Photos - New House

So --- here it is (or they are) --- piccies of the house. This first photo is taken from the deck looking back towards the house.

To the right of the deck is the lounge room, glass on three sides and a glass roof; double glazed like every window in the house. The large white couch is wonderfully deep and a great place to curl up and read. It's my favourite spot in the house.

From the lounge, standing by the tv cabinet, this next photo looks back towards the dining room and kitchen.

And this amazing room is our kitchen, with the dining room to the right. On the far side of the room you can see the huge stove, the indoor barbeque, and the built in pizza oven. The 'chandelier' of stags' antlers both horrifies and fascinates me! The sinks and the fridge are in a very little room immediately to the right of the big stove, behind the hutch dresser.

For those of you coming to stay - here is a photo of the spare bedroom. This room has been painted beutifully with a snowy scene and starry sky. Really pretty!

And here is one of the bathrooms - this one with a jacuzzi spa bath. The main bathroom has a jacuzzi shower!

Photos - Solbiate Olona

When we first arrived here in Italy we atayed at 'Le Robinie', a golfing hotel/resort. Nice looking place and good for a short holiday - not so good for teens sharing a bedroom for 8 weeks. Above is the hotel from the carpark entrance and below is a photo taken at dawn from the far side of the golf course looking at one end of the club house toward Mt Rossa (we think) in the background.

Shopping has been an experience too - here is the biggest role of luncheon/mortadella I've ever seen.
Did we mention how cheap the wine is here... that's E$3.95 for 5 litres of white wine.

Photos - Singapore

I've spent the morning trying to download, and catalogue into named and dated files, the 497 photos and videos on the camera. I'm nearly there - so thought I'd post some now...

On our way to Italy we stopped in Singapore for three lovely - but very hot and humid - days. Here is the house we stayed in.

And there was the cutest lizard in the garden, digging the deepest hole.

We also had 'Singapore Slings' at Raffles on our wedding anniversary - S$22.00 a glass!!! Surprisingly, we only had one each.

We're IN!

We've moved into our house at last! The sea-pack has yet to arrive and we are all but camping - still we have so much room to spread out. Furniture-wise, we've been through flat-pack Hell and made it almost out to the other side. A couple more wardrobe doors and a large pile of cardboard to the recycling place (when I can find it) and we'll be done.

Although we have seen hardly any birdlife around the area we have seen today both a snake (George) and three small bats (Bruce, Trev, and Eric - as in the 'fruit bat'). Although I keep promising photos - spectacularly failing to deliver - I have got a shot of the snake. I've got the photo as far as the daughter's laptop however network file sharing hasn't quite kicked in, so another day of waiting I am afraid.

Mum has taken house photos and we have some piccies of the spectacular thunderstorms we are experiencing. Tomorrow - I'll post them - Really - Truly. And in the mean time I'm off to watch some more lightening!

Driving in Italy

Driving in Italy is an experience to be - survived.

We have now got used to driving on the left (well mostly). There was a day last week where I leapt into the car in a big hurry and got the fright of my life when I landed on Patch's laptop bag. My brain connected to the fact that I was in the wrong seat about the same time my butt connected with the (very sharp and uncomfortable) zipper on the bag. Luckily for both of us no physical damage resulted from our accidental meeting. Of course, until now Patch had no idea this had happened. I figured that since his laptop has worked fine ever since there was no need to mention anything ... I'll update you on any resulting damage if it does occur now he knows ;)

I know I mentioned that road signs are advisory only - and speed limits likewise - but plain good sense should tell anyone that tailgating another car at 130km/hr with less than a car length between you both is abhorently STUPID. Anyone who insists on getting that close to my backside requires a prior, personal introduction (and invitation) at the very least.

And thenwe have roundabouts - a fairly new concept for Italians. They have only used them here for about five years. I'm not suggesting they have no understanding of the concept of these (elsewhere) useful traffic control measures but I ask you - Where else in the world do you get a roundabout;

• in the middle of a large intersection controlled by traffic lights - and who the heck has right of way?????
• on a straight piece of two-way road, with no off roads????? One road in, one road out; no island between lanes to prevent anyone doing a u-turn anywhere along the road.

I think I have finally begun to understand a little about the driving psyche here in Italy. The rule is "If it is behind me it is not my problem". Another way to interpret this rule is "If you car is behind my car you are responsible for your own safety". What this means is that;

• if my car's bumper is in front of your car's bumper then I can move into your lane, with or without indicating, because you are behind me and therefore you are responsible to get out of my way.
• I can pull out of a carpark on the side of the road when ever I feel ready to move off, even if you are coming along the road behind me - because you are behind me and therefore you are responsible to get out of my way.
• if, whilst driving in the centre lane of a three lane road with a (recommended) speed limit of 130 km/hr, I choose to suddenly slow to 60 km/hr - and you are not allowed to pass on the right - then you'll have to brake very suddenly and not swing aound me but instead wait for the cars on the left to pass me first - because you are behind me and therefore you are responsible for your own safety.

Still - nine weeks in and another ten months to go before we have to sit our Italian drivers licence test. I figure I'll be so scared I'll be about ready to quit driving by then!