Italian Adventures – We Bought a House in Italy!

April 7, 2022

After all of my excitement about Tomas, I had to get ready and head to Orvieto to try and resolve my WiFi issues. Just to be clear, I still needed WiFi and I was getting desperate.

The day before Desiree told me about an internet router I could get at the TIM store that allowed me to plug it in and unplug it whenever I needed it and could get a strong WiFi signal for 99 euro for 3 months. I could technically go to any TIM store so I drove into Chiusi since it was 15 minutes closer. The woman at the Chiusi TIM store told me the internet router Desiree had recommended wouldn’t work where I lived so she wanted to sell me an annual contract for service. I had my doubts but was getting desperate so I agreed to do what she suggested. She said I should go home, check my email, activate my account and schedule a time for the technician to come out.

Long story short, this didn’t work and Desiree said NO! the simple modem approach would work where I lived since she used it very successfully in Sardinia. She called the TIM store in Orvieto and worked out what was truly needed. She said to call her once I arrived so she could speak to the agent, Francesco.

Quick bidet shower and I was ready to go…

I was driving to Orvieto and as I was passing the Pet & Garden store in Fabro Scalo, I saw these amazing lemon trees with the largest lemons I had ever seen, except in Amalfi. I couldn’t stop because DHL was delivering the boxes I shipped from the US in the afternoon and I already missed them once due to inbound flight delays (they seriously only took 6 days to arrive!!!). FOCUS!!!!!

I arrived at the TIM (pronounced teem) store in Orvieto Scalo and they had the modem I needed. Desiree talked Francesco through the process and I was feeling good. I asked to make sure that the previous transactions were cancelled so they didn’t interfere with this new modem setup, but I was assured by everyone that once I didn’t schedule the initial appointment, they would cancel the agreement. This didn’t feel right to me so I asked several different ways, always getting the same pushback and assurances. I didn’t feel good about this but my Italian wasn’t good enough to initiate a different conversation so I had to rely on what they told me.

Now, back at the house, I put the SIM card into the new modem and plugged it in. The lights flickered and looked promising so I left to take care of other projects.

DHL came around 3pm with the 3 of the 4 boxes I shipped from the US. I quickly set about opening and emptying boxes. I was on a mission! The garden store re-opens at 4 so I had plenty of time. I opened each box carefully, throwing packing cubes into my wagon to take inside and setting other key items aside to take wherever they needed to be. I was thrilled to see that my family photo collage picture frame arrived without damage, as did all of my other items. I methodically set everything into piles and took them into the house or shed, accordingly.

I checked the time and knew I could make the garden store today so immediately headed out. I grabbed some basic herbs for outside my kitchen…oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage and chives and then I asked how much the lemon trees were. They had 4 sizes…baby, teenager, young adult and this bad boy.

Naturalmente I went for the big one…perché no?!!! Well, except the fact that I am driving a Twingo! But alas, Marco (garden store guy) and I managed to get it into the back without too much disruption. Except for all of the dirt that spilled out everywhere inside the rental car and the blood dripping down my arm from getting gouged by the huge thorns. I had no idea lemon trees were full of 2 inch thorns.

Ahhhhh! I love it here!!!!! But seriously, my yard is full of 4 ft tall grass & numerous weed varieties. This weekend I’m off to Leroy Merlin for a heavy duty weed eater (strimmer) and a lawn mower.

My plan…tackle one section at a time before I can hire a gardener!