At 8:00 this morning a car alarm went off and it was LOUD. Not the little beep beep of European cars but loud honk, honk, honk. This is the first car alarm I’ve heard in Italy. It goes on and on. People start opening their windows and yelling in Italian.
Finally I go to the window to see why no one has turned this alarm off. Of course, I look out the window and realize it is OUR big American cadi. So of course I panic. . . someone must be stealing our car and I’m in my pajamas and Matt is at work. What do I do, what do I do??? I start looking for the keys and can’t find them. Where did Matt put the keys?!?!? Then Will walks into the room holding the keys with his finger on the alarm button and proudly saying “I push button! I push button!” Must find a better place for the keys.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
La Casa
It has been very nice to be settled in. Italy is starting to feel like home.
Although we did venture to the beach on Friday, our excursions have been limited to necessity rather than fun. We spent most of the weekend hanging the last remaining pictures and curtains. If it seems that it is taking a while to get unpacked, you’re right. We could not figure out why until recently. The problem is Italy has great wine and it is very cheap. So while the kids usually prevented Lauren from making progress while I was at work, a glass or two of wine with dinner really removes any ideas we may have had about getting work done after the kids went to bed. So, an ultimatum was issued “No wine until we finish the last few things”; which we promptly ignored and spent both Saturday and Sunday working.
The beach was pretty good and it was nice to relax; but I realized how spoiled we were in N.C. The public beaches here are full with beach chairs and umbrellas, and although there weren’t a lot of people, it gave the impression of a crowd. The water was warm and there were no waves to speak of. The Adriatic is not really known for waves and there are rock jetties about 500 yards off shore that break up any small surf that may disrupt the “football” games on shore. Fortunately there was not too much inappropriate Speedo wear and we were home for dinner, since it is only about a 35-45 min drive away.
All in all things are great but like Vincent Vega said; “It's the little differences. I mean they got the same stuff over there that they got here, but it's just, just there it's a little different.”
Although we did venture to the beach on Friday, our excursions have been limited to necessity rather than fun. We spent most of the weekend hanging the last remaining pictures and curtains. If it seems that it is taking a while to get unpacked, you’re right. We could not figure out why until recently. The problem is Italy has great wine and it is very cheap. So while the kids usually prevented Lauren from making progress while I was at work, a glass or two of wine with dinner really removes any ideas we may have had about getting work done after the kids went to bed. So, an ultimatum was issued “No wine until we finish the last few things”; which we promptly ignored and spent both Saturday and Sunday working.
The beach was pretty good and it was nice to relax; but I realized how spoiled we were in N.C. The public beaches here are full with beach chairs and umbrellas, and although there weren’t a lot of people, it gave the impression of a crowd. The water was warm and there were no waves to speak of. The Adriatic is not really known for waves and there are rock jetties about 500 yards off shore that break up any small surf that may disrupt the “football” games on shore. Fortunately there was not too much inappropriate Speedo wear and we were home for dinner, since it is only about a 35-45 min drive away.
All in all things are great but like Vincent Vega said; “It's the little differences. I mean they got the same stuff over there that they got here, but it's just, just there it's a little different.”
Monday, August 3, 2009
August 3: Big Monday and La Cucina
It has arrived, La Cucina (the kitchen)! Over the past week we have had a parade of folks in our house, none of whom spoke any English, taking out our old kitchen and installing the new one. (If you are lost on the kitchen, read the June 26 blog). The old kitchen was to be donated to the Italian version of Goodwill, and starting Thursday 2 older men in one very, very, very tiny truck began the removal. I felt bad watching them work without much equipment, expertise or joint mobility so I joined in the removal process.
Once the kitchen was out we were left without running water, which upset the oldest, older gentleman. He explained to me (all in Italian) that he felt bad leaving the bambino with no water and drew me a map to the hardware store, left his phone number and offered tools to ensure I could get the sink lines capped and restore water to the rest of the house…this took awhile, and several thousand hand motions and 2 trips to bablefish.com for some translations. Luckily I already knew the hardware store, but I let him draw the map anyway.
Friday morning, after round 2 of removal the cleaning crew arrived to remove the 400 years of dirt, mold and grease left under and behind the old kitchen. You could actually see a raised edge where the grease began on the backsplash!
Friday afternoon the install guys showed up, along with the plumber…but he would have to wait until Saturday for the installation to be completed to hook up water and gas. Finally Saturday afternoon, after a reappearance from the installation guys to correct some flaws in their work (the dishwasher would not open) the electrician showed up to complete the ordeal. Sunday evening we had dinner in our own house prepared by the beautiful hands of my wife, including chocolate chip cookies…can you believe that.
This afternoon we made the last push to rid our house of boxes, hang some pictures and the shower curtain…the end is in sight.
Once the kitchen was out we were left without running water, which upset the oldest, older gentleman. He explained to me (all in Italian) that he felt bad leaving the bambino with no water and drew me a map to the hardware store, left his phone number and offered tools to ensure I could get the sink lines capped and restore water to the rest of the house…this took awhile, and several thousand hand motions and 2 trips to bablefish.com for some translations. Luckily I already knew the hardware store, but I let him draw the map anyway.
Friday morning, after round 2 of removal the cleaning crew arrived to remove the 400 years of dirt, mold and grease left under and behind the old kitchen. You could actually see a raised edge where the grease began on the backsplash!
Friday afternoon the install guys showed up, along with the plumber…but he would have to wait until Saturday for the installation to be completed to hook up water and gas. Finally Saturday afternoon, after a reappearance from the installation guys to correct some flaws in their work (the dishwasher would not open) the electrician showed up to complete the ordeal. Sunday evening we had dinner in our own house prepared by the beautiful hands of my wife, including chocolate chip cookies…can you believe that.
This afternoon we made the last push to rid our house of boxes, hang some pictures and the shower curtain…the end is in sight.
Friday, July 31, 2009
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I survived my first Italian driving experience. Passed my driving test this morning then this afternoon I was going 140 km per hour on the Autostrata. I am in one piece, Matt's cute little BMW is in one piece and all the other Italian drivers are in one piece. My nerves, however, could use a glass of wine. Whew.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday July 27, Boxes to Our Eyeballs
Sorry for the delay in posts, but we are still uncovering ourselves from the move in. It seems like 90% complete with 90% to go sometimes.
Still no pictures hung, but we have managed to find and make the guest room bed. The Wii and Rockband Drums have also been located as well as the AFN (armed forces network) satellite feed and DVD with surround sound…so we have the important stuff! As the movers took out the batteries from everything we still haven’t hooked up the telephone…so its cell phones only for now until we find/buy new ones. The calendar is still wide open for visitors as nobody has claimed a date for visiting…it is first come first serve for a bed.
Still no pictures hung, but we have managed to find and make the guest room bed. The Wii and Rockband Drums have also been located as well as the AFN (armed forces network) satellite feed and DVD with surround sound…so we have the important stuff! As the movers took out the batteries from everything we still haven’t hooked up the telephone…so its cell phones only for now until we find/buy new ones. The calendar is still wide open for visitors as nobody has claimed a date for visiting…it is first come first serve for a bed.
Saturday, 25 July, Working and Playing For Pizza
As Lauren pointed out, we’ve moved in officially…hooray! It is however a great deal of work, especially with 2 kids “helping”. It seems that our stuff has arrived intact and with little to no damage…which is also good. Our final shipment of important stuff, like my golf clubs, should be here next week along with the car. So it seems we are on track to be back to normal soon. The Living room, the boy’s room and the majority of our room are unpacked and put away, except for hanging pictures. We still are short some storage solutions, especially in the bathroom and are lacking closets. But we do have a lot of space and would have had room for most of the furniture we sent to storage…except our dining room furniture.
Perhaps the biggest problem now is the kitchen. Since we are getting a new kitchen we haven’t unpacked all our kitchen stuff and as a result are stuck eating out most of the time…which translate almost exclusively to take out pizza because of the incompatible hours of our boys and most restaurants. Needless to say we (I) am getting a bit burned out on pizza.
On a similar note, I’ve joined a Flag Football league here, and these guys (all Italians except me) are perhaps the most serious group of football players I’ve come across. It is extremely fun and also very amusing. Everything is the same, I mean its football so I get it, but it’s all in Italian except for some football terms. So in the huddle I hear “Matt…something in Italian, Italian Italian…5 yard slant!” Ok…I run a slant, but I have no idea what else is happening! Also snap count and audibles are also in Italian (I told you this is serious football we have audibles and a snap count, home and away jerseys, matching shorts, socks, flags and shoes and a play book). I have an idea of what’s going on sometimes, “Rosa, Venti-Seite, Rosa Venti-Seite, Set, Hut” (That’s Red 27), but there are some things that are totally lost on me. Of course there is dinner after the games and all the teams go, including the ones that drove up from Rome! I told you this was serious. And where do you go after a day of American football, to an American steakhouse…the Roadhouse grill! Lauren recommends John Grisham’s “Playing for Pizza” for a great insight.
Perhaps the biggest problem now is the kitchen. Since we are getting a new kitchen we haven’t unpacked all our kitchen stuff and as a result are stuck eating out most of the time…which translate almost exclusively to take out pizza because of the incompatible hours of our boys and most restaurants. Needless to say we (I) am getting a bit burned out on pizza.
On a similar note, I’ve joined a Flag Football league here, and these guys (all Italians except me) are perhaps the most serious group of football players I’ve come across. It is extremely fun and also very amusing. Everything is the same, I mean its football so I get it, but it’s all in Italian except for some football terms. So in the huddle I hear “Matt…something in Italian, Italian Italian…5 yard slant!” Ok…I run a slant, but I have no idea what else is happening! Also snap count and audibles are also in Italian (I told you this is serious football we have audibles and a snap count, home and away jerseys, matching shorts, socks, flags and shoes and a play book). I have an idea of what’s going on sometimes, “Rosa, Venti-Seite, Rosa Venti-Seite, Set, Hut” (That’s Red 27), but there are some things that are totally lost on me. Of course there is dinner after the games and all the teams go, including the ones that drove up from Rome! I told you this was serious. And where do you go after a day of American football, to an American steakhouse…the Roadhouse grill! Lauren recommends John Grisham’s “Playing for Pizza” for a great insight.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Coffee to go
I really should be unpacking but I need a break so here's my story of the day. . . So we moved in yesterday and I went to get coffee while Matt stayed at the house and waited for the movers. As I was leaving he said "see if you can bring me a cafe latte". There are no "to go" coffees in Italy. I drank my coffee and ordered some croissants to go. Then I asked "Avete cafe da asporto?" (Do you have coffe to take away?). They si, si! and "da dadada datada da" (Italian, italian with lots of smiles and hand movements). So I just smiled and said si. Had no idea what I was agreeing to, but I ended up with a cafe latte in a glass mug. They put a saucer over the top and motioned and spoke in Italian that I could just bring it back whenever. So I walked three blocks home with Matt's coffee, in a glass mug with a saucer balanced on top. When I got home, Matt's first words were "Did you steal it?"
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