--------------------------------------------------------------------------Travel Itinerary For:
MS LISA BURNS
MR SALVATORE CHIODO
MS CARINA CHIODO
MSTR LUCA CHIODO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------TUESDAY 26 APRIL
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
FLIGHT SQ 218
CONFIRMED
26 APR 05 - DEPART - MELBOURNE/TULLAMARINE A
STOP
Terminal: TERMINAL INTERNATIONAL
26 APR 05 - ARRIVE - SINGAPORE/CHANGI INTL A
55MINS
Terminal: TERMINAL 2
0050
0645
NON-
07HRS
- AIRCRAFT - BOEING 777-200
- CLASS - ECONOMY
- REQUESTS - SPECIAL MEAL(S)
BABY MEAL(S)
SUNDAY 01 MAY
LUFTHANSA
FLIGHT LH 777
CONFIRMED
01 MAY 05 - DEPART - SINGAPORE/CHANGI INTL A
Terminal: TERMINAL 2
2305
NON-STOP
MONDAY 02 MAY
 02 MAY 05 - ARRIVE - FRANKFURT/FRANKFURT INT
12HRS 20MINS
Terminal: TERMINAL 1



0525
AIRCRAFT - BOEING 747 PASSENGER JET
- CLASS - ECONOMY
- REQUESTS - BABY MEAL(S)
SPECIAL MEAL(S)
BABY MEAL(S)
02 MAY 05
LUFTHANSA
FLIGHT LH4010 CONFIRMED
* Flight operated by LUFTHANSA CITYLINE GMBH
02 MAY 05 - DEPART - FRANKFURT/FRANKFURT INT
NON-STOP
Terminal: TERMINAL 1
1
0910

02 MAY 05 - ARRIVE - TURIN/CASSELLE ARPT,,IT
15MINS
1025
01HRS
- AIRCRAFT - AVRO RJ AVROLINER
- CLASS - ECONOMY
- REQUESTS - BABY MEAL(S)
SPECIAL MEAL(S)
BABY MEAL(S)
Date: 04/28/05 09:11:42
Subject: the Griswold’s go holidaying day 2 Singapore
Hi all
Its Sam here
Its 7 am and everyone is still asleep. Everything opens at 11 am and closes late at
night. Last night we slept nearly 12 hours, we were so tired we could no longer stand.
The heat here is bloody hot. I think I have lost 2 kilos in sweat. 28degrees at night and
during the day its 33 raining and bloody humid.
We went on the cable car to Sentosa Island what a scary ride. It’s about 80-90 meters
high you can see the whole city it was fantastic. Today we are going to the zoo, every
where we go in Singapore there are stairs so it is very hard to get around with the
pusher and 2 kids.
The food is fantastic, the train is great and the people are very nice and helpful.
We have our own attraction (Carina and Luca) everyone in the street wants to
squeeze Luca's cheeks and touch Carinas hair. People even want to take photos
holding Carina and Luca.
We are thinking of charging a fee. 2 dollars to touch Carinas hair, 3 dollars to
squeeze Lucas cheeks and 5 dollars for a photo.
Anyway I have to go and get ready to have breakfast so I will talk to you all later.
Love Sam and Lisa
Carina and Luca
Thursday, May 12, 2005 1:16 AM
Hi all it’s the gang from Italy.
Actually it only me Sam
Lisa Carina and Luca are asleep, yes at 3 pm
Sorry we haven't written in a while the internet is hard to get a
hold of in some towns.
2
We have been here 8 days now and are slowly coming to grips with the
fact that everyone sleeps between 12 midday and 3 pm everything
closes unreal. I came to Italy thinking that food would be everywhere
was I wrong. The only pasta I have had is from a micro waved meal you
buy at a supermarket.
The funny thing is that everything and I mean everything closes at
7.30pm no food again till the next day. Yesterday we went to sleep in
the afternoon 2pm and not realising we slept till 8 pm of coarse
everything was closed so we ended up having cornflakes for dinner.
Can you believe this? I am still coming to grips with it.
We bought a motor home today so we will soon venture out of our hotel
room on our own mystery tour. It will be good to have my own stove
again, ahhh pasta again.
I got my first photo of the family on the autostrada (freeway)
travelling at a slow 160 km an hour Unbelievable the wogs oops
Italians are mad. Even at 160 km an hour people were flying past me.
what a rush. Do you know that it is safer to walk on the road than it
is to walk on the footpath. On the footpath, well there are people
parking cars on it, making a u turn on it. Avoiding another car that
has stopped suddenly on the road. Or just a near short cut to take
the kiddies to school. I tell you at least if you walk in the middle
of the road the cars can see you and generally try to avoid you.
Turin in general is a bit of a hole but there are some wonderful
little towns away from the city. Now that we have a motor home we are
about to leave to look for a home (somewhere) in the great outdoors.
Anyway I better go and wake the kids and see if we can score
something for dinner that doesn't come in a pre made packet.
I will try to keep in touch more often until then
Love Sam and the gang
Yumunini tours signing off
12th may 2005
Hi ya kids
Great to hear that u r all safe, just dont WALK anywhere!
Had a thought Sammy, OPEN A FUCKING ALBERGO AFTER 7.30PM and see how
much dosh you'll make! Just dont let the MAFIA find out!
Good & safe travels on your mystery tour, settle in a quick as u can
and best of luck with the bricks and mortar.
If u get the chance we all would luv see any happy and pissed off
snaps along the way so if it's possible please send them to us.
Also, if u need any help organising stuff back here dont be afraid to
ask. I will provide the operational support and Mills can provide the
financial!
3
See ya dudes and have a fucking great experience and when we are up
there one fine day, no excuses not cooking a plate of bloody pasta!
Love & Ciao
Marc & the riff raffff!
xxoo
16th May, 2005
Today we went to Lake Maggiore on the autostrada towards Milano and then up to
the Lake District. Stopped at a town on the lake and found the local market in full
swing. Finally found parking down a tiny back street on a very severe angle. The
market is much cheaper than the shops for clothes and saw a cute jacket for carina but
ey didn’t have her size. Sam bought a chicken and we sat in the park by the lake for
lunch. Carina had a great time being a scary lion and chasing a little German boy
around. His parents spoke English, what a lovely sound.
We went in search of ice cream and I got the best one I’ve had since arriving in Italy
with hot chocolate fudge and crushed nuts yum. We bought some bubbles which we
blew to the swans. Barbie swan lake and fairy castles for Carina.
18th May 2005
Hello you international gang you, sounds like you may
need a care parcel including pasta packs hey? I am sure
you will get used it Sambo, you just need to know where
to look.
The roads are very scary aren't they?
How are the babies and Lisa going? Please say hello from
me won't you?
It sounds very exciting getting your motor home is it a
big one? I can just imagine you all sitting around your
wee dining table scoffing your home cooked pasta and
local vino....good on you all...
Enjoy and good and safe travels....
love from Katiescarlet xxx
22nd May 2005
Luca is up and mobile, he started to walk at the hotel after many wobbly starts and
plopping onto his bottom. He’s very proud of himself and tottering around the room
with arms out for balance.
25th May 2005
Put deposit on house in Gambasca.
31st May 2005
Spent first night in camper at house. It rained all night. Met the new neighbours
Claudio and Piera.
4
26th may 2005
Hi Sam, Lisa, Carina & Luca - how are you all going?? When are you going to
send me some photos? Surely you have your computer hooked up in your
combie van by now?
Look forward to hearing what you guys have been up to.... sleeping and
dreaming about food? How did the kids go on the plane? I am interested to
know!
Have you found any pasta yet Sam? You must be having major withdrawals.
Hope you are all doing well, Chloe talks about Carina a lot still - we all miss
you!!
Take care & write soon
The SIMPSONS xxx
31st May 2005
Dear Lisa Sam and tiddly winks
So glad to hear from you and all your news Julie just
rang and said you had got the house bet your thrilled
Dried out Carinas circlet from the wedding also got one
perfect rose and some lavender
Have you made any friends at the hotel and is any english
spoken would have loved to see Boo Boos face when you put
on the tele
You have been gone a month now Seems like you have gone
home to Queensland until I see something the kids would
like
will catch up one day.
No more news just hope this will go through
Lots and lots of love to you all and a special hug for my
two little bunnies
Love you all so much Mum
Nanna xxxxxxxxxs
5
6th June 2005
Hi Guys and girls...
How are u all???
We hope that all is safe and well and that u settle down as quick as u possibly
can.
Like to know how the travelling and house hunting is going so far...we know it
wont be a synch but we are all RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOting for u!
Hope to hear from u soon
Love the Montagneros'
xxoo
18th June 2005
Hello Italian vagabondos! Where are you, what are you
doing? Lisa loo, Happy Birthday for the 18th? I think,
anyway Happy Birthday for it? How are you all?
Are you learning the local lingo? What is the weather
like at the mo, cold? It is getting colder and colder
here, at night 6/7 c and in the day about 17/18 or less,
winter is here at last yuk! If you get a chance give me
a mail! Or are you out back somewhere in Liguria?
miss you and hope all is well and you are
happy....lots of love Katiescarlet xxx
Hi Sam Lisa and the kids,
So glad to hear that you are all well and we hope that
you get accustomed to the ways of the Italians and are
not sleeping through all your meal times.
Mum and Dad are here at the moment and so I asked if they
would like to say something as well. Mum said to ask if
you have met with Marcello and how are you all, Mum has
just told us that Luca is walking and she hopes that you
found him a pair of shoes to wear.
Sam mum wants a photo of the house as she heard from
Lisa's mum and she was horrified to hear that you have a
dirt floor and dad said its bullshit so they want to know
if it's true.
6
Hope you are not working too hard on the house and still
find time to have a bit of fun.
Mum Dad and family as per Fran and Joan .xxx
29th June 2005
Sam bought a pool and took a freezing dip after spending the day filling it. Visitors at
Claudio’s. Bought cement for house.
5th July 2005
Bought Luca his first pair of shoes at Cuneo.
7th July 2005
Bought computer
8th July 2005
Period
Saturday, July 16, 2005 12:29 AM
Hi all we are still waiting for telecom Italy to give us
a phone so we can connect the internet and keep in touch
with the world. At the moment I am in a public library
using the internet it is very slow. Internet in a non
tourist town is virtually impossible to find. So
communication on a regular basis is difficult and
frustrating. At present we don’t have even TV reception
so if the world has blown up please let us know
our mail address is:
L and S Chiodo
Via Comba Nari
number 24
12030
Gambasca CN Italia
hope you are having an interesting time if not the time of your lives....
mills xxxx
17th July 2005-10-07
Update...
Aliens have invaded the US, heading towards the UK and
then Australia. They wont make their way to Italy as they
7
are only interested in taking over technologically
advanced countries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bloody hell Italys stuffed! Slack bastards.
Any how hope u r all well, great to hear from u , we all
are well here.
By the way where the hell is Gambasca?? Jesus Lisa, Sammy
could have settled along the coast of Napoli, The waters
of "sinking' Venice, Hills of Tuscany...?
Anyway as long as there's bed and breakfast when the 50
of us come to visit, it's cool.
Ciao kids, look forward to hearing more about your new
life.
All the best
Montagner clan!
xxoo
Friday, 22 July 2005
Ciao Ciao,
We’re hoping you haven’t disowned us all, sorry some things here are last century
and we are just starting to adapt. Hope all is well with you in oz, give our love to all
the family. We are going along at the Italian pace of life and learning to slow down
and shop in bulk. Well first of all we miss you!!! I keep thinking we’ll get the internet
soon and I’ll be able to email but that still looks like a long way off. We sent an email
a few days ago from the library in Saluzzo, 4 floors full of tiny rooms with books to
the ceiling and ladders to reach the top ones. We are only allowed to borrow 3 items
each and Sam had to fast talk to get library cards for us but they wouldn’t give him
one as he has no proof of residence. I didn’t get to read the email as Luca decided to
have a crying spell and so I am in major withdrawal especially having been so close.
We don’t get any news as the TV only plays DVD’s but my Mum has been sending
clippings from the newspapers so if you see anything interesting send it over. We
heard about the bombings in England but no details and Mum said there was a big
storm that flooded the Gold Coast. She also sent a funny story about a poor bloke who
blew up his house while fixing his LPG Ute. I also hear that my favorite show has lost
its star, I’m in ER withdrawal.
We landed in Torino and walked straight through a deserted airport and nobody
stopped us for passport checks or customs, it was like something out of the twilight
zone. We had to laugh as nobody in Italy even knew we were there??? Getting to the
hotel from the airport in a hire car on the wrong side of the road is a whole other story
and something I never want to relive!! Driving now is second nature for Sam and we
don’t end up on the Australian side of the road very often, we’ve given a few people
on round- a- bouts a fright. 150km is the average speed on the motorway and most
8
cars fly past us, it takes some getting used to but it actually seems to work quite well
as everyone knows to keep over or have a car up their tail doing 200k’s.
We spent the first month in a three star Hotel in Carmangola as we had to wait to buy
the campervan. The staff ended up like a second family and loved the kids. Luca took
his first steps there and Carina worked out the lifts, the door locks and the way to get
lollies from all the staff. We ended up buying a small camp stove and cooking in the
bathroom and hoped we wouldn’t get caught as the only place to get food at night was
in the hotel restaurant (which wasn’t set up yet so could only give us micro waved
meals) the whole town shut down at night and if you wanted coffee or gelato you
were okay. The hotel was very quiet as they had only been open a month which was
good but they didn’t have internet set up yet for customers. Sam got to go on every
now and then when the boss was out so hopefully you got some news from us.
Eventually after much red tape and stress we got a van and Camillo’s uncle in Milano
said we lived with him or we’d still be waiting.
We also had a few dramatic trips to immigration in Torino via train and three buses
and many conflicting directions with the kids and a frazzled Sam trying to make sense
of it all. I now have a permit to stay and have had my fingerprints taken, so it’s no
crime wave for me.
We have found a home in a tiny mountain town called Gambasca, we both loved it
and the price was okay for us. Buying a house in Italy is very interesting and Sam had
to go to the agent’s office where they read the whole contract out loud before anyone
signed. We were lucky to get the keys straight away even though we hadn’t settled
only paid a large deposit and had no clue what was going on and hoped for the best.
The place was owned by two sisters and their husbands but they argued over who did
the most work and stopped coming, the place was empty for two years before we got
it.
One of the couples has been really helpful and they sold us everything in the place
including some beautiful furniture, beds, tables and chairs, pots, pans etc so we
haven’t had to get very much LUCKILY. (Shopping in Italy is a nightmare!) They
also left all the tools for Sam and they came out to visit and explained everything to
us and showed Sam all the boundaries and how everything works. We scored a
toboggan and an ancient chamber pot of some sort that looks a couple of hundred
years old.
They told us that in these places (ours is called Borga Nari) usually the animals were
kept downstairs, the owners lived up a level and they often had a level of hay above,
they also had a room upstairs where they used to cook the castagni (chestnuts). We
have part of the old farmhouse with rock walls and wooden beams, the roof is made
of sheets of rock laid over each other in a kind of diamond pattern. We have two
liveable rooms upstairs and a bathroom downstairs with a loo and shower but no hot
water as yet. Most of the walls have the original sand and one doorway is about 5 foot
and we have hit our heads so many times. There is a great taverna downstairs, the
kitchen is tiny and there is a cellar as well, all the rooms downstairs have vaulted
ceilings. Upstairs there are two rooms that we live in, and another two which Sam has
been working on.
9
Things are coming along slowly and the goal is to have the house sealed before winter
arrives. Sam is getting the windows ready to have frames and glass put in and trying
to work out how to seal the veranda for trips downstairs to the loo on cold winter
nights. There is not one straight line here but lots of character and history which we
are slowly learning from the locals. Wait till you see photos, it’s unbelievable.
Our Italian Rustico farmhouse now has some modern aspects to it a fridge, TV and
washing machine. As the TV only plays DVDs we are going crazy on Spirit, Pooh
Bear and Beauty and the Beast!!! Even Sam knows the words to all the wiggles songs
now. The other night we stayed up late watching the wedding video and Under a
Tuscan Sun but it will be more like Under a Blanket of Gambasca Snow here.
We’ve seen pics of the house in winter and they get plenty of snow. Carina wants ice
skates and Sam plans to fly down our hill on the toboggan. We are close to the Alps
on the border with France and have crossed over into France with the camper at 2750
meters which was spectacular. We came back through Mt Blanc after a great weekend
for my birthday. At last Sam had to cope with another language and revenge was
sweet when he tried to ask for directions.
Sam cut down a few trees and now we have a beautiful view over the valley, there is a
stream at the bottom of the hill and our property runs down to it. It’s so peaceful here
and the countryside is just beautiful. Last night we saw the valley lit up with fireflies
and it looked like the stars had fallen to earth. It doesn’t get dark here till 10pm (Yep
that’s right 10PM!) so Carina hasn’t seen our firefly “fairies” in the garden as yet.
Gambasca is very small and everyone knows that the “Australiani’s” have arrived.
Our house is a drive up the mountain approx 3 kms from the town of Gambasca and
we are 800 metres above sea level. Sam waves at everyone and they’re starting to
wave back, one old lady flagged us down and knew all about us from her son who
found out about us from???? She looks about 100 years old and does her washing
outside in a trough fed from a mountain spring and we always see her doing
something when we drive by. Lots of characters in the town and Sam knows
everyone. The local council member Aldo owns part of the property and his wife
grew up here, so they’ve helped us out a lot. There are other people here but not living
full time, and some only come a couple of times a year for holidays. We’ve been
watching out for the French people to arrive and they turned up yesterday. They’re a
very nice couple and Carina is happy as they have a dog for her to chase after. They
speak Italian but no English for me and are staying 2 weeks to do some mountain
climbing.
Luca is up and walking and gets into everything, he’s such a boy and loves to get into
anything dirty. It’s been really hot here and the kids have been in a paddling pool we
bought and Luca thinks it’s great to stand up and then plop onto his bottom and splash
Carina. We think we’ve had 10 straight months of summer and can’t wait to see some
snow. Luca is still eating like a horse and Carina is still eating like a sparrow but now
she doesn’t get any junk food so she is eating all the things she wouldn’t eat in
Australia. They both eat heaps of fruit and Carina has discovered crackers with cheese
and a tomato slice smile. Luca loves blackberries in yogurt and Carina wants only the
“juicy fat sweet ones” which we eat before we get them home. Her favorite saying at
the moment is “My can do it!
10
Luca is here and has decided to help with the washing and has put his toys and two
towels in the front loading machine and turned around and laughed. He’s so cute and
says OUT and points to the door, he also says up, nanna (banana), daddad, mum, and
gives very cute little kisses, and he likes to pull Carina’s hair. He loves to watch Pooh
Bear and the Wiggles which drives Carina nuts as she wants to watch her TV.
Carina loves the 3 small dogs and two cats that live here but can’t get near any of
them as yet. One has just had a puppy but I haven’t seen it yet. She loves the
wildflowers and amazing variety of bugs, lizards and butterflies and goes on big
walks with Sam when Luca is asleep. Sam found a salamander last week and Carina
held it which made her day, I got some pictures of her with it. She also held a
wiggling tail from a skink lizard and kept asking what its name was. Yesterday we
went blackberry picking and came home with a big tub full, YUM! I think we ate
more than we bought home.
Sam has been cooking all sorts of interesting things and the lady in the front house
(Piera) gives him the zucchini flowers and he cooks them in batter, Carina loves them.
At the moment (5.30pm) he is outside doing a BBQ Italian style on a slab of rock.
There is a festa in the mountain and we can clearly hear the singing coming through
the valley (sound really travels here). They’re singing in English, and we joined in on
New York New York.
Life is a daily crazy game and we often come home not having done a single thing we
set out to do. (Try parking a campervan in Italia) So we are alternating with a love
hate relationship with Italia up till now but the love is slowly winning us over. Life
has certainly changed 100% but that’s what keeps things interesting. Missing all the
family and being so isolated is our biggest problem so far. Not being able to speak the
language is very hard but I can follow most of the conversations.
Carina starts Assilo (kindy) on September 12th at the next village and then she will be
teaching me. They go from 3 years old till 6years and then start primary school, at
first she will only go half a day 5 days a week and we’ll see how she copes. Later they
go from 8am till 4pm and have a cooked lunch and an afternoon nap. It’s worrying of
course as she won’t be able to speak Italian but the teacher is really nice and she lives
just up the road from us. I hope she doesn’t have any problems, we took her for a play
and she just jumped straight in with tears only when another kid took the toy she was
playing with. She has been asking when she can go to play again so that’s good sign.
Anyway that’s it for now, hope you’re all well, and don’t forget to write!! Hopefully
we’ll be on line soon and catch up on all your news.
Sunday, 24th July 2005
Puppy born a week ago.
Sam and Carina went for walk to old Borga and were given a punnet of raspberries
which didn’t last long. French people arrived yesterday with their dog Nino. Drove to
Saluzzo for groceries. Up hill, then along back lane. Drove through Gambasca to road
leading to old Borga but Carina wet herself so didn’t go up hill after all.
11
Monday, 25th July 2005
Sam has gone to Renato to see about the wood, then to put the ladder onto the van.
We walked down the hill to Aldo’s and carina held two kittens and didn’t want to give
them back. Kids played outside and Luca practised going up and down the front steps.
Wednesday, 27th July 2005
Went to Saluzzo for groceries, drove along panoramic drive. Posted forms to DSS,
rang mum line busy, and rang Tony. 30 bags sand delivered. French showed us photos
of their house. Kids walk up lane, and in garden. Bed early. Carina washed hair
outside.
Thursday, 28th July 2005
Went to Sanfront to post photo discs but post office shut OF COURSE! Couldn’t ring
mum as middle of night in oz. Kids both asleep in van so went for a drive and a walk
to the old Borga on the opposite side of the valley.
Friday, 29th July 2005
A baby skink lizard liked carinas finger and then took off up her arm. French people
have visitors. Parcel arrived from mum with playing cards and bomb cuttings. Walk
with kids down hill and back for second lollypop.
Saturday 29th July 2005
Left for Mountains, spent the night just over border. Very cold and took no blanket.
Sunday 31st July 2005
Got back around 7pm.
Luca sick during night, and off his food.
Monday, 1st August 2005
Sanfront post office and market, bought carina toy farm animals, rang mum. Wood
delivered. Festa kids time not on. Parcel arrived from Connie with boot covers in.
Period.
Tuesday, 2nd August 2005
Sam gone to try to ring his mum about shoe covers. Rained all night and cold and
raining today.
Wednesday 3rd August 2005
Franks cellar flooded and came into our taverna during the night so we had to bale it
out and dig trench for the water to run off.
12
Thursday 4th August 2005
Sam gone for supplies to fix the flood, frank turned up and made no apology and
didn’t offer to help or pay for half the costs.
Saluzzo in afternoon to return library books. Internet now closed as no volunteer to
man it.
Got fiscal codes for kids and I.
Went to supermarket. Didn’t get to post office. Claudio came for a visit.
Friday, 5 August 2005
Sam has gone to pick up the glue mix for the walls and white culture.
Still haven’t posted this, we went to Saluzzo yesterday and went to the library where
we have been able to send occasional email and were told that the floor that the
computers were on is now shut indefinitely as the young guy who looked after them
was doing it instead of military service and his volunteer time is over. I don’t think
they understand the concept of actually hiring somebody, the children’s floor only
opens for 3 hours on a Friday afternoon so Carina missed out on her books.
Everything here is insanely frustrating, especially the trading times as by the time we
did that and got our fiscal codes the Post office is closed. The post office here doesn’t
sell any kind of packaging like envelopes or padded post bags, and they’ve never
heard of cylinders. They only sell stamps and have nothing at all in the post office and
the staff are behind glass like the banks. We then go to the paper shop and get
envelopes and go back to the post office and find that the envelopes don’t have glue.
By which time kids are crying and Sam and I are at boiling point. There is no way we
are going to wait around for 4 hours till everything opens again. I’ll never complain
about Australia again and even better still neither will Sam.
Sam tried again to find out when the phone line is going in and the woman he spoke
to said “Yes but you’re Australians, you aren’t citizens” so I’d say we are somewhere
at the bottom of the list.
Saturday 6th august 2005
Goodbye drinks with the French people. Nino the dog bit carina. Sam fixed the
cement on Franco’s house that the truck driver broke.
Sunday 7th August 2005
French people left early.
Frank not talking to us.
Sam made sandpit for the kids.
Monday, 8th August 2005
Took fiscal codes to office in Gambasca, posted discs at Martiniana Po post office.
Tried to pay rates over phone by B pay but wouldn’t work so went to stinky internet
13
place. Groceries from Lidel then home. Picked blackberries at house with Sam and
kids.
Tuesday, 9 August 2005
Carina played with play doh, kids in sandpit. Sam burning off rubbish and emptied
septic with a bucket YUM! Whipper snipper grass and mow lawn. Sam finished
painting small room.
Wednesday, 10 August 2005
Sam gone to get rollers and tools for large room. Gone nearly 3 hours and came back
fuming and only roller not much use and they don’t have roller trays???? They use a
plastic grill and dunk the roller into a bucket??? Painted two walls in large room with
brush and looks great. Put more wall into garden and cleaning up still, kids in sandpit.
Walked with Carina up the hill and got more blackberries in driveway. Still no sign of
the puppy.
Wednesday, 10 August 2005
Hi Guys,
Sorry the photos are in a bit of a jumble. I put in some pics from our library books of
houses like the ones around here. There are these community farmhouses all through
the mountains ours is called Borga Nari, and we’ve found five within walking
distance of our house. We’ve been told that when autumn comes they pop up like
mushrooms and we’ll be able to see lots more that are hidden at the moment. One on
the opposite hill is incredible, tiny winding paths up and down the mountain between
these ancient little buildings. It is very like the picture with the man standing on the
stairs. Sam went first with Carina and met a man who lives there part time and he
gave them a big punnet of raspberries, and showed them inside his place. There was a
grape vine trained up and over the buildings and the whole thing is full of fruit.
Most have old relics a wooden wheelbarrow (including the wheel), an old wooden
sled, big raffia covered wine bottles; we found a tiny cobbled shoe at our place. It’s so
hard to imagine people actually living in these places, some of the doors are only 4
feet high so Perry would have great fun. I can’t wait to show you when you get over,
I’ve never seen anything like these places.
The pics of the mountains are very like the ones around Gambasca and you can see
Mt Viso from Gambasca on a clear day. We often go for drives up to the mountain
valley for lunch while waiting for the shops to re open. Wildflowers are everywhere
and they graze cows and goats up there which Carina loves. The border crossing is
near by approx 60 km so you could do the Von Trapp thing and walk over, there are
heaps of people that ride bikes up the mountain and there are machines to clock onto
at the bottom and again at the summit to test your time.
We just came back from a few days in France and the pics are in the folder called
Trip, had a great time and crossed the alps so many times that I got altitude sickness.
What spectacular scenery, plunging gorges with rivers, mountain lakes, sheer cliffs
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with crazy houses built into them. Crossed back into Italy on this tiny narrow French
road and crossed myself frequently even though I’m not religious. We came upon a
medieval festival at a castle in France and it was fantastic, even better they had
parking organized with buses to take us back and forth. Carina had the best day and
loved the donkey, horses and ice cream. She is still talking about the monster, which
even gave me the creeps, there were two of them and they were really creepy with
huge hind legs which made them even more realistic.
We camped the first night by the river and the kids loved it, it’s become a bit of a joke
that every time we wake and move on there is a fantastic camp spot just up the road.
Well we drove on a little the next day and just around the bend was the huge lake that
carina is standing in front of. Would you believe it?? Next day visited another castle
town and can’t wait for you guys to get over here and see these MOUNTAINS!
Thursday, 11 August 2005
Sam painting big room and I did a little bit while Luca slept after his bath. Forgot the
bondcrete on one wall so waiting for it to dry. Claudio finished his BBQ and Sam and
Carina have gone to have a look.
Will try to post this today if Sam goes out for anything, he’s been fixing the walls in
the two rooms upstairs and is painting the big room at the moment. Yesterday he went
off to find a roller and tray and came back 2 hours later cursing Italy and tells me they
don’t have paint trays and had no idea what he was talking about. Here they use a
plastic grill that you hang over a bucket and you dunk the whole roller in??? Anyway
the roller didn’t work out so he’s using a big oblong shaped brush and it’s looking
good. He’s going to put in a wooden floor raised over the dirt next. He had to empty
the septic by hand a few days ago which was a scream to watch, and has been
working in the garden.
You would laugh at the wood collections here, they could take up a whole house and
are always extremely neatly stacked and tied. Sam is going to move our wood from
the garden onto a platform lower down ASAP. He has plenty of work to do and I can’t
help very often as the kids want all my attention and Carina always wants company,
so things are going along slowly.
Carina has become a bit scared of the dogs here as the French people (Elian and
Odille) had a dog called Nino and she got too close and it snapped at her face and just
missed her and she got a huge fright. We were over having a drink with them for
Sam’s birthday and to say goodbye as they were leaving the next day and even though
the lady always holds the dog when Carina goes near it the bloody thing still snapped
at her. They are the nicest people and we wished they didn’t have to go back to
France, her family owned the place here and her sister grew up here but not her. They
showed us pics of the renovations they did and the place was much worse than ours as
most of our big work has already been done. They are coming back in November and
are going to teach Sam to cook snails and stinging nettle soup. YUM Can’t wait for
that!!
My Mum just sent a parcel with every possible story on the London bombing so we
have plenty of depressing reading. She sent the kids some stickers and toy kangaroos
15
which Carina insists on calling her rabbit. I also hear the Saints are doing well.
Typical they’ll probably win the final the year we’re out of the country.
Friday, 12 August 2005
Sam finished second coat of paint on walls in large room. Roast chicken for lunch,
picked blackberries with carina in the front field and tried out the string beans. Luca
and Carina played in mud and then had a bath.
Wednesday, 17 August 2005
Sam fixed the holes in the back of the van, Luca had a bath after blackberry picking.
Letter arrived from Kate and Sally.
Friday 19 August
Went to Saluzzo in afternoon, had a walk around and finally got to look in a few of
the shops. Bought some cards. Posted letter to Wendy and parcel to Julie. Sam
working on stairs.
Saturday, 20 August 2005
Sam cleared out area under stairs. Sam gone to hospital in piera’s car with gall
stones?? Rained all day. Took kids for walk in morning down to stream.
Sunday, 21 August 2005
Sam still has pain and is romancing the stone as we speak. Doctors don’t believe in
drugs here so it has to come out a la naturale. He is drinking lots of water and hoping
for the best. Carina Luca and I walked down past aldo’s house, Falco has a puppy and
Carina was scared as it kept trying to jump up on her and nip her. Falco wouldn’t let
Luca go past and it was getting a bit worrying but got past in the end. Saw the puppy
here and carina has decided to call it smarties and the Alsatian puppy is Jane. Piera
gave us a ride back up the hill. We sat outside and watched it sleeping with the
mummy dog and got closer when it was asleep. Took Luca for walk up the hill and we
both stood in dog poo.
Monday, 22 August 2005
Carina got to hold the puppy when Piera came to feed the dogs. Saw the kittens and
there are two of them, one tabby and one cream. Sam gone back to hospital this
evening as pain still bad. Picked blackberries. Guys came to give quote for windows.
Gave carina a bath and trimmed her hair.
Tuesday, 23 August 2005
Back again, it’s 9.30pm and everyone is sleeping so it’s peaceful time at last. Sam has
been in and out of the hospital over the last 4 days with severe pain from gall stones
and has had some interesting experiences along the way with the Italian medical
system. Now he has come back from another hospital in a bigger town where they
16
admitted him for the day and he saw a specialist but the pain is back again now and
he’s drugged up and trying to sleep. At least we have found a more modern hospital
close by but the first time he had to get Piera to drive him to Saluzzo hospital as he
couldn’t drive. I don’t think that having me drive a camper van on the wrong side of
the road would help his symptoms. Hopefully he will be better soon as he can’t lie
down for long as it seems to bring the pain on, and he has had no sleep.
Sam came home last night after getting some morphine but was up again later in the
night and has gone to hospital in Carmangola to try to see specialist. Spent morning
trying to get close to puppy, Carina was very patient and sat waiting for it to come
out. Took kids for a walk down the hill in the afternoon and came back at 2.30pm still
no sign of Sam as yet. Taking some little films to send home. Letter arrived from
Kylie.
Carina managed to grab the puppy when it was asleep so it’s probably petrified of her
now.
Wednesday 24 August 2005
Letters arrived from Sally Kate and Val.
Thursday 25 August 2005
Went to GS and Lidel for groceries. Rang Mum, Connie, and Sera for his birthday
from Revello. Talked with Claudio and Piera when they were plating the onions.
Friday, 26 August 2005
Sam mowed the lawn and seems to be feeling better. Carina still besotted by the
puppy and took it for a walking tour this morning. Sam has gone to get some steel for
the veranda.
Yep back again, Carina has just come inside after her puppy decided it needed a sleep.
She has been very patient over the last week and now the puppy will come out and it
sits with her and has adopted her as a second mother. They are really cute together
and the puppy often dozes of in her arms. She is pretty good with it but today decided
to take it on a walking tour around the property which got it a bit stressed so she has
been told that she can’t walk around with him and hopefully he’ll be okay. Carina has
named him Smarties and I tell her to talk to him and some of the conversations are a
hoot. The two kittens are still up in the loft but we see them playing on the balcony.
Smarties is now Carinas best friend and her first thought when she wakes up is to get
outside so she can hold him. The mother dog looks just like Torte our old dog from
Millgrove.
Sam seems to have recovered and was out mowing the grass this morning so the place
looks liveable again, he’s gone to get some steel to start the beams on the veranda as
we have to have that bit finished before the windows can go in. We’ll see how long it
takes to find and it’s already 11.30am so by the time he finds it the place will most
likely be closed for 4 hours.
17
We were laughing at the system here, the old lady down the road who does her
washing outside has a very fast flowing fountain and when Sam asked them about it
(as ours is just a trickle) they said that there was a broken mains water pipe and when
they told the council the reply was that it would be to hard to fix and yes they could
run a pipe from it if they liked. So there is a never ending flow of town water going to
waste and that’s pretty much the way things are done.
Saturday, 27 August 2005
Rained all day on and off, puppy has been growling at carina. Sam working on
veranda and put up supporting beams for the timber lining. Went for a walk in the rain
with Claudio’s umbrellas carina scored the pink one that used to belong to Claudio’s
daughter. We didn’t get very far and had to turn back before we got totally drenched.
Wrote letter to sally in the evening and Sam did house expenses. Rained through the
night.
Sunday, 28th August 2005
This morning we decided to walk up to the Fontana de Madonna which is about 5kms
up the hill behind our house. It felt like 20kms on the uphill trip and Carina and I
kept stopping to pick blackberries and I had them all in my pockets. At the fountain
there is an altar with a painting of the Madonna and we found a book to sign in a
plastic bag so it has its only Aussie entry. Carina got a ride down the hill on the back
of the pushchair bobsled style. We saw so many cars going up the hill and a guy on a
motorbike came down with a basket on one arm which showed real driving skill. We
saw Aldo and his wife who had the back of their 4 wheel drive full of mushrooms;
they told us that they sell them at the market for 35 euro a kilo (which is just on $60).
Later we went for a walk down to the stream with the kids in the wheelbarrow. When
we got back Piera gave us some homemade gnocchi which we had for dinner.
Monday, 29 August 2005
Sam gone early to hardware and posted letter to sally. Agent coming at 3pm
Tuesday, 30 August 2005
Sam knocked down the doorway on the veranda; it would have taken to much time to
try to redo it all. We are going to put a glass door in and fix the veranda. The
Hardware guy came to advise us on a heater for under the stairs and was really helpful
which makes a nice change. Finally heard from Telecom Italia and they say they are
coming on Monday so hopefully we’ll be in touch before this reaches you.
Wednesday 31st August 2005
Sam got all excited about the possibility of a phone so we went to Cuneo big store for
a computer camera so that we will be able to see each other when we talk on the
phone. I’m not sure how it all works but will let you know once we actually have the
phone. We bought a swing and a highchair for Luca. Got carina new textas, colouring
book and bag of animals with big horse which is the new favourite.
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Got back home and Luca was in extreme pain in the groin so we took him to
savigliano hospital at around 1pm and got back here around 7pm.
September 2005
Thursday 1st September 2005
Sam managed to get the flea collar on the puppy. Sam cemented the rocks near the
doorway.
Friday, 2 September 2005
Sam has gone to fill the gas bottle and get some groceries. We stayed up way too late
last night watching Titanic so very sleepy tody. Posted a parcel to my mum with a
birthday card and a disc. Guys came to measure for windows. Sam sick all day. We
played in yard with water, puppy still sick. Storm threatened but never turned up, sun
showers all day.
Luca has been in hospital with a urinary infection which luckily was only mild and
seems to have cleared up now. They put him on antibiotics and gave us a cream which
I have to put under his foreskin with a syringe so you can imagine how much he likes
that. We left the house for the hospital at 1pm and got home after 8pm as they had to
do a blood test as he had a slight fever. The test finally came back clear and then we
had to go back down to emergency and wait again to be signed out by the original
doctor that saw us (Yep it’s that crazy system again) We thought we would never get
out of the hospital and luckily we had food and drink with us and there was a large
screen TV and toys for the kids so Carina was happy enough. This hospital is more
modern than the one I went to and the paediatrician was really nice and has referred
us to a good child doctor in the next town.
Saturday, 3rd September 2005
Sam is still feeling sick with tummy bug. A letter arrived from Wendy and mums
parcel came back with insufficient postage on it. I took the kids for a walk down the
hill till we bumped into a big brown shaggy dog and thought it would be wiser to turn
back. Picked the last of the blackberries with carina who was busy chasing butterflies
and picking the wildflowers.
Sunday, 4 September 2005
Carina has made firm friends with the puppy which she has named smarties and he
comes out to her now and she gets upset when he gives her playful nips and tries to
growl. Luca just loves to get outside and his favourite places are splashing in the
fountain, walking up and down the steps in front of the door, sitting on Claudio’s step,
and sitting in any dirt or muddy puddle he can find.
Brad would like it here as almost everything has MADE IN ITALY stamped on it, it’s
weird not to see the word China on anything. Every time I see it I think of Brad and
don’t mind paying the little bit extra, the only problem is that all the appliances are in
these awful gelato colours and there is not any other choice.
We just got a text message from Sams mum and she asked if we heard about the
disaster in New Orleans???? No other details so we have no clue as to what kind of
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disaster she is talking about. Sorry also realised that we missed Fathers day so I hope
you had a great day Tony and love and kisses to you from all of us.
Monday, 5th September 2005
Still raining, Sam has gone to Sanfront to check colour for the windows and post discs
to Sera and mums. Not sure if carina starts kindy today. The Telecom Italia man just
turned up and left again about 10 minutes later because he isn’t the right person for
this job and he will try to get the right person to come out in the next few days. It’s
just becoming unbelievable that we can’t even get a phone connected!!!
Tuesday, 6th September 2005
Luca had to go back for his check-up and his results were all clear. Appointment for
8.30am and got out at 1pm. Lots of rain and it rained all night. Stopped in Revello on
the way home tried mum and Brad to get Julies phone no but no luck, spoke to John
and Connie. The telecom man is meant to be coming tomorrow at 8am. I’ll believe it
when I’ve made my first phone call home from our house.
Wednesday, 7 September 2005
Phone guy didn’t come due to all the rain. RAINED most of the day so we’re stuck
inside. Claudio came over for a coffee and Sam gave him music disc. Wrote letter to
Val and Neil.
Thursday, 8 September 2005
Sam gone to pay window guy a deposit so work can start. Phone people might come
today. Sam is posting a letter to Val and Neil for me. The rain has stopped but it’s still
cloudy, trying to get all the washing dry. PS Nope the telecom man didn’t come
because it was raining!!!!
Still waiting, maybe today?????
Sam came back from the local ferramenta (hardware store), I think there is a photo of
it in with the Saluzzo file, and tells me that there was a guy who was buying 3 metres
of plastic cloth which was 2 metres wide and they weighed it to work out the price.
Well, you can imagine Sam, he tried to ask them why they didn’t just charge by the
metre and that was way to hard for them to work out and this is the way they always
do it. So Sam is going to go in and ask for 2.5 kilo of plastic cloth and see what they
do. They also sell paint by the kilo not by the litre, and they weigh the tint! At a
bigger hardware store in Cuneo you can look at the colour swatches in frames on the
walls but can’t take any colour chips or cards home with you.
Saturday, 10 September 2005
Mums birthday today. Went to Saluzzo and looked at market but didn’t buy anything
except a chupa chupp for Carina. Rang Connie and went to Lidel for more groceries,
sun has finally come out and it’s like summer again. Came home via Saluzzo and rang
mum and had a long chat. Terrible flood in New Orleans. Cold and washing still not
dry.
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Sunday, 11th September 2005
Still raining, took kids for a walk down to falco’s house and got back just before it
bucketed down. Sam did the stumps for the floor in the big room.
Monday, 12 September 2005
Carina started Assilo today and we got there around 9am and after some tears we left
her and went to Saluzzo to show the health dept the kid’s health books and filled up
the van with water. Sam is still feeling gastro pains. Went by and ordered the cement
to come later today. Sam rang telecom again from Revello and they are planning to
ring us tomorrow. Picked Carina up at 11.30 and she was okay and had fun with the
other kids and managed to tell them when she wanted to go to the toilet. She had a
suck on her ducks and the teacher helped her on the slide. At least she wasn’t being
prised off my hair like another little girl.
Tuesday, 13th September 2005
It’s all happening today, doctor rang about immunisations, door guy came, electrician
came, and telecom rang and made an appointment (they may actually turn up). Went o
Saluzzo and returned library books, borrowed Harry Potter. Tried to put quilt in to be
cleaned but its pay in advance?? Parcel arrived from mum with a book in and shrek
book for Carina which she loved. Sam has already started to read the book and says
it’s really funny.
Wednesday, 14 September 2005
Dropped Carina off and she didn’t give us a backward glance and was very happy
doing some drawing when we left, tranquillo the teacher said. Well telecom is
supposed to turn up today but no sign yet and Sam has gone to get Carina from Assilo
and left me here to tell the guy what to do??? Sun is back out and there is so much
washing on the line that the swing is lifting off the ground. Sam has been putting in
the stumps for the floor in the big room and has realised he needs more than he
thought or the boards will bow.
Thursday, 15 September 2005
Bad night as carina has a sore throat and slept badly with trips in and out of our bed.
We kept her home from Assilo. Sam has gone to tell the kindy and pick up some more
supplies. Still working on the floor in the big room. Phone guy meant to come this
morning but postponed until this afternoon. Carina has a fever and slept with us the
night.
We have a phone!!!!!
Friday, 16 September 2005
Carina is feeling a bit better and is back to her usual chatterbox self and every thing
starts with why?? Luca is sick now and has a runny nose and can’t suck his thumb.
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We’ve rung Connie, Joan, Mauro, Julie, Chris, brad, mum,
St Kilda is out of the finals!
Saturday, 17 September 2005
Back on the phone again this morning, rang Rose, Carolyn, Julie and Dave, Craigie,
and Connie rang us for a quick check as her phone card isn’t working. Luca had a
temperature through the night and slept wit us after having some Panadol, still has a
runny nose this morning. Sam has gone with carina to get some groceries and Luca is
sleeping so it’s very quiet.
Sunday, 18 September 2005
Rained all day, Sam finished the floor. Took kids for short walk but rain again. Frank
is now friendly and offered part of property for sale. Beams in big room not level so
Sam has headache working out what to do to fix them.
Wednesday, 21 September 2005
First day of autumn, the seasons all change on the 21st of the month here. It’s cold and
foggy and the mountain has totally disappeared. A guy came out of nowhere carrying
a gun in a bag and didn’t know where he was, he was hunting for pigs but no luck.
Hope he has more luck finding his car.
Rang Lidia, Carolyn, and Kylie.
Carina came home from Assilo with some new Italian words, gatto, and mele, and
very slowly told me the correct pronunciation. There is one boy that she doesn’t like
with black straight hair and I have to go and hit him for her. Sent some email and got
a couple of replies from Mills, Lisa, and Carolyn.
21st September 2005
wow, fucking fanatastic, nothing like I thought it would be....
it’s probably your wonderful photography playing tricks again!! look great in a
real estate window somewhere in the states or here!
will send you some pics of new gallery soon. please send photos with you
guys in them...hard to imagine your actually there!
talk soon and congratulations, you are finally on the internet
allelulia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mills xxxx
21st September 2005
Hi guys! It is great to hear from you. We hope those wogs have finally
hooked you up to the world, we are dying to hear what you guys are up to,
and to get some photos!! Can't believe they are so slack, Australia is not so
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bad after all huh? So have you got a house etc. etc..? Have so many
questions.
I am always wishing Carina was still here for her to play with. She still talks
about her which is cute and says she is going to Italy too when she gets big.
. It must be killing Sam not to have a computer!!!!!!!! I hope you have a TV
now and aren't living too much in the dark ages.
Love Charmaine, Pete & Chloe xxx
Thursday, 22 September 2005
It’s raining again, raining, cold and foggy. So I can’t get the washing to dry and we’re
all running out of clean clothes
Luca still has a cold and stuffy nose. Spoke to Lidia on the phone.
Saturday 24th September 2005
Sam is trying to hook up the web cam and we made funny faces for Sera and gave
daddy some bunny ears, it will be great when it’s all up and running.
Went to Saluzzo market but couldn’t park so still no smock for carina.
Claudio and Piera went mushrooming in the mountains and gave us two big odd
looking mushrooms to try. They came over to check out the new floor and we saw 3
guys come wandering up the track with baskets full of mushrooms much to our
disgust. Sam is keen to go mushrooming and tried to find out which ones are edible
on the internet. It’s a matter of national Italianess to know which mushrooms to pick
and to come back with baskets full of the things. He has found a good castagni spot
and roasted them in the oven which added to the 33 degrees we managed to heat the
room to with the new wood heater from downstairs. At last I can get the washing dry
so Luca has clean everything and carina can have her choice of “duckies”.
Not motorbikes this time but 4 wheelers and they look like loads of fun, very noisy
and most impressive.
Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2005
Dear Lisa Sam Carina and Luca
Well here we go again Lisa just about ready to watch the
start of the grand final 2005 they have done a great job.
It’s like a big concert the centre of the ground is like
a big flower with all the clubs taking part. Remember the
day we gave Bernard a hard time then had to get back in
our box with the door closed and lick our wounds? A lot
of years ago here they come Lisa Always touches you even
when it’s not your team think ITS THE MUSIC AND THE
CROWD.
Brad said his electronic notebook has a back up battery
so he didn’t loose anything.
23
Tony wants to know any chance of a refund Shirley Casey’s
nephew’s washing machine has just died.
Sending YOU SOME NEWS CLIPPINGS doesn’t sound good re the
bird flu it’s only at the moment in Asia but God help us
if it changes into a human strain.
Do you get the news on the internet? The poor devils in
America are getting hit again with a new horror called
Rita they sure are getting a bad run
I’m sending a parcel with Boos little coat and DVD in
poor old Luca only got a scarf never mind Ill send him
the Wiggles next time Hope you are all well and the kids
are over their colds
The addresses you asked for will be in the parcel
MISS YOU
LOVE YOU ALL Mum Tony and Brad xxxxxxx
Friday, September 23, 2005
Salve Mum and Tony,
> Hey let us know who won, bugger about St Kilda!!
> Don't remember giving Bernard a hard time. Actually
don't remember who> Bernard Is!
> Sam has hooked up the web cam and is busy setting it up
with his friend Sera> and we saw him okay on the screen
but there are still a few glitches at the> moment. Once
we work it all out you might be able to do it as well and
then> we can see you and you can see us.
> I'm hoping my back up battery works but it might have
been off for to long.
> Ask Tony if he has his receipt for the washing machine
and I might be able to> arrange a refund with head
office. Pretty tough old machine hey!!! Ours is a> front
loader and Luca loves to check out the spin cycle.
> We have been watching the Australian ABC news on the
internet and it's> strange to hear an Australian accent
again. Luca is here saying booty booty booty, and
watching Peter Pan which he loves.
Carina will be wrapt to get a new disc and especially toy
story and so will we.
Well we're off to the market to try to find a kindy smock
for carina so I’ll write again ASAP
> love lisa
> PS GOOD TYPING!!!!!!
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Sunday, 25 September 2005
It’s been busier than Burke St here this morning, Franco arrived and a man turned up
with a little kid and disappeared for a few hours and left again, fed the kittens the left
over spare rib bones and then smarties and the dogs took turns chewing on them as
well. Lots of activity which makes a nice change.
Man only speaks French and the lady a little Italian. The lady is Odille sister and they
seem really nice. Carina is scared of the man and says he’s like a big monster poor
guy doesn’t know what to do and keeps saying Bonjour every time he goes past to a
crying carina.
September 2005
Hi how are u
It’s been cold here so I had to construct an Italian washing line in the middle of the
kitchen, lounge, TV room, play room, lounge room, dining room and laundry.
It reminds me of the days when I was in Italy getting up at 4 o’clock to milk the cows.
Having to ride the cucio a la sila.
We went castagni hunting and got a bag full.
I also went mushroom picking got about 10 mushrooms the size of a large plate. I
sliced them and did them in breadcrumbs and fried them, carina loved them.
I also found out that varicina is great at removing mould from the walls.
The mouse that lives in our kitchen is very smart because it eats the food that is on the
trap and in the morning the trap is still set, I think it may use a fork and knife bloody
Italian mice. It wrote a message in the dust that said (va fanculo) you didn’t get me
again. We will try to get him tonight again. I will let you know when the bastardo is
DEAD.
THE PHOTOS ARE
The new floors in the rooms
The heater that we got to 33 degrees
The clothes line
Sent to Connie, john, Pete, mills, sera, Joe and Lidia
28th September 2005
Now about this mouse you have, you hide all the knives and forks and put the heating down
so it won't be too comfortable for him and we hope that you catch the little blighter and when
you do dad said to make sure you save any that you catch as he will cook them as he has
eaten them before so freeze them for him ok.
love to all Fran and Joan xxx
25
Monday, 26th September 2005
Cooked the castagni on the BBQ and are they delicious Carina tucked into them. She
tells us that smarties is her best thing ever. Nope didn't find a smock as we went to the
market a bit late and couldn't get any parking. Monday carina goes to kindy till 1pm
and has her first lunch there so that should be interesting. Sam is at the moment eating
some mushrooms that Claudio gave us and I’m just hoping that Claudio doesn't want
to bump Sam off as they look very strange and Sam said that they taste slimy,
YUM!!! NOT!!!
We got the house up to 33 degrees as Fran probably told you, all the locals here are
busy fungi hunting and all sorts of strange people are coming out of the woodwork
literally, anyway Sam has eaten all the fungi and I hope the toilet survives the
outcome.
Love to all
Thursday 29th September 2005
Carina went grape picking with kindy today. I took the kids for walk down the stream
path and we found a mushroom town, Sam went to pick some big ones and we ate
them for dinner.
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2005 4:53 PM
Subject: ciao from fungi hunters Italia
Hi guys,
Just a little more news from Italia,
Autumn is here, it's cold and foggy and our mountain has totally
disappeared. A man came out of nowhere last week carrying a rifle
in a bag and didn't have a clue where he was, he told Sam that he
was hunting for pigs but no luck. Hope he has more luck finding
his car.
Sam has been trying to hook up the web cam, and we made funny
faces for his friend Sera and gave daddy some bunny ears, it will
be great when it's all up and running.
It's been busier than Burke St here it's fungi collecting time our
neighbours Claudio and Piera went mushrooming in the mountains and
gave us two big odd looking mushrooms to try. They came over to
check out the new floor and saw 3 guys come wandering up our track
with baskets full of mushrooms much to our disgust. Sam is very
keen to go mushrooming and tried to find out which ones are edible
on the internet. It's a matter of national Italianess to know
which mushrooms to pick and to come back with baskets full of the
things.
He has found a good castagni spot and roasted them in the oven
which added to the 33 degrees we managed to heat the room to with
the new wood heater from downstairs. We now cook them outside on
the rock BBQ and are they delicious Carina tucked into them. I
feel very Italian:
26
Carina started Assilo (kindy) on the 12th September and we got
there around 9am and after some tears we left her and went to
Saluzzo. We picked her up at 11.30 and she was okay and had fun
with the other kids and managed to tell them when she wanted to go
to the toilet. The teacher helped her on the slide. At least she
wasn't being prised off my hair like another little girl. The next
day we dropped Carina off and she didn't give us a backward glance
and was very happy doing some drawing when we left, "tranquillo"
the teacher tells me. Carina is her usual chatterbox self and
every thing now starts with why?? Carina has come home with some
new Italian words, gatto, and mele, and very slowly told me the
correct pronunciation. There is one boy that she doesn't like with
black straight hair and she says that I have to go and hit him for
her.
Life goes on and its La Vita Bella over here,
I've put in some pics from our wedding and a few others that I
mucked around with.
Sorry this is short, I know I have lots of mail to reply to and
thanks for all the great letters and news from your side of the
world. I'll write again ASAP
keep on writing it's great to hear from everyone
love Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
30th September 2005
Hi Lisa.
All is not lost. We have a fabulous book on Fungi from
Britain and Europe which I will send to you today. You
probably don't remember but we used to have great
mushroom parties in the UK and any that we could not
identify I used to put in the fridge with a picture of
a skull and crossed bones. When Michael came he would
identify them as edible or not. You must be very
careful as some cause death.
Your new abode sounds great. I am presuming the nuts
that you are talking about are chestnuts. YUM.
Carina will be speaking Italian before you know it.
Kids are so receptive. I guess that Sam is working on
the house full time. I know that it is hard living
through a renovation, but it will be worth it in the
end.
The pictures of the kids are lovely. They are getting
so grown up.
Will write more soon. Love Val & Fred.
30th September 2005,
Lovely to hear from you. Hope the man found his car and managed to find his way home.
27
You’ll soon have your winter it's just around the corner and am glad that you got your
heating organized so you'll all be nice and warm. We are getting into summer and already
have up to 30% heat but we love it and we'll be going to the beach soon.
So glad that Carina has settled at Kindy and likes it and did you find out why she wants
the little boy smacked what did he do to her? Hope you'll make sure that the mushrooms
are edible before you eat them as they can be deadly if you eat the wrong ones and we
want to see you all again well and healthy o.K.
Lisa I hope that you are picking up a few words in Italian and I expect that Carina will
teach you a few words as kids seem to pick up the language very easy.
thanks you for the photos hope you have lots of fun with the camera and keep the e mails
coming we love to hear from you
Fran Joan and families xxx
Hi how are u all
I finally have the chance to sit down and send an email to you all.
God what burocracy in Italy it only took three months to get the phone and it took
an extra week to get the web (real advanced us wogs you know) I think it would
have been better and quicker to communicate using a carrier pigeon.
Anyway we are having a ball sort of, some days a great, then someone ticks me
off, and the true Italian comes out. (Breathe in breathe out breathe in).
The email comes with a long letter that lets you know where we live and at what
stage we are at with everything, and lots of photos, the letter was composed by
Lisa so blame her for any stuff ups.
Sorry to all that I was unable to contact you earlier but we are in a mountain
village and when you mention email or internet cafe they look at u and ask what
type of mushroom is that.
My daughter just got out of bed and greeted me with bonnnnno giornnnnno (good
morning with an oz accent) how cute. Luca on the other hand is watching peter
pan and couldn’t give stuff unless u take his food away.
Anyway carina is off to school in another hour so I’d better get going because it
takes time to saddle the donkey and make my way down the gorge. We have it
tough us here in Italy.
Love Sam and the gang
Stay tuned to the next episode of the ockerish wogs in ITALY.
Friday, 30 September 2005
WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY, THE FOG HAS LIFTED AND THE SUN IS OUT
AND THE MOUNTAIN IS CRYSTAL CLEAR all THROUGH THS VALLEY TO
28
THE TOWN BELOW. Luca and I went for a walk up the hill to see the locals out
doing garden type things and got a ciao and a bongiorno. Sam is mixing cement in
Claudio’s mixer and things are on the move. It’s going to be really beautiful here in
Spring for Connie and Carlo. The air is cold and crisp and so clean. I can hear the
goat’s bells ringing and the mystery rooster crowing madly
Saturday, 1st October 2005
Sam took Carina out hunting for more giant castagni so I was able to ring Wendy and
had a long chat. Amanda has broken her arm. I Rang mum, she has been at home
since Friday. Sam came back with a 20 litre drum full of nuts to roast in the pizza
oven. We called Connie and Mark and Camillo was there as well. We emailed lots of
pics to them including the pizza oven to make Mark suffer. Went to Lidel to get some
supplies and stock up on chocolate and alcohol. We stayed up late looking at Italian
Rustico houses on the internet and even managed to find Claudino’s restaurant. Luca
slept in our bed with a bad cough and runny nose still.
1st October 2005
Ciao Bella's and Belo's,
so great to get your long and newsy letter, I really like the diary style! The
photos are super! House and wedding! The house is just as I imagined it
might be, a real rustico, how fantastic. The kids sound as if they are settling in
really well, how about you and Sambo? Do you think you will stick it out? I
hope you do, the opportunity may never come again with the kids this age and
you are not tied down to school and friends etc.. I agree the red tape is just
so infuriating, but you have to stay don't you?, just think of all the friends you
will have visiting soon who will be disappointed, hint hint, mind you I don't
know when I will be able to get over to see you as the olds are still ailing and I
don't feel as if I can leave for any extended time, but you never know could
win lotto and take everyone along with me!
Your Ma sounded OK when I called her at the hospital, mind you I have not
spoken with her since, I must give her a bell really soon! How are the renos
coming along? Sam is very clever isn't he, plonk him anywhere in the world
and give him some tools and presto! a grouse house to live in. What do you
do with your days, when you are not Mothering or doing the other million
things you have to do? What is the weather like? Do you shop locally for all
your groceries, is it like on the telly where each shop specialises and you buy
every other day for fresh stuff? I think I would really like the lifestyle, do you?
I must fly now, please write again soon, I love to get your mail......
Hi to bambini and Sambo,
lots of love Katiescarlet xxxxxx
1st October 2005
29
Loved the photos, the kids have grown so much and they look as happy as
pigs in mud, Its amazing how kids adjust to their new life.
The house is looking a lot better and it seems that you are putting a lot of
work into it. Have you caught your mouse yet? And did the guy that was lost
in the fog find his car and his way home we hope so.
Did Carina find any fairies among the mushrooms? Hope the little boy at kindy
is being good to her and if not tell her to punch his lights out ha;ha;
we watched all the photos again on the pc and Connie was almost in tears
she misses the kids so much, she doesn’t say much but her face gives it all
away.
bye for now Fran and Joan xxxxx
Sunday, 2 October 2005
Sam fired up the pizza oven and cooked the castagni, bread, and chicken for dinner
through the sun rain and hail. Carina had a ball out helping daddy. Huge storm came
up so quickly and caught us all out. It’s freezing.
Sunday, 2 October 2005 8:41 PM
Subject: ciao from castagni country Italia love lisa
Ciao Ciao,
Thought you'd like to see Sam cooking up the castagni (chestnuts) in the bread oven
alla Italia.
Gotta go before he sets the place on fire
love Lisa
PS he just came in and is making the panne (bread) as I'm typing, he's going to ask the
local bakers if he can come and see how they do it!!
It never stops around here!
love lisa
If I had the money we would all come up and help u eat them in one
sitting!
If only there was some justice in the
world....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!! (Pulling my
hair out)
Magnia con bonta e' magnia e' TASSI!
Ciao
Marc and the gang.
xx
30
2nd October 2005
Hi, Lisa, Sam, Carina and Luca
Hope you are all very well. How are things in Italy? Have seen some of your photos
of the house, I will look at the others when we go over to see your mum and Brad. It
looks just as I have imagined, it is very beautiful. I have just found some maps that
we purchased when we were in Italy, and I am trying to find you on it, I found
Saluzzo on the map but not Gambasca (perhaps it is a smaller village not on the
map). I will show this map to your mum when I see her next.
Lots of love (a big hug and kiss to Carina and Luca)
Sally, Darren and Liam
2nd October 2005
Hello Sam Lisa and kids,
I was wondering if you heard about the Bali bombing yesterday it killed 3 Australians and
wounded 100 others. So far 15 Australians wounded you will probably see the news on the
internet. I rang John tonight he told me that you sent him a CD; he got a shock when he saw
the house.
Love you all Mum and Dad.xxxx
Monday, 3 October 2005
First snowfall in the mountains today and Sam and Carina had a great view as they
went to Assilo. It was her first full day and she woke up grumpy and didn’t want to go
and cried when Sam left her. Still raining on and off all day and the temperature
outside is a chilly 4° Sam had to park the van up near the main road and no sign of the
people putting in our driveway.
Tuesday, 4 October 2005 11:58 PM
Subject: RE: ciao from castagni country Italia love Lisa
The bread worked out but sadly the
so Sam buried the evidence to keep
locals who have never fired up the
all kinds of advice. In the middle
that night it snowed.
castagni ended up being charcoal
up his Italian reputation with the
pizza oven but came over to offer
of it all we got a huge storm and
PS the roast chicken and peppers from the veggie garden in the pizza
oven were worth the trip over so book a ticket and we'll see you soon
Love to all
Lisa
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
31
4th October 2005
Hi there from foggy, very cold, and SNOWING Italia.
We got our first snow and it’s freezing outside. I just took luca for a walk
up the mountain road to avoid him having a bath in the puddles and snacking
on mud. Sam has gone to pick up carina so I have a chance to get on the
computer.
Sorry will answer all email ASAP so don't disown me!
Love Lisa
Hi there,
It's snowing in our mountains and its 4 degrees outside. Luckily it's 28 degrees inside.
We finally found out what the little room with the tiny door into the roof was for so
am sending attached pic
Ciao for now
Love Lisa
4th October 2005
Hi Sam and Lisa,
It’s only autumn there and it’s snowing already, but if winter comes you probably won’t get
out the door. . What kind of a nut is it that you put on the keyboard?
Mum
I cannot believe that is your house.
the movies! What were you thinking?
Aussie brick veneer job!
Kylie
It looks like something out of
I guess it beats the good old
4th October 2005
Hi Kylie,
Would you believe I just wrote a big email and tried to attach pics and lost the lot? So annoying, but I'm back again. Yep our house is truly unique, the pic I sent of the
veranda is fortunately not ours but next doors so don't worry too much. Who knows
what we were thinking, it was a sunny day and we'd just spent a month in a hotel so
the place looked a lot less medieval, plus we looked at the inside with a torch!!!! Do
you think the guys at your work could sell it for us????? Rustico farmhouse in Italian
Alps??? NO! Hopefully the Italian agent will sell it for us in spring, he's been out to
have a look and thinks we could get 60,000 euro, we paid 27,000 euro so we would be
able to get back to oz with around the same amount as when we left. Don't think we'll
ever have a brick veneer after this!!!
You have to tell me more about your trip as I will have the in laws for a three months
trip in March so that should be interesting!!!
Gotta go pick up the girl so will write again soon
Love to all
Lisa
32
PS if the pics are too much to open let me know and I won't send as many next time
PPS check out the pic of the room with the cows in!! Open the letter for pics doc first
as it explains some of the pix
Love again
Lisa
4th October 2005
Hi Fran and Joan,
Fortunately the veranda is not ours but on the section next to ours which belongs to
Franco who also owns the newer bit at the front. He is a bit of a pain and none of the
locals like him much.
Carina was okay at kindy and slept so well at nap time that they had to wake her up.
Sam is starting to have trouble getting the van out of the driveway but the local
council is going to pave the drive in the next few days if it ever stops raining.
Love to all
Lisa
The photos are carina having pics taken for her passport, try getting her to stay still,
look straight ahead, and not laugh! The lady in the garden is our adopted Italian mum
Piera getting vegies for dinner. The house one was taken standing a little way down
the hill looking back up and all that section is ours and is the back area where the door
is. Hope that makes sense
Love Lisa
Thursday, 6 October 2005
Carina stayed home from Assilo as we couldn’t get the van out due to the constant
rain. No sign of the men to fix the road but lots of people going up and down the
mountain looking for fungi. Took Carina for a walk and climbed up the hill through
the fields to Via Castinell and waved to a man looking for castagni. Got back and Sam
has started to pull up the floor in the entrance in preparation for the electrician. Sam
spent all morning on the phone trying to get his mum to understand computers, it’s a
foreign language. Carina decided to touch the stove and see what happens. She has a
blister on her finger and lots of tears and special cream made it better.
1st October 2005
Ciao, speri che siate bene tutti e state avendo divertimento. (Hu Hu - I can do Italian
too)
Well it looks very much like winter is upon you over in Italia! We are still waiting for
summer,
I love the pics of the kids, especially the 'bum'.
Can you take some pics of your van? Is it very old and how much did you pay for it?
33
I emailed Mary your letter; she couldn't believe what you are doing.
How is your house in QLD going and will you live there when you come home? Are
you too home sick to stay too long, or is the money going to run out?
I'm glad Carina likes kindy, now she will really start to grow up.
Di ciao. Amore e baci troppo tutto. Arrivederci per ora
P.S I hope this translated right.
6th October 2005
Hi Lisa
It is not even your winter time yet and already it is 4 degrees outside!!
What are the average winter temps you will experience?
Do you have plenty of indoor activities for you and the kids over the winter time?
Does the kindy stay open or does it close up during winter?
How have you found the cost of things like food and petrol in Italia? Do you feel like
you are settling into the culture or are you still finding life frustrating? What about
Sam - is it what he thought it would be like?
Does he feel a connection with the country?
It is a hot 31 degrees here today with an expected 37degrees Celsius on Saturday and
it is not even summer yet. Every thing is dry and brown. Phase two water restrictions
came in yesterday - no sprinklers - hand hosing twice a week between 7pm and 7am
only. By December, if no significant rainfall, there will be no hosing gardens at all.
They have turned off and emptied all the fountains in the parks and the city. Dams
are at 35-37% capacity, so things are a bit grim!
Hope all is well with you and yours. Stay warm!!
Love
Wendy
7th October 2005
Our van is 5 years old and 1.8 litre turbo diesel. We paid 20,000 euro for it and it had
37,000km on it. It's been really good and has a bathroom with shower and loo and a
stove, sink, and fridge. We have taken it over the Alps a few times now and it made it
okay just a tight squeeze now and then with on coming traffic AARRGGHHH!!! We
have to park the van at the top of the drive as it's been raining for 5 days now and it’s
like a swamp. We will have to find a little 4 wheel fiat panda to get up and down the
mountain for winter. as the camper won't make it with the snow.
Do you go home for 3 hour lunch breaks like they do over here? funnily enough the
local council member here is also called Aldo, he does everything around the place,
drives the school bus, picks up the rubbish, sweeps the roads, Sam tells him he just
needs a priest hat and he would have the whole place covered. He is really nice and
his wife owns part of our little Borga farmhouse community. So when ever we have a
problem we head off to see Aldo!!
34
The house in Queensland is going well, the tenant is a bit messy but pays on time. We
hope to sell this house in spring and come home via India and Asia taking three or
four months to get home. Sam wants to visit part of Asia by train so that should prove
an adventure.
We think that we will rent short term in the same area as our house in Queensland and
Sam will knock it down and put up something a bit more modern. If all goes to plan
we would then like to sell it and buy a small property further up the coast.
Sam is a bit homesick and misses his family as I do, we should get back to oz with
around the same amount we left with, late next year.
Carina has started full days at kindy from 8 till 4 and it's so quiet
without her. She is such a little madam and every sentence starts with WHY or Listen
or NO! She has plenty of attitude at the moment and I hear plenty of things I say
coming out of her like JESUS!! Luckily they don't understand her at kindy.
Luca thinks it's great to get all the attention and cuddles. His "bum" is always peeking
out, he looks like our little council worker.
Our neighbour Claudio is getting some chickens next year and told carina he will get
her a baby chick so she is pestering us constantly for it. Most people here keep
chickens and rabbits but not for pets if you get my drift.
We have set up a web cam with Sams mum but she isn't very computer literate so it
hasn't been that good so far. Amazing to be able to see and talk to her all that way
Well the weather has finally cleared up and we are getting some beautiful crisp
autumn days. We didn’t get to the market last Sunday, went to see the snow instead
but it's still too high up. We spent the afternoon by a mountain stream and ate ice
cream. The kids played near the water and Luca had a ball getting mud all over
himself and then put his hand in a cow pat! YUM!
Luckily winter has to wait for autumn and we have had a week of rain followed by
two beautiful days of sunshine. The mountain is turning gold and red and it's just
spectacular at the moment.
Thanks for all the email and we will keep you up to date with all the strange things
happening in Bella Italia,
Ciao for now
Love Lisa
Did I send you pics of the house? We have a fresco and this place is called a borge.
There are lots of these small community farms in the mountains around us and many
are deserted. I'll put a few pics of some that are like the ones we've seen here, hard to
believe how people lived in those days with no electricity or hot water. There is a
lady here who tells us her grandmother raised 11 children in a place like this. They
used to keep the animals downstairs, live up one floor and keep the feed in the roof.
There are still working farms that look just like some of these pics, it always amazes
me!
35
Subject: Salve!
Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2005 13:09:14 +1000
Ciao tutti, come sta? Bene bene, molto bene! Una Bella gionarta, si?
Well that's about the extent of it hey! What great pics! It looks mighty cold to me, on
the map you are so close to France I didn't realize how close! How very exciting, and
you have ventured over the border, was it just superb? It must be infuriating when all
the stores are chiuso! Impressed? I'll try some more.....per favore, can you take some
photos of the local businesses? It would be molto bene, d'accord? You know, for the
biblioteque? Woops, I think that is French. I think the temp. Here oggi is about 11c.
It has been piano molto gorno, and I am getting bored, can you tell? It was great to
hear your voices last night, it is still hard to believe you are all so far away! I bambini
are both gorgeous, you and Sam must be very proud Mama I Papa! Mi dispiace, ma
non parlo bene l'taliano!
But I will keep trying. Most of it non capisco! Capisco? Hahah! Non fa niente, you
probably are thinking c'e qualcuno che parla inglese? Well I certainly do that better
than this hey. Enough of this jumbled chit chat, looks like I might actually have a
customer, Grazie grazie for the photos and letter, keep them coming,
Ci vediamo, buona gionata!
Love from Katiescarlet xxxxxx
What the hell are you talking about??????
Just joking, you're an inspiration to my Italian!
So great talking with you and am sending some pics of the local ferramenta
(hardware) and also the thing they use to paint, and the brush I was telling you about
which should give you a laugh and put rota cota out of business. The white house that
the French people own was all painted with one of these and edges with this kind of
brush. Sam is holding the item they use as a paint tray!!!! and mixing his own paint
from concrete, bondcrete, powdered yellow oxide, and culture (lime), it seems to
work but he always forgets the ratio he used, and putting it on with that spiky metal
thingy.
Keep working hard and mistint a few for me. Ps how much do you charge per kilo of
paint
Love Lisa
Will send more pics of France etc ASAP
8th October 6.09am
Ciao and Salve
Our vac has kind of died also as the bag blew up and we have yet to find the shop that
sells vacuum bags!! Luckily with our floor it really doesn't matter that much and Luca
is our Hoover and picks up all kind of interesting things from the floor.
It turns out that the little boy carina doesn't like likes her, so maybe that's why he is
being a pain.
I always test the mushrooms out on Sam first and all the locals tell us different things
so if we get two people that say its okay we figure give em a go. Carina loves a
particular one that looks like a boob and Sam fries them up for her in breadcrumbs.
36
We want to get out in our garden as Sam bought lots of bulbs but it has been raining
non stop and it’s like a freezing swamp out there so they will have to wait a little
longer
Love Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
Sunday, 9th October 2005
Went for a drive to crissolo with the toboggan in the back but couldn’t get high
enough to see the snow so we had ice cream instead.
Tuesday, 11 October 2005
Went to Saluzzo to look at a car, the dealer didn’t want to get it out for a test run as he
is a mechanic and it runs fine so why should we bother??? Eventually took it for a
spin after arguing that a test drive does not mean we are going to buy it!!!
Renato and his father in law came for a surprise visit, and stayed to have some lunch
with us. They spent the afternoon looking for castagni, the old man is in his eighties
and I don’t know how he made it down the hillside and it took him a long time to get
back up. What a character, he looked 100 years old. Claudio came over in the evening
and got Sam drunk on sambuca. Mums parcel arrived and we all watched Toy Story.
Playing around with Google earth program.
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005
Hi Lisa
Thanks once again for the photos. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking.
Is that stream on your property? The colour of the leaves on the trees
surrounding the stream are so vivid aren't they?
If Carinas kindy is open on Saturday, does that mean she goes six days a
week, or does she have a week day off?
It will be nice for you to have some 'window shopping time'. Are things
expensive in Italia? You didn't answer me last time when I asked about the
price of petrol and food - how does it compare to Australia?
Are you learning the language or just picking things up as you go? It must
be very hard for you. Does Sam follow the lingo ok? Does anyone try and
speak to you in English? I bet Carina picks it up quickly now she is at
kindy. She will be able to communicate fluently by the time you are ready
to come home. What is better, is that she will be able to keep it up by
talking to Sam and his parents! Maybe even Luca will be conversing in it as
well by the time you head home!
Love to you all
Wendy & family
11th October 2005
Hi Wendy,
37
Just a quick reply I'll let you know all about the prices and stuff soon. Carina doesn't
have to go to kindy on Saturday but the primary kids do. They don't get a day off
through the week, they have to go 6 days a week! What a pain that would be!
The stream is not the one on our property, we went for a drive on Sunday to see the
snow but it was too high and I think they have closed off the pass.
NOBODY here speaks English!!!!!!!
love lisa
PPS go to a site called Google earth for an amazing view of the world, we found our
old house in Wynnum and could see next doors pool etc. I'll send some pics so you
know what I'm talking about.
Wednesday 12th October 2005
Rang Joe and Caroline. Spoke to mum, got Vals mobile number. Took Luca
mushrooming and Sam found a bag full and cooked them in risotto.
Hi Carlo and Connie,
Don’t know if Sam sent this but it has all the research and itinerary that he has been
able to work out so far, the Italy folder has a route planner folder inside it which lists
all the places and the order he thinks will work out to see them.
Boy can’t wait to see u guys and he is so excited and keeps telling me places we all
have to go to see. He, and all of us miss u and I'm so glad u can get to come over and
share it all with us and see the kids. Wait till u see Luca!!!!
Anyway kids off to bed, carina has a cold at the moment. Sam still working hard and
has put the carpet into the big room and we will move in to it in the morning so he can
tile and paint in these two rooms. Boy it's looking good, I have to keep telling him no
we don't need to build a BBQ; A SHED; or a covered wood pile with a rock roof to
sell the place. You know what he's like he gets carried away. It's amazing the
difference he's made and all the work he's put in.
Off for a cuppa and then bed
See u soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13th October 2005
Hi Fran and Joan,
Well the weather has finally cleared up and we are getting some beautiful crisp
autumn days. We didn’t get to the market last Sunday, went to see the snow instead
but it's still too high up. We spent the afternoon by a mountain stream and ate ice
cream. The kids played near the water and Luca had a ball getting mud all over
himself and then put his hand in a cow pat! YUM!
Saw the big storm on the ABC internet news. Poor Connies’ car is a write off.
38
Anyway have to go the electrician has just turned up and its all go here
Love Lisa
13th October 2005
Hey there!
IT’S SNOWING!! Yippee, that must be so exciting (and cold!). Are the kids loving
it, are you guys loving it or over it already??
We are loving all the photos and emails, it is so good to hear what you guys are up to
and see some pictures. I will try and get some photos off to you guys soon, although
they are not very interesting!!
It is very hot here at the moment - we had about 38 degrees last weekend but it wasn't
humid. Just great swimming weather so Pete is in his element. And we've had a
couple of summer storms which are great, it has been raining for a few hours now
which we haven't seen for sooooooo long. It's so dry here and we are on level 2 water
restrictions - you almost need a pass to take a shower!
Take care, talk soon
Charmaine
xx
Thursday, 13 October 2005
Electrician arrived with his two sons bright and early. Might have hot water for a
shower soon. Grey skies again but at least no rain. Lights in bottom of the house
working, carina is very impressed.
13th October 2005
Dear Lisa and Sam
So nice to hear from you Hope the postman has been by the
time I speak to you tomorrow. It’s been a Cloudy day here
today bright blue then the clouds come in again. Awful
about the earthquake wasn’t it? Poor devils trying to
move all that concrete. Strange some places
were flattened and yet the place next door seemed
untouched.
Sam can you tell me what this means
Salute a chi entra
Gioia
a chi resta
Pace a chi esce
love to all kisses for Boo Boo and Luca
Love mum and Grandpa
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
39
Friday, 14 October 2005
My first touch of hot water in the bathroom. The road guys are here, they graded the
road yesterday and were here at 7.30 this morning to keep working. Sam has had a
great time out there talking bloke talk with them, it’s been a little social gathering
with Franco and Claudio out there as well. Sam had to get out early to take Carina to
Assilo. Both kids came into bed last night. We rang and spoke to Val and Fred and
thanked them for the great mushroom book. Sam went mushrooming again this
morning and got enough to make some more risotto for lunch. Connie rang to check
out the progress of the electricians.
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 4:18 AM
Subject: love Lisa
HI Val and Fred
Thanks SO much for the great book, we have had all the
local men in debating the edibility of just about all of
the mushrooms in it!!
Thanks again, will wait for your number so we can tell
you the mushroom exploits and thank you both in person
lots of love Lisa.
PS the boob mushroom is great in breadcrumbs and carina
loves them
14th October 2005
Hi Lisa,
So glad you like the book we know it will be of great use
to you.
The mushroom with the brown nipple looks like a shaggy
Parasol. We used to eat them in England. The yellow
spongy one looks like a Bolitis they are also delicious
and Sam should make some baked Polenta and do the
Mushrooms with a wine sauce. I am salivating just
thinking about it.
Saturday, 15 October 2005
Sam fixed the wood heater, and moved it over near the sink after lots of swearing.
I’ve got a cold. Claudio gave us some mushrooms called chiodini and Sam cooked
them up with some pasta. The fire is working really well, and no smoke. Took kids
for a walk on the new driveway but Luca still prefers the mud. Smarties is getting a
bit aggressive and Carina is scared of him. She said that “smarties doesn’t want to be
my friend any more” if she runs then he chases her and has started to bite and growl.
16th October 2005
40
Well, I bet you feel good about the new road, It’s a pity they didn’t do the drive way
as well it would have been great, the pics are good Sam seems to be doing a lot of
supervising, maybe if you had a few bottles of wine you would have got your part
done as well, while in Italy always keep a few bottles of vino handy. I bet Luca would
have loved to go and help the work men as he looked so involved playing in the mud
and so cute I could have eaten him alive and how gorgeous was Carina eating that ice
cream they have grown so much and we miss seeing them, but at least we get the
photos, keep them coming as we love them. Hope your sniffles are gone and it's very
sweet of Sam to look after you and that's how it should be you all take care of each
other. Fran and Joan xxxx
Monday, 17th October 2005
The electricians have finally left after a long day yesterday where we couldn't get into
the only two habitable rooms all day. It’s starting to come together now. It was
freezing outside so I had Luca wrapped up in carinas sleeping bag. He has a bad
cough and was up most of the night with it, poor little bugger. Sam tried to steam the
room up and got the heater up high and we finally got him back to sleep but each time
he coughed he woke up and ended up in bed with us taking up most of the middle of
the bed but at least he slept a bit.
It's very cold and the mist comes right down to our house now which Claudio tells us
he's never seen at this time of the year before. Sam has just taken carina to kindy, she
really loves it and says “Ciao Bella Mama” as she leaves. We get the windows today
so Sam will have lots of work now.
We had a nice day on Sunday, Claudio and Sam lit the pizza oven and cooked chicken
which we ate at Claudio and Piera's house with wine and Grappa. Piera is so nice and
she loves carina and gives her lots of kisses and cuddles, Carina thinks Claudio is
great and whenever she sees him she screams out CIAO CLAUDIO at the top of her
voice. They are our adopted Italian parents and grandparents.
Sam has been drinking Sambuca to try to kill the cold germs and it's not bad. Claudio
often comes over for Italian coffee when Piera isn't home and he and Sam hit the
sambuca, I'm still waiting for Sam to get really drunk!
Not much else happening here at the moment,
Sam just got back and said hello, he has been to the Farmacia and has all kinds of
weird concoctions for us to take. He just tried it and says it tastes like tar.
Luca is grizzling for a cuddle so I'd better go
I spoke with Julie, Amber is okay after her flight out the window. Everything is in
preparation for Eliza’s big 21st party, it’s going to be fancy dress. They hope to come
over in July or September so hopefully we’ll still be around.
More hunters turned up as we were putting the windows in and we chatted through
the balcony about the history of the place and all the gossip about the previous
owners. The hunter had a micro phone headset and the rattiest hunting dog I’ve ever
seen. He was talking to his friends across the valley. We could hear them calling to
41
scare the pigs and the dogs barking but they had no luck and gave up as the mist came
in.
Well its half past eight and I’ve lost my voice, my throat feel like it’s been slit! Kids
are in bed. Carina has started to throw big tantrums right on bed time and struggles
when I put her PJ’s on. It’s very hard to stay calm! We have one window in after
more swearing and wild inventions to get it level, it looks great and we look like we
have a house now. I have to remember not to fling anything out the window.
The kitten constantly reminds us that it wants food and Carina can get right up to it
now. The Mummy cat sometimes comes to polish off the left overs, Carina loves
having the cats in the house, I don’t know what will happen once the house is sealed.
We make lots of trips to the loo with a visit to the kitten as the prime motive. > Sam
just came in and says that we also have bats so that will make midnight
> > trips to the loo more interesting!!!
>>
Tuesday, October 18, 2005 11:50 PM
Hi just a quickie I’m about to give Luca a bath.
This is a pic of us having lunch with Claudio and Piera on Sunday and
of the new windows which just arrived.
Water boiling and Luca wailing so gotta go
love Lisa
22nd October 2005
Ciao Chiodos!
Great to get your mail, it sounds mighty cold there! It must be great to have
some windows at last to keep in some heat, you won't know yourselves! Your
neighbours sound delightful just like in the "book" yes? Remember Franco and
Maria? I loved that book soo much, and now I am getting it all first hand from
you...it's great. The weather here is pretty gloomy today although quite
humid.. We have had some very warm days. Well for us 23 and 24, which at this
time of year is better than spring! Some great rain and the roses in my
giardino? are going berserk!
I was just being a smart arse last mail, I looked up some Italian phrases on
the net and cheated. Impressive though don't you think? Carina sounds as though
she is just slotting into the surroundings perfectly, just the right age I think
to be adaptable enough to get used a new culture and language, I suppose if you
stay long enough Luca will just follow suit won't he?
How are the plans going for the short term? When do you expect the house to be
finished? I love those photos of Sam 'painting', I have shown them to everyone,
do you think he would mind if I passed them on to someone at Haymes who
investigates all things painterly? She would be very interested I know.
Keep up the vitamin c for your winter colds my dearies, will speak soon, love
to Sambo and bambini xxxxxx
Love from Katiescarletxxxxx
23rd October 2005
42
Hey Guys,
How about this crazy house. Winter is coming and Sam is working hard to get the
house sealed up, it will keep out the cold and also the two cats and the puppy that
come in to visit us. Sam said he saw a bat downstairs as well so I'm hoping to miss
out on that.
We all have colds but mostly over them now.
Our neighbour Claudio is getting some chickens next year and told carina he will get
her a baby chick so she is pestering us constantly for it. Most people here keep
chickens and rabbits but not for pets if you get my drift. Sounds like that rabbit is
having more fun than we are, kids in the bedroom don't help, especially when they
usually end up in bed with us.
We set up a web cam with Sams mum amazing to be able to see and talk to her all that
way. If you get a chance take a look at a site called Google earth, it's amazing. View
of the world from satellite and we were able to see Sams mums car parked in her
driveway.
Love to all
Lisa Sam carina and Luca
PS we finally found out what the round rock above the door is for, it was a way to
lock the door with a wooden pole through the hole and wedged in at the bottom.
VERY CLEVER!
Sunday,
Sam cooked 5 pizzas in the pizza oven and Claudio and Piera came over for lunch.
Carina polished off the spare ribs and didn’t leave any for the dogs.
Monday, 24th October 2005
Door went in and looks great.
October 24 2005
Dear Sam, Lisa, Carina & Luca
Thanks so much for all the email, letters and photos you send us. We love
receiving them and even though we don’t always reply we read them all and
ALWAYS have a good laugh.
You guys definitely sound like you are on an adventure and an amazing
experience - I laughed all the way through the big letter you sent us. I feel like
we are there with you which is great!! We are missing you heaps, I am sad that
Chloe doesn’t have Carina to play with –Oh how we miss our easy going
neighbours! Hahahha
43
Not much has changed with us. Pete was in the shed last week and SHIT
himself when he came face to face with a black snake!! He said it went for him!!
Hahaha. Of course, now we are all a bit freaked out because we don’t know
where it is now. It has been extremely dry and getting pretty warm so snakes
are coming out but it’s the first one we have seen in 5 years living here so not so
bad. Bet you won’t see any!! It was funny this afternoon, Pete was mowing and
Chloe was playing in the mud (yes, we actually had some rain after being in level
2 water restrictions – soon we won’t even be able to shower the dams are so
low!) anyway, (I will send the photos of Chloe) Pete was standing in the shed door
and I yelled “watch out for the snake” and you should’ve seen Pete move –
PRICELESS!! Hahahahahahhaa!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe how life is for you all now, but you all adapt so well! Good on you
for having the guts. It’s almost as if you have gone back to living in 1950. All
our friends/family ask how you guys are, and like us are pretty surprised at how
life is there. I am sure it can be extremely frustrating at times (no Bunnings)
but it sounds so romantic!! Sam – do you want us to post you a paint tray or any
other Bunnings items?? You must be in withdrawal but it also must get very
frustrating.
How old is the house you bought? It looks like it would be quite old, how
interesting. You both are so lucky that you could get to keep everything in the
house, everything just seems to work out great doesn’t it?
Love the Campervan, it will be so much fun once you get to tour around. I cannot
BEGIN to explain how bloody jealous I am. It is going to be such a long time
before we can go o/s again. I wish I could go NOW!
It must be a tiny place where you are living, not exactly like living in Rome I
guess. You just expect everyone to speak English but only in touristy places I
guess. To think that 100 year olds are washing their clothes from a leaking pipe
– wow, how life can be so different from ours. Sam, you are NOT really Italian
are you? You are AUSSIE ALL THE WAY! I can imagine how frustrating things
are there, you just take for granted that anything can be done at anytime as it
is here. I find it quite amusing hearing of your little ‘trips’ and can so imagine
Sam going off his head!!
How fast they grow up. I am glad to hear that Carina is happy going to kindy
every day, must be some sweet relief for you Lisa!! And it would be good to be
able to spend quality time with Luca too. I can’t believe how much he has grown
up. Has Carina picked up more on the language? Lucky girl will be able to speak
it by the time you get back home. That is really lovely that you have some
wonderful people around you and some ‘surrogate grandparents’ for the kids.
44
How do you communicate with them Lisa, do they speak English or do you have to
do sign language??
You have had a bit of drama with sickness though, it must’ve been scary having
Luca in hospital in a foreign country then Sam had to go too! I hope you are all
feeling well now.
I can’t believe Sam has starting drinking, and SAMBUCA of all things??? That
must be very funny. You should have been drinking it when you were here.
Anyway, take care and happy renovating!!!!!!! Keep up the letters and emails, we
love hearing from you and look forward to catching up for a Sambuca or twenty
when you return to Sunny Queensland!!
Lots of Love
Pete, Charmaine & Chloe
xxxxxxx
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
You made our day!!!
Thanks for the great letter, Sam was cracking up at Pete and the snake!
And you say nothing happens in Cranleigh Street, Will write ASAP, just helping Sam
cut down a beam in the big bedroom and
carina is at kindy and luca is watching nemo.
Love Lisa
PS send some more pics of Chloe for carina she looks at the other ones all
the time and loves the one of Chloe and Pete but always asks where is
Chloe’s mummy??
Tuesday, 25 October 2005
Dropped Carina at Assilo and then went to Saluzzo for bank, and house stuff (notaio).
Sam got our Dr’s cards and my bag is full of these things that we have to have.
Looked around the shops but so expensive and nothing that I want to buy. All the kids
clothes are American and I can’t find anything with Italian writing on it. I think we
have nicer clothes at target!! Luca is faking his cough now. We called Connie, Sam
rang around for prices on the wood and found out that the “Wood Guy” is ripping us
off.
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 5:01 PM
Subject: doors are in love Lisa
Hi, here are some pics of the doors in at last, it's already much warmer and
the kitten is happier and so are we.
Love Lisa
45
PS check out the parallel parking alla Italia!!
Thursday, 27th October 2005
Took Luca to Drs after dropping Carina to kindy. Claudio has moved the dog kennel
to the back of his house.
28th October 2005
Yes the snake was very funny (Pete didn't think so!)
Carina is so cute - tell her that Chloe's mum is always taking the photos!! I will try
and dig something out and some more of Chloe for her. Send us some more piccies
too - love getting them.
Do you want us to send you any DVD's, are you sick of what you have?? We have
Racing Stripes and are hoping to get the new Charlie & The Chocolate Factory soon
too.
Take care guys and keep up the Sambucas!!
Lots of Love
Charmaine, Pete & Chloe
Friday, 28 October 2005
Sam took out second beam from big bedroom. We picked Carina up early from kindy
to go to bank for money on house. Appointment at 5 o’clock in Saluzzo to exchange
the money. Had ice-cream and tantrums first, met up with Renato and Maria. Mum
rang and talked about dossie and Val.
It was such a beautiful autumn day that carina and I decided to go for a walk while
Luca was sleeping and Sam was working away. I don't know if you've seen Blair
Witch Project (If not go out and get it!) but walking through the woods always
reminds me of it. We go in a big loop along the stream to the old Borge house, and
then past the creepy house that I'm never sure if someone is in there or not. Onto the
bridge and then back the same way till we get to the hill that goes straight up to our
house and we have to decide whether to keep walking around or cut straight up the
hill. Carina figured we should go straight up, Mum wished we had gone the long way
around.
The autumn leaves and mountains are just so beautiful and I'm glad we will get to see
all the seasons changing before we leave for home. The old house in the pics is just
one of so many around here and we are starting to see even more that we didn't know
about as the trees drop their leaves. I am always amazed at the way these places are
built and the isolated spots they are in, how on earth did they build them? I've been
trying to find the history of these old Borge farmhouses but not much luck although
we have found out a lot of the history of ours from the local old men. Just amazing!!!
46
Carina had lots of fun in the autumn leaves and picked loads of wildflowers along the
way. She also had to give me all the yellow leaves as that is my favourite colour so I
had quite a few by the end of our walk. Luca loves to kick his way through the leaves
and picks up every stick or rock he comes across.
So that was our day and I'm of to bed early, Mum is too old for all this walking!!!
Especially when Luca wakes up at 4am and wants to come in with us.
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 5:23 PM
Subject: latest from Italia love Lisa
Hey guys
just a quickie again, have to go and help Sam with the beam that
he is taking out of the big room. He got the wood for the roof
lining and is working hard with lots of swearing. Check out
carina, she picked up lots of autumn leaves and had to take one to
bed, Joe bear is asleep on her tummy and she had her other bears
lined up next to her, what a sweetie.
gotta go Lisa
! Not much happening here at the moment, Sam is working hard on the house and
has finished the lining boards in the veranda and started the big bedroom. Weather
is beautiful, autumn is spectacular and Luca and carina love all the leaves.
Buona notte
Saturday, 29 October 2005
Sam put up beams in veranda ready for lining boards, took kids for a walk and carina
found lots of leaves and Luca picked up any large stick he could spot. Claudio and
Piera came over and kicked the ball for carina.
1st November 2005
G’Day guys, how is it going up there? Are you getting used to the omelette pizzas
yet? The building being struck is the new q1 on the coast last week, apparently it was
hit 8 times that night and the residents were complaining that their morning showers
were too hot!
The Indy was on last week, what an awesome day there were girls everywhere on just
about every veranda. I think there were cars racing that day too but I don’t remember
seeing them.
Not much else has happened around Brizzie lately so I don’t have much to say but
would like to here more from you guys when you have the time.
47
Catch ya later!
p.s. I hear that Sam has been drinking sambuca shots with the neighbour, what’s next
Sam …… smoking?
Charmaine
5th November 2005
Hi belli
The pics are all tooooo cool. Carina looks like she is in her element. She has settled
to her life there. Hope you all well and well stocked now. Sam, I hope you are not
hitting the Sambuca too much and are able to at least put two words together.
We are sweltering here, it was 30 degrees by 7.30am. Cars were reporting break
downs on the radio stations because they couldn't get through to RACQ. Yes, it is so
hot, air cons are a must have. A pool would be nice
Keep those wonderful snow pics coming. It cools us down just looking at them.
Love to you all. Till next time. Baci a tutti.
Sempre con amore
Rose. xxxx
November 06, 2005 6:24 AM
Hey there,
Just a few pics of our day. Sam got the last board in on the veranda and is now on to
the big room with 4 metre lengths. Carina is addicted to the computer and has
discovered kids programs. Went for a walk through more leaves under the castagni
trees. Everyone is in bed and you are just about to wake up.
Love to all
Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hi my name is Salvatore (Sam) Chiodo and my dad was born in Soveria Manelli. My
parents immigrated to Australia some 40 years ago. Since they immigrated they have
never returned to Italy.
I was born in Australia and 8 months ago my family and I decided to move to Italy for
an unspecified time having never been here before it is quite diverse way of life.
48
(Gambasca province of Cuneo Piermont). My parents will visit in February, and what
I am trying to do is trace the heritage of my dad side.
Can you give me any suggestions as to where to begin? I am sure that my dad would
have some recollection as to where he lived within the community but 40 years ago is
a long time. My Nonna (dads mum) went by the madden name of Mancuso, she was
also born in Soveria Manelli.
Any suggestions will be helpful as this part of Italy seems to be in the dark.
Thanking you
Salvatore Chiodo
From :
Christine Chiodo <cchiodo34@yahoo.com>
Sent :
Thursday, 10 November 2005 1:57:25 PM
To :
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com>
|
|
|
...
important
| Inbox
Subject : Response to email
Hi Sam:
I really wish I could help you and it sounds very exciting...moving to Italy,
however, I am having just as hard of a time locating my dad's side of the family.
Everybody on my dad's side of the family is so quite and secretive about
everything. All that I was able to learn about my father's history was that his father
(Natale Chiodo) immigrated to the United States from Soveria when he was only
17 years old (this was in the 1920s). He had 2 brothers (one of whom immigrated to
Australia and one who immigrated to Canada) around the same time as my
grandfather.
I know that I still have a lot of family (Chiodos) in Soveria Manelli because my
Aunt Mary just moved here from Italy not too long ago and told me so. I also
know that Soveria Manelli is FULL of Chiodos and that a lot of Chiodos lost their
lives during the era of Napoleon. But having never been to Italy myself, I don't
think that there is much I can do to help you from here in the States. Someday I
hope to get to the town where my grandfather was born because he always talked of
its beauty. near water. near mountains and near Naples. I wish you the best in your
search and hope that you are doing well in your move to a new country. I hope that
you stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Christine Marie Chiodo
Pennsylvania, USA
35 Years Young :')
Hi Christine, this is Sam (Salvatore) Chiodo here.
49
Thanks for the quick response; I know what you mean with all the secrecy, my
grandparents were the same, every time you asked about the past they would change
the subject.
Since my family left for Australia some 40 years ago they have never returned to Italy.
As you know my wife and I have decided to move to Italy for a few years, wow what a
difference in lifestyle. I don’t know about you but I have never been to Italy before
and it is truly a crazy place.
We currently live in the north of Italy in a town called Gambasca, province of Cuneo,
Piermont region, about 70 kilometres from Turin. I chose to live in this region as this
is where my dad used to work as a 12 year old while his family all lived in Calabria.
He tells me that he caught the train and left for Turin with no forward contact and
straight off the cuff. He left for a place he had never been to earn some money to send
to his family. His dad had died that same year and he, the oldest at 12 was the bread
winner of the family of 9. What a life, I am sure your grandparents had similar stories
of hardship.
Our intentions are to trace my parent’s history from where my dad worked in Turin as
a boy, back to Soveria Manelli where he grew up, and have a holiday at the same
time. My mums from Sicilia, she comes from one oh the Aeolian island (Salina) so a
bit of research to be done there as well.
My parents after 40 something years are coming to visit Italy, that’s only because we
are here and holding their grand children who are 3 and 1.5 years old to ransom.
They miss them a lot.
When they arrive we will head by campervan to Calabria to try and trace my dads
and mums heritage, where they lived, etc. All the talk about La Sila and how my dad
use to ride his cucio (donkey) to deliver oil will hopefully come to life, and stop the
ringing in my ears from the same stories I have heard for many years. You know the
expression and I am sure you have heard it to, “when I was in Italy”…………….
Do your parents still make the tomato sauce every year?
This tradition is still going on in Australia it’s got to stop some day.
Life in Italy is bizarre from 12.30pm (la mezza) everyone goes (as I would put it) to
sleep, they tell me they go to lunch. And where I live they (the true Italians) go back to
work at 4.00pm, I figure that you take 1 hour for lunch and then what???? You can’t
go shopping, because literally everything is closed and I mean everything. You can
shoot a gun down the main street and you wouldn’t hit a soul, it’s as if the towns were
abandoned.
I am making a living by restoring the old 200-300 year old country house that we live
in at present and then selling and moving to another home and doing it all over again.
To think my wife and I are both photographers, but like every Calabrese if you can’t
mix concrete you are not really Calabrese.
50
You come to Italy thinking that there would be food every where you look, luckily I
can cook because unless you like eating pizza (the worst I have tasted in my life,
truly), Panini (rolls) or gelato you will starve. It got to a stage at the hotel when we
first arrived, that we were eating frozen packet food. In Italy if you don’t eat at a
restaurant (very expensive) you have to cook at home, or the other option is to starve.
Now about the pizza, I don’t know what it’s like in the US but Aussie pizza has
substance. I.e. lots of filling, In Italy at best you get what looks like a margarita only 1
inch thick soaked in oil and tomato with the occasional olive and microscopic
amounts of prosciutto. I don’t know if it’s like this in the south, I hope not anyway.
The good thing about Italy is the fact that there are hardly any fast food stores,
thinking that all Italians here would be short and fat we were mistaken. They are very
thin; it is hard to spot overweight people.
Italy as far as scenery goes is magnificent we live just under Mont Viso which is the
logo for paramount pictures. The seasons are defined, currently autumn or as you
would call it, fall is spectacular. All the castanias (chestnuts) thousands upon
thousands which have been abandoned by old contadine (peasants) or who have died
retired or left the land due to the crash in the chestnut price, have lost there leaves
and it is a sea of reds and oranges as far as the eye can see, truly beautiful.
Anyway I think I am babbling on a bit, I feel that every person with an Italian heritage
needs to come to Italy and catch up on their roots. It is an unbelievable experience
one that I think we will miss when I return home. Yes Australia is home, life is
wonderful here but too different to get used to permanently, and the 21 hour trip by
plane to Australia makes it also very hard for family to visit. You know us Italia
males, we deny it but mum near by is always comforting.
When we make our trip to Calabria (Soveria Manelli) I will make sure to send you
some photos of the town and surrounds.
Sorry for babbling so much I hope you make it to Italy one day because I think it will
an experience you will never forget.
Talk to you again
Thursday, 3 November 2005 9:13 PM
Hi there
Just a few pics to show you what Sam has been up to (literally) place is starting to
look like a house now. Beautiful day here, we're all well and preparing for
INVERNO! OOPPS Claudio is coming up for a coffee so gotta go, talk soon
Love Lisa
From: "Ringwood" <paintrightringwood@haymespaint.com.au>
To: <bdservices@hotmail.com>
Subject: Salve!
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 16:34:06 +1100
51
Hello Chiodos,
Thanks for the photos and Halloween message! I missed it unfortunately 'cos I left
early on Monday. Was it too spooky in the woods up there? Sam the windows look
great, what price do you think you will get for the house when you are finished? I bet
it will be an amazing transformation knowing how capable you are and the difference
you have made already. Your E-mail diary is swelling nicely, I can't wait to give it to
you when you come home. (For the book, remember?). How are the plans
developing? After the problems in India this past week I hope you will all be extra
careful! Course I know you can never tell when or where these days but be vigilant
anyway OK?
we have been having some fabulous days........32c on Wednesday just gone... can you
believe it? What is the average temp. Where you are? Did you see the Melbourne
Cup on the telly? Do they broadcast it over there?
You will have a white Xmas, is there anything you would like me to send you that
you cannot get over there and would like for Chrissy? Think of something and I will
endeavour to get it to you on time, OK?
Be safe and well Chiodos!!
Ci vediamo tutti!
Love from Katiescarlet xxxxxx
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005
What a job!! I bet you will all have a big celebration when it is finished. I don’t
know where you get the energy. I am trying to psych myself up the energy to paint
the gutters and pergola, but am finding it hard to get motivated – any tips??
Cheers
Wendy
Hey Wendy,
The best way to get the gutters and pergola painted is to start out doing a REALLY
bad job of it right when Wayne is there and he will take over in no time at all.
Otherwise take the kids out for the day and give him the brush and say "Go for it"
Sorry that’s the best I can suggest, the first option ALWAYS works for me with Sam
as he is such a perfectionist only he can do ANYTHING properly. He fell off the
ladder a few days ago and has had some very risky trestles rigged up on the stairs.
I have managed to pick up the kitten so now carina wants it on her lap all the time,
only trouble is it gets scared with her and digs in the claws so she just grabs it tighter.
Piano, Piano, (slowly slowly). Sam showed her how to use the computer last night on
a basic kids program and now I'll never get on to it!!! She has just gone off to kindy
so I have a few minutes if Luca lets me! Thank goodness for DVD’s.
52
Did you pick the winner for the cup? We saw a little bit of coverage on the ABC
internet telly. Made me homesick! Did you have any little visitors for Halloween?
Here they have a Holiday for the dead, it is the day that the loved ones who have died
can come to visit and they make food and set places at the table for them. Sams mum
knew about it and the Italians do it in Australia as well. I looked it up on the internet
and the history is very interesting. I've attach a little reading for you. The woods aren't
that spooky really, did you see Blair Witch?
Sam is working away on the house and it will be great to get it t totally sealed up
especially now that the three cats and the dogs come in under the door through the
hole Sam left to fix the pipes. The kitten lives here full time now so we gave in and
bought some cat food which it turns its nose up to and prefers when we give it a bit of
pasta. Bloody Italian cats!!
I haven't really heard much about the Indian bombings and we watch the internet
news when we get a chance. Mum keeps telling me that the terrorists are in the way to
Australia so maybe you better watch out for suspicious camels parked at your work.
Sorry I know I want to reply to the other letters you sent and I will try to kick Sam off
tonight to catch up on all the news.
I'd better go get luca organised
Say hi to Wayne and give him the brush with my best wishes!
Love to the girls and you of course
PS the little house is now visible from our veranda window, we have walked to it
before but never been able to see it.
Lisa
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hi, just a few pics of the clan Chiodo. We are madly trying to prepare for winter, bit
late I know! Sam has been taking advantage of the nice days to get out and move the
wood pile and put in a garden bed so we can plant all the bulbs we bought for spring
(Help to sell the house).
Both kids are still feeling rotten and letting us know about it usually all through the
night along with the chorus of dogs (There are 4 mutts here) who chase imaginary
wild pigs and there own shadows all night AAARRRGGHHH! Just give me one
nights sleep.
Sam and I have discovered the joy of sambuca and are getting through a bit of the
stuff, beats Baileys that’s for sure.
Carina is really picking up the language now and slips back and forth between English
and Italian to keep me confused, I am getting better slowly. We all the love the new
country lifestyle just no good being so far away from everyone unfortunately or we
53
would be very happy here in our little farmhouse in the mountains gathering
blackberries, fungi, wood for the fire and loads of chestnuts and hitting the sambuca.
Not much else will reply to all the email ASAP so forgive us we love hearing from
everyone so please don't disown us if we don't get straight back to you.
Lots of love Lisa
14th November 2005
As usual it looks beautiful...love to be there playing guitar, drinking Sambuca
and singing songs by a bon fire...shit that would be bloody good!
Can u guys stay there for at least another 10 yrs b/c by then we should be up
in Italy...please huh...please!!!!
Ciao a tutti
xxoo
Montagner clan'
14th November 2005
I can't believe you two have turned into Alco’s!! You lived next door to two Alco’s
and now you have turned into us.... Love hearing your stories,
That is awesome about Carina picking up the language. Chloe keeps saying CHIO (is
that how you spell it) and tells me that is what Carina says.
Love the picies, house looks great!.....better get back to work. Done stuff all today!
Sunday 13 November 2005
Sam put rocks around garden bed with his little helper. Frank up pruning his roses and
gave carina one which made him her best friend.
Monday, 14 November 2005
Very foggy this morning, kids slept better last night no more bag for Luca.
----- Original Message ----From: Sam Chiodo
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 1:15 AM
Subject: hitting the sambuca in Italia love Lisa
Hi, just a few pics of the clan Chiodo. We are madly trying to prepare for winter, bit
late I know! Sam has been taking advantage of the nice days to get out and move the
54
wood pile and put in a garden bed so we can plant all the bulbs we bought for spring
(Help to sell the house).
Both kids are still feeling rotten and letting us know about it usually all through the
night along with the chorus of dogs (There are 4 mutts here) who chase imaginary
wild pigs and there own shadows all night AAARRRGGHHH! Just give me one
nights sleep.
Sam and I have discovered the joy of sambuca and are getting through a bit of the
stuff, beats Baileys that’s for sure.
Carina is really picking up the language now and slips back and forth between English
and Italian to keep me confused, I am getting better slowly. We all the love the new
country lifestyle just no good being so far away from everyone unfortunately or we
would be very happy here in our little farmhouse in the mountains gathering
blackberries, fungi, wood for the fire and loads of chestnuts and hitting the sambuca.
Not much else will reply to all the email ASAP so forgive us we love hearing from
everyone so please don't disown us if we don't get straight back to you.
Lots of love Lisa
Thursday, 17 November 2005
Sam spent the day putting in the front door to find out that the lock had no hole. Luca
still coughing and pulls his bed apart.
19th November 2005
Here I am dressed as a lumberjack gumboots, gloves and beanie on, ready to take my
debut trip on the toboggan to Gambasca. Lisa thinks I have gone mad and I don’t
blame her but I could either walk slip sliding on the ice and landing on my butt or I
can do it the fast way.
So I take off with toboggan in hand and head out our drive to the main road that leads
down the mountain to Gambasca. Sitting in my Ferrari red toboggan surrounded by
snow ready to slide to my doom I push off and start to slide, here is the first test, I pull
on the left leaver and the toboggan starts to turn left, pull the right and it turns right,
pull them together and the toboggan comes to a stop.
All the checks have been done I push off again and start to accelerate down the
mountain trying to steady the toboggan as the surface changes from snow to ice.
I approach the first corner pull on the right leaver to turn right and overdid it and
nearly spun out. With my heart in my mouth I regain my direction and start to gain
speed only to realise that I was being chased by the neighbour’s two sheep dogs. The
same dogs that chase the car tyres as I drive home every night now are chasing me,
Bloody hell, dressed in my nice woolly limber jack coat I am sure I resembled an
overgrown rabbit or something I just hope they don’t mistake my butt for a tyre and
take a chunk out of it.
I release the brakes in order to gain more speed so as to try and outrun the dogs. As I
gain speed the dogs gave up the chace, now I am travelling at break neck speed on the
steepest part of the road, it’s a decline of about 30 degrees and it is pure ice due to
the cars compacting the snow over the last few days. I pull on the brakes will all my
55
strength, the noise of the bars scraping the ice and road was deafening and echoing
thought the mountain. I managed to slow down a little but no where as much as I
would like. Flying down the mountain at what seemed about 40 kilometres I noticed in
the distance that Aldo’s wife, (her husband taught me how to make traditional wood
fired bread) was watching me from her front door. I chuckled to myself imagining
what she thought of this crazy Australiano coming down the mountain in a Ferrari
red toboggan. With my feet now hanging out of the toboggan to help in slowing me
down and at the same time pulling on the brakes as hard as I could I finally came to a
stop in front of Aldo’s wife.
Me che catso stai fare (what the hell are you doing) she says, with all the hand
gestures, I told her I needed to go to town and get chains for my camper which was
stuck on the mountain side, She looks at me in disbelief “I heard the noise of the
toboggan coming down the mountain and I thought you had driven the camper over
the cliff”. Making the sign of the cross she gives me that, you’re crazy look.
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 18:52:14 +1000
Hey italianis
Snow looks awesome, hope you take lots of snaps of it. How are you guys coping
with it? Is it still a novelty or are you cold & sick of it already?
What else of have you been up too?
We have been very busy, just been back in melb for a week. I still haven’t had a
chance to look into that computer phone software that Sam was talking about will get
onto it sooner or later.
Not sure if you heard, but Australia last week qualified for the soccer world cup in
Germany next year. We beat Uruguay on penalty shootout. It was huge news here last
week! Go Aussies!
I've been meaning to ask you, I sent you guys a letter a couple of weeks ago, not sure
if you got it yet but let me know in the coming weeks if you don’t. I hope I got the
address right!
Ciao ciao
JOE SURACE
22nd November 2005
Hey guys
First snow when we woke up this morning!!!
Sam has taken carina for a ride on the toboggan that the old owners left for us. It's so
beautiful and Sam is like a big kid outside throwing snowballs. We can't get out with
56
the van and have no idea how long we will be stuck here for. We were planning to go
and stock up on supplies for winter today so it could get interesting! Especially as
Luca only has half a pack of nappies left. Oh well we have plenty of pasta and luckily
Sam moved the firewood under cover so we should be right. One guy got helicoptered
out a few years ago and he got down to burning his last chair!!!
We heard about the soccer GO AUSSIES hope we win!!!!
Hope you are all okay and enjoying the warm weather while we are romping in the
snow.
Love Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
Hey knackers how are u
I don't know what it is currently but my balls have turned to crystals that sort of tells
me that it’s bloody cold. Can’t wait till it hits -10 -15 as the neighbours tell me it will.
I am trying to find a 4x4 to get around. See how we go.
This morning it was -1 degrees and we cannot take carina to school (damm it!)
because the road is iced up. I think I will have to strap Lisa to the bonnet head first to
the road, and give her a hammer and chisel so she can chip away the ice. Nice view.
We are down to 2 rolls of toilet paper and then we use our hands. Yum brown ice.
We hope the wether will get a little better so the ice will melt , and we can re-supply
ourselves.
Anyway I will talk to you later give my regards to the family
Oh shit I forgot to tell you that I am in withdrawal because we have run out of
sambuca it’s the second day running. Lisa and I have gone through 2 bottles of 700 ml
in a week. Radical
Catch ya
Thursday, 24th November 2005
Boy Carina loves the snow and is becoming an expert on the bob sled.
Sam has decided to go to Gambasca on the same sled, he should have a fast trip
down the mountain (approx 3 km) and a slow one back. Bet it will make the locals
shake the heads. He is going to meet a friend and get some chains for the van as
they tell us this should be okay to get up the mountain in the snow???' WHO
KNOWS!!! It certainly is never boring here at Borge Nari!
The snow is just so beautiful, at least 30 cm and still falling.
57
The little house in the pics is taken from our veranda (temp 2°) and is deserted. We
have walked over to it when the weather was better and there is still a trough running
the length of the lower room for the animals feed.
Usually we can't see most of these houses and are surprised at how many there were
hiding away until all the leaves fell.
Anyway I have to go and keep the fire burning, hope you're all enjoying the summer.
Love Lisa sam carina* and luca
..Lucky bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Viva la snow!
Jean-Pierre Presle
Thursday, 24th November 2005
Hey Guys,
Don't ask, bad news I'm afraid. Sam set off to Gambasca and was picked up by our
friend okay. Got the chains and came home up the mountain with the chains on the
sled. So far so good. He fitted the chains and had a few practice tries on the driveway
but slid out so called friend again, he came up and checked the chains and said they
were okay maybe a little bit loose but no problem. Sam set off to the shops on his own
(Thank God) and made it down the mountain, got to the shops, got half way back up
the mountain and the chain on one wheel broke and he started to slide out. By this
time I'm starting to panic and thinking who the hell can I ring and how am I going to
tell them what’s wrong???? It's now pitch black and freezing cold outside, Sam rings
to tell me about the broken chain and he is going to try to walk up the mountain.
Waiting, waiting, waiting, still no Sam. Luckily someone came past that lives above
us and has chains on his 4 wheel drive and bought him and his bottle of sambuca
home!!!!!
So now camper is stuck on mountain with all our supplies and one broken chain. Sam
has to try to find a car, get the van off the mountain, and get the groceries up here as
we are now out of everything!!!
Did I mention he is in a deep dark depression about the whole thing and got drunk for
the first time in his life and has gone to bed early not knowing what the next day is
going to bring. He wasn't cheered by my saying "Oh well at least you're alive and the
van is okay"
Hopefully things will work out, I'm sure the locals will help us out and stay tuned for
the next exciting episode of "Days of our lives in Gambasca"
Over and out for the night
Love Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
Hi Sam and Lisa,
58
Thank god Sam come back home and he is all right how come the chains broke?
maybe because they were loose, and is the van on the road or off the road? hope that
he will be able to bring it back home. He will have a hangover this morning.
Look after yourselves love Mum and Dadxxx Kiss for kids.
What a day! Glad those on 2 legs are okay. Glad to lend you our 4wd. Hope
he got those nappies home in time.
Talk soon.
luv me. xxxooo
What an adventure...better than Australia!!...Write a
book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jp
What the f++k !! Get your marbles together and hire someone to help....also get in touch with someone who
understands English in case you need emergency interpreter....don’t underestimate the dangers in snow
conditions....its not all pretty you know..otherwise call me if things get serious...
Oh poor Sam, poor you, I hope you are not going hungry! Boy the snow brings all sorts of
new problems doesn't it? I would never have thought about being snowed in, but I bet the
locals have a plan each winter and stock up so they don't have to go through what you have
been through, what plan to retrieve the van? Maybe someone will have a winch? Sam and
his Sambuca, aptly named don't you think? I was just speaking to my sister on the phone and
her comment was at least nothing will go off!......she is following your experiences with as
much interest as me I think! I must go and do some work, you will be interested to know that
today it is 28C and humid? Yuk!!
Love to all,
Ci vediamo Chiodos!
Love Katiescarlet
SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sam and his bloody adventures!
We all hope that all is well....keep us in the know OK!
Love
Montagner clan
xxoo
-----Original Message
Oh!
Poor Sam
I can imagine the Italian swear words that would have been coming out of his mouth!
It's good though that he saw the funny side & decided to get drunk for the night, amazing
what a bottle of sambuca can do. I’m sure all will be well tomorrow. Maybe he should also
look at getting a cheap old 4wd to get you through the next few months.
Take care guys,
59
love
JOE SURACE
From: interiorart australia
To: Sam Chiodo
Subject: Re: Don’t ask love Lisa
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005
What the f++k!! Get your marbles together and hire someone to help....also
get in touch with someone who understands English in case you need
emergency interpreter....dont underestimate the dangers in snow
conditions....its not all pretty you know..otherwise call me if things get
serious...
Hi Sam, Lisa, Carina & Luca
I am so sorry to hear of your unfortunate incident. I hope by the time you get this
email, things are looking a little brighter. What a life experience you are having.
Probably not one you wish to repeat in a hurry I am sure. I do hope that you survive
the winter without further incident and your van is not damaged. I hope Sam is
feeling a bit better after a good sleep – probably nursing a whopping headache?? Stay
safe (and warm).
I do hope everything works out ok for you guys. I really worry about how bad the
winter can be and hope that you experience the season in a positive way. I will send
my prayers your way.
Wendy
25th November 2005
Hey Katie Scarlet,
Boy was I glad to see him walk in the door last night. I don't think Sam even wants to
swear in Italian at the moment, he's at the what the hell are we doing here stage!! At
least the email cheered him up and he only has a bad headache not a full on hangover.
He has set off on foot in the snow to Gambasca to try to get a bus to Saluzzo and find
a car, (wearing Luca's beanie) and dressed like a lumberjack. Now we know why all
the locals kept asking if we were ready for winter. Just didn't expect it so soon. He
only bought one bottle of Sambuca up with him and left the other 5 bottles in the van
so maybe he we'll find him blotto and frozen to the bottle????
The van is on the side of the road just above Aldos house and we hope he will know
how to get it down to Gambasca and we will just leave it there through winter. Don't
think it would be possible to winch it out on the snow as it just slides. At least we
have nice neighbours and I know they will help us out. They of course are all
prepared for winter, and the Australi are learning the hard way.
60
I figure if I get really stuck for the emergency language I'll ring his mum and get her
to call someone over here. Also hunted out my basic Italian phrase book but nothing
quite sums up the situation! We also now know to keep a torch and some extra clothes
in the van for long night time walks in the freezing snow.
At least when he is miserable I'm cheerful and vise versa so we aren't both miserable
at the same time!!!
Anyway ciao for now and will keep you up to date on all the latest
Don't worry too much, the sun is out and as I keep telling Sam it could have been a lot
worse!!!! Tell your sister that I also thought that the food won't go off!!!! We won't
need to get a BIGGER FREEZER for winter just put everything outside in a box.
Anyway Katie the kids are wrecking the place so better go and play mum
Love Lisa Sam carina* and luca
PS Sam said to tell you "bitch" to the 28° and laughed.
Anyway hope you are having a great summer and will keep you up to date on all the
latest
love lisa sam carina* and luca
Saturday, 26 November 2005 2:10:34 PM
hi there, I hope things are sorted out there...its really frustrating over here to
hear of this because there’s so little we can do....you’re there to have a good
time and you should....don’t let it spoil everything, just be prepared .....over
cautious isn’t a bad thing when you’re away from home....
mills xx
i am just wondering are u traning to become a priest, or a philosepher?
thanks for your concerns but i have 6 bottles of sambucca to comfort me
love sam (one is already empty since thursday nights adventure in gambasca)
what a hell of a toboggan ride 3 kilometers of shear speed and terror wwwwwoooooooooooo
only stacked it once mills may be i will join the winter olympics.
talk to u soon
Saturday, 26 November 2005 5:48:41 PM
ONLY SIX BOTTLES ! ONLY SIX BOTTLES!!!! ARE YOU F**KIN CRAZY?
61
LOL !
about time you skulled a one.......tabogan sounds unreal!! xx
26th November 2005
Hi Megs how are u?
This place is a bloody mad house. we intend to return home for good by the
end of next year, in the mean time I am trying to finish renovating my
centuries old house before the end of feb as my parents are coming and then
we will travel around Europe by camper on and off for three months. I don’t
know whether u have seen any pics of the house so I will send some.
Your trip didn’t go for long did u run out of cash? It seems u got along with
Olivia very well looking at your photos.
I have taken up drinking which is strange for me it must be this place. Lisa
and I have gone through 2 bottles of sambuca in 2.5 day. It’s so cheap here
about 7 Australian dollars for a 700 ml bottle. We drink it instead of water. Ha
It’s a shame that we didn’t catch up when you were in Europe, but at the
time I had no communication and finding internet services here was virtually
impossible.
As I said I will send photos if u don’t mind, and also a journal that Lisa has
been writing while we have been here. it gives insight into living in Italy as
opposed to visiting Italy, all its crazy customs and ways of doing things (we
are so advanced in Australia) its fairly long but it sums up everything we have
been up to. Sorry that I don’t write more often but it gets hard, as I have so
much work to do to get the house ready for sale by spring.
Anyway keep in touch and I will see u when we get back
Love Sam Lisa and the kids
ps most of the time Lisa emails everyone so I don’t know what she has sent
or not forgive me if there is any repetition.
27th November 2005
At last the sun has come out and it's a beautiful crisp autumn day, Sam has gone of to
work (downstairs) on the concreting so we can put a heater into the alcove and he
won't have to rug up for the Antarctic down there anymore. We have found a car,
after all the bussing, walking, and tobogganing all over the country we found one in
Gambasca that is perfect. We get it in a few days as the guy is fixing something on it
before selling it to us (Hows that!) Can't wait to get out and about we are all going stir
crazy and Carina is missing kindy and her boyfriend Fartell.
62
Sam managed to get the van down to the local shop in Gambasca and it is going to
have a lovely winter holiday down there. Plenty of little old folk to watch if it plays
up, not much gets past the locals! He broke another set of chains getting it down the
mountain.
Not much else happening at the moment (thank goodness) we have had enough drama
for the week and want to get on with finishing the house as it has to be ready to put up
for sale before sams parents arrive 26th Feb so we can have it on the market while we
are travelling around with them. Then it's back to OZ.
Whoops gotta go kids getting into mischief
What’s new?
love lisa sam carina* and luca
It doesn't seem like Christmas here this year, don't think I will be getting out the
Christmas cards, depends when we can get out. Sam has found a car and we pick it up
through the week sometime, can't wait to get out and about!!!! Snow has started to
melt, and it is so beautiful at the moment but very slippery to walk on. Luca loves to
eat the snow and carina loves the crunchy noise it makes.
Not much to tell you this time, I'm off to bed early as kids still wake us through the
night and all this sambuca makes me sleepy!
I so admire people who are willing to take a risk and explore the world beyond our own little
existence. It takes guts and until you try it, it is easy to talk about and plan, but it is all in the
actions that follow the plans! Now don't make light of it, because if you were to ask anyone
you know they would probably say the same thing, and being half way around the world away
from all things familiar, and especially at Christmas, makes it all the more incredible to me!
---- Original Message ----Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 7:43 AM
Subject: heeeeyyyyyyyyy
"sing with me "
There where 6 sambuca bottles sitting on the wall,
6 sambuca bottles sitting on the wall,
and then we drank one, and now were really pissed.
That there's only 5 sambuca bottles left sitting on the wallllllllll.
63
saaaammmmmmmy the woooogg and my piss pot wife.
27th November 2005
Hey Guys,
We have found a car, fire is going and sambuca is holding out for now. What a great
package, thanks so much, we have watched Barbie non stop and carina knows it's
from the lady and man who gave her Diva the cat. We have showed the locals the
Bunning’s catalogue and tried to explain how big it is but they just don't understand
the scale of everything in oz. I loved the Big W one and checked out all the specials.
Carina has all the bits and pieces to take to kindy to show her amore Fartell! She is
hanging to get back to see him and we are also hanging for her to go back!!
Buona Note
Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
Monday, 28 November 2005
Carina still home from kindy, Sam ordered more concrete and is doing the entrance at
the moment. I have a sore throat, not enough sambuca! Spoke to Pete and Charmaine
and carina spoke to Chloe and her whole face lit up.
29/11/2008
Another fun filled day in the land of nod
I finally bought a car today, 1993 Volkswagen golf for a grand total of 1000 euros
what a bargain, it is very clean the motor doesn’t smoke and it goes like a true Italian
temper.
The old owner told me that we needed to go to the ACE which is probably the
equivalent of the road transport cooperation in Australia. I asked the owner why we
needed to do this and in bewilderment he looks at me and Sais, so we can transfer the
ownership. So here we are at 5.30pm on a freezing -1 degree night heading 15
kilometres away to transfer the car to my name. I was tempted to say “Haven’t you
heard of transfer papers and the post?” but I held my tongue which gets me into
trouble at times. Come to think of it, the post could take a week, that’s if it doesn’t end
up in china some how.
Parking nose first half on the foot path and half on the road we arrive. I point to free
parking spaces some ten spots away. “This is closer to the ACE” jimmy says.
64
Entering the store the lady at the counter asked what we wanted, such a happy lady I
thought, a bit like the female version of mister scrooge. I tried cheering her up with a
funny comment, but she ignored me. Yep Lovely lady.
I told her that we needed to transfer ownership of a car. Sedetavi (sit down) as she
points to the chairs surrounding her desk.
She asked for the libretto (car papers) and my identity card. Tapping on her keyboard
she stoped and asked me whether I was the person on the identity card, of course the
Italian identity card has as a 3 cm x 2 cm photo with all my details. Including the
colour of my underwear. “I think its time for another funny comment” yep she
ignored me again. Lovely lady, I think she should be in public relations.
After sitting and waiting for about 15 minutes she announces that I needed to pay her
345 euros in taxes called voltura in Italy. Well I don’t know if anyone can trip while
sitting down, but I think that all those funny comments I made earlier came back at
me with a smile. 345 euros, 345 euros, the cars worth 1000 euro that’s more than a
third of the price. “Criminale” (criminal) I mumbled as I pulled the money out of my
wallet.
Next was the car insurance I told the gentleman at another counter nearby that I
would like to insure the vehicle I had just purchased and whether he could give me a
priventivo (quote). With some encouragement he mustered the energy to allocate this
task to the lady sitting next to him. The lady asks me a few questions, goes back to
tapping on her keyboard and 5 minutes later, blatantly comes out with a figure of
849.00 euros. Well, did my mouth drop to the ground! How much?
Great I have a bargain 1000 euro car and 1194 euros of expenses. “Don’t forget you
also need to get a bollo” (rego label) the lovely lady lets me know. Well I ran out of
funny comments and politely asked how much they where going to screw me now! Not
much she states, after tapping on that bloody keyboard for another what seems to be
forever, she says about 120 euros. Wow that’s a bargain I will have two thanks. Of
course she looks at me strange and says you don’t need two. I decide that I would
shop around for the car insurance but will purchase the bollo as this is a set fee that
doesn’t fluctuate. “Oh you can’t get it now” pointing to a sign on the counter next to
her. The sign reads in bold writing that bolos are only given between 9.00 am and
midday. How convenient. Open a store at 8.30am go to lunch for 2.5 hours come to
work until 7.30pm and with no customer in the store can’t print a bollo because of the
rule on the counter. See you tomorrow I said with a smile. I left the store and wished I
could take a few hits of the sambuca I left at home.
30th November 2005
Well we made it through on the nappies we had, and got the groceries up the hill and
the van down. We are getting through the fire wood fairly quickly so will certainly
need more but hopefully no chairs as ours are all metal. Actually there isn't much to
burn in here that is wood so we better keep stocked up.
65
Hey, not much news at the moment. Claudio just arrived and his car is now stuck on
the mountain!!! (He drove up with no chains D'oh!) So Sam has had a chance to
return the favour and has taken him to Saluzzo to get some chains and then back here
to get his car going. It has been snowing again this morning, and my mum said that it
was on the news in Oz about how much snow is falling in England and Europe (tell
me about it!!)
Carina went back to kindy this morning and was over the moon to see Fartell again
and went off happily without a backward glance at Sam. She was getting sick of being
stuck in the house even though we went out for a walk as soon as Luca went to sleep.
I am just happy not to be watching Barbie as Rapunzel any more. Our friends sent us
a copy they made and poor Luca has been Barbied out.
I am also looking forward to getting out and seeing if there are any Christmas decs
around the place and getting to the post office so we can send some things off for
Christmas. We have a bit of shopping to do mainly some warm blankets and an
ELECTRIC blanket for me!!!! At the moment we have a single bed quilt turned
sideways over both of us which was fine in the warmer weather but now you have to
decide to whether to keep your head warm or your feet as it doesn't cover both at the
same time! Luca sleeps in two pair of trackie daks, and three tops with Sams
Lumberjack coat over him for a blanket as it is so warm and he sleeps like a baby.
Carina is much the same at bed time and still has to have her "Duckies" to suck on.
We are all excited as Claudio tells us that there is a place that does Take Away
Chinese in Saluzzo, I've never been so happy to hear those words, boy it's the little
things that you miss. Sam has had big adventures trying to register and insure the new
car but I'll let him tell you about that as it is much funnier when he tells it with all the
Italian thrown in. We can't wait for Connie and Carlo to get here, they will get a
surprise at how much the kids have grown and carina will be able to speak a little with
nonno in Italian.
Well that's about it for now, so take care and enjoy the sunshine!
love Lisa Sam Carina* and Luca
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 6:53 PM
Subject: now it's really snowing love Lisa
Hey guys,
Check out the snow, it started last night after almost being clear and now we have
about 30cm and it is so beautiful. Everything is covered this time, including the car,
luckily we went to the shops yesterday and bought lots of blankets.
Ciao for now
Lisa
3.12.05
Hello Chiodos,
How are you all? Bearing up? I would really like a photo of Sam flying down
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that hill please.....sounds like heaps of fun! How are the Sambuca Heads?
Hahahah.....
How far away is Saluzzo? Is it your closest shopping area? What will you
have for Chrissy dinner? Tell me all please, I guess you will have what ever
you can get your hands on hey! Although by now you may have your toasty
leccy blanket. I hope so, do you need anything for the childies? Clothes,
shoes etc? Let me know OK?
What are you having for your Xmas lunch? What is available? Is Carina
aware that Santa has to travel sooo very far to visit her? That may blow her
mind.....I suppose all the kids at the kindy are waiting for St Nick? What do
they call him over there?
Stay well and happy, ci vediamo Katiescarlett xxxxxxxx
Sunday, 4 December 2005
We have colds and feel horrible, night 4 of coughing and no sleep. Christmas parcel
arrived from mum and brad. Got out Madagascar to watch.
Check out this photo I took today coming back from Turin
It’s Mount Viso (image logo of paramount pictures) at sunset. Lisa spotted it and it
was an awesome sight. By the time I stoped the car on the autostrada I managed to get
the remnants on film. The streaks on the left are 2 planes leaving a frost trail from
their wings. Just about 30 second earlier there were 7 planes surrounding the
mountain top but could only catch the 2
Thanks Sam
Oh by the way the image of the lake was taken in France I can’t remember the place
but it is huge it takes hours do drive the circuit around the lake. Actually we stoped
for the night to sleep in the camper about 1 kilometre away from the lake in an
average spot not knowing that there was this beautiful lake just up the road, and we
could have slept on its shores. Bad luck next time just drive that little further.
5th December 2005
Hi Fran and Joan,
The snow is starting to melt but we still have lots and plenty for snowballs which
carina likes to throw. Luckily her aim is not very good and she just laughs and orders
us to stay still so she can come right up behind us and hit us on the bottom!!! Luca
love to stomp in the snow and takes off the second I put him down, luckily we've had
no spills yet as it gets pretty slippery out there. Once the sun goes behind the
mountain (about 3.30pm) it gets really cold very quickly.
Sam and I have colds and have tried herbal remedies from the internet in desperation
as the Farmacia was closed. Luckily the kids don't have it yet. Sam has gone to get
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carina from kindy after another day of adventures, he is meant to stay for a parents
meeting but is going to skip it as he feels crook from the cold. Our new little car is
going really well and is a Volkswagen panda, carina really loves it.
Can't believe it's almost Christmas, still have things here to post off so hopefully
they'll make it for the big day. Carina is being very good as she doesn’t want us to
"ring" Santa.
Anyway gotta go they're back
Love to all
Lisa
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 9:34 PM
Subject: Re: now it's really snowing love Lisa
It's not as cold outside as we get the sun up here and no wind so it's colder down in
the valley. We both still have colds and Sam has gone to bed which is very unusual
for him.
Thursday, 8 December 2005
Carina is home for holiday today, opened mulan. Still sick and very tired.
Paint can comes with room 4 water.
Tint it yourself
No paint tray just put roller into paint tin???
Sam tried to mix paint but it went 2 thick so he used it on the rock under the stairs
instead. Bathroom is almost finished, boards up and stained.
Monday, 12 December 2005
Yesterday we headed off to Torino to have a nice passagata but forgot the pusher so
were sidetracked to grugliasco along with more people than I’ve seen in Italy at any
one time. Christmas shopping galore and Sam managed to squeeze the car into the
smallest space we’ve ever seen which is large by Italian standards. Had a beautiful
pasta for lunch and were almost evicted from our seats 4 being in the wrong area. Got
Luca a booster seat, a Ferrari model and found some Santa hats (No sign of Santa at
the shops) for the kid’s annual Christmas photo. Saw the most spectacular sunset on
the way home over Mt Viso.
Not much else happening here for Christmas, decorations are very low key and
mainly tasteful Christmas trees and lots of lights. Very pretty with all the snow and I
think we will be having a white Christmas this year. Lots of chocolate Santa’s over
here and Christmas lights are very popular. No sign of Santa so no Santa pics this
year. It's very pretty and completely different and we will always remember it all and
hopefully carina will keep it as well.
68
Carina has kindy right through till June with a short break over Christmas and Easter
then they are off from June till September for the summer.Anyway no big drama here
at the moment, still getting over all the colds but we are on the mend thank goodness.
Love Lisa
Tuesday, 13 December 2005
We've all been sick with bad flu and are just starting to get back to normal only now
Luca has gotten used to coming into our bed in the middle of the night and is still
keeping us awake. (Little bugger) He wriggles non stop for about an hour and then
falls asleep just as Carina wakes up and wants to come into bed as well!! Lucky Sam
usually sleeps straight through it all. MEN!!
We get heaps of attitude from Carina and she is only 3 and a half so heaven help us
when she hits the teenage years. She is also gifted with the swear words and says
"Jesus Christ" even using the hand actions. Luckily they don't understand her at
kindy. Carina loves kindy and has a boyfriend called Fartell, last night she came home
and asked me to write "I love Fartell" on a Christmas card. His mum and the teacher
think it's really cute. Carina has kindy right through till June with a short break over
Christmas and Easter then they are off from June till September for the summer.
We are having lots of fun trying to renovate in this crazy country. Sam bought some
paint which was only about 3/4 full and was told they leave room for us to add the
water??? They don't have roller trays you just dunk the roller into the paint can???
What happens when it's half full asks Sam? He checked out carpet today and was told
they don't use underlay and they glue it straight to the floor and the edges just get
glued down????
Yesterday we headed off to Torino in the new car to have a nice passagata and do
some window shopping. Unfortunately we forgot the pusher so we were sidetracked
to Grugliasco shopping centre along with more people than I’ve seen in Italy at any
one time. Christmas shopping galore and Sam managed to squeeze the car into the
smallest space we’ve ever seen which is large by Italian standards. (You could do a
whole book just on Italian parking and driving!! They don't wear seat belts and the
kids are usually not strapped in at all?? We have seen so many babies being held by
the mum in the front seat of a speeding car and just shake our heads). Had a beautiful
pasta for lunch and were almost evicted from our seats 4 being in the wrong area. Got
Luca a booster seat, a Ferrari model and found some Santa hats (No sign of Santa at
the shops) for the kid’s annual Christmas photo. Saw the most spectacular sunset on
the way home over Mt Viso. (Sending pic)
Not much else happening here for Christmas, decorations are very low key and
mainly tasteful Christmas trees and lots of lights. Very pretty with all the snow and I
think we will be having a white Christmas this year. Lots of chocolate Santa’s over
here and Christmas lights are very popular. No sign of Santa so no Santa pics this
year. It's very pretty and completely different and we will always remember it all and
hopefully carina will keep it as well.
69
Anyway no big drama here at the moment, still getting over all the colds but we are
on the mend thank goodness.
Love Lisa
PS We are on to the last Sambuca bottle after slowing down with the flu but Sam has decided to switch
to Vodka for a change.
Wednesday, 14 December 2005
Rang Joan and Fran to thank them 4 gifts,
Box arrived from mum and Wendy and a card from dossie. Rang Mum.
Wendy Box
Tim tams
2 lollypops
Bugs bunny DVDs
New idea mag
Little Christmas tree
Gloves 4 carina
2 pressies
Friday, 16 December 2005
Sam is busy staining the lining boards in the big room, we are seeing some progress
now. There is no oil paint in Italy? It’s illegal. We finished the last of our 6 bottles of
sambuca and are onto the next batch. Thank god 4 sambuca. Carina came out with u a
f’ing little shit daddy. Trying to get into the Christmas spirit. Rang Kate and Sam rang
Sera.
Carina quotes
“What you say??”
17th december2005
Föhn wind
A föhn wind or foehn wind occurs when a deep layer of prevailing wind is forced over
a mountain range. As the wind moves upslope, it expands and cools, causing water vapour
to precipitate out. This dehydrated air then passes over the crest and begins to move
downslope. As the wind descends to lower levels on the leeward side of the mountains,
the air heats as it comes under greater atmospheric pressure creating strong, gusty, warm
and dry winds. Föhn winds can raise temperatures as much as 30°C (50°F) in just a
matter of hours. Winds of this type are called "snow-eaters" for their ability to make
snow melt rapidly. This ability is based on not only the high temperature, but also the
low relative humidity of the air mass.
The name "föhn" (from the German Föhn, roughly pronounced "fern") originated in the
Alps, and central Europe enjoys a warmer climate due to them. AEG registered the
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trademark "Fön" in the 1920s for its hairdryer, which is widely used as a synonym in
the German language. Regionally, these winds are known by many different names.
I was sitting on the loo when all of a sudden I herd this almighty noise as if a ship was
landing on the hours I went up stairs and asked Lisa weather she herd anything and
she said that she herd a loud noise as well.
I walked back out on the porch and realised that the wind was howling through a gap
that I haven’t sealed yet on the side of one of the windows. I decided to open the
window and was hit buy a very worm breeze. I couldn’t believe it was if we were in
the middle of summer on a balmy night. What didn’t make sense was that the hills in
front of me were covered with snow. This was kind of spooky the moon is so bright
that it has lit u p the whole mountain. The night sky is clear and everything logical
tells me that it’s cold. We have the fire going in the house and the temperature is 18
degrees nice and cosy. I put the thermometer outside at 9 pm and it climbs to 17
degrees in a matter of minutes, absolutely amazing. We have the heater on and all we
are getting out of it is a lousy 1 degree it’s quite funny that inside the house (the part
that is not completed) it is colder at 10 degrees than it is outside.
The cause of this is apparently what is called the föhn wind. So I was told by Claudio
my part time neighbour, the local expert on all things strange and wonderful. Now let
me see here, currently l am to blame for
1 mossies as big as small dogs because I have been told that before the "Australiani"
arrived there were no mossies here.
2 it has never snowed in autumn in this area according to the locals
3 And now that the weird wind is blowing and the snow is melting Aldo the man with
many hats points the finger at me again and says that this has never happened at this
time of the year and that if this fine weather continues then we should never leave
Gambasca.
17 December 2005
Ciao cari cugini
We hope you are all feeling better, thank you for all your e-mails, I have been enjoying looking
at the photos, it makes me feel a bit home sick for Italy. They are beautiful photos; Carina
and Luca seem to be growing very quickly and no doubt having a wonderful time in Italia.
I sometimes watch the Italian news on SBS at 7.30am in the morning and they show all the
Christmas markets and various activities that are on at the moment, also saw the Pope in
Rome saying his mass and in the crowds the children were holding small figurines of baby
Jesus. They showed a display of all different types of nativity sets which is on in Verona.
Also various markets with beautiful gifts and decorations, Italy has some nice decorations at
Christmas time, Milano was another city they showed. Also Venice has all the lovely masks.
Apparently down south is the place to go and see the nativity sets as this is where they are
made and people queue up to see them, very busy place. With the snow it all looks so
magical, yet it is freezing at this time of the year.
You seem to be progressing with the renovations to the house; it will be a lovely home when
finished. I love the old homes of Italy, but they do require some renovation, our family home
71
in S Eufemia A Maiella is a basic house, but it has fantastic views of the mountains
surrounding it. I would like to come back there for a holiday. What will you are doing for
Christmas day? I hope Santa brings Carina and Luca lots of nice presents, it will be a very
special white Christmas.
We have been quite busy lately, as you know we went to Eliza’s 21 st, which was really great,
that was the first time we have been to Perry and Julie’s house or as Liam says “Eliza’s
house”, Liam loved it there, he did lots of running around the house and visited the chooks, he
thought it was great fun and would like to go back to “Eliza’s house” again. We have also
been to Flip’s surprise 80th birthday held at Sorrento Park, it too was a great day, nice to see
everybody, Liam spent the day running around the park, so Darren spent a lot of time chasing
him. Flip was really surprised and the weather was beautiful, Mandy and co did a great job
with the party.
Has Carina written down her wish list for presents from Babo Natale? We have had our photo
taken at Eastland with Santa, it is a beautiful photo, and I have attached a copy.
What do the Italians call Sam? Is he called Salvatore or Semi? He looks like a real Italian in
the photo where he is holding the saw. Have you been doing much touring (that is prior to the
snow coming)? I would like to stay and continue writing but am starting to feel a bit tired (it’s
now 10.20pm), need to go to bed.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.
Buon Natale e Buon Anno nuovo a voi tutti.
Tanti baci da it vostri cugini
Darren, Sally & Liam.
Sunday, 18 December 2005
Cuneo for macas, kids played upstairs.
Villa forte for basilica which was closed till 4pm.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
It's the basilica at villaforte, you could look it up on the internet to see if it's the same
place. It has a circular courtyard with lots of little shops. Very pretty! I'm off to help
Sam as Luca has just gone down for a sleep, Hi,
Just some pics we took yesterday check out carina the photographer!!
Love Lisa
Lots of love and will talk later
lisa
Martina born a day early, Piera very excited and they rang to tell us.
Monday, 19 December 2005
Cat from up the road has decided to move in.
Claudio came up early and showed us pic of baby on his phone.
Sam did cement on walls on veranda.
72
19th December 2005
Hi Sally Darren and Liam,
What a great pic of Liam with Santa, boy he just looks so much like both of
you!!!! What a cutie! Bet he's excited about Santa coming, carina knows
where a couple of pressies are and keeps telling us Santa said she could just
have look!
Not much to tell at the moment, just wanted to let you know we got the
photo and also the lovely card you sent. Thanks so much it's great to hear
from you guys and I know you can understand what it's like here and how
amazing it all is. I'll write a proper letter before Christmas I promise. Snow is
all melting now so not sure about a white Christmas.
I have to go and do the dishes so I can get Luca into the bath (Kitchen sink,
with water heated up on the stove) AAhhhh the rustic life!"!!!
Anyway you all have a wonderful Christmas and lots of kisses to Liam from us
and from carina who said I like that boy!! when she saw the pic.
Love Lisa Sam Carina* and Luca
Tuesday, 20 December 2005
Painting the walls on the veranda finally, little white cat has moved in and spent the
night in a cardboard box with on old cloth in. Jane is not very impressed with this ring
in.
Thursday, 22 December 2005
Kindy break up babu Natale came with his sunnies on. Everyone was there and the
kids sang a cute little song.
Claudio asked for money.
Friday, 23 December 2005
Sam lent Claudio the money 4000 euro!!!!
Moratory guy came and gets 60 euro a day.
Last day of kindy 4 carina
Spoke to sally and Darren on msn and phone
Spoke to bill
Spoke to Julie, Perry Dan, Mel and Eliza. Amber ate sleeping tablets.
Sam still painting stairwell
Made disc 4 Claudio and Piera
Buone Natale,
Just a few pics from carinas kindy break up. Sam "rang" Santa and asked him to come so carina was
very impressed and thinks we have a hot line to the North Pole. The teachers put lots of work in and
the kids sang some songs and they had pizza, chips, chocolate and fizzy drink so all the kids were in
happy land including Luca who wandered around getting all the food he could reach. The pic of the little
boy is Fartell and he is very sweet not like some of the other little terrors there. Babu Natale was a bit
73
odd with his sunnies on the whole time, must be an Italian thing??? Carina gave him a big kiss and
followed him around the whole time and her face was just lit up!
Only 2 more sleeps till Santa comes!!
Love Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
24thdecember2005
Hi guys and billy goats
It looks like u r all still living La Vita Loca, keep it up kids!
Carlo, family, Rose and family are all down here for Xmas! My brother’s family
have given most of mine and Bo's family the runs, it's been bloody bad!!!!!!!!
Otherwise everyone is well and we are all looking fwd to Xmas and the New
Year
Keep the pics flowing, we u ever cum back we will need to make up a collage'
of pics for memories sake- so all of us can ohhh and ahhh each time we see
them--BASTARRRRRD!
We keep u all in our hearts and minds, we will have a "gotto" or "ombra" (a
small glass) of Sambuca in spirit of the CHIODO FAMIGLIA!
Kisses to the little rugrats and a big hug and kiss for the oldies! YOU and
SAMMY!!!!!
Have a SAFE and MERRY Xmas, we will chat before New Year!
Ciao
Marc and famiglia
xxoo
Saturday, 24 December 2005 10:11:04 AM
Hi guys, have a SAFE and happy Christmas in wonderland there! Hopefully
you see Santa in his sleigh....I f you’ve been good you might even get a paint
tray or conventional hammer! mills xxxxxxx
Tuesday, 27 December 2005
It has started to snow again so we are not sure about getting more cement and if the
moratori guy will come to help Sam outside. Sam has put cement downstairs and
squared off the door. He also sprayed the glue on the kitchen. We think Jane might be
George.
Wednesday, 28 December 2005
Ciao,
74
Just a couple of pics of the kids. It's hard to get them together, Luca moves
so quickly and never stays still for a second.
The guy on the scaffold with Sam is the moratory who lives in Martiniana Po
(next village) and his little boy Davide goes to carinas kindy. He is really nice
and is working hard with Sam outside. It was so cold today that the cement
was freezing in the cement mixer and even Sam was saying how cold it was.
We pay him 60 euro a day and he works a full day with a break for lunch with
us which he wasn't going to take. Sam showed him pics of our house reno in
Wynnum and he was fascinated by the huge trestle ladders (no hire places
here) and that we could get a skip at our house (only available for companies
not private homes). He also liked the look of Bunnings and has invited us
around to his house which he is renovating. They are also living out of 2
rooms and at one stage had 6 in the bedroom (2 kids, 2 parents and 2
grandparents) which beats us.
The pic of the loo (yes that’s a standard Italian toilet) is from a cafe in
Saluzzo, Sam always comes back out looking worried as he won't use them. I
don't know how old people manage, they must have strong leg muscles from
all the years of squatting. You have to try one to understand!!
Not much else happening at the moment, the kids are happy with all the
Christmas presents and new movies so it's not so bad being stuck inside. Sam
has just headed off to the local shops to get some nappies and Sambuca
(both are essential) for my sanity.
Hope all is well with you, getting computer time is harder and harder now
carina has discovered My little pony online.
Love Lisa Sam Carina* and Luca
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2005 10:51:01 +1100
Keep up the good works guys...
On another note: (Re, Pic)
U MUST BE FUCKING JOKING ! Are u sure that u r in Italy and NOT ASIA
somewhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What's so hard installing a toilet seat? Madonna Mia!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Sammy there is no way I would use a squat dunny either! I would rather crap in the r'raunt in
protest in the name of NON-progress!
They should call the cafe' in
Saluzzo, Cafe' CAGUZZO! Dio Porco!!!!! Vai in
mona' a tutti!
Stay well guys
Mauro and co.
Xx
75
. The loo's are a bit of as worry but I suppose the saying is that when in Rome do as the
Romans do.
Thursday 29th December 2005
Hey in Singapore they had loos with
tropical gardens and waterfalls.
This is the norm here and that's a
relatively clean one!!!! Most of them u
get to the door and then the smell
gets too much! We girls sometimes get
lucky and find a "real" loo but all the
mens are like that only not as clean.
They have no public loos in Italy
and definitely no baby change
rooms!!! Thank goodness 4 the campervan!
Temp has just risen from -9 degrees to
-5 degrees and the concrete is freezing
before they get it on the wall!!!
AAAHHHH ITALIA!!!
love to all,
lisa sam carina* and luca
-----Original Message----From: Sam Chiodo
76
Sent: Monday, 26 December 2005 5:10 PM
Subject: RE: xmas day photo
It’s got a nice train!!!!!!!
If u could get in it!!!
From: "Marc"
To: "Sam Chiodo"
Subject: RE: xmas day photo
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2005 11:21:35 +1100
U think that’s good hey......well....we....ummm......we.......u see... ummm.......what’s wrong with
Edward’s Lake!
Again......................BASTARDI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-----Original Message----From: Sam Chiodo
Sent: Monday, 26 December 2005 7:28 AM
Subject: xmas day photo
Hi all this is the Chiodos I hope you had a wonderful Xmas day. Just to stir you all up take a look at
where we spent the day.
Lunch by the lake
love Sam and the gang
Thursday, 29 December 2005
Peppi bought us some goat ribs from his goats, worked out a bit tough so they are
going into sauce for tomorrow. His Kids finish school at 1pm.
Concrete is still freezing, they make an anti freeze which nobody told us about.
Worked on the inside when it was freezing and moved outside with the sun.
Silly mummy found Barbie on the computer 4 carina so I’ve had to help her with it all
day.
Friday, 30 December 2005
Yep the loos are a bit tricky but that’s why Sam always wants to go out in the van so
we have our own loo!
Not much news, spoke to Connie and Carlo last night and they were laughing at Sams
stories about the toilets. I told them wait till they get here and then let’s see them
laugh the first time they have to use one. It's so cold this morning that there was ice on
the inside of the windows.
77
Sam has gone to get more bags of cement as the delivery guy is on hols. They are
getting a lot more work done with two of them and the guy is really nice. He has 2
boys and bought us some goat meat yesterday which Sam has made into a sauce 4
lunch today.
I doubt we'll see it through till 12 as kids keep us awake and then they get up early.
love lisa sam carina* and luca
Sent: Saturday, 31 December 2005 10:07 AM
To: 'bdservices@hotail.com'
Subject:
Hot as Hades!
'Giorno Chiodos!
Thanks heaps for the great photos...where was that picture taken on Xmas
Day? Lake Como? Gorgeous! Obviously you did not get parcel...so sorry...
when I think of it, not going thru the post office there was no sign on parcel
saying no dangerous goods inside and they probably blew it up! Hahah....no
but I do apologise, I was hoping to cheer you all for Christmas and I mucked
up!
What did you end up doing on the day? What did you eat and drink etc. Tell
me all please. The house looks great Sambo, very clever of you! It is great
you have made some experienced friends to give you a hand or is it the
Sambuca they come for? The kids look very happy and settled , how are they
going in the cold? They probably fare better than us hey!
The before and after photos are a brill idea so that in the future when you have
become a' famous renovating conglomerate' you can show your prospective
clients what you achieved in the company's formative years!
We have been selling Pink Pigs in the shop which sing and move to "I got
Sunshine on A Cloudy Day", and the ones on the counter have almost run out
of battery power and sound quick sick, but when they all sing together it is a
scream, the kids love it.
Those toilets must be native to Northern Italy, when we were there we only
encountered them luckily on a Ferry in Greece! Isn't it awful! I know that
when we were there all the hotel rooms had signs telling tourists not to put any
paper down the loos because the drainage systems could not handle it and they
would block up...yuk porca miseria! Kerry, being a 5 star traveller was most
perturbed!
I hear on the news this morning that parts of Europe are experiencing -40
degrees! MY God......today it is 42C and very dry and scary all the paint cans
are popping and the fire danger is very high!
Stay safe and warm Sambo, Lisaloo, Carina* and Luca,
78
31st December 2005
Hi, Sam Lisa Carina and Luca,
he house is looking good it looks like you've been working very hard and it
shows, the finished product should look really great it won't be long before
Nona and nono will be there as the time will fly now that it's January and
before we know it they will be there with you, Connie is very excited and I
think Carlo is too but you know men they think it's silly to show any sort of
emotion as it may not be manly enough.
all the best Fran Joan xxx
Tuesday, 3 January 2006
Our Pete the log guy has started chain sawing up the tree after much aimless
wandering around for most of the day. He has loaded up his little blue tractor with the
door frames and given us all a toxic cough from burning the rubbish out front.
I’m just finishing all the washing resulting from our trip to Peppes house last night.
Haven’t smelt that much cigarette smoke since my single clubbing days and that was
some time ago.
Peppe has put up the chimney and a door Sam made to cover the opening above the
veranda.
3rd January 2006
Hey guys
The kids look as cute as ever, Can’t believe how much Luca has grown. Good to see
that Sam Has found some help there. Maybe Sam should look into setting up a skip &
hire business. He could become the Grollo of Italy.
Just letting you know that we have booked our trip on Solo for Valentines Day, So
thanks for giving us the opportunity of spending a nice romantic day together
Cheers 4 now
JOE SURACE
Thursday 5 January 2006
Finished the gaillo on front of house. Sam made carbonara for lunch which the guys
ate outside standing up. Peppe and Pete the log cut up the wood and it burned really
well through the night.
Luca slept right through in his own bed it’s a miracle he must have known that the
bufana was coming tonight
79
From: Sam Chiodo
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 8:57 PM
Subject: more pics
Salve,
Well the house is coming on at last. It's still very Gaillo but we r hoping it will dry
back a bit to a softer ochre colour. Peppes friend sold us the heater 4 the taverna and
we bought the other one which is in the alcove under the stairs. The guys r outside
trying to put the chimney in, and they were mixing up the paint in the cement mixer.
It's all good fun that's 4 sure
Love Lisa
Friday, 6 January 2006
The guys put in the heater in the taverna and fired it up. Other heater is in alcove but
glass broke yesterday and the ferramenta guy tried to blame Peppi. Sam rang him last
night to see if he was playing games on the computer.
Luca fell over and split his lip and had a mouth full of blood and carina was crying
more than he was.
House is still Gaillo.
Mum rang and is going to sort out the library.
Peppi bought carina a gift from the bufana of a stocking with lollies that look like
charcoal.
Sunday, 8 January 2006
Everything is closed and Sam is out of concrete, culture and all other things essential
for restoring a Rustico farmhouse in Italia. Decided to go to GS for tea bags as I can’t
go without them. Bought some tuna salads and a jar for Luca and headed off down an
unknown road, stopped for petrol and used loo which shall remain forever a horror in
my mind! Spotted a graveyard up on an isolated hill and decided it was worth a closer
look if we could only work out how to get up there. Very impressive and 360 degree
views but no cameras. Tried to explain to carina why the “lady” couldn’t talk to her
and why she couldn’t take the flowers and rosary beads home. Kept driving looking
for a new road into France and saw the most spectacular scenery and ice formed all
over the side of the hill where the water ran off, very beautiful and all down a cliff in
one spot near this crazy house built into the mountain.
Monday, 9 January 2006
Carina is back to kindy today and was tearful but off she went with her my little pony,
colouring book, and new pony book from GS. Peppe turned up but went home after
feeling sick and his mouth is all swollen up poor thing. Sam has moved downstairs
and is trying to keep the big heater going but all the instructions are of course in
German. He can’t wait to start living in the whole house, wonder if he’ll tell the
commune so they can adjust our rates????
Cats are sitting outside the window on the scaffolding and peer in hopefully every
now and then.
80
Spoke briefly with Wendy as Sam rang and said we’re on the way up the mountain so
put the coffee on. Also rang Mum and Sam rang Sera.
Tuesday, 10 January 2006
Hey, Ciao, Salve, G'Day etc etc,
It's a bit hectic here with all the rush to finish off the house before Sams folks get
here. It's weird to see the news about the heat there when we are all rugged up here
and have blankets up to the chin at night. Nobody wants to be first to get up and light
the fire, but I'm getting pretty good at lighting it up now and we have a little machete
to break up the bits into kindling. I'm also getting better at making the Italian coffee
but always fill the glass to high as they only drink about a cm of the stuff. Mind you
there is no problemo swigging down half a glass of the Sambuca.
The guys have just come in and there is lots of Italian flying around and arm waving I
think they are going to tile the floor. Yep they are going to tile the floor and I'm told I
have to clear these rooms out to downstairs ASAP. GREAT! Peppe is about a third
the size of Sam but very loud and it always makes me start to get the giggles. I call
them the Dynamic Duo!
Our Pete the log guy (Alfredo) started chain sawing up the tree after much aimless
wandering around for most of the day. He’s loaded up his little blue tractor with the
door frames and given us all a toxic cough from burning the rubbish out front. He
hasn't been spotted since but Peppe reassures us that this is quite "normale" and he has
to come back for his chainsaw and scaffold sooner or later.
I’m just finishing all the washing resulting from our trip to Peppes house. Haven’t
smelt that much cigarette smoke since my single clubbing days and that was some
time ago. Both he and his wife smoked non stop and the room got to 34 degrees as the
use the wood stove to cook as well. I though I'd pass out, and the kids ended up just in
one layer and bare feet as they were so rosy cheeked from the heat. We had a great
night put and they are very friendly and made all sorts of tasty concoctions for dinner,
Carina had a ball with the two boys and we will go back for a trip to see the goats and
chooks etc in the daytime.
We finished the gaillo (yellow) on the front of house, I think you'll be able to see it
from the moon. Sam made carbonara for lunch a few days ago which the guys ate
outside standing up. Peppe and Pete the log cut up the wood and it burns really well
through the night.
Luca has finally started to sleep right through in his own bed it’s a miracle, he must
have known that the bufana was coming as every night since then he's been great.
Peppi bought carina a gift from the bufana of a stocking with lollies that look like
charcoal and she has dragged it around all this week. Poor Luca fell a few days
ago and split his lip and had a mouth full of blood and carina was crying more than he
was. AAAGHH Kids!
81
The guys have put in the heater in the taverna and fired it up and we ate there last
night for the first time which was like going to a restaurant. The other heater is in the
alcove but the glass broke and the ferramenta guy tried to blame Peppe. They had a
big yelling match and the hardware guy is going to replace it as he bashed it
unloading it from the truck which is why we think the glass cracked.
Everything here was closed on Friday Saturday and Sunday for the Bufana
holiday and Sam was out of concrete, culture and all other things essential for
restoring a Rustico farmhouse in Italia. We of course knew nothing about the Bufana
or her holiday (will fill you in later) we decided to go to GS for a tea bag stock up as I
can’t go without them. Bought some tuna salads and a jar for Luca and headed off
down an unknown road, stopped for petrol and used loo which shall remain forever a
horror in my mind! Did I send you the pic of the Italian Loo? This was not a clean one
lets just leave it at that.
We spotted a graveyard up on an isolated hill and decided it was worth a closer look if
we could only work out how to get up there. Very impressive and 360 degree views
but no cameras. Tried to explain to carina why the “lady” (Huge statue of the
Madonna) couldn’t talk to her and why she couldn’t take the flowers and rosary beads
home. Kept driving looking for a new road into France (Sam loves to just keep
driving especially if its over the alps in the snow) and saw the most spectacular
scenery and ice formed all over the side of the cliff road where the water ran off, very
beautiful and all down the cliff in one spot near this crazy house built into the
mountain. They really are crazy here!
Carina is back to kindy and was tearful but off she went with her my little pony,
colouring book, and new pony book from GS. Sam has moved downstairs and is
trying to keep the big heater going but all the instructions are of course in German. He
can’t wait to start living in the whole house, wonder if he’ll tell the commune so they
can adjust our rates???? (Another wacky Italian regulation)
The kittens have been banished from the house and are sitting outside the window on
the scaffolding and peer in hopefully every now and then. They're very cute and love
all the scraps. We think Jane may be a boy and Charli the girl so will have lots of fun
explaining to carina. Soon if we are not careful the other 6 kittens will move down the
hill from Brondinos house to our place and we are not keen to increase the menagerie
of animals here.
Anyway that's about it for the adventures, I'm getting dirty looks so will have to start
packing up the room for the big move downstairs.
Love to all
STAY COOL!!!
Love Lisa Sam Carina and Luca
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 1:21 AM
Subject: hi from Italia
You all look so carefree and laid back it's a pleasure to see you all so relaxed. We
hope your garden will be blooming with flowers and colours for spring and that the
82
house will sell. I bet Carina will be well in her Italian language by the time she gets
back here, how is Luca doing with the language is he saying much, he looks so cute
the kids look happy, we hope that they get over their colds soon and the dogs stop
barking so you can all get some sleep. We are getting excited for Connie and Carlo as
we talk about their trip. Our summer is well and truly here as it's very hot and humid.
Fran Joan and families’ xxx
Sunday 15 January 2006
Hi it’s Sambo that’s short for sambuca of course (Italy has driven me to the
drink) unbelievable.
We went out today Sunday, we crossed over to France from another road in
the mountains. It was fantastic. We went past where the 2006 winter
Olympics are going to be held in February. There were lots of people skiing.
Beautiful scenery.
On the way we stopped at a market and got something to eat, the photo with
carina is her waiting for her patatinies (chips) to cook, and choosing what
sausage she wants.
After we ate Lisa had to go to the toilet and like I told you this is worse than
digging a hole in the ground. (See photo) the water was running all the time
there was a smell that made the sausages in your stomach come up again for
a second feed.
Lucky that I am a man, my toilets had urinals but the only thing is that you
needed to piss with your eyes closed so that you didn't know that people
were looking at you. The toilet that I was in had no doors and people could
see in from the street and my ass was facing the bustling market. "Merda al
fresco".
Anyway just a short note from me letting you know what we are up to lately
the house is nearly finished cant wait to have a rest and enjoy Italy.
Sam
16th January 2006
Hi Guys!
The house looks fantastic, you've done a great job....especially with no Bunning’s!
It sounds like you have fit right into the Italian lifestyle now, it will be a culture shock
coming home!
When are you planning on travelling, as soon as the house is sold? Half your luck, I
am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO jealous!
83
Chloe is still talking about Carina, I said you will move back one day and she thinks
Rosemary will move out and you guys would move back in next door! If only.... Are
you still planning on returning this year, after your holiday or will you get another
house there?
Anyway, take care and keep up the Sambucas!!
Charmaine
Wednesday, 18 January 2006
Carina went off to kindy with the usual rigmarole, the Albanians turned up to get the
rest of the wood. Sam is fascinated by the ladies dress which looks like a dressing
gown and is a bright turquoise colour. The little girl is down there helping. Sam made
the stairs but the sand for the concrete is frozen so the cement is going off
immediately.
Peppe is a very messy painter and he keeps trying to turn his hand at decorating which
means Sam has to keep putting him back on the straight and narrow. He tends to think
brushes will self clean over night and paint left out with no lid won’t freeze.
Amy has had pups but two are dead and one alive. Sam heard growling down there
this afternoon and now we know why.
Mum rang to check up on Luca who thank goodness is much better.
I’m still trying to get the better of the muffa in the bedroom but it’s a loosing battle.
Off for a cuppa.
Thursday, 19 January 2006
Alfie just turned up to tow Peppes car home with his big blue tractor that u can hear
coming miles away. He arrived with a bang and much gear crunching, finally got the
car attatched to the tractor gave it a mighty heave and the tractor conked out with a
huge bang and lots of black smoke and swearing. Open the thing up to start it and
eventually off they went down the mountain. Peppe left his Ape here and I am very
tempted to take it for a spin around the block only we don’t have a block to spin.
Steps have been christened and now Peppe is very happy that he doesn’t have to walk
the few extra feet to make his way down the embankment mountain goat style to
avoid the further few feet it would take to walk around like everybody else.
We had some argument as usual over the paint colour for the tiles in the TV room,
everyone paints them this colour (Terracotta which looked like fire engine red). If
only we had done the walls Bianco like they should be everything would be Bello!
Crazy place, we always run out of things around 12pm when all good Italians close
the doors and head of home for mange and a sleep.
Salve Aussies,
84
latest pics from the construction zone! The guys were
making a raised rock wall section just outside the front
doors last week and started putting up a pergola for a
nice Italian vine to climb over.
Much arguing on how to do it and Sam ends up re doing it
when Peppe leaves 4 the day! Will send pics when it
actually looks like something. Wish u were here it's so
funny! Bloody Italians!! (No offence!)
I'm afraid this
is our real kitchen, it's tiny and the window is about
the size of an average paperback book!!! (Speaking of
which get "Extra Virgin" by Annie Hawes it’s a scream.
Even got Sam reading!)
Also a pic of Pete the logs blue
tractor I told u about (Check the canopy ready 4 summer I
guess) PS the ground froze solid and the dynamic duo had
to use a jack hammer to break it up.
PPS No quick drying cement here, but they have great
custard donuts and cheap sambuca so can't complain.
Saturday, 21 January 2006 7:06:13 PM
Salve mate.
The scariest thing about all of your photos is that you are starting to look
Italian! I mean you really are looking like wogs that have never seen the city!!
mills xxxx
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
What's with the too fat?????
Love Lisa and Sam
From: Charmaine Simpson <chuckie_pete_simos@yahoo.com.au>
To: Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: Fwd: quiz time again
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 14:10:47 +1100 (EST)
I'm a fat piggy.
Hey love that blue tractor thing, what a cack!! How did you get Sam in/out of it??
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
Me too, winter eating too much chocolate!!
Is Sambuca fattening????
The little car is called an Ape (Pronounced arpay, which means bee in Italian) goes
like a rocket when Sam isn't in it. Peppe is about a third our size. I want to bring one
back to Oz, u don't need a licence 4 them over here so they are all over the place
holding up the traffic. Peppe takes his kids too kindy and they ride in the tray on the
85
back. Almost everybody here drives without seatbelts and have seen lots of babies in
mum’s arms in the front seat flying along the motorway. Unbelievable place!!!
Love to u guys
We’ve moved downstairs at last and luca has heaps of room to get into mischief now
Will send some more pics ASAP
Big kiss to Chloe and Sam and carina "drive" to your place to see her on Google earth
then they "drive” down to the wading pool 4 a swim!!!
Miss u all
Love the woglets
24th January 2006-09-09
Hey that is so sweet that Carina goes driving to Chloe's house!! Aren't they
gorgeous? She misses her so much. Chloe always likes to sprinkle powder on the
wooden floors (which I just love) and she points out the big dots. She says, that is our
house, that that dot over there is Carina's house in Italy!
I guess Sambuca would be fattening yes, but hey - it is definitely worth it! I just
cannot get over you two. Not drinking to full on into the Sambuca!! hahahaha.
So when are you coming back to Oz? And don't forget to bring the Ape. Italians are
wild drivers huh!!
Loving all the photos - keep them coming. I am downloading my recent ones at work
(naughty girl) since my computer at home has died so I will send some soon.
Love to all
Xxx
Charmaine
Thursday, 26 January 2006
Guys putting up fence and it started to snow so packed it in around 1.30pm.
Friday, 27 January 2006
Still snowing and it’s completely silent and very beautiful to watch.
The menagerie are all coming round to the lounge window for a feed an d getting very
bold.
Sam went to Lidel and has stocked up the galley kitchen to the hilt and boy that
chocolate tasted good. Had a salad with dinner for the first time in ages and did an
Elaine with it.
No work today.
Sam told carina if she ate any more bread she’d “blow up” and she replied “How u
say blow up in Italian? Bermb?? (Bomb).
29.01.06
86
It's been snowing and we had about 40cm over two days but luckily this time we got
supplies before it started. It's rained all day here and the snow is manageable so Sam
should be able to get carina to kindy in the morning.
Mountains are just so beautiful. Big difference to the weather over there, been
hearing about all the bush fires from the locals who have seen them on the news.
Hope all are well and safe, will email more news when I get a chance, love to hear
from u!!! Love Lisa and Sam
Wednesday, 1 February 2006
White is leeching through the paint on the main wall and the house might end up
Bianco after all.
Carpet delivered and kids having a ball romping on the big mat in the taverna so now
it doesn’t matter that Luca lies on the floor.
Guys worked on rocks under pergola and did something with the pipes.
It was Peppes last day today and he is flat broke and has no idea where his next euro
is coming from.
Car is bogged in the mud so Peppe will come and take Sam and carina to kindy in the
morning.
Snow is almost all gone and yard is a slush flat.
6th February 2006
Got some news for you guys - we are expecting again! We've made it to the 3 month
mark this time. Had a scan last week, saw the little jelly bean and had a good
heartbeat so cross fingers. I am due 22 August. Been feeling totally shit for 3 months
also, especially with this heat but I think I'm starting to come good now. Chloe is
VERY excited!!
Anyway, that's all the news from us!
Take care & kisses for the kids........
xxx
Charmaine
11th February 2006
Hello you northern European snow bunnies!
I am back from hols. Now and catching up at last! I got your message, so the parcel
finally arrived, yay! Hope the kids had fun with it, I can't remember what was in it
now!
Have you caught up with the Olympic opening ceremony, when I got up this morning
it was on the TV.
how are you guys, getting ready to sell? Are you finished yet Sambo? The house
looks brill in the photos, you should make some profit on it. When are the olds due it
87
must be soon now hey. How are the bambini? The photos really are very grouse Lisa
loo....you should take it up again professionally! In between bambini of course!
Must go Chiodos, ci vediamo tutti,
Ciao, take care and speak soon, Katiescarlett XXXXX
12th February 2006
Hi bunnies!
Any way guys, thanks again and keep warm, are you getting to see any of the winter
games? Is the traffic in Turin horrendous or are you avoiding all the big towns?
Ciao Chiodos, ci vediamo bambini,
mille graze too!
Katiescarlet xxxxxxx
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hope everyone had a happy valentines day.
Can't write much at the moment, done my back in again!!!!!!
Sam working round the clock to finish house
keep in touch and will write again when feeling better
love lisa sam carina and luca
15th February 2006-09-09
Hey there, that is no good!!! I hope you didn't need an ambulance again!! Not up that
icy mountain with crazy Italian drivers....scary.
So did you get my email with our 'special' news???
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
18th Feb 2006
Ouch, non parle italiano
Thanks 4 all the good wishes will talk ASAP,
Just back from a stay in the hospital at Saluzzo overnight, can't begin to talk about it,
off to bed to lay like a log and see what happens next. Imagine being in hospital and
nobody speaks English????? Amazing but great people and just glad to get home
again.
L
Old hag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How is Sam now supposed to slam u against the bed posts....u have really let the team down
Lisa! Shaming yourself ragazza!
88
Get well vecchia and start the slamming soon!
Kisses to all
Ciao
Via Veneto!
xxoo
Hey there guys, really sorry to hear about Lisa's back! You are all determined to have
a stay in an Italian hospital aren't you?? We got your phone call and Chloe was very
excited to hear Carina's voice and she was talking back to her!! hahaha, so cute.
Take care & hope you are feeling better soon and that Sam is helping you with the
kids! xxxxx
17th February 2006
Lisa loo are you alright? How did you hurt your back or is it the pre-existing problem
you had forever? You take care please, Sam more Sambuca please! I showed him
your photos Lisa and thinks that they are worthy of some sort of publication, I told
him of the idea of a coffee table book of your exploits in the Italian countryside and
he agrees it would be a great idea! See! Guess what I have to go , will write more
soon.
Ci vediamo Chiodos, take care and lots of love
Katiescarlett xxxxxxxxx
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
........................here is the news in brief..................
Sorry still not 100%, came home and it snowed 50cm which covered our remaining
firewood!!! That night about 6pm we blacked out and realised we had no candles and
no batteries for the torch!!
Luckily we had a lighter and the stove has electric and gas so I got my crucial cup of
tea.
Ended up all in bed at 7.30 and room got down to 6 degrees, man I hate the cold!!!!!
Rustico farmhouse in Italia
What were we thinking???????
Sam dug us out and got carina to kindy YEEAAHHH!!!!
Got the power back on after having to go to village to ring enel from the commune as
our phones are cordless, they sent us to phone booth after one call but phone only
takes cards so off to post office to buy a card, but post office only takes cash not
eftpos aarrghhh!!! Back home to wait for enel and power came back on about 5pm
that day. Sam went to stock up on crucial chocolate and booze and I can't sit in the car
so no shopping for me. Going stir crazy.
Went to check the email and found out that my uncle has died and my aunt assumed
my mum had told me (Couldn't get through cause of blackout) it’s been really a
depressing week.
Hopefully things will get better, Sam’s parents arrive on Sunday and they are very
excited by the big trip.
89
Sam is calling as he is on own with kids so better go back down.
Love to all and stay tuned, can't think what else could possibly happen but u never
know hey!!!
Sorry haven't been able to get to answer email from everyone but keep writing me and
I promise to get back in the swing ASAP.
Love Lisa xx
PS did I mention that Sam had to give me injections and thought he had to put the
needle in quick and hard (Typical man) and it went right in as far as it could and yes it
hurt so no more dr Sam!!!!
23rd February 2006
Oh Lisa you poor thing!! So being in Italy on a big mountain in the middle of winter
is NOT the place to be when you've done in your back!!!!!! I can't imagine Sam
giving you injections, god you must've been desperate!!
Its funny hearing about the cold, which I can't imagine cos it's so f****ken hot here!!
I am SO over summer.
I can imagine Sams parents are busting to see you all, especially the kids. Chloe is
STILL always asking when she is going to see Carina again, when is she going to
Italy etc. etc. etc. So you HAVE to come back soon because the questions are driving
me INSANE!
The pregnancy is going well so far - fingers crossed. I am about 15 weeks now but
still paranoid because of the last miscarriage. Even seeing the healthy baby on
ultrasound hasn't stopped my paranoia. I guess I will be worried the whole time!!
Am starting to feel a bit better and more energetic, god those first 3 months are
HELL!! I am NOT doing this again..... :)
Anyway, supposed to be working so will talk later. Thanks for all the updates we
love hearing from you and everyone always asks us how you all are.
Love to everyone
xxxove lisa
25th February 2006
Chiodos!
Oh you poor things, what a week!
Lisa so sorry about your Uncle, what a way to find out! Has Norma been in contact
since? She probably feels awful about. How is your back? How did you cope in
hospital with so little Italiano? Must have been rotten......keep up the Sambuca!
Don't worry, you will soon be in the warm south (hopefully). Will you be able to
travel with the olds? Just as well they are arriving when they are, at least they can
help you with bambini hey! Did Sambo have any practice before the
administrations? Porca Madonna! You were probably desperate for the relief enough
to not worry about how you were getting the painkillers.
90
Ciao Chiodos,
Ci vediamo tutti,
Happy days, take care Lisaloo with your back, Sam go easy on the needles man!
Katiescarlett xxxxxxxx
4th march 2006
Hey there Chiodos,
I hope this week has been better to you all!
Sam did your parents arrive OK? Hope so.....there must have been a lot of traffic re
the closing of the games or did they time right? Lisa loo, how ids your back
.......better I hope. I thought that computer thing was brill, I sent to my sister in the
country too, she laughed, she has just taken possession of her very first computer!
She is even more stupid than me at it hey, but you have to learn sometime hey! The
weather here has been brill but hot today, well actually it is only 27 (sorry), but feels
hotter. How are the olds coping in the cold?
Love to your Olds Sambo, take care of your back Lisa loo, ciao to Bambini,
Ci vediamo cara amici bello e bellas,
I do miss you,
Katiescarlet xxxxxxxx
8th march 2006
Hi,
We are going along okay and have been to Porto fino, Cinque Terre, Lucca,
and Pisa so far and are heading off to Florence now. Van is going well and we
all fit which is amazing. My cough has just about gone and am sleeping well.
Its ladies day here and all the women have wattle which is like ours in
Australia.
Will send some post cards and tried to ring but couldn’t get through
Carina says you should be here with her.
Anyway gotta go to Florence now, tough life hey
Weather is beautiful
Love Lisa carina Luca and Sam
Hi, there Fran and Joan
Hope that you are all well, we are all well too.
We are back at home till Sunday then we are going again for about 6 weeks.
We all had a good time saw where nanna pinto lived we met some wonderful
people at Sicilia that told us about Nona they were so helpful. Went to the
cemetery and saw the graves. We went to Calabria and saw all Carlo relation
they were so nice and told us to come back on the way up so we did, they
had a 60th. Birthday that day so we stayed the night they had 30 people that
91
night so we met all the gang. Sorry that I don’t ring more often same time its
hard but always thinking of you. Sent a few pictures.
Bye for now,
lots of love from all of us.
Connie and Carlo.
Sent: Thursday, 16 March 2006 8:55 AM
Subject: ciao from bella Italia love Lisa
Ciao guys,
Life on the road in the camper is great fun, Sam drove through Rome at peak
hour and it took us 3 hours to get out of the city, we went past the colosseum
3 times and I thought we would never get out. What a crazy place, never
seen driving like it, unreal. Best place so far has been Florence which I always
will love and Assisi which is the most spiritual place I’ve been to very simple
and so beautiful.
We just saw Pompeii and head to the amalfi coast in the morning. Kids are
having a ball and Sams parents are just amazed at how crazy it really is over
here.
Man this place is just a crazy mix and we constantly shake our heads in
amazement at the people and the passion that they put into even the
smallest thing. If there is a way to do something in the most difficult time
consuming way then they will find it and continue that way regardless of any
arm waving or swearing. It’s so funny and impossible to explain but will crack
u up when we get back with loads of unbelievable Italian exploits.
What a country. I've learnt how to swear in Italian and am getting the hand
gestures down as well.
Anyway we're off to bed and Luca is our alarm clock at 6am every morning
which is very handy.
Will write again ASAP
Take care and lots of love
Love Lisa Sam carina and Luca plus the in laws.
18th march 2006
Ciao tutti!
92
Chiodos! How are you all? Great mail, are you ALL in the van? My god, where do you all
sleep? Guess it doesn’t really matter as long as you are having fun, are the olds enjoying?
Chiodos have a great
journey, please stay safe and happy, ve bene every bella giornata, si?
mi cara amica tutti bello e bellas & bambini and grandys. ok?
Ci vediamo, ciao
Katiescarlet xxxxxx
23 march 2006
Great to see that u r STILL having lots of fun....while we go to
WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to hear it all when u guys are back
Keep up the exploits and stay safe!
Ciao
Marc and Co.
xxoo
26th march 2006-11-19
hi all its sambo in wogland just a quick note to let u know, that we are off on
our big adventure around Europe so we will not be home for aprox 3 months
on and off.
First month Italy and the south
Second month Spain France and England
And the last month Switzerland Germany and the rest.
The tour sets off on Sunday morning captain Sam Chiodo will be giving mum
and dad who arrived safe and well and the family a hell of a camper ride,
commentary and all.
not to sound rude but can any emails sent be limited to communication with
no attachments (unless important) in a place like Italy with communication
down to 2 cans and a string it is hard to find internet cafe's and even the it
will be difficult to open big files.
Anyway I hope all is well and look out for photos in your mail box and info on
where we are on the grand tour of Europe
Ready sing with me.Holiday road oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh holiday road oh oh oh oh oh oh
and hold it for 2 seconds
93
Please stop your hurting my ears
Love Sam Lisa Carina Luca * oops, mum and dad.
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 12:29 AM
Subject: RE: hi from Lisa
HI KYLIE,
luca is still in the porta cot, we head off in the morning so have to be quick as
we are packing up and I get dirty looks if i'm caught on the computer!!!
tell me about feeling middle aged! Haven't had my hair cut since the wedding,
never wear make up and dont go out at night ever!! Sam cut my hair once
and i did the first one by putting it in a pig tail and chopping the end off.
Can't wait to sell and get home but it looks like it may take some time and i
doubt we will get what we need to make even. Oh well thems the breaks and
as i keep telling sam, we've seen some of the world and life is to short for
regrets. I'm glad we came and i love it here but I'll be so glad to go home as
well.
will try 2 write tonight but just in case i don't get a chance i'll say ciao and will
be back in around 6 weeks.
love to u and let me know if u change email or go and get pregnant or stuff
like that!!!
lots of love
lisa
From: Sam Chiodo
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 5:45 PM
Subject: ciao love Lisa
Well we're off on the next big adventure, won't be able to contact us 4 6
weeks but will try to email as often as possible.
If u need to get in touch u can email or contact my (Lisa) mum on 03 9884
8611
Love to all and talk soon
Lisa Sam carina* and Luca
94
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
Ciao,
Sorry this is just a quickie for now. We’re back till Sunday then on the road
again for 6 weeks this time. What a trip, saw Italy in a new light (with the
Italian Family) and loved Calabria and Sicily. Rome is a crazy place and lost
the back of the van on the amalfi coast and it is now held on with duct tape
along one whole side (Don't ask) can u imagine the reaction when Sam
backed up to park something went crunch and then rip when we pulled away.
Couldn't believe it!!!! 3000 euro to fix and 2 weeks so that’s why the tape
came in handy, amazingly nobody has stopped us, the police are useful here
for wandering the street ignoring all the lunatic drivers and they seem to like
window shopping while on duty. Don't think we'd get a road worthy in Oz
that’s 4 sure.
lots to tell u but must fly now as the agent is coming tomorrow and house still
not 100% so Sammie is cracking the whip big time to get it finished.
Lots of love and salve from all of us in Gambasca
3rd April 2006
Hey guys - have been thinking of you all. Those Italians are bad drivers even the Aussie/Italians hahahahaha. The police there sound like the ones
we encountered in Amsterdam!! I wouldn't be running to them for help they look more criminal than the criminals. I loved Rome - so jealous!!!!!!!
We spent a few days there, I reckon you could easily spend a few weeks
there. It took us a while to figure out how to cross the road at a pedestrian
crossing - just walk and then the cars will stop - not the other way around!!
We are all good here in oz, Pete just spent the last weekend on the DINGO
ripping up the side of the house. Looks like a war zone but now the fun can
start. Wish you were here Sam - we could use a handy man next door that's
for sure!!! We're putting in a room under the house and sealing it all as well.
Can't wait.
Baby is moving around heaps, had my scan last week and was sure I saw a
3rd leg, but mum was with me and said she saw it was a girl so who knows!!
I am 20 weeks now - hooray!!! All downhill from now!!
Hope you are all well and enjoy the next journey! Give Luca and Carina a big
hug and kiss from us all.
xxxxxxxxx
Guten Tag
We are slowly stocking back up on clothes, bastardos took all the kids clothes
(I bought just about everything they had including all new ones sent 4
Christmas and birthdays), mine and Connies but left the mens. They got the
95
cameras so no pics off the trip, can u believe the luck. Still have about 3
weeks to go and are currently in Switzerland at Interlaken. Very beautiful but
been raining so no mountain climbing yet. Bummer not!
Off to luzern, Salzburg, Munich, Venice then back to Gambasca and hope
house has sold so it will be back to oz.
ps never travel 4 three months with the kids and the in laws in a confined
space!!!!!!!!!!
I'm going rapidly round the bend!!!!!
Hope all is well with u guys and kisses and hugs to all
Sorry gotta be brief
Love Lisa Sam carina and Luca
3rd may 2006
Gutentag!!
I was quite shocked to hear you had been robbed, and to lose all your clothes!! Mum
said it must've been gypsies. And the photos can't be replaced..... You must've been
SO angry!
Anyway, at least you have the memories in your head!! I am still EXTREMELY
jealous!! We hope the rest of your trip is really fantastic and can't wait to catch up for
a drink or ten! (Well, after August anyway). I am sure after all the confined travelling
with kids and in laws you will REALLY need a drink. You deserve a medal.
We loved Salzburg, we saw how beautiful it was and just got off the train and decided
to stay. We were engaged in Vienna.....how romantic of Pedro!! hahaha
We've finally started the renovations at home, Pete has concreted out the back and
side for the boat, next job is to rip out and replace the external walls downstairs and
start putting in the internal framework for the rooms. Can't wait. Wish the wog was
still next door to help! ha ha.
Anyway, time for me to go home, all is well in Cranleigh Street. My gut is getting
bigger! 14 weeks to go!!! It is going sooo fast this time.
Take care, love and kisses to kids.
xxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 23 May 2006
In laws are safely back home in oz and things are getting back to a kind of normal
Sam has decided it would be a good idea to get a goat from our friend Peppe who tells
us that 50 euro is very reasonable and we'll get two litres of milk a day ( he didn't say
who was going to milk the thing!) We were given a big glass of the stuff still warm
from the teat he says and watched with anticipation till we drank it to the last drop.
YUM!!!!!!! Maybe it will taste better cold from the fridge? He also gave us a cheese
made from the milk so carina and I are now thinking up names for the goat’s arrival.
96
Sam has also been motivated by the possibility of having to stay another year to put in
an Aussie "Orto" to compete with next doors and supply us with huge quantities of
pomordoro, melanzata, fagoili, and cucumbers. After digging all day yesterday he has
given up today as he can hardly move.
So with all the milk and vegies and meat (try to explain that to carina) we'll be right
mate!!!
What animal makes corn flakes?
Oopps also better get a few chickens and maybe a couple of rabbits as well then we'll
be real gambascanesi! If I have to wear an apron I'm off.
Subject: Re: let’s get a goat! That sounds like a good idea!
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:51:16 +1000
I love your stories, they always bring a smile to my face.
The last picture with the cream house, green lawn & campervan - that’s not your place
is it?
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 6:20 PM
Subject: guess what he's up to now?
Hey Joe and Carolyn,
Guess what he's doing now???
He dropped carina at assilo and called past the ferramenta to get more seedlings for
the Orto (which is looking pretty good) and she tells him to try something called
gaigia???
Driving home he asks our friend down the road who just happens to have two huge
trees of these things so Sam arrives home with the branches wedged under the
windscreen wipers. They have the most beautiful flowers like a white jasmine and he
just fried up a bunch of them with a batter and they taste great!!! Really sweet!!! What
a country!!!!
If we had a camera I could send u a pic!!!
And yep that’s our house all finished, you'd love it over here, why not save your
pennies up and come visit???
Love the looney Italian Aussies
Thursday, 25 May 2006
Quick visit to the Drs and it doesn’t seem so strange these days. I’d love to be able to
go to my old dr in Wynnum, she was great and interested in the kids and always had
97
toys or a lolly for them. Got a referral for another blood test for the anaemia, also got
a smear test reminder so not sure if I will brave the Italian system for that or not. Still
not much sunshine and the Orto is going to need more than it’s getting at the moment
if we are to give Claudio a run for his money.
Peppe and family came over for dinner last night and all the kids ate non stop and
carina was very cranky this morning and wanted to go back to bed.
From: Charmaine Simpson <chuckie_pete_simos@yahoo.com.au>
To: Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: guess what? (No I'm not pregnant!!!) love lisa
Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 10:18:22 +1000 (EST)
WOOO HOOO!! HOW AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations, that is FANTASTIC news, we are so happy for you. Well that didn't
take long, and I can see why. The house looks amazing, you have done a fantastic
job. Pete said good, Sam can help me at our place. hahahaha. He's been ripping
down walls, love it!
So when is your ETA? Are you arriving into Brisbane and where are you staying?
Let us know if you need anything or to be picked up!!
Chloe will be very happy indeed.
Have a safe trip home and see you soon!!
Charmaine
26th may 2006
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe that is your place in the picture, it looks fantastic, all that hard work
has really paid off, amazing, looks like a postcard!
Good to see Sam is getting the veggie patch happening & the kids look set to have a
new pet.
We would love to come over but very hard at the moment as we are considering
buying or building a new home, maybe on gold or sunshine coast, we have had
enough of living on this corner, it seems to be getting busier & busier with all the new
housing estates down the road. It all depends on what will be affordable though! We
have almost finished the renos here now, haven’t done much to house this year as I
have been fairly busy with work, my office is now downstairs where the main
bedroom was & we have moved upstairs, its great cos now I have a large office for
meeting with clients.
Ciao for now, keep all the news & goss coming,
Joe
98
-----Original Message----From: Sam Chiodo [mailto:bdservices@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, 29 May 2006 3:39 AM
Subject: guess what? (No I'm not pregnant!!!) love lisa
We've sold the house
Coming home via China
See u soon!!!
Here are some before and after shots, it's almost
too good too leave now.
If only Italy was a little closer to Oz!!
Love the soon to be ex Italians
Italians
29th may 2006
Well done guys
Well done Sammy,
Great job on the monster home...not surprised as Sammy obviously did absolutely everything
while u sipped on lattes' and Sambuca all day, while the children ran a muck in the forest with
wolves running at their heels, witches tempting them with lollies and u just simply sat back
and did NOTHING! How dare u.....?
I suppose Sam had to pleasure himself b/c u were too TIRED!!!! Dam women of today...!
Well done to BOTH of you.....I hope u scammed some decent dollars, otherwise the
experience was worth 100000000000000000000' times more!
Before and after shots look great, Burkes back yard asked me for your address in Italy to do a
make over for nothing....I forgot your address so they did our house!
Hopefully we may all see u dudes back in OZ but well done (third time) and safe trip back
home!!!
Lisa I expect some wog lingo from u when I next see u!
Cheers
Marc and Co
xxoo
Sam Chiodo <bdservices@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hi Pete Charmaine Chloe and wiggle,
99
yep it's back 2 oz 4 us, we settle on 22nd July and then hopefully head home via china
and think we'll get back end of august. In time 4 the bubs arrival?????
That should make Pete happy as Sam is really good at ripping down walls and so's his
dad!!!! We will move back into the house at Thorneside as the tenant moved out, so
not so far away.
Does Chloe start school next year???
Where is she going??
I've been trying to find out how it all works from this end but still not clear, can they
go to any primary school or only ones with this new prep set up???
Please let me in on anything you've found out as I'm going loopy with it
Love 2 u all
Lisa Sam carina* and luca
Get the sambuca ready!!
7th June 2006
Hi there!!
We are very excited to catch up again! I am due 21/8 but with the c section think it
will be about 14/8 so that is great timing!! I will be able to have a few sambucas
(much needed) by then! That's if the breastfeeding thing doesn't work out like last
time. That is good timing for your house at Thorneside also.
As for schooling, prep starts at every school next year (it has been on trial in some
schools up until now.) It is replacing Pre School but the other thing is it is a bit more
structured and part of the school so its 9-3pm 5 days a week whereas preschool was
usually only 3 days a week. But with Prep you have to be born between 1/1/02 and
30/6/02 (i.e.: be 4 1/2 by the January in the year they start). Chloe only makes it by 4
days. If they are born after 30/6/02 they have to wait another year - or do another
kindy year then do prep the following year. But Carina will be fine since she's May?
Like preschool it's not compulsory though.
I am trying to get Chloe into one of the catholic primary schools - have had my
interviews but won't find out until the end of June. Being non catholic we could miss
out. If that is the case I think you can enrol into any public school anytime - and they
have to accept you. They will all have prep available. I've enrolled into a couple of
local schools so hopefully I might have a choice.
I hope that is clear as mud for you! hahaha.
Hope this helps.
Take care
Love the Simmos
xxx
Friday, 9 June 2006
Well I must not forget to tell you about the squirrel that came in the house the other
night and kept us busy trying to get it to go out the front door,
100
Thursday, 15 June 2006
Squirrel inside again, spent three days trying to get a camera and no help to get a
quote for removals.
Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Hey Wendy,
Thanks 4 the gorgeous pics, boy they're growing up so fast aren't they! Haven't got in
touch with jenine yet. We leave on Friday for the trip with our friend Lidia, she
arrives here Thursday afternoon so I will have someone to have a good yak with 4 a
while. We will be away about 2 weeks so probably no email from me till we return.
The new owners came up on Sunday to see if they want to buy any of our things but
no word from them yet and not looking good there. Sam has cleaned up the car ready
to sell and been working on the van 4 the trip.
Carina has her last day at kindy Thursday so have to find pressies for the teachers and
say our goodbyes as they don't come back until September and we should be on our
way to oz by then.
Sending a couple of my latest fav pics of the kids, finally got a new camera so I've
been taking heaps of pics of our last few months here and all the things we just take
for granted each day.
Give our love to Wayne and the girls
love lisa
Ciao Ciao,
well here we go again, we leave on Friday for the trip with our friend Lidia, she
arrives here Thursday afternoon so I will have someone to have a good yak with 4 a
while. We will be away about 2 weeks so probably no email from me till we return.
The new owners came up on Sunday to see if they want to buy any of our things
but no word from them yet and not looking good there. It was strange hearing carina
chatting away to the lady in Italian. I had no idea what they were talking about. We
took them for a walk up the mountain and picked wild flowers and wild strawberries
along the way and carina loved all the attention.
Sam has cleaned up the car ready to sell and been busy working on the van 4 the trip.
He is looking forward to a 4 and 20 when we get back home. Carina has her last day
at kindy Thursday so have to find pressies for the teachers and say our goodbyes as
they don't come back until September and we should be on our way to oz by then. She
had her concert and they did little red riding hood and carina boycotted being a flower
and ended up playing grandma, they were so cute.
Sending a couple of my latest fav pics of the kids, finally got a new camera so I've
been taking heaps of pics of our last few months here and all the things we just take
101
for granted each day.
love
22.06.06
We head off in the morning towards abruzzo where Lidias family lives, her parents
are meeting her there and then we head back home 4 some serious organizing and
packing. We'll be gone around 2 weeks so will email when we get back. Carina grows
in cheekiness and attitude daily and Luca he just gets into anything he shouldn't and
loves to get wet and muddy. Luca is very hard to catch as he never stays still and
won't look at the camera as he is usually intent on what he is doing, carina love to
pose and see herself on the screen but likes to pull silly faces so I have a big collection
of them as well.
Saturday, 1 July 2006
Hey Fran and Joan
Sorry to hear you're not well, hope all is on the mend now. The trip went well and
now it's time for some serious packing. We are all looking forward to getting back to
oz and getting settled in again. Here are a few pics, Sam got his first lettuce from the
Orto and the little dog with carina is called benji and he visits us for the day and then
wanders off home about 8pm. we have no idea where he lives but he's so friendly and
very cute.
Love Lisa
Sunday, 2 July 2006
Ciao Lisa
The trip went well, we dropped Lidia of in Sulmona where her dad was born. Her
parents were already there and we met all the aunties’ uncles and cousins. We were
loaded up with bottles of sauce, vino, and little tubs full of pasta, polpetti and peppers
which we ate later on the way home. You would have met her at the wedding, she
sang during the signing of the certificate, she is Serafinos sister and she is always
right, unfortunately so is Sam so everyone thought they were an old married couple. I
just kept clear and chuckled away in the background with the kids. It was really hot
about 40 degrees and we didn't bother to go with Lidia into Roma but stayed by the
pool at the campsite and had a great time with the kids instead. She ended up missing
out on the Vatican as the que was so long and she didn't want to miss the Sistine
chapel.
Love Lisa
Wednesday 5th July 2006
Hey Connie
102
Packing is progressing but no luck with selling the van as yet. The new owners
decided to buy the fridge, washing machine, mower, whipper snipper and big
furniture for a bargain price and thought that all our things were going to be thrown in
with the house price. Ha! Anything that we can't sell we will offer to Peppe like the
TV and mattresses etc as he helped us out so much.
Sam has just gone to put the car in the square to see if it sells and then will walk back
up the hill. Good exercise! Soon it will be walks on the beach.
Sorry cant ring as the phone card ran out and u know what it’s like here trying to
catch the post office.
Not much else to tell
Off to make a cuppa
love to all
lisa
Hi Val and Fred
mum just told me you're in NZ, hope your birthday was fabulous .
sorry to hear about the arthritis, can anything be done for it?
We are packing up and leaving the house on Friday then Milan for a week and
onto Bangkok for 10 days then back to Brisbane.
then WHO KNOWS!!!
send our love to all the family
Love Lisa Sam carina and luca
Sorry it's a brief one, I have to clean the house (you know how much I love
doing that!!) as the new owners are coming this afternoon.
venerdì 7 luglio 2006
Ciao Wendy Wayne Amanda and abbey
I emailed jenine and today I spoke with the headmaster at Birkdale south primary and he said not to
worry it would be okay to enrol carina when we get back and that they take enrolments right up until
January so we'll wait and check out the schools then and enrol her in the one we like best. He was
really nice and explained the whole process (even though I told him i was ringing from Italy). Does
jenine work at Birkdale or Birkdale south primary? I'd like to hear her opinions on the schools, an insider
view!!!
103
I've packed most things but can't pack all as still using bedding etc (You know what it's like). We sold
the furniture to the new owners for a bargain price to get rid of the bother as we have to be out of here
by 19th July and still have to try to sell the van, the car, get the boxes to Milan and book flights to
Bangkok from Rome. We are then going to travel by train and the seat of our pants to Singapore from
Bangkok and fly home from there. Sam has been busy researching the trip among other things and it
sounds kid friendly which is a relief. Can't wait to get back and catch up!!!!
Not much else happening here, weather is really nice and Bangkok should get us acclimatised for
Queensland. We’ve been hearing about the water restrictions, and my mum says Christmas catalogues
are out already which will be a shock coming from NON commercial Italy. I think when we get back we
will try to tune out as much of that stuff as possible as I haven't really missed it for the year and a half
we've been here. Having TV again is going to be weird, we don't get any news unless it's major and
then my mum usually lets us know. No continual coverage of the world’s misery has been a relief. Mum
likes to let me know about all the positive news items like the poor little girl murdered in the toilets in
Perth and even sends me cuttings so I don't miss any of the tragedy.
Well the cat is expecting kittens and the older cat has already had some which we spot if we're very
quiet and creep up on them. The poor ratty little dog is in heat and her father is taking an un fatherly
approach and so we should have puppies as well (only 65 days gestation 4 dogs) bonus!!! The cute
little fluffy dog would also like to become a dad but lots of growling is keeping him at bay. Nature sure
hits u in the eye here!!!
Carina has now officially seen fairies in our garden and tells everyone about them. The other night the
whole hillside was lit up with hundreds of fireflies blinking on and off and I've not seen anything as
beautiful since my last carols by candlelight in Melbourne. We got a couple of them inside and the light
is very strong so we can watch them flying around the place.
Sam is trying to eat all the lettuce from the Orto before we leave and the caterpillars helped out with
the cabbage and cauliflower and also took a liking to the basil. Tomatoes are growing but not ripe and
it's almost blackberry season here again though we will miss out on the joys of stuffing ourselves to
overflowing on them. I'm sending a pic of a flower that is growing at the end of our driveway and I can
just touch the top of it with my hand stretched over my head. Wildflowers seem to change every few
days and roses and lavender are out so I've been nicking them from the neighbours.
Luca is spending most of his time in carinas outgrown pink tops and pants so Sam is taking lots of pics
of him to show him when older that it was all his mums fault (if u get the drift).
Hi all, its yamuninni tour group here.
All is well, we have heard the news in the UK and we are not at all worried (actually I am s-------ting
myself) but it seems that oz's leaving from Bangkok is not on the wanted list. We can only hope, if I
could row a boat home I would.
Anyway we took the kids to see Garfield today and it was funny, the little angels both sat their with
their cheery faces, dimples on each cheek as the lovely cat pounced on the screen. ahhhh what a
THEN I WOKE UP!!!
From my
dream and there was Luca, escaped from his chair under the theatre seats
into the next row, carina was bouncing the seats you know how they work
don't you? Every time u get up they straighten up with a thud, and then you
pull them down again and sit on it again and repeat 1000 times. Well luca got
wind of how they work. The theatre has at least 500 seats don't they!!!!!!!!!
Luca thought I wonder if all the seats do the same thing, off he went mum
and dad in tow.
delight and relaxing time it was.
After pulling my last few hairs out of my head, we managed to catch him and
strap him into his pusher WHAT A DELIGHT carina at this stage decided that
104
where she was sitting was just not good enough and as we turned around
she was a few rows away in her own section of the cinema. Screaming on the
inside I calmly fetched her (well as calm as my Italian blooded temper can
be). I think the Thai food and Thai smiles are getting to them. I know this for a
fact because every time someone tries to touch luca (because he is so cute) he tries to sock them one.
Anyway we are home tomorrow so the yamuninni tour group and their year and a half adventure will
soon come to an end, and then we face reality again.
Talk to you all soon love
Sam and the yamuninni tour group
Hi all only a couple of days left in Bangkok and then back to Skippy country. Ate frogs legs last night
and they were absolutely yuuuuummmmmmyyyyy. Lisa thought so to.
As far as the kids go Luca does not accept food from me any more as he knows I am the deliverer of all
things squishy, spicy, and sometimes actually moving still. All an experience I guess ay!
This place is absolutely amazing. Never stops 24/7 motorbikes driving on footpaths, saying a prayer
every time you cross the road. And they think the wogs are crazy drivers Haaaa. there are 100
different types of transport here from you standard cab like oz, to things called tuk tuks (3 wheeler
hang on to your balllllllllll............s sort of bike thingamaboby. there are taxi motorbikes that you sit side
saddle, there are even utes that have been converted to minnnnnniiiii busses (tall westerns I am sure
need to lay horizontal) we saw one yesterday with 12 people standing in one NOW THAT'S 12 PEOPLE
ON A BLOODY ONE TONE UTE WHAT A SIGHT. its really cheap at 5 baht a trip that's about 20 cents
Australian.
and if u don't want to travel by road then you can attempt a speed boat through there canals, what the
Thai’s call a speed boat anyway, it looks more like a elongated canoe which can hold about 30 people
but in fact the Thai’s manage to stack a few on the roof and supply free crash helmets for your safety.
Very considerate I thought.
anyway I’d better go its nearly tea time and I need to explore the are for tonight's culinary delight
hmmmm may be we will try some crispy fried grass hoppers and the gizzards of tender pork with a nice
greeny chuck chuck soup Yaaaaaammmmmmmmmyyyyyyyy.
Sam and the yamuninni tour group signing off.
>>> "Sam Chiodo" <bdservices@hotmail.com> 08/01/06 1:12 am >>>
Hi all, we are not dead but all well in Bangkok. Phone card not
working in hotel so can’t call anyone as yet. It has been 3 days and
Bangkok for those who like the nitty gritty and Asian food is
fantastic (not for you mum that's for sure). The food is great and
haven't gotten sick from any of the food yet even the kids are
handling it well.
Went to the biggest market I have ever seen in a city lots of clothes
and food galore. fan bloody tastic.
Things here are really cheap we ate a three course meal for the whole
family at a posh restaurant and spent 800 baht that's only about 40
Australian dollars service was fantastic. Most meals at the market
cost about 6 dollars Australian for the whole family.
Carina and Luca are an entertainment to the people here. We can’t
walk 2 meters without someone touching Carinas hair. They love Luca
105
hair as well, what they don't know is that his hair is like it is
because we haven't combed it for 3 days.
Bangkok is hectic it is open 24 hours a day, it never stops. People
are every where. The smell is interesting in some places and the
shopping centres are huge multy level (whatever you want to call
them). The trouble with finding clothes is that we are to long in
every direction.
The shoe sizes are way too small HMMM you know what they say about
small feet and ..........
Anyway we should be home soon. The internet at the hotel is not
working so I haven't got access every minute of the day but I have
found a little cafe down the road to try and keep in touch.
OUT OF ITALY AT LAST BLOODY WOG!!!!!!
Back to occa country at last.
See u all soon
Love Sam and the yamuninni tour group
Hi all it’s the yamuninni tour group here
We are finally back in civilization YAAAA HOOOO.
The tour officially ended on Monday the 14th of august
Just got the phone, the numbers are
Home- 07 3207 1603
Mobile - 0406344645
Unfortunately the internet is not on yet so please limit emails to important things. I only have access at
the local library so can get to it every day.
Currently we are looking for a car and getting carina enrolled into school and Luca into a kindergarten
Yep they are growing up. (Thank god)
Anyway talk to you all soon time here is limited
Love all
Sam chiodo and the yamuninni tour group.
Yeh we are back in oz but starting to get itchy feet again, after only two
weeks, Asia looks good Bangkok was great what a place.
Thorneside is about 12km from Brisbane 100 meters from Morton bay, just
over the gateway. It was one of my rentals that we moved in to.
Sold the house in Italy I miss it in many ways living as they did 100 years
ago. Carina and I would be blackberry picking about this time, followed by
mushroom picking.
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Its sad in a way the kids are now consumed with the telly, I am making an
effort to put in a veggie garden and a couple of chooks. Carina and Luca will
love it, and it will get them out of the house.
If I remember correctly your dad comes from Calabria and you mom from
Sicilia?
I went to Calabria and Sicily and it was absolutely fantastic. I went to find my
nannas old houses, my mum comes from one of the Aeolian island in Sicily
called Salina town of Lenni. The family trekked the old goat track trying to
find this house and when we did it was unbelievable. It was as if you could
imagine the life they led.
I tell you know that if you get the opportunity to trace your family heritage go
and do it, you will never be the same person again.
When we found my dads old house in Calabria he broke into tears (my dad in
tears, never see that before) hey.
He couldn’t believe that the people he sold the house to 55 years ago were
still there. And the water hole that they used to get there water from was still
flowing.
The south of Italy by far is a magnificent place, far better then the north, it is
absolutely beautiful. The people are warm and friendly, the place is clean and
alive, Contrary to the north which is polluted, and the people are stuck up and
tend to look down on you.
15th september 2006
Hey Wendy,
It’s so weird not to have the kids and shop without looking for ramps. No
longer avoiding gift shops with loaded kid height shelves. Miss the pusher to
load all the shopping on to. Kids have settled in and luca was a bit upset on
day one but they had carina come in with him and he had a sleep and then
was happy through the afternoon. They put him on the toilet but he
screamed his head off so that has been postponed till he gets settled. Carina
loves it and wants to stay when I go to pick her up. They had a pirate come
to tell stories and she got a new lunch box and bag so she is happy. Luca
doesn't even look back and just races of to play with the toys and is starting
to try to say a few words. Carina now says excuse me constantly when
wanting to speak which is so cute.
Last night luca woke about 9.30 with a choking cough and couldn’t breathe
properly with it and screaming and crying with fright from the sensation.
Called the ambulance and they got there pronto and said it was strong bout
of croup and would take him in to check him over. Went in the ambulance
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and they gave him a ventilator type gizmo with him still screaming and
struggling the whole time and then he calmed down and came home. Carina
has started to show symptoms also so no kindy for them today.
We have also had the GUSTY winds, blew away half my washing. Mum and
Tony like it here and now I have someone to cook for us again. The fridge is
a total mystery to me and the stove could be from mars!!!! They have gone
off to Wynnum on the train for some op shopping. I hit the op shops Monday
and got lots of kindy clothes and a back pack for carina. Mum got her 2
Barbie princess dolls at the op shop and she loves them so will make them my
shopping spot from now on. The clothes are so cheap and also got some
sunhats for a dollar each.
Love to all
Love Lisa
From: lisa burns [mailto:ourbrightstar@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 18 July 2007 8:46 AM
To: wayneandwendy@dodo.com.au
Subject: RE: cough cough cough......
hey wendy,
thanks for that. can u believe my dad got an infection in the wound
and was sent back to hospital and last night they amputated above the
knee. i don't know how he will cope with this setback and he has been
talking about ending it all to my mum so i told her to ask the
hospital for councilling asap.
i'll just get the mags when i see u as he can't get on internet and a
magazine with a hope for future happy days in the sun might cheer him
up.
love to all
lisa
>From: lisa burns [mailto:ourbrightstar@hotmail.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, 17 July 2007 2:59 PM
>To: wayneandwendy@dodo.com.au
>Subject: Re: cough cough cough......
>
>hey wendy,
>
>i am a poor mum with bronchopnumonia, last night at drs had a temp
of 39.6 but its come down now. feel rotten, very tired (can't sleep)
and achy with rotten cough otherwise all are well and i'm not
contagious so hopefully kids wont get it. had a chest xray and looks
like thick fairy floss all through my lungs. it's wierd to be sick
with no one else sick. on double lot of tablets as first 2 lots did
nothing so when i get a bug i get a tough one!
>
>sam is doing a great job with getting kids to bed and made the
lunches this morning and i just bite my toungue and let him do it all
his way so i think he is enjoying the early mornings while i have a
little more sleep as when i wake up i don't start to cough unless i
try to move. thank goodness he does the cooking.
>
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>never seen a pink cast, hows she going with it? luca would have it
off in about 2 minutes. Love the pics, can u do me a favour and just
put anything u have of us onto a disc as my mum would love the ones
of carina and i but i will get better prints if full size file is on
the disc. just when u get a chance, if u need a disc i can post one
as we always seem to have heaps of them about.
>
>would love to see u but best to keep away till i'm 100%, just be
your luck for the bug to take a liking to u as well.
>
>off to have a little rest before the kids get home
>love to all
>lisa
>
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