Home, and that's official

I hope you’ve not settled down with a cuppa to read this week’s blog as it’ll be over before you’ve managed to polish off a couple of custard creams. That’s not to say there hasn’t been some progress in life at La Casa dei Due Baffi, just not a lot and definitely not anything very exciting - apart from Stephen breaking his hoe. This was a rash move as Italians do not use hoes of that shape so where he'll get a replacement is anyone's guess.

Things, however, took a distinctly brighter turn on Tuesday when the first licks of our mauve-grey paint were applied to the house. By the end of the day all of one wall and part of another were wearing their first coats and we had great hopes for speedy progress over the rest of the week. It seems, however, that this was all too much for Beppe, our painter, for that is last we’ve seen of him. He failed to put in an appearance on Wednesday; Thursday went by with neither hide not hair of him and Friday also drew a blank. What the reason is we have no idea as he gave no indication that he wouldn’t be back, nor has there been any telephone call. This, though, is not surprising, as communication isn’t high on the average Italian workman’s skill set. It may be that a downturn in the weather to more showery conditions means he’s using the time to focus on indoor work, but it would be nice to know. Just saying.

Wednesday was a very significant day for us when, ten months after buying our house and five months after moving in, we finally managed to get our hands on the official documents confirming me as the owner. Stephen collected them from Giordano’s office, where they’d been left the previous afternoon by Corrado the geometra (quantity surveyor to me and you). This means that we can now go ahead and do all those house related bits and pieces with the Comune as well as get new carte d’identica and changing our address with the bank. Before this, though, Stephen sought Marco and Maddelena’s help with filling in the form to kickstart our waste collection. They did this on Thursday evening at M&M’s house while I enjoyed a coffee and something for the tonsils.

And, as Porky Pig would say, that’s all folks – except to note that today has been a holiday in Italy, being 1st May and International Workers, Day (or Festa del Lavoro as the locals would have it). We decided not to join in the celebrations, what with everywhere being busy and the weather being disappointing. A wet bank holiday; now where have I come across that before…?