"Alpine Settler"
LOOKING BACK ON HOW IT BEGAN
EPISODE TWO
Written 15th August 2005
Yes it’s me! Back again like the proverbial ‘bad penny’ (though I suppose that it should be ‘bad cent’ nowadays)
Well I’ve finally moved into my own house, so no more ‘care of’ addresses. I actually got my Residency in my new village granted in May. But having moved in and falling over boxes that I hadn’t allowed the removal people to unpack, I have still had to live with the builders, carpenter, electrician, plumber, tilers and painters as they gradually completed their work.
None of them have any compunction here in taking on all the work they can get their hands on - and then juggling their teams around to do a bit at a time for everyone. I got used to (and fed up with) them disappearing for 10 days or so at a time. But found the way to get them back was by ‘locking my knees’ and jumping up and down while cursing at them in the Milanese dialect – it worked every time! Didn’t stop ‘em disappearing again mind you, but it did get ‘em back for a while.
Well the house is just about complete inside. The outside walls will be painted next spring/summer when I can put a few pennies back in the coffers. Two of my oldest friends, and their 'grown-up' nephew came over from England to help out when I moved in. They stayed for three weeks. That was a great help as you can imagine. My niece and her husband both helped too, but of course they still had to go to work in Milano, so came up at the weekends. There are still countless boxes to be emptied, and that in itself is exciting…. it’s like Christmas every time I open a box. I‘m finding things I'd forgotten I had. And talking about forgetting…. I’m getting ever so good at that - I’m not much good any more at remembering things, but the ‘forgettery’ is absolutely great, I could win prizes for my 'forgettery'!
EPISODE TWO
Written 15th August 2005
Yes it’s me! Back again like the proverbial ‘bad penny’ (though I suppose that it should be ‘bad cent’ nowadays)
Well I’ve finally moved into my own house, so no more ‘care of’ addresses. I actually got my Residency in my new village granted in May. But having moved in and falling over boxes that I hadn’t allowed the removal people to unpack, I have still had to live with the builders, carpenter, electrician, plumber, tilers and painters as they gradually completed their work.
None of them have any compunction here in taking on all the work they can get their hands on - and then juggling their teams around to do a bit at a time for everyone. I got used to (and fed up with) them disappearing for 10 days or so at a time. But found the way to get them back was by ‘locking my knees’ and jumping up and down while cursing at them in the Milanese dialect – it worked every time! Didn’t stop ‘em disappearing again mind you, but it did get ‘em back for a while.
Well the house is just about complete inside. The outside walls will be painted next spring/summer when I can put a few pennies back in the coffers. Two of my oldest friends, and their 'grown-up' nephew came over from England to help out when I moved in. They stayed for three weeks. That was a great help as you can imagine. My niece and her husband both helped too, but of course they still had to go to work in Milano, so came up at the weekends. There are still countless boxes to be emptied, and that in itself is exciting…. it’s like Christmas every time I open a box. I‘m finding things I'd forgotten I had. And talking about forgetting…. I’m getting ever so good at that - I’m not much good any more at remembering things, but the ‘forgettery’ is absolutely great, I could win prizes for my 'forgettery'!
The removal company, when they packed up, followed Sergio’s instructions to the letter. He had asked me what to pack? (as if I cared when I’d only just got out of hospital) - I told him ‘everything’. Well, this’ll make you laugh, one smallish box felt very light, and no wonder, it was full of used plastic shopping bags – and they weren't even 'crammed in'....I ask you! I have had to leave some of the unpacking work for the time being as I have to be careful not to overdo it. It has been so very hot here (even in the mountains) just recently. It touched 39°C for nearly a week (one day it was 42°C down in Milano), with upwards of 60% humidity with approx 29°C at 6 am (not funny). I spoke to my cardiologist about the heat and he warned me that I should do nothing when it is that hot.
Talking about the cardiologist, I had my 6 monthly check up at the end of June and fully expected to be ‘taken in’ again. My last check up in early December 2004 should have been a stay for about 3 days – but turned into 3 weeks of tests – so I was expecting the same again. But no…. they were very pleased with me so ‘no stay’ and I don’t have to have another check up until January. I still ‘phone the doctor and discuss any concerns I have, so that makes me feel an awful lot safer. I have a new GP up here in the Valtellina too. She is in her late 40’s and learned English at school, and now insists that we speak it during part of my visits. She is really nice, not like one or two of the doctors that I had during my travels in the UK.
I rented my nieces little holiday home (in the next village - above Colico) from January until I moved into my place. That saved me the trouble of driving up and down from Milan (60miles each way) two or three times every week to check on the house progress. Thank goodness I did, as the weather here was very cold and the roads were like skating rinks. A couple of times with the snow and ice the temperature dropped to 27°C BELOW freezing. The contrast with the weather this year has even surprised the locals….all they talk about is the ‘greenhouse effect’. What can one say – Perhaps they’re right. But I’m not a scientist so I don’t get involved in the local discussions on the matter!
Talking about the cardiologist, I had my 6 monthly check up at the end of June and fully expected to be ‘taken in’ again. My last check up in early December 2004 should have been a stay for about 3 days – but turned into 3 weeks of tests – so I was expecting the same again. But no…. they were very pleased with me so ‘no stay’ and I don’t have to have another check up until January. I still ‘phone the doctor and discuss any concerns I have, so that makes me feel an awful lot safer. I have a new GP up here in the Valtellina too. She is in her late 40’s and learned English at school, and now insists that we speak it during part of my visits. She is really nice, not like one or two of the doctors that I had during my travels in the UK.
I rented my nieces little holiday home (in the next village - above Colico) from January until I moved into my place. That saved me the trouble of driving up and down from Milan (60miles each way) two or three times every week to check on the house progress. Thank goodness I did, as the weather here was very cold and the roads were like skating rinks. A couple of times with the snow and ice the temperature dropped to 27°C BELOW freezing. The contrast with the weather this year has even surprised the locals….all they talk about is the ‘greenhouse effect’. What can one say – Perhaps they’re right. But I’m not a scientist so I don’t get involved in the local discussions on the matter!
And 'no matter what' - I still LOVE LIVING HERE!!!!
To be continued……
To be continued……
posted by Carole B at
4:32 PM
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