Yes... yes... stop laughing you all. I've written a book. Actually, I've already been writing on it for years, even before I started working for Sobelair... euhhhh... cough cough... IACA that is. I don't expect it will be a big success, but hey... it was just great fun writing it. The book is called "the Five" and it is mainly targeted at an adolescent audience, although it may appeal to all ages. It's a weird mixture of wild comedy and slapstick, adrenaline-pumping action, drama and romance. So a bit for every taste. I've attached it to this message so if you really have too much spare time on your hands and you really don't know what to do...
I've been playing the piano since I was 9 years old. And some time ago I also did some private teaching. Hence the idea to do a bit of that on the side also in Italy. Although I have to say that I didn't really believe in this because after all Italy is the country where classical music was sort of invented. I was convinced that there would be abundant music academies around which could offer every kind of education in a much cheaper way. But that was without counting on Christine, of course...
We visited a shop where they specialised in all kinds of wooden floors because that's what we'd like to have on the first floor and in the living room. The shop manager was so friendly and he was so enthusiastic about our project that he asked us what we were planning to do in Italy. So I mentioned teaching English. Upon which Christine added that I also teach the piano. The man's eyes suddenly popped wide open of surprise. He told us that his best mate was the director of the music academy of Castelnovo ne' Monti and that they'd been searching for a piano teacher for a long time, especially to give evening classes. So to him I was like a gift from heaven! I humbly added that I don't really have an official license as a piano teacher. But perhaps they consider my skills to be adequate for the job? Who knows if they're desperate? It could mean that I already have a real job (perhaps part time, perhaps only for a couple of evenings per week,...) before leaving Flanders!
You can judge my skills for yourself through this excerpt of a home recording I made of Bach's Goldberg Variations. Please don't mind the sound of the piano itself because it's a 100-year old grandmother. But I hope you like it altogether...
Last Tuesday was D-day for us. It was the day where we would go to the city of Reggio Nell'Emilia to sign the act of the house sale at the sollicitor of the sellers. Unfortunately... again... the mother of the sellers couldn't be present due to illness. The poor old bird is 97 and for some mysterious reason she too has to sign a few papers. Perhaps to ensure that her 3 sons are over 18? So the event has been postponed until next Friday and I signed a mandate allowing Christine to sign the act also in my name. It will now proceed at the sellers' house - we won't take any more risks. So we can only hope that the old lady will not pass away or do something else inadverted the coming week.
The first thing we did in Italy was going to the bank. We had already worked so hard to bypass all the petty little rules and restrictions that kept us from simply paying the sellers of our house with the Belgian bridge loan. The only thing we still needed was opening an account at our Italian bank. We tried it over the phone and through e-mail, but it was absolutely necessary for us to visit the bank personally before they could give us an account number. Then it would be a matter of five minutes and everything would be in order. At least, that was the sales pitch.
When we eventually met the bank manager and asked him to do something simple, like... opening a new account, this suddenly turned out to be impossible. In spite of all of his promises over the phone. We are "foreigners" and for that there are special procedures which may take some time. Christine started to lose the last remainders of her patience and angrily explained that the one thing we didn't have anymore was time. The sollicitor's act had to be signed and for that we needed regular cheques and enough money on our Italian account of course. She became so angry that a second person, who we believe was the director of the whole office, entered the room and asked the manager how far he was with the account. In the mean time, Christine explained our problem once more while ostentatively tapping with a large part of our savings - in cash - on the manager's desk. This gesture had the desired effect. In no time phonecalls were made to the head office and personal data was entered into the computer system. Five minutes later we had our account number so we could call our Belgian sollicitor to transfer the money we needed from the bridge loan. Hurray!!!
This afternoon I came back from Italy. Alone. The final goodbye was tearing me apart. And Christine too. Tears were countless. Furthermore I feel absolutely tired after 6 days of driving around, cleaning Christine's temporary Italian home and trying to sort things out with banks, notaries and building plans. So this will be a brief message. Tomorrow I'll start reporting about our adventures of the past week.
And to end with a positive note... I just booked a plane ticket for a week's holiday in Italy when it will be Christine's birthday half November! hehehe...
Tomorrow at dawn we'll be off to Italy. It will be a very important week in many aspects. One of them is signing the sollocitor's act and the hand over of the keys to our new home. But another one makes me feel terrified. As from next Wednesday afternoon, Christine and I will be separated from eachother for months. Never before we've had to do without eachother for such a long time. I'm not sure how we're going to cope. We're both very attached to eachother. Yes, I know... in the end it's going to make us stronger. But that's only a bitter consolation.
Thursday is approaching at breakneck speed. For Christine, these are the last few days in good old Flanders. She'll still return perhaps once or twice, especially for the final move next year. But as from next week she'll already be an official Italian resident! Actually, I envy her a bit. I'm the one who has to stay behind here. Then again, the cats will keep me company I suppose. They're growing big and are more than a handful when they play and run about. It's nice to see how happy they all are. Fortunately they don't know yet about what'll be coming towards them next year. I'm certain that having to miss Christine for 6 months will already give them more than enough stress.
Christine is also making a long list of all the things she'll have to pack. Our trailer is as good as new again and we're surely going to need it. She'll not only need most of her clothes, but also part of the dishes, cutlery, a water boiler, pots 'n pans, most of our tools (to help with the refurbishment of our new house) and lots of other stuff. And not to forget her laptop of course so we can use Skype to keep in touch with eachother. If anyone of you would like to have her Italian Skype address, just send me an e-mail!
Today the representative from the movers company dropped by to sign a couple of documents and to discuss some of the details. For example, we will also need a lift at the destination because carrying a wardrobe up the stairs... well... you see what I mean?
The man was also very interested in the access road to our house. Would it be suitable for a lorry? Errrr... with a bit of luck...
So that's also something we need to work on. Otherwise our B&B will be for 4x4 fanatics only!
I've attached it to this message so if you really have too much spare time on your hands and you really don't know what to do... 
I humbly added that I don't really have an official license as a piano teacher. But perhaps they consider my skills to be adequate for the job? Who knows if they're desperate? It could mean that I already have a real job (perhaps part time, perhaps only for a couple of evenings per week,...) before leaving Flanders! 
So the event has been postponed until next Friday and I signed a mandate allowing Christine to sign the act also in my name. It will now proceed at the sellers' house - we won't take any more risks. So we can only hope that the old lady will not pass away or do something else inadverted the coming week. 
Furthermore I feel absolutely tired after 6 days of driving around, cleaning Christine's temporary Italian home and trying to sort things out with banks, notaries and building plans. So this will be a brief message. Tomorrow I'll start reporting about our adventures of the past week.
Actually, I envy her a bit. I'm the one who has to stay behind here. Then again, the cats will keep me company I suppose. They're growing big and are more than a handful when they play and run about. It's nice to see how happy they all are. Fortunately they don't know yet about what'll be coming towards them next year. I'm certain that having to miss Christine for 6 months will already give them more than enough stress.
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