No problem.
Once we boarded, we saw that the plane was not full, which meant there was an empty seat between us and the two girls in our row. As we struck up a conversation, we discovered that one of the girls, Oanna, was Romanian, and was bound for Las Vegas, where she would join her Romanian boyfriend, who was now a U.S. citizen and working in a casino. The other girl, Heather, was an American, who was living in Romania and teaching American children. And, she was from Louisville! Valley Station to be exact! What a small world we live in! We are constantly amazed at how many people we meet who are from Louisville.
The best thing about this flight, other than the fact that we were ON it, was that the flight crew was very friendly and nice. The last several times we have flown NWA, the attendants have been so mean, so surly, so inattentive and disinterested, that we have come to dread flying on NWA. We always look forward to the KLM leg, because they are always so nice, but on NWA, there are some VERY unhappy employees.
Since we didn’t move from the gate for at least twenty minutes after we boarded, we asked one of the flight attendants if there was a chance our luggage got loaded. She felt certain that it had, and told us to be sure and check in Minneapolis. Of course, it wasn’t there. And there were quite a few people besides us who were missing luggage…Heather for one, who had arrived in Amsterdam long before we did, and long before our plane departed. I guess all the confusion with the delayed flights was the cause. We were told to file a claim in Louisville, and told that it would be delivered to our home.
The flight to Louisville was uneventful, and while I was walking to the NWA office to make a claim, who should I see running towards me but Nicholas, our grandson! What a great welcome home that was! The girl at the NWA desk told us that our luggage was still in Amsterdam, and that it should be in Louisville the next night.
We went to Angela’s house, and Duffy had fixed us a light supper, which was perfect. We unwound and went to bed around nine. Art was up early the next morning, but I slept in until seven. I was up in time to tell Nicholas goodbye when he left for school, and then Art and I started off for the day. We were going to meet my sister at her house to get her other car. This way, Art and I would have our own cars, and Art wouldn’t have to suffer through any more shopping. Unfortunately, until we got the car, we still had to stay together, so Art had to endure an hour at Target before getting his own car!
For me, driving again was great, as I knew it would be. The freedom and independence just can’t be described. After we parted ways, I went to WalMart, made a few more stops and got home around four. Art was waiting for me, reading the paper, and wishing he had gotten instructions on how to operate the television/satellite so he could catch up on CNN. He had gone to the Post Office to have lunch with his former colleagues and catch up on all the news.
I dreamt of our house in Italy that night, and it was strange to wake up and realize we weren’t there. I am enjoying seeing familiar sites, familiar faces, and familiar things in familiar stores. Today I printed out the remodeling pictures, so now I have hard copies of the process. I am enjoying buying things for the house, and will be glad to get home and put everything in its place. For now though, we are visiting with family and friends; enjoying being “on vacation” in the states!
MY LAST ITALIAN BLOG UNTIL JANUARY
Unless something really exciting or really terrible happens between now and the time we leave, this will be my last blog from Italy for a while! I told Art today that I am actually looking forward to being in the states…because I will be able to drive!!! And while I am driving, I won’t have to worry about being killed! Yes, I know there are deadly accidents every day in the US, but the drivers are just not as POSSESSED as the Italian drivers. And unless an American driver is drunk (which unfortunately still happens a lot) they usually stay in one lane, don’t tailgate, don’t flash their bright lights at you incessantly, and, for the most part, drive at a reasonable speed. At least in the US I know what I am dealing with.
Today the painter, Rolando arrived to finish the touchup painting and put up the baseboard in the kitchen. He had a lot of patching and sanding to do, so of course we had MORE DUST!!! I don’t think the dust will ever end! We left to get our hair cut at ten, and while we were in Marsciano, we ran into Elvio, the electrician. I know we’re geeks, but we really get a kick out of seeing someone we know on the street! We chatted with him for a few minutes, and he told us he would be by later with the switch plate covers. I ordered different colors for each room, of course, being the decorating diva that I am!
We met with Wendy to give her our old kitchen table. We needed to get rid of it since our stuff is arriving this afternoon. Amazingly, the tabletop and base fit more easily into her Fiat Punta than it did in our Ford station wagon. While we were with Wendy, we reminded her that we all needed to sign papers at the bank so that she can transfer money for us while we are in the states. We headed to the bank right after that, and Wendy will sign later this afternoon. Once that task was completed, we headed back home.
And not a moment too soon! It was now 12:50, and the delivery truck that was scheduled for AFTER 3:30 was pulling up to our house! Thank goodness we didn’t miss them! One of the two guys who delivered the stuff was so out of breath from going up and down the stairs, I wondered if he was a new hire. Surely he can’t do this all day, every day, and still be so out of shape. Art thinks he just smokes too much. Maybe that’s it. Anyway, our delivery consisted of one chair, one ottoman, (called a “pouf” in Italy!) an antique washstand, a wooden chest, and 46 assorted boxes of household goods, clothing, etc.
We spent the afternoon sorting through the boxes…many will just have to stay packed for now, because we don’t have anyplace to put the stuff. I have some of my Mom’s crystal, lots of ceramics and knick knacks that we have collected over the years, many, many picture albums, and lots and lots of framed pictures. For now, these boxes are stacked up in our bedroom, and the rest of the stuff is unpacked and waiting to be put away. I now have HANGERS!!!! And Corning Ware! And CRISCO!!!!! And I also have my printer for my computer, along with my keyboard and mouse…I can’t wait to hook up those…I hate using this pad on the laptop instead of the mouse.
We left late this afternoon to get some estimates for the shelving we would like to put in the kitchen. We stopped at one place in Marsciano, then went to a place near Magione that our friends John and Margaret recommended. I’m a little nervous about the estimates, but at least it will give us a starting point. We may end up buying ready made if this option proves too costly. We also stopped by the electronics store to see if the advertised TV had arrived, but, in true Italian style, perhaps tomorrow.
We finished off the evening with dinner at Ternana’s. I had planned to be good, and eat a nice low carb dinner of roasted chicken and a salad, but as soon as we walked in the door, Marco told us he had tortellini in brodo, and chicken with mixed vegetables. We both said “Yes!” Any time the chef recommends something, we say yes…it’s always a good idea, and tonight was no exception. Delicious as usual. And while we were eating, Marco brought some olive oil from his farm, and poured it on our bread, our chicken, and our vegetables. WOW! It was delicious. He told us he didn’t have a lot of oil this year, but what he did have was very good. We agreed!
Before we left, Marco also brought us a small Christmas gift…two bottles of his very own red wine!!!! “His production”, as he would say. We can’t wait to try it. I told him when we return from the states that I will cook something typically American for them…I’m thinking about a Derby pie, but haven’t yet decided. Any suggestions are welcome.
When we got home, Rolando was gone, the painting was finished, and the baseboard is up. It really finishes the room nicely. I’m glad we choose wood. That, plus the carpet we put under the table really warms up the room. When Wendy came to dinner last week she was amazed by how much bigger the room looks now…I think it’s just because the room is inviting…before it was so ugly you just wanted to turn and run!!! It’s not that I was able to see the potential; it’s just that I wanted to live in Italy so bad that I was willing to live in an ugly house, since that’s all we could afford. Luckily for us, it has really turned out beautifully, and we are both very happy with the results. We know that we will be more than ready to come home at the end of January.
DINNER WITH ENRICO AND WILMA
Boy, have we been busy! As mentioned earlier, we were invited to dinner on Monday evening. We would be going to the home of Enrico and Wilma. Enrico is the brother of the guy who owns the hardware store in Marsciano, and is also the president of the Italian branch of the Longhorn Society. He is a diehard fan of cowboys, Indians and horses. He teaches cowboy-style, cattle-ranching style horseback riding. He speaks very little English. We were terrified and curious.
On Monday morning, we stopped by the flower shop to buy a plant to take with us. Wendy had told us that a plant would be safe, and we followed her lead and bought a poinsettia. Of course the lady at the flower shop wrapped it beautifully. We took the plant back to the house before heading to Marsciano for the Monday market. The temperature was COLD and the wind was biting, so after a quick, and unsuccessful, look around for a metal bucket for ashes, we left. We were numb with cold, and looked forward to the warmth of enclosed shopping at Collestrada.
At Collestrada, we joined the hordes of people who were enjoying the day off from work. December 8th is the feast day of the Immaculate Conception, for those of you who weren’t raised Catholic, or who may have forgotten. In Italy, this is a big holiday. I think this day must be similar to the day after Thanksgiving, because the stores were packed, and everyone’s shopping carts were over-flowing! I needed some Christmas wrapping paper, and a few odds and ends. We found what we needed, stopped for lunch at Ternana’s, then headed back to San Venanzo.
Enrico had told us to call him on Monday, so Art called early in the afternoon. Enrico said he would come to San Venanzo to pick us up at 5 o’clock. Since we had originally been invited for dinner at 7:30, we weren’t sure if the plans had changed or not…after all, this wouldn’t be the first time that we were “UN-invited”! Although we knew that Enrico and his wife, Wilma, lived in Ospedaletto, which is just past San Venanzo, we had no idea where…they could live IN town, on the outskirts of town, or on some remote road. Street signs are not common here, so we were both relieved that he would come to pick us up! We did decide that we would follow him so that, if things got really bad, we could leave when we wanted!
Art was so nervous about this dinner…I think he felt very pressured to carry on a conversation. For me, since my Italian is so bad and so minimal, there really wasn’t anything to worry about. At 5:00, Art suggested we get in the car and drive down to the church. He then tried to call Enrico on his cell phone, to let him know that we would meet him there, but we got no answer. His home phone just gave us the answering machine. I suggested we just go back to the house and wait there. Luckily for us, when we pulled up to our house, there was Enrico! We told him we would follow his Jeep, and off we went.
Ospedaletto turned out to be a bit further than we had remembered, and we never would have found his house without him. He told us to park on the street, since his driveway was quite steep and he was afraid that there might be ice. It was only when we walked up to the house that we realized it had snowed in Ospedaletto! The snow was still in the grassy areas! We had wondered why Marusca had asked us if we had snow in San Venanzo when we had lunch at Ternana’s. Now we knew….it sure didn’t miss us by much! Just a dusting, but never-the-less, snow!
Once we entered the house, it was no surprise to see that it was filled with Indian memorabilia. There were also a few very nice and very old pieces of furniture, and Enrico, whose last name is Biscotti, told us that his family had been in the area for a very long time. He told us, for the first of MANY times, how Umbria and Tuscany were the REAL Italy, because of the ancient Etruscans in the area. He told us that the people in the south had much darker skin, due to the Mediterranean influence, and that the people in the north had much lighter complexions due to the German influence. But, since ancient times, the REAL Italians lived in this area.
The house was nice. When we walked in the door, the living room and dining room were one large room, and there was a fireplace in the corner. Wilma was there, barely. Now that I am writing this, I had to ask Art if she was even there, and he thinks she was. She quickly disappeared into the kitchen and closed the door. Enrico then showed us into the family room…in the corner stood a life-size mannequin, dressed in Indian garb, complete with headdress! The room was decorated with tomahawks, knives, guns, statues, pictures, posters, an American flag AND a Texas flag.
Since neither of us knows much about the Indian culture, many things he showed us were new. I never realized that the handles of the tomahawks doubled as pipes! Also, many of the metal heads were obtained from the English, through bartering. Enrico showed us the framed certificate from the president of the U.S. Longhorn Society. George Bush is also a member of this organization, as are Tom Selleck and Sharon Stone. He gave us a typed sheet with his biography on it, and showed us several magazines that had written articles about him. His story is this:
He was born in 1964, and as a child always loved cowboy and Indian movies from the United States. John Wayne was a big hero to him. He took riding lessons as a teenager, and discovered how much he liked horses. In 1985, by chance, he attended a show that was put on by American Sioux Indians in Italy, and this re-kindled his interest in Indians. Through people he met at this show, he discovered that there are a lot of Germans who are also interested in the Indian culture. From there, his interest and knowledge grew, and eventually he ended up selling his business to buy a “ranch” and live as a cowboy. Today he is known as one of the best reproducers of historical American Indian culture, and works with museums and private collectors around the world. He also has a great interest in the “horse whisperer” style of horse training.
Any worries that Art had about not being able to carry on a conversation were quickly forgotten…Enrico hardly let us get a word in! He talked and talked, mostly in Italian, and we listened…HARD! I think we got the gist of most of what he told us. We heard many times about how the Umbrians and Tuscans are the original Italians, and how the use of slang and dialect are very wrong. He stated over and over again that he doesn’t speak in dialect. For us, the different dialects are very confusing…this is more than just an accent…different dialects use very different words for the same thing.
He asked us about George Bush...he knew that he was the President, a member of the Texas Longhorn Society, and also thought that he had been born in Texas. Anyone who knows Art knows that all you have to do is mention the name Bush, and off he goes! We both attempted to explain, as best we could, why we did not like Bush, or the policies of his administration. We explained that generally, the Republicans are not as environmentally conscious as we would like, and that they tended to support policies that would benefit big business. Enrico compared him to Berlusconi, and from what little I know this may be close, although I think Berlusconi is also criminal and dictator wanna-be!
During this discussion, Wilma appeared briefly to bring us Prosecco, and a plate of sausage and bread. Enrico told us that the sausage was made from cinghiale, the wild boar. He then told us the story about his pet cinghiale, the one he raised from a baby (cinghialette? Cinghialino?). Since these wild boars are known to be ferocious, we were both very surprised. Then I asked the most important question: was this sausage made from the pet? Luckily, no. The bread we had was not bread, Enrico explained, but torta. It was the same torta we had eaten last Easter, and I think it’s specific to this area. It’s made with cheese, and of course, it was delicious. Enrico was kind enough to note that this was only a snack, and that dinner would follow shortly. Good, at least now we knew we hadn’t been “uninvited”!
Occasionally, Enrico would yell something at Wilma, and she would respond from inside the kitchen. I thought about going in to ask if I could help, but decided that with my lack of Italian, I would have been more in the way. We would see her come out of the kitchen long enough to put another log on the fire, or bring something to the table. Then she would disappear into the kitchen and close the door again. The fire made the loudest POPS! We have ever heard, and Enrico told us later that the wood was castagna…chestnut.
At one point, Enrico asked about our house in San Venanzo, how long we had been in Italy, etc. He was amazed that we were now living full-time in Italy. He said, “No house in America?”, and “Sempre?” (Forever?) He just couldn’t get over the idea that we had chosen to live in Italy. He was surprised that we were going to visit the U.S. for six weeks, but we explained that we used to live in America and visit Italy, but now we live in Italy and visit America. We also explained that we are NOT rich Americans, and that in order to buy a house in Italy, we had to sell the one we had in the states.
Enrico searched through a drawer and found a pin that he gave to Art. It was sliver, and had a horseshoe and riding crop. It also had a push-type pin to attach it, so that Art can wear it as a tie tack. Enrico apologized because it wasn’t really “Indian”, but for Art, it was perfect. Earlier he had shown us his collection of knives and guns, including a Colt 45. I thought that he gave one of the knives to Art, but I wasn’t sure. Later, Enrico made sure that Art took this knife…it HAD been a gift, after all! And for me, he found a piece of antique turquoise that had been used for a necklace or collar. The holes in these pieces of stone are so incredibly tiny; I can’t imagine how they worked with them. Enrico is restoring a headdress and has tons of these beads...I would need a magnifying glass and steadier hands…detail work is NOT my strong suit.
After about two hours of Enrico talking, us listening, and Wilma cooking, dinner was ready. We sat down to a beautiful table and Wilma served the first course…small canapés, I would call them. They looked like pieces of crustless bread, spread with mayonnaise and assorted toppings. Enrico poured the Prosecco, which was about his only contribution to the dinner. Wilma did EVERYTHING. She even got up each time the fire needed another log, and she also carried in the space heater from the family room. It was quite cold by the front door, and Enrico explained that he didn’t use the radiators. He was quite proud of this fact, and poor Wilma just looked forlorn. He told us that if it was warm in the house, when he went out into the cold, he would get sick. I mentioned the fact that his brother owned a hardware store, and he could probably get something to put on the doors to stop the drafts. I told him I agreed with Wilma, and that I refused to be cold in my own home. When Wilma wasn’t serving a dish, or taking away the dirty dishes, or putting another log on the fire, she usually took a few bites of her dinner and then stood in front of the fireplace. I told Art I wouldn’t mind coming back in another life as a man in Italy, but now that I think about it, I really would hate to think that I would be that selfish and inconsiderate and think that it was normal and acceptable. But please, God, don’t let me be born a woman in Italy!
Our second course was pasta, of course. A delicious ravioli with tomato sauce. This was followed by potatoes and meat…I’m not sure what kind of meat it was, beef maybe. As usual, it too was delicious. Enrico did acknowledge what a good cook his wife was, and told us the meat was so good because it was cooked with balsamic vinegar. This was accompanied by more torta, and Enrico was careful to explain that this was NOT bread, but torta. I will try to figure out the differences later. I do know that it is made on a hot stone in the fireplace. For this part of the meal we had red wine. I was surprised that we didn’t have a salad after that, but dessert was next…a beautiful fruit torte, served with a sweet fizzy red wine. I would love to know what it was! By the time this meal was over, we were stuffed! Wilma is certainly a wonderful cook, and a dutiful wife. During the course of dinner she did participate in the conversation, when she was there, of course. This was a relief for me, since I was afraid that she might be just a timid little mouse.
After dinner, we gathered around the fireplace because by this time, space heater or not, our toes were frozen. We talked for about an hour, and then Wilma excused herself. She had to get ready for bed…I’m not sure if it was for work in the morning, or if she has to get up and feed the chickens and chop the firewood for the day! This was the perfect time to leave…we hated to “eat and run”, and aren’t sure what length of stay would be considered “proper” by Italians, so this worked out perfectly. We explained that we too had to get up early since the plumber and electrician were due to arrive at seven a.m.
We told Enrico that we would like to have them for dinner at our house in February, once we returned from America. Since they will be visiting Fort Worth again this March, we told them that at OUR house, we will speak English, so that they can practice. Enrico seemed to like this idea, but I’m sure Art and I will both want to practice our Italian. We were glad to see that there had been no more snow for the drive home. What an evening! We laughed and talked about it on the way home and for the rest of the night. Enrico certainly likes to talk, and he WAS a very interesting person. We both felt sorry for poor Wilma. I wonder what they will think about us after they have dinner here? I plan to cook things that they are familiar with, but I also plan to have most of it ready to go, and I will participate in the cocktail hour festivities. Art will also surprise them, I’m sure, with the amount of help he gives me. I would love to hear their comments!
This was a big day for us…our first dinner with an Italian family! WOW! From what I’ve heard, this sort of invitation is not to be taken lightly. We both feel very honored to have been invited, and hope that we didn’t embarrass ourselves!
BREAKING NEWS!!!
The people in Naples just called to tell us that they would be delivering our stuff TOMORROW AFTERNOON!!!! And it's only been NINE weeks!!! At least now we won't have to worry about Wendy having to drive up here to meet them, but with only three days left before we leave for the states, it will make things a bit hectic.
I am in the middle of writing about the dinner we had Monday night, but it's going to take me awhile to finish that one. For now, here's a quick update. Yesterday, Tuesday, the electrician and plumber both arrived at eight. The plumber just needed to hook up the water softener, and then had to call the technician to tell us how to operate it.
The electrician promised that he would finish up before lunch. He was leaving his two young helpers here, and after showing them what needed to be done, he left. We had to take our check to Rosella and also get the drawer that had been cut to fit the plumbing, so we asked if anyone would need a key for after lunch. We knew the plumber would be gone soon, but weren't sure about the electricians. They assured us that they would be finished before lunch.
When we returned, we found that many things had not been completed, or didn't function. We were NOT happy. Art called Mauro to tell him about it, and to ask Mauro to stop by in the morning. I discovered that I absolutely HATE the mirror that we put in the new bathroom. When we bought it, I had expressed reservations about the design...on one side of the mirror there is a small cabinet, and the lights are recessed at the top of the mirror. I was concerned that since the cabinet was not on the wall side, the light would be blocked. Unfortunately, I was right. We both decided that this was the wrong cabinet for this bathroom. I think it will work in the bathroom upstairs, so we'll save it until the spring, and look for something else for downstairs.
On Wednesday morning, the electrician rang the (new) doorbell at eight o'clock. Seems that the boys just hadn't been able to finish before lunch, and of course they didn't have a key! At least we knew they were just slow, not totally incompetent. We asked Elvio to put in a double plug behind the leather chair in the kitchen, and he already knew about everything else that needed to be done. Once again he left the ragazzi to finish. It was only after they left that Art discovered that the lights in the blue bathroom no longer function! He had checked to make sure they had completed every task, but obviously had not checked on places where no work was done. Since they had left their ladder we knew they would be back. Art caught them when they came to pick it up and they promised to return after lunch.
Yesterday when I was mopping, I dumped the dirty water into the toilet downstairs. I noticed that the carpet was wet, and thought I must have sloshed the water. Today when I did the same thing, I decided that the toilet was leaking. There was a line running down the side of the toilet, which I thought was part of the design. It wasn't until Fabio arrived that I realized it was a BIG crack!! He called Mauro, and arrangements are being made for the replacement. He also said he is still trying to get a hold of the technician for the water softener, but said it will be today or tomorrow. Of course, we won't even get to enjoy the soft water before we leave, but it will be here waiting for u s when we get back.
The painter is supposed to be here tonight, although I doubt he can do everything he needs to do in one evening. The baseboard and bathroom door will be installed once he is finished, as will the stair railing.
Here are some pictures of the various pots, etc., that we bought, and also one picture of the area under the stairs that will eventually be the pantry.
THE KITCHEN IS FINISHED!
The electrician arrived on Saturday, as promised. The only real problem we had was when he saw that the tile work had been completed. He had wanted to wire the under-cabinet lighting before that was done, but I had not understood clearly enough exactly what he wanted. He told me he would install the lights after the cabinets were installed, and I took that to mean that he wanted to wait, and install all the lights at the same time. That, combined with the fact that Mauro had told us the electrician would return after the kitchen was finished, had caused the misunderstanding. Luckily for us, our electrician is as good as all the other workers, and he found a solution that worked for all of us. He simply routed the wiring through the inside of the upper cabinets, and the result was perfection.
He then hooked up the stove, oven and fan, moved the ceiling fixture, and left for the day. He will return on Tuesday to finish the wiring for the rest of the house. There is still much to be done...the bathroom, laundry room and pantry still need fixtures, the entryway will get a new light, the wall sconces will go up in the hall by our bedroom, and we will change the overhead light that is now in the living room, replacing it with the one that came out of our bedroom. And we will get a new doorbell. I still need to ask Mauro when the phone line downstairs will be moved, and how will do it. The wires are still lying on the windowsill in the kitchen, but the line needs to be over by the stairs.
Once Elvio left, I had my work cut out for me. The tile man had told me to wash the ceramic tile floor with white vinegar and water the first time. Since there was so much stuff on the floor...pieces of grout, drops of paint, etc, it was a job that needed to be done on hands and knees. So, bit by bit, section by section, I scrubbed with a vinegar soaked cloth, then rinsed with water. I decide not to tackle the pantry, under the stairs. My back and shoulders were begging for mercy! Once that job was completed, I mopped with clear water, and we left to buy some fireplace supplies.
At the hardware store in Marsciano, while trying to decide what we needed, another couple walked up and joined our conversation. We discovered that the man was the brother of the guy who owned the hardware store. Once the brother found out we were American, he got really excited. He pointed to the baseball-type hats that he and his wife wore. They said "Texas Longhorns", and he started telling us about this organization he belonged to. From what we could gather, he loves Texas and cowboys. He runs some sort of school or program to teach western-style, cattle-herding horseback riding. Art and I were amazed, bewildered, and amused.
The brother who owns the store brought out a huge poster advertising this school, or program, whatever it is. I should have taken a picture...it featured an Indian with a full headdress. The brother told us that he had one of these headdresses at his house, and then we found out that he lives in Ospedaletto, which is a small town just past San Venanzo. We were practically neighbors! This so excited the brother that he insisted we come to dinner at this house on Monday. He told us what a good cook his wife was. And all the time, his wife is standing there, looking like a deer caught in the headlights! I had to laugh at the universal similarities here...the husband inviting guests without ever asking his wife. I'm sure he won't be the one to clean the house or cook the dinner! I told the wife, in the best Italian I could muster, that I understood. She smiled weakly.
Back in the hardware store, the owner told me that he and his younger brother had been interested in everything western since they were little boys. He showed me pictures of him in his cowboy Stetson and real cowboy shirt. Once we had finished with our talk of America, Texas and cowboys, we bought the grate, screen and fireplace tools, and came home to have our first meal in our new kitchen.
We lit a fire, cooked some pasta, opened a bottle of wine, and then we had dinner in our wonderful kitchen! The bottom drawer under the sink is still missing...we have to pick it up on Tuesday, and the railing for the stairs hasn't yet arrived, but everything we need for a functional kitchen is finally in place! Here are a few more pictures of the work as it progressed, and of the end result. Eventually we will have shelving or cabinets on the wall by the stairs, and once the water softener is installed, the area under the stairs will be our pantry.
This is the work as it contined to progress:
and the new door, now complete with curtains....
And this is the new kitchen.....
THE DINNER FROM HEAVEN
Since our old kitchen is mostly unusable, and the new kitchen is still awaiting electricity, paint touch-ups and a good cleaning, we are eating dinner at Ternana’s every night. Not that we mind. The selection is so varied...they have pizza by the slice, or Marco will make you whatever you want in the wood-fired oven. Most nights I try to stay low carb and have roasted chicken and a mixed salad. One night we had a mixed grill plate, with sausage, pork and chicken that was delicious.
When we walked in last night, Art was in the mood for pasta. No sooner had we walked up to the counter, than Marco announced the special for the day was penne pasta with sausage and mushrooms. And he told us in English! His English puts my Italian to shame, but that’s another story. Since we wanted pasta anyway, we both quickly agreed to the special. I had my usual mixed salad with tomatoes and Art had a side order of mushrooms.
When the past arrived, it was unbelievably delicious! It had no sauce, just the sausage and mushrooms, and it was so flavorful we both kept commenting over and over on how good it was. I had planned to get the lasagna that was in the case before Marco told us about the special, and when we were almost finished with our dinner, Rita brought us a plate of the lasagna to try. It was a generous sized serving, enough for one person, and certainly enough for the two of us to sample.
I took the first bite, and I felt like that dog in the old Huckleberry Hound cartoons…do you know the one I mean? The dog that went “OOOOOH! AAAHHHH!” And hugged himself because he was in such ecstasy? Once Art put the first bite in his mouth, he knew what I was carrying on about! This was the most delicious pasta either one of us had ever tasted! The pasta was thin, light and delicate. The tomato sauce was perfectly seasoned. And what was the other ingredient? We thought that it might be eggplant. Neither one of us likes eggplant very much, but if this WAS eggplant, we would both eat it for breakfast lunch AND dinner if it was prepared like this!
Pino came to the table to ask how we were enjoying our dinner. We both used every superlative we knew in Italian to tell him how wonderful it was! Pino told us that it was indeed eggplant…melanzana in Italian. And what made it so delicious what that the eggplant was first fried! No wonder we liked it so much! Our southern roots were showing! Pino went back to the counter and told Rita how much we enjoyed the lasagna. She came to the table and told us how simple the ingredients are, and as usual, this is what makes Italian food so wonder…just the simplest ingredients, put together in the most wonderful way! And she told us what to expect tomorrow…spaghetti with tomatoes, and bistecca…steak.
Can you guess what we had for dinner tonight? Would you be surprised if I said how amazing just a simple plate of spaghetti can taste? Or how wonderful a steak is when cooked in a wood-fired oven? I’m starting to wonder if we shouldn’t have saved the money we spent on our new kitchen so that we could eat at Ternana’s every night! And I guess I should mention that our dinner last night cost sixteen euro….that included a large bottle of water and a half liter of red wine!
FIREPLACE/KITCHEN/DOOR PICTURES
CERAMIC TILE AND A FIREPLACE
Today the men arrived who will lay the ceramic tile on the backsplash and finish the fireplace. They brought back the drawer that didn’t fit on Tuesday, but now they have to take the OTHER drawer from under the sink so that a place can be cut to accommodate the plumbing. We spoke with Rosella to ask if it was okay to give our check to one of these guys. She tried to tell us that we could simply go to the bank to pay, but we don’t really understand how that works. I guess they would just transfer the money from our account into her account, and I also guess that her bank information is included on the receipt we have, but I’m not sure. Since we have the check made out, we thought we would just mail it. This doesn’t seem to be an option. And since the guys will take the drawer today, Rosella said we could pick it up tomorrow (!) and just bring the check with us.
I’m still not sure what the piece is that cost 100 euro. I guess it’s the board they showed us on Tuesday that is merely a facing to even out the cabinets. It gets mounted above the cooktop, next to the fireplace. What they showed us on Tuesday was just a piece of wood the same color as the cabinets. The guys today brought something else…maybe the cabinet itself? If there has to be something there, it would be nice to have it be a usable space. Guess we’ll find out as the day goes on. Art just went downstairs to look at the new piece they brought, and it IS another cabinet. The guy that was in the kitchen at the time didn’t seem to know anything about it, so I’m hoping the other guy is better informed. I also hope they know how to put it up.
I did have a request for the men today. When the cabinets were installed on Tuesday, the shelves inside the cabinets were mounted at the higher setting. Of course no one asked me. Since I am short, I would prefer the shelf to be lower, so that I can get to the second shelf more easily. I tried to take out the plastic pieces that cover the extra holes, but they were very tight, so I asked the guys today if the could move them. It was only for two cabinets, so I didn’t feel too bad. The guy who moved the shelves had quite a time removing the plastic covers too.
Here are the pictures I have taken so far.....
THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN ITALY
Breakfast is practically unheard of. Well, if you count espresso and a cigaret as breakfast, then maybe. But the basic all-American eggs and bacon just doesn’t happen here. I think part of the reason is because the Italians generally eat dinner later than Americans. Many restaurants don’t even open until 7:30, and many times we have been the only people in the restaurant at 7:30 or 8 o’clock.
Eggs come in cartons of TEN… not twelve, not your basic dozen eggs, but TEN. Or you can get the smaller 6 pack. And they are fairly expensive. The Coop was running a special…10 medium eggs, not large, for 82 cents…which at the current exchange rate is about 98 cents.
Did I mention in an earlier blog how difficult it is to find tomato juice? You can find apple juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice and prune juice. Peach and apricot juices seem to be popular too. In the land of tomatoes, where an entire grocery aisle is dedicated to tomatoes in every shape and form, the tomato juice is always hard to find. I guess they do everything with tomatoes but DRINK them! When I did find tomato juice in the IperCoop, I bought all they had, which was about four six-packs. They haven’t restocked since. I looked at the local Coop, and did find some tomato juice, but I am only going to buy one or two packages at a time, just so they don’t run out. And it comes in tiny little glass bottles…about 6 ounces, I guess.
Lunch is at one o’clock, not noon. I don’t know how they make it with no breakfast for that length of time. I guess a little coffee goes a long way. Maybe this is why there are so few fat Italians. That and the fact that they are not big sweets eaters, or snackers. Although we are seeing a LOT of cakes here for Christmas, Italians seem to prefer bitter tastes to sweet tastes.
Traffic laws are made to be broken, and we haven’t seen a lot of enforcement. Except for the parking ticket WE got, that is! Parking here is a creative sport. Parallel parking is unknown. If you see a parking space, just pull into it, and if the car doesn’t quite fit, or sticks out into the driving lane, don’t worry about it.
Merging is another concept that hasn’t made it to Italy. Granted, there’s not a very long merge lane to start with, but usually the cars just STOP, and wait for an opening, then say a prayer they can accelerate fast enough. Or, just let the guy behind them worry about it, and just slowly ease their way into traffic. And it’s very unusual for a car in the right lane to move over to the left lane to allow cars to merge in. After all, if they did that, the Mercedes that’s doing 140 will mow them down, and they know it.
There is much less “finger food” in Italy... Sandwiches are wrapped in a napkin and eaten. Most people still eat pizza with a knife and fork, although you will see people eating it “American style”.
Dryers are also a rarity. We asked our plumber why the Italian dryers had such small vents…the vent on our dryer is about two inches in diameter…what would take 40 minutes to dry in the US takes TWO HOURS in Italy.. the plumber said he didn’t know…ours was only the third dryer he had ever installed!
And speaking of laundry, the washers only use cold water, and have a heating element in them. When we told our appliance salesman that we were going to hook up both hot AND cold water, he nearly had a heart attack! “OH NO! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” When we insisted that we COULD and we WOULD, he frantically searched through the instruction manual to find the official warning so that we would be saved. When he couldn’t find any such warning, he started thinking about it, and decided that maybe it’s not such a bad idea. I usually turn the hot water off after the wash cycle, since I rinse with cold only. Using only cold water for a hot water wash can take a very long time if the washing machine has to heat its own water.
As with many European countries, you can pay your utility bills at the Post Office. Since we now have our bank account there, we have set everything up to auto-pay directly form our checking account.
Speaking of the Post Office, since we are both former US Postal employees, we noticed this next situation some time ago. In most of the European countries we have visited, including Italy, the clerks get to sit down. This also applies for cashiers in the grocery stores. In the Post Office, there are glass windows separating the customer from the employees, with just a narrow opening at the bottom to slide your letters and money through. Conversely, we have seen letter carriers on the street, and the mail that is not in their hand is simply left in the bag, strapped to a bicycle or motorcycle. Or it’s sitting in the car with the windows open and the door unlocked! In the US, if the mail was left unlocked, the carrier would be fired immediately!
We haven’t seen canned soup. Or diet drinks. You can find Diet Coke in some restaurants, but not in the grocery store, or in a vending machine. Pickles are hard to find, and what we have found taste very different from what we are used to. I love all types of pickles…sweet, dill, bread and butter....you name it. The ones that we have found that are less sour are certainly NOT sweet. No pickle relish either. We saw canned green beans one time, and never again. Canned vegetables in general are hard to find. I guess they cook most of their vegetable fresh. Coffee creamer doesn’t exist. Art hasn’t found cottage cheese. No barbeque sauce.
You can buy beer at McDonald’s. And several different types of salad, including ones with pasta, and with seafood. But no salad bars. And no salad dressings. But when you have this great oil and vinegar, who cares? Dry cleaning takes four or five days, but there are one hour photo places.
None of these are complaints, merely observations. We can certainly live without most of the things that are not available in Italy. We can look forward to barbeque and burritos when we visit the US. We can certainly live without Diet Coke. We can fix whatever we want for breakfast, and eat our lunch and dinner at whatever time suits us. For now, we are still in a period of adjustment. Some things we want to stay the same, some things we accept as they are done in Italy. As time goes by, I suspect that more and more we will start to live as the Italians do. We realize that we are still in the “honeymoon” phase, and that our view will change over the coming years. For now, though, we are “molto contento.”
New doors, windows, and more!
December 2, 2003
Yesterday the new back door went in. When Mauro stopped by around ten, he said that Gioberto would be here at two to install the new door, and the window in the new bathroom downstairs. He said the plumber would be here today or tomorrow, but that the electrician wouldn't return until the kitchen was finished. We would really like to have the light fixtures put up in the bathroom and laundry room, but since he has to come back to install the under-counter lights and the fixture over the table, this way makes the most sense.
If you remember the photos from previous posts, you will know that most of the exterior wall had already been removed. When Gioberto arrived, he started knocking the remaining interior wall out, then used some sort of hand held jackhammer to remove the frame and even out the edges. More piles of rocks! I'm thinking of changing my name to Betty, because we are living in constant rubble. Mauro's father had dropped off the new doors, shutters and bathroom window earlier. The window and door guy arrived around 4, and it was soon discovered that the frame was slightly too tall for the opening. We don't think the door guy did his own measuring, because we don't think he's been here before. Maybe everyone thought the opening could be made higher, and for whatever reason, it wasn't possible. Anyway, he took the frame back to his shop in Marsciano for a quick trim, and once he returned, the door went in.
Art had been asking Mauro to recommend someone to build an armadio for our bedroom, and Mauro had told him the window guy did that sort of thing. When Art asked the window guy about it, he said no, he didn't do that! Great! We've been waiting all this time, and now we have to start our search all over again. Once Mauro arrived, Art told him what the guy had said, and then Mauro asked the window guy, "Don't you build armadio's?" To which the window guy said, said "Well... sometimes." Mauro turned to Art and winked. So, this IS our guy after all. Best of all, his son speaks English, so we will get together with both of them to discuss the details. I have sketched out a sample design showing what I want...some tall hanging rods, some shorter hanging rods, some shelf space for sweaters, etc, and some storage space above for blankets, etc. I know that I don't want feet on the armadio, but that I want it to sit directly on the floor. I'm sure this guy will have plenty of suggestions for things I haven't even thought about. At least I have the previous experience of re-designing all the closets in our last house.
I wish I knew the window guy's name, but for now, that's just what he'll have to be called. He adjusted all the windows in the house...the kitchen window had somehow gotten out of kilter, and the rod that runs the length of the window and locks it into place was all screwed up. Once again, having the right tool and knowing what to do with it worked wonders! The bathroom window, which had been difficult to close, now works like a charm.
The window in the hall had a cracked pane, and we thought it was due to the fact that the window frame was warped. We had asked that when the window was removed to make way for the new door, that the windows be switched. I'm not sure what happened, but the window guy took the cracked/warped window out, put in new glass, and it now works like new.
Since the door work didn't start until two, there was still much to be done tomorrow. Gioberto promised to return at seven, and said it would take him about two hours. He and Adolfo put the new door in temporarily, stuffed plastic around the edges, and left.
December 2, 2003
Gioberto and Adolfo arrived bright and early to finish the new door today. Once the door was leveled, Gioberto proceeded to patch up the empty spaces, using chunks of the brick that had originally been there, and of course, mortar. How he can just throw that mortar exactly where he wants it, into the smallest of openings, is amazing. While he was doing this, he showed us the interior of our walls, and said that our house was very old. We thought it had been built in the 1960's, for some reason. He told us no, it was much older than that. He said it was one of the first houses in San Venanzo, but we still have no idea how old it is. We'll try to remember to ask Mauro if he knows.
Gioberto's two hours stretched on and on. At one, they went to lunch. When they returned at two, they now had to install the exterior shutters. Since the stairs aren't there yet, they had to set up scaffolding, and even with two strong men, it was quite a job to steady the shutters, level them, secure them, then move everything so that the hinges could be set in place. At five, there was still work to be done. We were now calling Gioberto "Solo due ora". Since the kitchen was being installed at the same time, we jokingly asked Gioberto if he was just hanging around for dinner in the new kitchen. He would laugh and shake his head...why he underestimated the time so badly is hard to imagine.
The window guy came back to install a screen on the bathroom window...in the backyard, this window is at ground level, so I think a screen was necessary to keep out any small animals that might wander by. Screens on the windows and doors are non-existent in most Italian homes, although we have seen kits to make your own screens in the DIY stores. In the spring we hope to add a screen door to the garden door. Our friends Margaret and John have one that looks nice�it works like a window shade that's mounted vertically. The only problem they've had with it is keeping people from walking through it!
Gioberto and Adolfo will return on Wednesday morning to finish the door...but no promises of how long it will take.
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
The door work continues. Today the exterior of the house is finished, and the concrete work Gioberto does is unbelievable. Art asks the men to look at the bricks on the front porch...the mortar is missing between some of them, and since there is already concrete mixed, Art thought it would be a simple task. But no. Once Gioberto starts to remove the bricks they just crumble away. He sends someone to get more bricks. The old bricks are removed, and new bricks are now laid. We can't walk on this area for several days.
Art calls Rosella around ten to see when the ceramic/fireplace people arrive. She says not until tomorrow. "Domani" seems to be the most popular word in Italian. She also tells Art that she has added a piece that was not included in our plan, and it only costs 100 euro. Whether this has anything to do with the delay, I'm not sure. Yesterday when we went to buy the remaining light fixture (foolishly thinking that the electrician would be here today), the kitchen installers left before we returned. They left us the bill on the table, which was for the amount we had agreed upon, and the amount that Rosella had reconfirmed for me last week. When Art hangs up from talking with Rosella, I am NOT happy. I don't know what this "extra piece" is, but it's not what I agreed to, it's not what my bill is for, and it's not what my check is made out for. I'm sure you know by now how much we like Rosella and her work, but she has had seven months to plan this kitchen, and if she forgot to add something, then I don't feel responsible. I call her and tell her that I am not happy. When she asks why, I explain that the check is already made out to the amount that we agreed upon, and that I don't like this extra charge. She says, "Okay, I give it to you gratis. Is that okay?" I say yes, that is fine, and we hang up. Art is amazed..."you just say you don"t like it, so she makes it free? For me she was going to charge 100 euro!" Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease!
I decide to finish the kitchen curtains so that we can have some privacy when (ever) the kitchen is finished. I decide to hang the curtains at cafe curtain height instead of full length. This will give us a bit more light, and since the street slopes downward, we'll still have total privacy. I "make" the curtains the same way I made all the rest...with straight pins. Still waiting for the sewing machine! Art screws in the pins that hold the rods, I measure, iron and pin, and now we have kitchen curtains.
In the meantime, the plumber has arrived! He starts working on the new kitchen sink. Once he has everything connected, the bottom drawer won't close. I suggest we call Rosella and let the plumber talk to her...the ceramic guys may not be able to take care of this problem. The plumber and Rosella talk, and someone will take care of it...I don't know who, but it won't be us! The plumber comments on the drawers..."Why are there drawers...why don't they just have doors?" Art doesn't know how to tell him that this is supposed to be our cool new idea!
After lunch, work resumes. The pipes that have been sticking out of the front of the house are now diverted into the ground, and the hole is patched. Gioberto tells Art that these are to ground the house; if not, everything will go "ZZZZZTTTT"! The plumber now hooks up the gas for the oven and the cooktop. If we want to cook by candlelight, at least we have running water and gas!
Pictures of the door in progress... and yes, that's Gioberto in the doorway!
If you look closely at this next picture, you will see how good Gioberto's work is. I don't think the painter will even have to sand these walls because they are so smooth!
This looks a little strange just hanging there by itself, but this is the new door to the garden, complete with shutters. The stairs should arrive when the banister does...hopefully soon!
In case you aren't familiar with Italian kitchens, it's common to have this dish rack over the sink...it frees up the sink and keeps the dishes out of sight.
And our recycling bins and garbage can under the sink....
THE KITCHEN IS INSTALLED…SORT OF
DECEMBER 2, 2003
As reported earlier, the installation of the kitchen began this morning. As of five o’clock, the cabinets are finished…almost. There is still one small “filler” piece that will need to be installed when the fireplace work is complete, and for some reason, they had to take one of the drawers from under the sink. These drawers under the sink are one of my great discoveries about Italian kitchen design.
I first saw this design in the kitchen cabinet showroom. In the following months, I have seen them in countless magazine layouts, but if I had seen them in a magazine first, I don’t think I would have even noticed. Seeing them in person, I was very impressed. Instead of having two cabinet doors beneath the kitchen sink, this design is for two deep drawers that are as wide as the sink itself. The top drawer has a “U” shape cut in the center of it, to accommodate the plumbing. The bottom shelf is quite generous, and for us, will hold our various recycling bins. I think it is such a great, logical use of this space that usually turns into an abyss filled with kitchen cleaning products. In future reports, I’ll let you know if I like these drawers as much in practice as I do in theory.
Another interesting thing that I realized only two days ago is that I don’t have the standard drawer above each base cabinet. I do have a four drawer stack under the oven, and two deep drawers beneath the cooktop, but for now, I’m trying to figure out where my silverware and kitchen utensils will go! I do plan to install the hanging system that is so popular in Italy. With this system, you mount a bar, usually chrome, on the wall behind your countertop. Various sized shelves, like small wire baskets, are available to hang from this rod. You can buy small shelves for spices, larger ones for olive oil. You can buy paper towel holders and angled cookbook holders. You can also buy “S” hooks to hang your larger cooking utensils from. It’s just a great system to keep the counter uncluttered, yet still have everything at your fingertips. So far, I’ve seen the best selection of shelves at Genevieve Lethu, the Williams Sonoma of Italy (although they are a French company). Again, I’ll keep you posted on how this system works for me.
Back to the installation. As I suspected, other people will come tomorrow to do the finish work on the fireplace, and to install the ceramic tile above the backsplash. The plumber will be here sometime in the next day or two to hook up the sink and the connections for the gas oven and cooktop. He is still waiting for something for the water softener, and is hoping to finish everything at the same time. He also needs to finish assembling the box for the shower stall.
The electrician is supposed to be here in the morning. We have lights in the new bathroom, pantry, entryway and kitchen for him to install. The refrigerator will not plug into the receptacle that is there, so I guess that will have to be changed. I moved the kitchen table around, and just as I suspected, the new overhead lamp (I hesitate to use the word “chandelier, lest you get the wrong idea) will have to be moved slightly forward.
As for the drawer that was taken way, I’m not sure why this cut wasn’t made at the factory. The granite for the sink was pre-cut, so where the sink would be was a definite. Maybe there was a problem that I’m not aware of. Right now my biggest concern is when this drawer will return. I asked if they would bring it back tomorrow, and of course they looked at me as if I had asked to have everything gold-plated. I did tell them that it must be returned before the 13th of December, since that’s when we’ll leave for the U.S. I hope I actually get to use and enjoy my new kitchen for at least a few days before then!
Simultaneously, the new door to the garden was installed today. Gioberto began the work yesterday, and said he would finish within two hours today. The two tuned into 8, and there are still a few things left for tomorrow morning! Gioberto and his brother, Adolfo worked hard all day long, first making sure the door frame was level, then re-bricking and mortaring the wall back to its normal state. The next part of the project involved hanging the exterior shutters…but wait, that’s a story all its own. I have started to take pictures, and I’ll post everything from start to finish in the next day or two.
We had to run to the store to pick up another under-cabinet light for the electrician to install, and by the time we got home, it was too dark to take more pictures. I’ll take some in the morning, and will also take pictures of the fireplace as it gets finished, and of the ceramic tile backsplash.
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Spina Bifida
