RENOVATION
‘Maybe one day we’ll find the place where our dream and reality meet’
Winter is on it’s way with temperatures dropping down to one degree (that’s celsius ) outside. The italian dream is getting cold. Last week we had our first heavy snow, making us realize that the pathetic efforts we have been making just won’t be enough. We need proper snow shoes, more wood and I could really use some fleecy pants instead of jeans.
We are on a big learning curve, and I had to laugh at Claudio pulling me aside and showing me how to actually stack firewood. I thought I was doing very well packing it as tight as I could only to find out that wet wood needs lots of air space to dry out. We stacked three truck loads with more to come so I will be getting plenty of practice.
We moved the kids into the main part of the house last Saturday afternoon, bigger warmer and plenty of room to play without freezing. Heat is a premium here and the size of your stack of wood is all that counts. I feel a bit like Homer Simpson when he obsesses about donuts. Hmmmmmm Wood!
Moving to Italy was always about ‘family’ and regrouping ours, a chance to bring us closer together. Some days I wonder when that will happen other days I get just a little glimpse of this italian dream. We are certainly not the Brady Bunch, a little bit dysfunctional with a good dollop of feisty thrown in mainly by Carina.
Everyday I doubt myself in some way, as a Mum, Wife, writer, blogger, and Aussie woman living in the mountains of Italy. I doubt that I am alone, in fact I know I am not. It’s not just a female thing either it seems to be a life thing.
The best thing is that each day I get to start all over, create from nothing and try to reign in my ‘Bitch Troll from Hell’ side (well that’s what I tell myself). Perhaps it’s a change of life in more ways than one, lucky Sam will get his wife and his daughter spinning heads at the same time ha!
In the meantime I’m back to passing nails, holding ladders and finding missing power tools. We have to get the house totally sealed before it snows again.
Although it doesn’t look it in these photos it’s almost freezing…..just stepping from the house has the chill factor biting at your nose and sending your fingers and toes to near hypothermia.
Today it was so cold I felt as if my fingers were burning, our neighbor Maximo laughing as he walked past tells us we have no idea what we’re in for……
Winter in Italy means removing the old plastic roof and replacing it with polycarbon sheeting, brown on one half and clear on the other to utilize the light. Just below the small window is a drop of around two meters, I suggest it would be the perfect spot to put the kids.
Removing the chicken wire and actually peering down we found it’s the ideal spot for Carina to throw chocolate wrappers from her window thinking we’ll never find them. Sprung again!
We’ve replaced some of the concrete and cut a step into the entrance to make it easier to come through the doorway. The terracotta bricks are to go just under the roofing to seal the walls and will then be rendered over to match.
Apologies no photo of the finished result the weather just got beyond us so we packed up and came inside to thaw out in front of the fire.
Tell us your Italian dream x
and the gang x
Hi 🙂
I have just found your blog via Whole Larder Love, Rohan.
What a challenge you set for yourselves but who exciting!! Wish you all the best on the journey, Greets form Oz,
AK
Oh Rohan’s blog is one of my favorites, I love his writing and images, great to meet you AK for Oz xxx
Awww she sounds like me, I take ages to heat up and the first chance I get to prop in front of the fire that’s where you’ll find me. Hope you get your heating fixed and fast, do you have fingerless gloves and a hot water bottle? Hoping we don’t freeze and make it through the winter ready to start all over again. We must be hardy stock that’s for sure xxx
Hi there, just lost a long ranting comment! I agree the worst is yet to come. My mountain mates (we ski in the Dolomites) tell me it’s gonna be a cold winter. My car is so temperamental that if I go up to ski and it’s -15 I have to take her for two spins during the night (pjs and ski jacket) or she won’t kick over in the morning!
And down here in the plains the ground is already hard and thank goodness I have my plants inside. If it’s any comfort my heating is on the blink (9degrees inside) and my chimney hasn’t been cleaned so I can’t have a fire. Brrr! I’m in a beanie inside and have to do piano practice! Hope the house has been sealed off and what doesn’t freeze you makes you hardier! xxcat
My my my, Lisa. You are such a trooper, and I LOVE to see where you’re going with your amazing house project. Careful not to throw out your back hauling & stacking all that wood! You’ve got the same temps as in Serbia, where I am right now. Brrrrr, for sure. Stay warm, bella!!
I think we have the wood beat for this year, it’s stacked to the roof and we still have a bit more to come. I sometimes feel like calling a mutiny yet here I am, I’m off to check out your take on Serbia xx
It has been cold recently. I’m hoping this will pass and we will get some more warm weather before winter really kicks in. We have a beautiful blue sky day here, making it so much better.
Oh Winter has really kicked in here Deb, still have blue skies but now with lots of snow. We need to get some winter gear and snow shoes xx
You guys are working so hard! The weather sounds frigid and I wish I could share some of our recent Spring warmth with you. 🙂 Those tape measure tights are hilarious. 🙂 Things are going OK here. Some health issues are troubling me this week, but I have hope that one day soon we’ll figure things out. 🙂 xo
I don’t mind the weather but it’s just not knowing what to expect and how to best handle it. Aren’t those tights great, I’d wear those in the day but here extra large is an Aussie small x
Hope you’re feeling better soon and get this sorted xx
Hi Lisa – sending you warm wishes from a warm Sydney- loving your posts and just want to say hang in there and kepp warm. Your photos as amazing – loving your daily life – providing, that is, you are warm! Fxx
Oh hanging in my the skin of my teeth at the moment Fran. Each day is an adventure and we never know what to expect xx
What a job! Good for you for even stepping outside in that cold… I wouldn’t want to do anything in those freezing temps! You are so strong and determined to take on such a project. If you need any help, in the province of Cuneo my husband claudio has all these contacts here http://www.lagrandacasa.it BTW is that your VW bug? We have one just like it! comunque BRAVA!
Hey thanks for that Anna, Cuneo isn’t that far and contacts are always great, I’ll show them to Sam. Is it cold where you are? Sorry the car isn’t ours but wouldn’t mind one like this. Sending love and if you get to Valle Pellice come for lunch one day xxx
Yeah! I would love to meet you! Claudio’s site includes all kinds of stuff from all over the province so even close to saluzzo etc. Anyway, maybe that was our BUG in the photo!!haha… great leggings by the way:)
Aren’t they, in the day I would have worn those no problem x
I’m sure we’ll meet up one day soon. Wouldn’t it be funny if it was your bug!
You are right Lisa. Every woman, mother, wife has the same worries and things to deal with. We’re all in this together. How you are fixing the place up is very interesting. Your first winter will be a big learning curve no doubt, but it will be exciting. 🙂
Motherhood is often such an isolating experience, nobody tells it like it actually is lol x
Still lots of work to do on the house but it’s going to be gorgeous when done.
Hope all is well with you Jan, how on earth do you keep up with it all? xxx
It looks and sounds so cold!! Hope you get enough fire wood to last the winter – and maybe you can all snuggle together to keep warmer at night {great bonding time!!!}
And give yourself a big pat on the back, you are a fantastic Mum to your kids, a great wife to Sam and a lovely person. Sending you a big hug from down under xxxx
It is really cold but still only Autumn so much worse to come lol x
We have wood coming just have to lug it into the house to store it all.
Snuggling could be an option, the kids are now in the house and sharing a room, they get the warm air vented up from the heater.
Pat on the back for me, you know how it is…..always doubting something and wanting to do better. Sending you all hugs right back, and love to you dear LIsa xx
Brrrrrr. It seems like it was summer only yesterday. Stay warm and happy.
I know, this winter has been much anticipated and we’re still only in Autumn brrrrrrr x
Did Sam actually feel the cold this time? 😉
Ha Ha yes he is wearing gloves and a beanie lol x
I have about six layers x