That's it, decision made: We're off to Sicily!
Following on from our recent trip, we’ve made our minds up.
If you've been reading this blog, then you'd know mine was pretty much made up already. While Alice remained ... somewhat ... less enthusiastic right up until the 11th hour.
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| Making a list, checking it twice... |
Unfortunately, following much discussion, both columns remained stubbornly tied!
The deal-breaker was that when we did the same for staying in the UK, the cons outweighed the pros by quite a margin.
Not the best basis upon which to make a life-changing decision of course but, nevertheless, a decision had to be made.
And that was sooner rather than later: Given the Coronavirus situation; the cost of living here; and us (me) wanting to take early retirement.
So, on Monday the 17th of August, we gave our landlord six weeks' notice, and began planning our move.
Which entailed (you guessed it!) me creating a file imaginatively named 'Planning the Move'. In which I created a Word document entitled 'Moving to Modica'.
Okay, I didn't actually create it. Rather, I copied-and-renamed an existing document that had been named 'Moving to the UK'. Why reinvent the wheel, as there are a few such named files on my laptop.
Which may say something about me, you think?
Okay, I didn't actually create it. Rather, I copied-and-renamed an existing document that had been named 'Moving to the UK'. Why reinvent the wheel, as there are a few such named files on my laptop.
Which may say something about me, you think?
It's Modica
So, I named that Word document 'Moving to Modica'?
The reason's simple: That's where we've decided to settle. As I said in my last post, we both much preferred it over nearby Ragusa.
Okay, that's hearts not heads talking, as the larger city has more services, being the provincial capital. But the smaller is, we reckoned anyway, nicer, and f'sure has enough services to be getting on with.
And that's despite the fact the property we (I) thought showed 'great promise' ultimately didn't.
We'd employed a local builder to carry out a property survey, and (despite what the agent insisted) he reported the roof needed replacing, and the whole place needed re-wiring and re-plumbing.
Now we'd expected the latter, but not the former!
Well worth the €300 we paid to walk away from around €50,000 to €80,000-plus worth of reconstruction on top of the house price!
That's our heads and not our hearts talking because, when it comes to buying, we're going in with our eyes wide open here.
As that possible 'forever home' fell through, we've decided to rent for the first six months. There’re two reasons for this: The first is, of course, it'll give us time to do a more thorough search; the other is, as we'll be there late September, we have to start the residency process as soon as we arrive.
The reason's simple: That's where we've decided to settle. As I said in my last post, we both much preferred it over nearby Ragusa.
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| If it's good enough for her... |
And that's despite the fact the property we (I) thought showed 'great promise' ultimately didn't.
We'd employed a local builder to carry out a property survey, and (despite what the agent insisted) he reported the roof needed replacing, and the whole place needed re-wiring and re-plumbing.
Now we'd expected the latter, but not the former!
Well worth the €300 we paid to walk away from around €50,000 to €80,000-plus worth of reconstruction on top of the house price!
That's our heads and not our hearts talking because, when it comes to buying, we're going in with our eyes wide open here.
As that possible 'forever home' fell through, we've decided to rent for the first six months. There’re two reasons for this: The first is, of course, it'll give us time to do a more thorough search; the other is, as we'll be there late September, we have to start the residency process as soon as we arrive.
To beat that 31st of December Brexit deadline.
We don't want to be here when the UK crashes out of the EU.Rush Rush
Recently I've found myself falling into the 'Grumpy Old Man' category.
Not through choice, you have to understand! No one, after all, really aspires to becoming a 60-something crusty curmudgeon, do they?
What's brought this on, you ask?
It's the UK government, I'm afraid! I truly care about my adopted country, as I do my own, but this government has made so many U-turns recently it's becoming quite dizzying.
Albeit on their response to the Coronavirus.
And it's made me yell (more) at the TV. Not good for my blood pressure!
But it's not really that that both angers and scares me, it's their headlong rush to 'achieve' Brexit. Regardless of the increasing likelihood of no trade deal, despite much opposition, and disregarding the all too obvious aftereffects.
Because all of this is making me rush.
And I don't like to be rushed.
Not anymore, anyways.
So now we have only three months to try and achieve residency in Italy. And, while it's certainly doable, it'll now be a wee bit more stressful than it could've been. There's no getting around that, I'm afraid!
Now I do realise Italy ... and f'sure Sicily ... isn't any sort of a utopia here. But I'll have plenty of time to worry about that (hopefully) next year.
For what little remains of this year, I'll just stay a little stressed thank you, and continue to huff and puff at the TV.
Thank heaven for my wife, wine, and my e-cigarette.
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| Whatya looking at? |
What's brought this on, you ask?
It's the UK government, I'm afraid! I truly care about my adopted country, as I do my own, but this government has made so many U-turns recently it's becoming quite dizzying.
Albeit on their response to the Coronavirus.
And it's made me yell (more) at the TV. Not good for my blood pressure!
But it's not really that that both angers and scares me, it's their headlong rush to 'achieve' Brexit. Regardless of the increasing likelihood of no trade deal, despite much opposition, and disregarding the all too obvious aftereffects.
Because all of this is making me rush.
And I don't like to be rushed.
Not anymore, anyways.
So now we have only three months to try and achieve residency in Italy. And, while it's certainly doable, it'll now be a wee bit more stressful than it could've been. There's no getting around that, I'm afraid!
Now I do realise Italy ... and f'sure Sicily ... isn't any sort of a utopia here. But I'll have plenty of time to worry about that (hopefully) next year.
For what little remains of this year, I'll just stay a little stressed thank you, and continue to huff and puff at the TV.
Thank heaven for my wife, wine, and my e-cigarette.
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