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So I’ve discovered there a quite a few wild, well untamed anyway) animals that live around here. There are tons of roe deer, red foxes, porcupines, wild boars, wolves, pheasants, badgers and hares. Hares are bigger than rabbits and have longer ears. Thankfully most of these animals are nocturnal. I sat thankfully because the dogs and I walk trails in the late afternoons that go through the forest here. I wouldn’t want to encounter some of these animals during that time. I’m actually thinking about getting a stout walking stick, just in case. I’ve been told that hunting season starts soon and goes through November. The wild boars decimate the grape vineyards. Since there are so many farms around here most of these animals are not popular with the farmers! There are also 2 different varieties of vipers here that are extremely poisonous. Another good reason for a walking stick!

I’m getting a little better with my Italian. I have a lovely neighbor named Francesca who has taken me shopping and, before I had the washing machine, took me to the laundromat. She also occasionally brings me some sort of Italian soup and/or homemade focaccia or a dessert. I’m really lucky to have her. She doesn’t speak a word of English so sometimes our communications get really muddled!

I’m slowly getting things in the apartment to my liking. I’m going to include a picture of the living room at the end of this post.

We’ve had a few days of rain. Nothing heavy, mainly showers with some thunder. It’s good because everything around here has been dry and a bit dusty.

One of the places the dogs and I walk to is a trail that ends at the Arno river. Here it’s more of a stream because the water isn’t particularly deep – just inches. I’ve been told that the reason the water is so low here is because the farmers take water out of the river for their crops. I don’t know if that’s true or not.

Sorry I haven’t been blogging but I keep getting distracted with things I need to take care of!

First off, I’ve been trying to get my residency or citizenship in Italy so that I can stay here. I had started the process of applying for my Italian citizenship via jure sanguinis (which means through descent by blood) in 2016 while I was still in the USA but the process was never completed – my bad. So we are trying to get it through from here and simultaneously applying for a long term visa called an Italian Elective Visa for retirees who wish to live in Italy and can provide proof of sufficient financial means. We’ll see which one happens first!.

Most of my things are still in storage in Spain and I don’t want to bring them here until I have the whole residency thing settled so I’m having to manage with very few pots and pans, etc. I’ve had to buy plates and glasses already but I’m trying to make do. I don’t want to buy things I already own! The only problem is that most of my colder weather clothes are in storage. I have one pair of jeans with me and a couple of heavier sweaters and that’s it, although I did find some socks to wear.

It’s been getting quite chilly here at night – 13-14C or in the 50’s F but the apartment has stayed cosy so far. The exterior walls are 6” thick, my front outside door is very heavy steel and glass and my inside door is solid wood about 4” thick. There are also shutters on all the windows. I have a fireplace in the living room and a pellet burner in the kitchen which generates the heat for the radiators throughout the apartment. Hopefully all this will keep the place cosy come winter. The inside wooden door automatically locks when it is closed which I discovered the hard way when I went out without my keys. I couldn’t get back into the apartment! I was with Fabrizio (the real estate guy) and my landlord Roberto. Fortunately the kitchen window was open so the guys gave me a boost up to the window (and thank God no one was watching because it was ugly!! Just picture these two men with their hands on my ass trying to lift me up 🫢) so I was able to climb in and open the door from the inside. Never again!!!

I am still without a car. In Italy without residency you are considered a tourist. If you want a car you have to rent one for about €400 a week. You can’t buy a vehicle without that long term visa or residency so I’m stuck here with no transport. Ironically, if I had driven a car from Spain I could drive it with no problems. The van is so damn big and the streets are so narrow that I can’t take it anywhere. It would be impossible to find parking for it and I can’t sell it until I have the visa, etc. Nightmare!

The dogs and I walk at least a couple of miles a day along the road and down the farmers’ roads that run next to their fields. We’ve been watching them bale hay and then truck it away to storage. The pictures below are from inside the apartment and what I see when I go out my door.

Well, the van has been unpacked and now I’m struggling to find a place for everything. I don’t have any kitchen cabinets except under the sink, so it’s been an experience trying to find storage for tinned food, the dogs’ food, etc. I’m hoping to be able to get a couple of shelves put up in the kitchen area eventually. Bedroom closets are great though so there’s that. At least my clothes are put away!

Still no car, and not going to have one for awhile it appears. I was misinformed about being able to get a car right away. My residencia has to be registered before I can legally do anything. We tried to do it on Wednesday, but couldn’t get an appointment. Now it’s a waiting game until I can get one and start the process. Frustrating as hell! I’m stuck on top of this hill, 3 km to the town and no transport. I could get down there but getting back up is the problem!

Anyway, the dogs are good and I think this chest/head thing is finally starting to breakup. I’ve actually been able to sleep through the night which is great.

I’m going to take some pictures over the weekend so I can include them on my next post. It really is beautiful here. I’ll get some shots of the view from my hill and also of the apartment. It’s so strange to be renting a place. I’ve owned my own homes for years and years now so it’s taking some adjustment. However, after my trip here I’m soooo grateful to have a non-moving roof over my head!

I’ve been told there is a guy nearby who sells motorhomes so I will eventually have a conversation with him about selling mine. Need to get all the legal stuff dealt with first.

I’ve managed to move my clothes into the house along with the few pots and pans I had with me. Since I only had two plates I was able to buy a nice ceramic set of dishes pretty cheap. I have all my cutlery and my most used knives. Only 2 wineglasses survived the trip but replacing them can wait. Most of the tinned food I had with me is still in the van. With the heat the way it is right now I’m just trying to do a little at a time. Also, I was able to see a doctor on Friday and I have bronchitis which makes it hard to breathe in this heat.

I have to say that I think I have the best landlord ever. He is the person who took me to the doctor, then to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions, neither of which cost me anything. I don’t know how he managed that. He had someone come on Saturday to set up my tv with internet so I had a working television over the weekend. One of my neighbors in the house is a painter and Roberto talked to him about painting the kitchen (which at the moment is a hideous eggplant color). He said I can have any color I want. Roberto knows everyone in town and has offered to be my “taxi” until I have my car.

Speaking of cars, I’ve bought a 2003 red Fiat Panda in great condition but I won’t have it until next week after all the paperwork goes through. I know it’s old, but the tires are good, the battery is new and it comes with a one year warranty on any mechanical problems. I think it’s a pretty good deal and it’ll do until I can get something newer.

Hallelujah we had some rain during the night and it’s supposed to start again tonight and go right through Tuesday. Hopefully it will bring some cooler weather.

There’s a little black kitten who lives in a house next door. She follows us around when I walk the dogs and she’s not afraid of them at all. Henry goes absolutely ape every time he sees her. I’m going to have a hard time keeping him and Polly away from her!

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!!