Thursday, 12:48: we screeched into the parking lot of the Post Office in Monte San Martino, our Commune, or County Seat, to pay our trash bill (why pay our trash bill at the County Seat??? don't know, just cuz). Our fingers are crossed because the PO has been known to close its doors early, just cuz...(Once we stood outside the locked door with our water bill to the window begging the woman to open the door--it was 1:03 on a Tuesday and they're closed Tuesday afternoon--she told us to come back tomorrow.) Luckily, this day we got in and paid our bill.
Then, the real reason for our visit was to ask if it was normal we hadn't received any mail during the last six weeks. Hmmm, she said, no, not normal, but she couldn't ask the mail carrier today because they don't deliver on Thursday....THEY DON'T DELIVER ON THURSDAY??? EVERY THURSDAY? OR JUST TODAY? (We didn't even ask why...just cuz) but, she said she'd check tomorrow.
* AND...our friend, Kathy, mailed us an envelope with some important, time-sensitive papers on January 27, Express Mail, guaranteed 3-5 days delivery. It's now been 10, count 'em, 10 days...we've tracked the envelope to the Italian customs office, where it seems to have been swallowed up. (We need to receive this envelope within the next 3 days because we will be out of Italy for 3 weeks starting Thursday!)
* AND...some nefarious being has hacked into our VISA account and made a $500 donation to an arts organization in San Antonio; I'm all for supporting the arts, but.... (Luckily, we have an arrangement with VISA to let us know if there are any unusual, questionable charges, and they have been spectacular about contacting us!) However, the best they could do is cancel the old card, issue a new one, but, because we're overseas, they can't mail it here. Sooooo, they mailed the new card to our home in CA, our dear friend, Kathy, was to mail the new card to us, hopefully arriving BEFORE we leave for Spain....given our history with the Italian Postal System, it didn't seem reasonable. So we are without a credit card 3 weeks abroad.....we can deal with that, but...
* AND...day before yesterday, the flexible tubing that funnels the exhaust out the chimney separated from the pellet stove, potentially spewing all kinds of fumes into the house and into our lungs. (we've all heard stories of or known people who have succumbed to fumes....I spent the entire night waking up to be sure I was still alive.) We've, of course, ordered new flexible tubing---but gee, not sure when it's gonna get in. Certainly not before Thursday when we leave. (In the meantime, although the weather is spectacular, the nights are close to 0 degrees C, we've pulled out the propane space heater.)
* And...my hair was looking like poop, so I got it cut, and it still looks like poop.
I am not used to feeling vulnerable...to anyone, to any situation, to my environment. We've done everything we can think of to prepare for emergencies, we've created back-up plans, we check and double check our paperwork and dictionaries, and we begin to feel comfortable, able to handle these challenges and life. Then, BOOM, the tubing breaks, the VISA is hacked, the mail gets cocked up---and I am a quivering mass, unable to function. I go into freeze mode--can't do a damn thing cuz it doesn't matter anyway. And then the questioning begins: WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING??? And I have a Big Bash, a Pity Party from New Orleans with floats and masks and music...then I find my bed and cover my head.
It isn't easy here, but, the flip side to my question is: WHAT THE HELL ELSE WOULD YOU RATHER BE DOING??? My answer is a resounding, "NOTHING!"
Soooo, I've allowed myself a PP, I've covered my head, I've found my bed, and I've decided there are worse ways to live. If we don't do this now, we may never do this, and on my death bed I would regret it! And...gee, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco await us, with mysteries to discover and cultures to unfold...just cuz!
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