Well, I Did It

I signed the lease on my new place and I move in on Friday! It’s in an old stone house that’s been converted into 4 apartments in the small town of Ponte di Poppi. Poppi is about 40 km northeast of Florence, so it’s part of Tuscany and really pretty. It sits on the top of a hill about 3 km out of the town. My apartment is on the ground floor, thank God, and has two double bedrooms, a bathroom and a large kitchen/living/dining room across one side. The living area has a wood stove and there’s a pellet burner in the kitchen area, so I expect it’ll be quite cozy in the winter. At the moment I only took a couple of pictures of the outside but I’ll have more in the next week or so. I just need to get moved in! There’s even space to park the motorhome until I can sell it. So, big sigh of relief.

Also, on Friday morning I have to meet the real estate agent first thing in the morning to get my “fiscal papers”, which I gather is the equivalent of an N.I.E. in Italy. After THAT, we are going to check out a car for sale. It’s a Fiat Panda, which is not my first choice. However, the price is cheap enough and it might do until I can find something better. At any rate, I have to have something because those 3 km from the house to town and back (uphill on the back) are gonna get real old in a hurry carrying groceries!!

Next week I need to find a veterinarian. I can’t buy Polly’s Alopurinol over the counter here like I did in Spain and I’m getting really low now, along with her other stuff. Also, her toenails need clipping – ugh! I hope the new vet will have a soft touch with her like Happy Pets did. It’s going to require some explaining about her condition I have no doubt.

It’s still suffocatingly hot here of course. Is this summer ever going to end?? There’s absolutely no relief during the day or at night. The vineyards look wilted and almost burned they are so dry. I don’t know what the harvest will be this year without any rain. Listen to me – worried about the grapes just like a real Italian!!