Jan 2013

The weather continued to be mild right to the middle of the month so we took the opportunity to replace or retie the fence cross pieces the deer had broken or knocked askew. The pests had eaten one medlar and the fig back to sticks. Its nice that they view our garden as a safe haven but we wished they'd eat the grass and thistles not the fruit trees. While doing the rounds we went to put some stuff into the grotto to store and stepped into shin deep sand/mud at the entrance, obviously washed down from the upper levels, fortunately not deep but bog like. Naturally the one not wearing the knee length wellies was the one to step into the quagmire leaving the other to haul out while trying not to laugh.

Last year had been a dreadful one for family and friends health and we fervently hoped this year would be better. It started with the news that a friend had had a live liver transplant and both her and her son were doing as well as could be expected. Another friend was well on the way to recovery although this was again going to take most of the year to get anyway near her former health. A friends husband, Joe Baggio the famous Italian racing driver of the 50 & 60's died peacefully after a year of poor health.

To take advantage of trenitalia's super economy offers we decided to go to Venice in April. We looked at the beginning of the month but had a message saying it wasn't possible to book over 4 weeks in advance of travelling, so that would mean early March. However while looking at things to do, how to get to the islands and costs etc we again looked at the train site and we;re astonished to see almost all the super econamy trains were all ready booked through April. In a panic we emailed the travel agent in Fabro, who helped us book our Verona trip, we emailed her on Wednesday there were spaces on the trains and the B&B but when she looked by Friday am nothing was available in April at all! So much for "you can't book this is 10 weeks and they're booked solid on the super economy. So an hour checking trains and available accommodation we are now booked one super economy Florence to Venice on the 3rd May at 19 euros, one economy at 28.00 euros, 2 super economy returns on the 4th May. The B&B is now 140 for the night (instead of 113 euros by the accadamia) and near the northern side 2 streets from the ferry to the islands, so better placed. She couldn't book our choice as its not available through her system. Still this way she's booked and confirmed for us and we pay her. We've to go back a week before we go to collect the hotel voucher and get regional tickets from Chiusi to SMN in Florence. That was something else she did was tie up the IC's to the regional trains. So despite trying to be ahead of the game we still had a moment of panic. Naturally, as we also want to visit Pompeii and Modena this year, we'll be keeping our eye open and looking at the web-site regularly. In passing our agent told us a new train service is being launched this April, by a private syndicate, Turin to Salerno with an option to have a non stop service between Milan and Rome, pointed at the business traveler but for the first year there will be offers and promotions so visitors who plan to visit Venice and then us can catch the Venice to Florence high speed and then get a regional train to Chuisi. No prices as yet but we'll be watching closely at the new website, www.italo.it too.

Look who came to dinner. We couldn't get all 5 together for a photo shoot but you can see despite tapping on the window to dissuade them from eating the second medlar they weren't worried a bit. They are now all over the lower car park and munching under the walnut tree so more fences to fix, no doubt, and would you believe it the freezer is full! Its actually nice to see them but we hope the hunters don't catch on as its another 6 weeks till the season is over.

The weather was mild hitting 18c in Turin the second week of the month but towards the end of the third week the sunny days gave way to wet ones and then took and icy turn dropping into the early minus ranges, quite a shock to the system although on the 22nd due to a sudden unseasonal sirocco wind Sicily hit 22c and we were averaging 5-8c. The thunderstorms that followed were less welcome.

An exciting Friday. It started out with some misgivings as the car was difficult to get going, having stood a week in freezing conditions. Then half way down the drive there was a twiggy bit of tree that had blown down we drove over but we were distracted by the neighbours dog that had escaped and was determined to get run over by snapping at our tyres as we made for the main road. On the road to Castglione del lago Mike said the was an odd sound coming from the rear of the car and as I had a bag of food for a brown bin I suggested we pull over so he could check the car as I dumped the bag, he found what looked like half a tree under our sump and pulled it out. The car went "click" when we got back in, battery totally done for. Not to worry we have jump leads so up with the bonnet and stand by the road looking hopeful. A lady pulled up, could she help? No sorry she was collecting her sister for a Dr';s appointment and they were late already, next time (?) I said for Mike to wait by the car and I'd go just a few yards up the road to the place we buy sand and gravel by the bucket (1.20 eruo for sand 2.50 for washed gravel and they're big buckets). A man in a "Tonka toy" (4x4 was just pulling out so I waved him down and in poor Italian explained the battery was rotten from the ice and we had leads would be help? Sure, get in was the reply and in 2 mins  he'd jump started the car, said he was a stranger too (its our accent) and that these things happen then we were on our way again. Not to be caught out again Mike stayed in the car while I popped into the hardware place, where the owner was concerned there was something radically wrong with my husband as I was dashing in and out proffering bits of drilled angle iron for Mikes approval as he was keeping the car running, just in case. We risked stopping at the accountant, good news we are private persons, no news on her last 6 months costs yet (gulp). Shopping went ok but we were sure to leave the car positioned for easy access to the bonnet/battery at all times. Dropped up the Geometra to give them a copy of the new deeds and case up the change from 6kw to 3kw (problem with ENEL computer, now discovered due to our inquiry, forms in post this week = translated as "don't hold breath") on to lunch with Ann, who served smoked salmon papperadelle. As you now Mike hates any fish other than cod so he did well to pretend it was bacon and ate it anyway, I put it down to shock myself. Still the car behaved, all down hill from Ann's place (she's still talking of selling and then renting a flat with a garden near here) and home to unload and pack away shopping, get in wood and collapse. We're clearly out of practice these days for the unexpected.

The Enel fiasco continued. We received and email to say there had been an error on the system which is why we'd not received the paperwork to convert the KW but it would be reduced on the 24th. On the 23rd we got our Decembers bill which was 4x higher than it should have been as the error seems to have been they converted the original contract to an individual who was non resident and who pays 69c per kwh plus 21% vat instead of the “casa pura” contract we'd signed on the 3rd December that was a flat rate of 10c p/kwh and residents pay just 10%. The 24th saw us back in the office sorting emails and scanning documents for the Enel chap to read the following Monday. And we thought it couldn't get any worse.........

The weekend had a surprise for us 15 and 21c of sun shine for 2 days so we went out into the garden, with the vats company, to up root thistles, pick up wind blown branches and twigs, fill in holes and recover a broken oil bottle. Winter doesn't seem so long when you get sunny days in between the wet and wild ones.

The end of the month heralded the onset of colder windier gusts some so strong they blew planes off the runways at Rome and Pisa, some bumps and bruises nothing serious fortunately and closed the airports in the north.

Politicians began their spiel to get elected with Burlosconi and Monti leading the way each saying they have the answer to the poverty and hardships caused by the austerity measures introduced to try to get Italy back on its feet. The mud slinging makes the USA elections look clean but then most of the dirty washing has all ready been aired in public so theres nothing shocking about what has been said so far.

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