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Hello

izzystewart

I’ve had some problems with internet connections recently so haven’t been able to post in a while.

I was outside with the dogs over the weekend and heard and then saw sheep and some lambs grazing at the farm across the way from me. It’s such a bucolic scene and I love it. They even have a sheep dog to keep an eye on them. This is such a great place to live.

I’m down to just over 2 months until my residency. I can’t wait! Hopefully, l’ll be able to buy a car right away and have some freedom again. I have realized that not having a vehicle has probably been a good thing for me. It’s made me slow down and take care of things here in the house and spend more time with the dogs. I’ve seen a huge change in Henry particularly. He’s become much more affectionate and cuddly. Polly has always been my little shadow but this is new for him.

I bought a Grow Tower and put it together this weekend. I’m going to try and add a picture of it here. This thing will enable me to grow all my own vegetables. I have seeds for zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, carrots, several different lettuces and spinach, onions, cantaloupe, cucumbers and a few others I can’t remember off hand. This grow tower is really fantastic. You don’t necessarily have to have a piece of land – just space enough for this thing. I purchased the original, seven piece tower. I’ve only assembled five of them but it took 200 liters of good quality soil to fill them. I plan to get another spinner base and split this into a 3 and 4 configuration. I got one spinner base to start with. The whole thing is on wheels so it can be moved around if you need to, and it has an integrated water system as well. I’ll try to remember to update my progress with it on the blog.

I also purchased a countertop, electric composter. It’s cut my trash down to just one bag a week. All food scraps and peelings (except protein) go in it and when it’s done it’s cycle I have compost! I’ve already added a good bit to the plant tower along with wood ash. They’re both great fertilizers or soil enrichers.

Just took a break to walk Henry and Polly and was able to watch the sheep dog in action, herding the sheep to another pasture. It’s an amazing thing to watch if you’re a small town person like me. I’ve never lived on or near enough to a farm to see this kind of stuff. I just love it. All I’m really missing is a few chickens of my own. If I had been able to buy this house the first thing I would have done is get a coop and about 4- 6 chickens. Fresh eggs every day! Oh well….

I really feel like I’m making this my home now. Paintings are on the walls, I have my “garden”, I’m doing some knitting and crocheting again and generally just being a homebody. Many things are starting to fall into place the last of which will happen in a couple of months. It’s all good.

Spring is Coming…

izzystewart

I really wasn’t planning to write today but here I am! I’m getting excited about the spring which will be here before we know it. Yay!!

First, I have my appointment to get my residency on April 30th. With a bit of luck I’ll be able to buy a car shortly thereafter. Yay! So that’s a big thing to look forward to.

But, the second thing I’m looking forward to is that my niece is coming to visit me! She has her tickets to come on May 6th and stay for 2 weeks. Yay and Yay!! We’ve already made so many plans I’m sure you all will be sick of hearing about them before long. First off, we’re going to Rome for 3 days, with a guided tour of the Vatican, St, Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel already booked. THEN we’re going to Pompeii and Portofino. I can’t wait! Another bucket list item to cross off. To get from one to the other means driving the Amalfi Coast, which is supposed to be breathtaking. Having lunch and time to poke into the shops in Portofino will be fabulous.

We come back to Poppi for a day or two then head for Venice. A gondola ride and a trip to the glass blowers in Murano are on the schedule for that trip, along with a visit to the Duomo and St. Mark’s Cathedral. We’ll have a couple of days there to wander around and see the sites. Before she leaves we’re spending a full day in Florence to visit the Uffizi Museum with my tour guide friend, Fadi, and see some other sites. I’m sure the poor woman’s going to be dragging by the time she leaves Italy, but I think it will have been worth it.

So, in only a couple of months there are all sorts of things to look forward to. And really, not the least of it is that the weather will be warm again and windows can be left open! The dogs aren’t complaining about the cold (like me) but I’ve noticed that they’re both ending up sleeping on the bed with me at night!

I was working on a project earlier today and true to form things started to go sideways. I was using my hot glue gun which at first didn’t want to work then starting spewing hot glue all over the place. It was a start/stop thing for awhile until I got to the point where I needed to glue some really small pebbles on a bigger rock, but I’ve learned from experience that hot glue doesn’t work well for that. Off I went to find my Elmer’s glue because it dries clear. Found it but the glue just didn’t want to come out of the little hole in the cap, so I took the cap off so I could use a smooth bladed knife to spread the glue. That was working really well, and the pebbles were going on great when, I honestly don’t know what happened, but the next thing I knew I had forgotten to turn off the hot glue gun and it fell on the floor getting glue wherever it touched the tiles. While I was grabbing the gun and cleaning up the glue I didn’t see the Elmer’s bottle fall over and spill a LAKE of glue all over my tablecloth. Of course, I hadn’t cleared off the table when I started this project so there were papers regarding the upcoming trip, my cell phone, my tablet, a couple of paperback books, a magnifying lamp…well, you get the picture. Panic strikes and I try to frantically upright the bottle of glue, move everything out of reach (unsuccessfully I might add) and scoop up the glue off the tablecloth back into the bottle while everything starts heading for the floor, including my project. I finally just sat down and started laughing. Thank goodness the dogs were sleeping or they would have been in the middle of it. There it is folks, my Sunday afternoon catastrophe.

Oh, by the way, I’ve learned how to do my own nails with gel, polish and a UV lamp. Not too bad, huh? Actually amazing for my klutz self. 🤪

So….

izzystewart

I heard from several people from far and wide asking me to please continue writing my blog. So, I will, although I warn you it may become tedious and boring! If so, I hope you will let me know.

So, today I I took the dogs on a long walk during which Henry managed to corner something. I don’t know what because it was in the underbrush and I couldn’t see it, but I couldn’t get him to leave it alone. In the end I came home. Polly appeared almost immediately but it took Henry about 10 minutes to show up at the house. I didn’t think anything of it and he let me wipe the mud and wet off his paws before he laid down. Tonight, however, he wouldn’t get off his bed to eat dinner, which is very unusual. About an hour later he limped onto the rug in the dining area and I could see he was favoring one of his front feet. I was able to get him to eat and drink by putting the bowls right in front of him and then I carried him back to his bed. I’ll have to see how he is in the morning. I don’t know if he stepped on something or got a bite or what. I’ll have to ask my neighbor to help me get him to the vet if he’s not better in the morning. Wow, this is when I really miss Happy Pets on Camposol!

Today was damp and chilly so I decided I’d have soup for my supper, and wouldn’t a nice homemade loaf of bread go very well with that? So I decided I would make Italian bread this afternoon. Got down my big stand mixer (which seems to be getting heavier and heavier) and assembled everything I would need. I made the sponge, covered it with a tea towel and left it in the mixer bowl to rise after I lifted up the “head” of the mixer with the dough paddle attached. After about 5 minutes I heard a loud noise and realized that the head had come crashing down with the paddle right onto the tea towel and into the rising sponge, parts of which were now stuck to the tea towel. Tried to sort that out, let it continue to rise, and following the recipe directions added the rest of the flour, sugar, and salt. I didn’t notice the small bowl of vegetable oil sitting on the table that was also supposed to go in. I turned on the mixer to get everything blended when my fingers slipped on the speed control, the mixer took off like a shot shaking the table all over the place and I heard a crash. At this point the flour had literally gone EVERYWHERE and the crash I heard was the bowl of vegetable oil smashing to the floor. I was wearing slippers and as I stepped around the table to look, I stepped right in the oil which had mixed with the flour. There was very soft, semi-mixed dough hanging off the table and 2 chairs, oil all over the floor mixing with the flour and I was now wearing a slipper coated in oil, flour and nasty dough. Honestly, I didn’t know what to do first! Well, I eventually got the floor cleaned up, added more flour to my dough and was able to produce 3 round loaves for the oven. It took me the better part of an hour to get the rest of the mess cleaned up. At this point I discovered I couldn’t get the bowl disengaged from the stand mixer. Try as I might, I could not get the thing off. I finally admitted defeat and asked my upstairs neighbor, Francisco, to come down and get the damn thing off – which he thankfully did. This ends the tale of my bread making today. Except that I did end up with 3 beautiful loaves of Italian bread, so I guess it was worth it in the end (although I’m damn tired!)

I’m having a glass of wine now that I’ve enjoyed my soup and bread. Stay tuned for further adventures!

January

izzystewart

This time of year is generally a time of reflection for me. Not because of the New Year, but because I’ll be turning another year older soon. It’s an opportunity for me to look at the past year and see what, if anything, I’ve accomplished. And to look forward to see what, if anything, is waiting for me. At least that I can see.

As for what I’ve accomplished I did sell my house and move into a large camper. Lived in said camper for three months. Managed camper engine breakdowns, motel stays with two dogs, paid extraordinary repair fees, met 2 lovely strangers who helped me when I had a blowout, another hotel stay, new tires, scary mountain roads and wildfires. Met other lovely people who were so helpful, even though we didn’t speak the same language, was nearly assaulted by a scary French guy and finally arrived in my beloved Italy. Coincidence, fate or whatever you want to call it landed me in Poppi with a fantastic landlord who more than went out of his way to help me get settled and file for my Italian residence. Here I am, five months later, settled into my apartment in a small-ish town of 6,000 residents and now able to almost have an entire conversation in Italian. I love living in this part of Tuscany. I now know it must have been heart-breaking for my grandparents to leave this place for a new home across the ocean when they couldn’t even speak the language and had to start from nothing to build their lives in America. I’m so proud to be their granddaughter.

I’ve been offered the opportunity to buy this house I’m living in that has 3 other tenants living here, including some land and storage. Income for me for the future and security now. I believe this will be my forever home.

Anyway, it’s raining again and not supposed to stop until maybe Wednesday or Thursday.😕. All I can say is it better be a bumper crop for wine this year!

I’m thinking of letting this post be my last. My life here isn’t terribly exciting so if anyone wants me to continue with this blog you’ll have to let me know. Otherwise, this will be it. I’ve loved sharing my adventures with whoever reads this thing. 

Ciao!

Time…

izzystewart

I’m afraid I’ve lost track of time – AGAIN! It’s been a couple of weeks since the last time I posted anything.

I’m down to only about a half dozen boxes now to unpack. Since there’s no charity shops here, I just started giving things away. Since my neighbor, Francesca, has 4 daughters I know all the kitchen stuff I had will be put to good use. I still don’t know what I’m going to do with the clothes I don’t need but I’ll figure that out at some point.

I got one of the bookcases with doors put together and moved all my pantry items into it so the kitchen looks a lot better. As soon as I take down my little Christmas tree I’ll have room for the other bookcase which has half glass doors. That’s where I plan to store my glass cookware and dishes. I have a third bookcase being delivered on Thursday for my actual books! That one will have to go into the 2nd bedroom. It’ll be a little crowded but it’s the best I can do right now. Roberto has offered me to also rent the apartment that adjoins mine on the ground floor. It’s been empty for almost two months and if I don’t take it he’ll have to rent it out soon. It’s quite nice, one bedroom, living room, bathroom, but also has a kitchen with cabinets and a pantry, as well as another washing machine and it’s furnished. It’s really tempting to have the entire ground floor to myself. I could use my spare bedroom strictly as my art studio and still have space next door for visitors and storage. I just can’t decide if I want to nearly double my rent for both places. The other option is to buy the entire house, which Roberto has offered to me. it would give me two apartments upstairs as income, (both are currently occupied) as well as the stables cum storage and the small amount of land surrounding the house. The apartment next door could be an AirBnB. If I eventually decided to move, the entire house would be rental income. I have some big decisions to make soon in the NewYear.

I’m able to walk both dogs off lead now, as soon as we get to the woods. They really love it! They get to chase each other and really stretch their legs with some good excercise. I had no idea how fast Henry can run! It also gives me a bit of a break not having to walk at a trot to keep up with the two of them. They run way far ahead of me, but usually they’ll stop at some point and look back to make sure I’m following. Or, when I can’t see them, they’ll cut through the woods and come tearing past me from behind. So funny and cute.

We haven’t seen the sun here in a couple of weeks. It hasn’t rained, just been cloudy but not too cold. We’re supposed to get sun on Sunday – yay!

I painted bottles for Roberto, Francesca, Francisco and my driver Piero for Christmas . The joy on their faces when they saw their bottles made me so happy!

That’s about it for now. I hope everyone has had a blessed Christmas and is looking forward to a fabulous New Year!