I was lucky enough to work for a great company before I retired. Loved the people I worked with and miss them terribly, but I was always juggling my time. When COVID hit and we began to work from home it was even more difficult because mornings ran into lunchtime, afternoons ran into evenings and before I knew it the day was over. Weekends came and went in a flurry of paying bills, cooking, shopping and before I had time to rest it was Monday again. Of course it was even more frantic for me towards the end of my working career because we were selling our home too. Now I’m finally retired, and living in Italy. My time is my own. A few chores, maybe a little laundry…then I can go for a walk, read, write (I will get that book finished eventually). The other amazing thing is, I really don’t have many bills to pay. I lived in the US for 25 years and seemed to be constantly shelling out money. Property tax, gas bills, electric bills, homeowners insurance, car insurance, umbrella insurance, the list seemed endless. I hadn’t realized how expensive it was to live in America until I left. Of course I still have bills to pay, but not many. Now I spend more time in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes. I walk daily, sometimes twice. My joy of photography has been reawakened. At the moment, I’m restricted because of COVID, but next year at some point, road trips will be possible. Short breaks visiting different areas. Hopefully I’ve got ten good years in me before I’m decrepit, so I’ll make the most of them, retirement is a good thing. If anyone reading this is contemplating retiring early, do it! Now I just need my daughter to visit and things will be good! Go away COVID and let us live again!!!
Well here I am! Been talking about it and planning it for three years, but never really thought it would happen! I’m RETIRED! In my head I thought I’d leave the US in a blaze of glory. I’d planned on hosting a leaving party at my local bar for a few close friends, but COVID came along and stopped that! The two wonderful folks I supported at Western Union, hosted a small, safe, socially distancing party, which was absolutely wonderful. I was able to say goodbye to a few close friends who’d made a difference in my life. I had to fight back the tears as they said lovely things about me…were they really talking about me? I almost stood up and said STOP, I’ve changed my mind…I’m staying, but here I am, thousands of miles away in Southern Italy. I miss my daughter, and I miss my friends, but I know they understand I needed a quieter, more relaxed life. I’m very lucky to be able to follow my dreams. More stories to come.
To my friends my retirement plans appear to have gone smoothly. Things just fell into place!
They weren’t back stage watching me manage contractors across the Atlantic. Rising at 5:00 am, translating emails, working with furniture stores, banks, Realtors and trying to understand how to get things done the Italian way.
Luckily for me, the folks in our new village are wonderful, kind, helpful people. We couldn’t have done this without them.
“Oh things have gone so easily for you”
NO! It has taken perseverance.
Now we’re in the final chapter. House sold, furniture donated or sold. This final piece of the puzzle should have been easy. Book a flight and “hey presto” we’re on our way to Italy!!!
Not quite! Thank you Mr. Trump, for not being a great leader, actually for not being a leader at all.
Thank you for making Americans unwelcome in Europe! Luckily for us we have Italian residency and UK passports, but getting a flight from the US to Italy is almost impossible. We’ve had two cancelled already.
This isn’t the fault of Delta Airlines, who have been outstanding and helped us through this mess. I rebooked my flight for the third time yesterday, thanks to the great travel agents at American Express. They went above and beyond to help me. Lets hope the third time is a charm.
It isn’t COVID 19 that is bringing the USA to its knees. It is the way it is being handled, or should I say, not handled. Please Mr. Trump, in your last few months as President, show some compassion and decency to the folks of country you promised to “make great again.”
It’s been a while since I blogged. I’ve been back from Abruzzo for one week now, but my heart is still there. I didn’t leave the way of life behind, but brought it with me, in the cooking especially. I miss the simple, flavorful food so, I make it here in the US.
It doesn’t taste quite as good because the produce isn’t as fresh, but it will get me by until I return.
This man is in love with HIMSELF!
Not sure what happened to the lower tax promise. My middle class taxes are much higher. He promised to make America great again! It already was great! This egotistical lunatic is washing it down into the sewer.
I’m sure his own pockets are being filled to overflowing with all the secret deals he’s making, and he’ll be paid well for the rest of his life. Disgusting! I wish he could see himself from the eyes of the rest of the world, as the bad joke that he is.
Can anyone do anything to stop this manipulating moron or will he be allowed continue to spread he racism and hatred? How can this be allowed to happen?
OK, had to get that out, it was festering inside me. Sorry, but I do feel better now.
On Tuesday evening, when I realized how the election was going to play out, I took something to help me sleep and went to bed. With out a sleep aid, I’d have been awake all night planning my escape from the US. Silly really, I love my home in Colorado. Sure if I had enough money I’d buy a second home in Italy, and stay there as often as I could, but my daughter, and her husband live here. I’m not going to run away from the people I love.
I got to thinking about why I was so upset. There are the obvious reasons. Donald Trump’s campaign was filled with hate and negativity. His profile was that of a male chauvinistic pig. Was that an act to get people’s attention? Will the real Donald Trump be a kinder gentler man?
Then there’s this Pence guy. He terrifies me. He looks like a Nazi. Looks can be deceiving though can’t they? I’ve read about him and he really is very right-wing! Much too right-wing for me.
Then I thought about Barack Obama and what a graceful, intelligent, thoughtful president he has been. I’ll miss both him and his beautiful family.
I just hope our new government remembers this is the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. We don’t want to be dictated to, just need a little guidance. I hope the new government listens to us. Every country has good folks and bad folks, and some that are a little bit of both. Lets throw all of our beliefs and values into a big pot and mix them together.
Maybe the end result will be spectacular.
Oh, and one last thought……..Michelle Obama 2020. She already has my vote!
I love to travel! So many places to see, people to meet, wines to taste and things to do, but starting the day with a cappuccino on my own deck is pretty special too! Colorado, my home.
It all started in March of 1994! My daughter watched a show on TV called “Wish You Were Here.” It was presented by Judith Chalmers and was all about a train ride through the Rocky Mountains from Banff to Denver. “Oh mum, what a great place to have and adventure,” she said. She was eight years old at the time.
As a family we loved to travel, but we’d never been to the US. “Looks like fun,” I said, “Lets talk to dad when he gets home from work.
We moved to Denver in January of 1995, less that a year later. My husband left a great career with the Bank of England and started work as a consultant with a company in Golden. He travelled with work so through him, my daughter and I travelled too!
The first six months were rough. We were living on one salary instead of two. I had to make new friends and the culture in Denver was much different from what I was used to. So was the language (believe it or not) and the food. Now people knock the food in England, but I missed the Indian, French and Italian Restaurants, which weren’t so good when we arrived in Denver. Denver has come a long way since then and the restaurants are great here now, but back in 1995, that wasn’t really the case.
I couldn’t work for the first couple of years because my visa wouldn’t permit me to. I couldn’t even do Charity work. How ridiculous is that!
Here we are in 2017. I live in Franktown, a beautiful rural area, with a view of Devil’s Head Mountain and Pike’s Peak. My daughter is happily married and lives in Dallas, she’ll most likely have a family of her own soon.
I still strive for adventure and love finding new places to explore, but I guess moving to the US was my big adventure, and I’m still enjoying it. Maybe one day soon we’ll actually take a ride on that train, after all, it’s what brought us here.
