We assigned ourselves the ... enviable... task of painting the interior of our ‘kiwi4everhome’ this Summer.
As one does!
Doing so when the “feels like” temperatures reached nearly 40 degrees Celcius may seem like madness, but someone has to do it. And we chose ourselves!
You may well ask yourselves why?
I do believe we did ... several times during the ‘fun’ that is slapping on not-one-but-two coats of undercoat-come-sealer on our rough-plastered interior walls, with all the associated hassles that that involves.
We had to do so, of course, as our interior walls were looking a little sad. All neglected, flaking and dust-causing. No surprise, given they hadn’t been seen to for nearly nine years.
The good news is that, thus far, we’ve managed to complete seven of our nine rooms. So only have our bedroom and the laundry to complete. “Easy then!", I can hear you saying? Not so much really: Our bedroom ceiling is over three metres high, as well as being barrel vaulted to boot!
You may well ask yourselves why?
We had to do so, of course, as our interior walls were looking a little sad. All neglected, flaking and dust-causing. No surprise, given they hadn’t been seen to for nearly nine years.
The good news is that, thus far, we’ve managed to complete seven of our nine rooms. So only have our bedroom and the laundry to complete. “Easy then!", I can hear you saying? Not so much really: Our bedroom ceiling is over three metres high, as well as being barrel vaulted to boot!
Oh joy!
But back to the question of why do it ourselves? Now it’s not a question of cost, as labour is both cheap and the workmanship is good here. So, it’s not that.
It’s essentially because we still can!
We may be getting on a bit, something I certainly feel at the end of every day of painting, but we can still do it, y’see? Therefore, we will.
Ten years from now though?
Not so much…
It’s essentially because we still can!
We may be getting on a bit, something I certainly feel at the end of every day of painting, but we can still do it, y’see? Therefore, we will.
Ten years from now though?
Not so much…
Happy Days!
Tuesday the 29th of July 2025 marked a special anniversary.
And it’s one I’ve blogged about three times ... and am more than happy to blog about again! Y’see, on Thursday the 29th of July 2021 we picked up the keys to our ‘kiwi4everhome’ from our notaio (notary).
The icing on the cake being this is one date we’ll never ever forget, as it also marks one of our other happiest days: The birth of our youngest son, Anton.
Naturally, we went out for dinner to celebrate both events. That “Fritto misto” (“Mixed fried (sea)food”) I ordered was to die for, too!
Anyways, this place of ours has become our ‘safe haven’ against the outside world: Our little corner of this beautiful island no one can, and will ever, take away from us. In short, our forever home, of course.
It’s a place that’s proven, time and again, to be more than adequate for a couple of old(er) Kiwis. Especially now we’ve got it into a state we’re happy with. I mean, except for the interior painting mentioned, we have double-glazing, a fitted kitchen, and most of our furniture was bought new too.
The location couldn’t be more perfect either, as it’s within a short (no stairs) walk from about every retail establishment we’d ever require. And we can park our car for free only a few minutes away.
Our 87 square metres of happiness…
“Expats”
I’ve mentioned before I dislike the term ‘expat’.
A reminder: Wikipedia defines an ‘expatriate’ as: “A person who resides outside their native country.” Fair enough, we fall into this category.
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| One group I left 'cause of its toxicity...! |
But are we actually expatriates? I don’t believe so: In my opinion, we should more correctly be labelled as ‘immigrants’.
Why? Because that definition better fits our small communities here, don’t you reckon? Wikipedia again: “Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents, or where they do not possess nationality, in order to settle as permanent residents.”
There we are: In black and white!
So, for me at least, the term ‘expat’ can be (and often is) seen as implying wealth and/or privilege. It implies an ‘otherness’ that I don’t choose to be labelled with. Not when my future’s here.
Why my ‘re-rant’ then?
Well, it’s because I’m finding my fellow ‘expats’ to be increasingly … vexing. To the point where we’ve actively disassociated ourselves from many here! To be honest: I’ve found the majority to be petty, unrealistic, and downright toxic at times.
All those ‘niggles’, whinges and whines can get you down. The little ‘cliques’: Who’s in? Who’s out? And don’t get me started on the “He said…” and “She said…” shite!
We don’t need such toxicity in our lives … so why bother?
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