Meanwhile....

While I am having nostalgic visits with friends and family, life in Umbertide goes on. Luckily Joseph and Paul are there now so they can send me pictures chronically the latest events.

As you may or may not remember, we sent part of our things with Joseph and Paul. In retrospect, I wish we had sent everything with them. This is one of the problems in making progressive decisions. The Stoic One kept thinking we could leave most of our things behind. I thought so too until I looked at them and got misty eyed. He capitulated.  Thus we have our own container waiting in Oakland for the proper paper work, which we can only get in Italy. Argggh.  So our things are somewhere in the port waiting to be released to be put on a ship to go to Italy.

Meanwhile, Joseph and Paul are in Italy, they got all of their documents arranged and so their container was on its way. The container was sent from Oakland to Livorno and then put on a truck and driven to Umbertide. Naturally it was raining the day of the delivery.

 Somewhere in that truck are my books and clothes and 2 chairs.

How did they get all that stuff up the stairs to the apartment?

Very slowly up this ladder! Nothing was broken, or dropped.  All arrived safely.

The next event was Martino's first communion. He is the second son of Manuele.  I affectionately call him a terrorist, but Manuele objects to the term.  I suppose hellion is a better word.  You decide.

Here is Martino looking ever so sweet.

Paul took this picture from the balcony.  Unfortunately, the service is long, Martino is hyperactive to say the least, and more unfortunately, they gave him a lit candle.  He decided to experiment with it to see if we could light fire to the program.

Note the worried look on the boy next to him.  According to Paul, he never saw the priest move so fast, as he quickly put out the fire!

Life in Umbertide continues without me.

Kitchens

We are in a new place, and I am so much happier.  We left the Hovel on Wednesday.  This was our kitchen.

It was a microwave and small refrigerator.  You might not think it was that bad, but even with take out you have to wash things, in the bath tub!  It would have been more fun if we were 20.

We are now in the lovely cottage that is next door to the house we just sold. I call it the Hobbit house because it is so tiny.  It is basically one room, divided and a small bathroom.  Luckily the Stoic One has gotten used to small bathrooms in Italy.  Here are some pictures of the Hobbit house.

Isn't it cute?  It is such a happy space.  If ever you want an adorable cottage to stay in in the Oakland area, Sarah and Alexis have it listed on Airbnb.

Here is our kitchen:

It has a stove and a sink!  There is also a grill outside so the Stoic One can start cooking again.  I am so much happier.

Speaking of kitchens, our kitchen is going in at Umbertide.

The kitchen arrived in many Pedini boxes.

drawers waiting to be put in.

Kitchen almost complete!

Can't wait to get to Italy and see this complete.  We are almost there.