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Marche Accommodation:Le Marche, Marches, Italy, Italia, holiday, vacation,sibillini national park area

This section is devoted to our ongoing news about ourselves, the local people and events that surround us. You will need to go back to the past news pages for some of our updated news to make sense.It is like starting a book at the ending then reading back to the beginning

News April 2009
Earthquake (6th April 2009)the latest news everyone will already know about it but we expect some of you are curious as to how we fared in our area, thanks to all the people who got in touch to see if we were ok and how it might have affected us or our property. Seems a fair way off on the map but in reality much to close for comfort, the first we knew was
3.33 am in the morning of Monday the house was shaking like a jelly and we were being bounced around in our bed, something tells you that you should get out of there pretty quickly but you feel bound to the spot by the sheer force of it all accompanied by a loud rumbling thunder noise that went on for only around thirty seconds but seemed like an eternity, but got up very fast as it subsided, stayed up for a couple of hours and all seemed quiet by then. Had scoured the news and internet and seen the terrible loss of life mounting up and whole communities destroyed our hearts went out to them can not even begin to imagine what they had gone through, but decided sitting here at 5.30am in the morning was not helping so went back to bed but within less than half an hour had another real shaking so ran down this time and stayed up from then on fearing for the worst although the dogs were upset that we all had to get up before it was light not to happy about that.
As it got light inspected the house but not a sign it had damaged anything, then the phone started ringing and the emails started arriving, we sometimes feel a little reclusive living here had not realised how many friends and family we have until then we have to say many thanks for worrying about us like that. Then spent the next couple of days checking on all our clients properties glad to say no damage anywhere, during all this time we continued to get the after shocks which at times were still frightening having seen the damage in the epicenter you got that feeling deep inside that “but for the grace of god go I” we have now been a day or so without any more scares here.
Had an email asking if we could help with non perishable foods for the stricken zone so sent out emails to our clients asking if they would mind if we raided their store cupboards without exception they all came straight back and said yes. So we made a round of their houses and collected a substantial quantity of food added our own plus donations from friends to swell the pot, it all came together as a worthwhile effort so thanks yet again. Looks like the poor souls who survived are going to be waiting a long time before they get back to any kind of normal life again maybe years to have proper homes again
We have to say we were very aware that we were moving to an earthquake prone area on the scale of risk from 1-10, 1 being the highest we live in number 2, but you can see all the pictures and news but nothing prepares you for the sheer might of the earth if we had known just how powerful it could be before might have rethought the move. But we are now a part of “our Italy” and kind of stuck with whatever is thrown at us there is now no going back. We can only pray that it will be a good long while before the events of the past week happen again it is just a part of life here have often felt slight tremors usually just enough to rattle the crockery but this was the wake up call.
Hope the next time I get round to another update it will be on a much lighter note so check back again in a month or so to see how life is with us well that’s the plan we will see how it goes.
 

January 2009
Only one update in the whole of 2008 had not realised that was all I had done until we received a mail from one of our old friends, so decided to sit down and write what we have been up to in all that time as it appears that a lot of the people we have met or had stay with us or just friends still look to see what we have been doing with our time.
Firstly our dogs are still doing fine and living a life of luxury that most Italian dogs would not even dream of, not that normal Italian dogs are ill treated its just that they are just another farm animal and looked after that way, and ours are spoilt rotten would come as a real shock to them if they had live a normal “Italian” dogs life.
Secondly we are also fine well now anyway had a few accidents along the way worst ones being a broken rib and Liz trying to cut her finger off but all healed now, still busy with house management and praying that our owners get some bookings this year given the sad state of the world at the moment, a really hard time for a lot of people and looks set to last a while maybe they will be so fed up with what they can’t do they will just blow some cash on a holiday to “magical Marche” would at least go back feeling they had experienced a break from the turmoil of this harsh world.
Some of our sunsets are just unforgettable the above shot was taken one pleasant evening from our kitchen window the whole countryside turned amazing shades of pink and red and the way the camera shows it was exactly the way it was.
January being a quiet month give us time to catch up with our own work around the house and grounds so have been starting from the beginning again and redecorating some of the house, the kitchen has had a facelift and repaint, also redecorated the study laid a new floor in the main bedroom, so some of you who have not been for a while will see a lot of changes. Now about to return to the UK for our Birthday/anniversary bash with the family the only way we seem to be able to get everyone together, have our friends house and dog sitting while we are away so they can continue their luxury lifestyle no kennels for them, they would think the bottom had dropped out of their world if they had to go in kennels.
Winter so far has been long wet and miserable still raining as I sit writing this, will be nice to see the end of March then hopefully will start to see spring arriving in April well that’s the hope anyway. May is always my favorite time of the year while not always hot the colours are intense, young, fresh and green, with the end of the month bringing the firefly’s still hard to believe these creatures can exist a totally incredible sight.
Then we start the “Feste” season of which our local one is the first then it goes through until Autumn with every village holding their own, along with summer to come its quite an uplifting thought to look forward to.
Along with all the work on the land to do mixed with looking after our clients homes and guests it will all pass to quickly, so must just mellow a little for now as life passes to fast so have to remember not to wish time away and enjoy every part of it no matter what.
The one lesson I have learnt here is to let everything take its course, have been surprised by the new arrivals here in their rush to get everything done “right now” its not the way we do things here, slow down chill out and it all falls into place eventually. Although I have not read through my past news doing this update I feel sure I must have expressed the same impatience with life and workers here, but when you eventually learn this lesson it is so liberating and you feel the tension disappearing from your life, people have always said its the Italian diet and healthy foods that keep us living longer, I think it has more to do with the whole lifestyle and mindset so come on all you stressed out people do it our way “Piano Piano” (slowly slowly) its the best lesson you will ever learn. Will try to get round to doing updates on a more regular basis again but life passes by as always and maybe because of the way we have evolved in our life here it no longer seems so important to write about all the things that happen to us either good or bad, good seems to be to norm and bad does not happen often enough to worry about.

May 2008
Must be getting very smug in our ways as this will be the first update since Christmas the years just seem to slip away before you notice they have gone, although our life continues at a fast rate with hardly ever a dull moment.
Anyway winter came and went and all very mild and un-winter like it was we had quite a lot of snow just before Christmas being the heaviest it made it special yet again nothing like snow for the festive season, then lots of projects for clients mixed with our own house and guess what!! the place is now finished never thought we would ever get there but a nice feeling even got a couple of Portico’s as you can see in our spring photo here.
Also one of our English friends had their baby’s baptism out here, our local town did them proud with a service to remember even went to the trouble of having a dual Italian/English service will be something for them and Ludo (baby) to look back on during the future. This was followed by a Christening lunch which managed to stretch out from 1pm until 5.30pm quite a spread all done in ”Di Priori” in the Piazza no one dots on babies like the Italians.
Next week it is local Feste time yet again “Vincisgrassi” up in our own San Venanzo like all good Feste’s this one is based round the pasta dish of that name, wont go into to much detail as I know it is covered elsewhere in the news pages, but if you happen to be around on the weekend of the 17th May drop in but be warned it does not kick off till around 9pm and goes on till the early hours we know how to put on a good bash just ask anyone for Liz and Barry they will point you in the right direction, if not watch this space will get round to another update sometime soon.

December 2007
Seemed to have skipped a couple of months this time Christmas approaches fast but still busy glad to say, can’t bear sitting round with nothing to do. It will be another quiet Christmas for us out for one day but but back here with a couple of friends the next, no family again this year but visiting them early in the new year so have that to look forward to.
 Update on our Electricity supply, we now have a line of shiny new poles and a new line to our house so hopefully we can now enjoy full on supply right up to our massive limit of 3kw, still trying not to go down the holiday home route and have masses of kw’s enough to drive a small factory we still have our eye on helping save the planet in our own little way surprising just how much can be achieved if you make the effort.
New wine now on tap and have to say “Pepe” was right as always the wine is the best year we have had since we have been here, just leaves us to enjoy it now.
Yet another cracking summer here the sort you imagine when you think of Italy, but winter is with us now had a couple of lots of snow already but gone for now, and it is just damp cold and miserable as it has been for a few days now, having said that we still get to eat lunch outside on more than the odd day even at this time of the year. So get try out the latest home improvement our Portico, thought it was about time to put up a permanent structure seeing we do live the best part of the year outside. Now even on a rainy day it can still be warm so we get to spend even more “al fresco” time instead of having to retire inside.
So we wish you yet another happy Christmas and new year, don’t forget we are still here and always happy to see our friends and returning guests so whenever your feel like a trip to “paradise” do get in touch. 

News September 2007
Well September already almost over days still very warm and nice but nights starting to feel decidedly autumnal soon be moaning about being cold, still now fully prepared for the cold with our range to cook with and also drive the central heating. Been another Summer you read about in flowery books describing a dream lifestyle in Italy, not always the case of course but this and even last year have indeed given us long dreamy summers and all that brings such as water cuts and even a lot of property damage from ground shrinkage so “paradise” does have its problems. As you can see above the grape harvest is now in and the quantity is well down but to balance that the sugar content and quality are way up from the sunshine, so am told that this year will be yet another great one for top grade wine. Peppe (above) cant wait to show us the quality of his grapes and I must try harder until I can match his crop, on my reckoning might get there in about another ten years now allowed to get much more involved in the wine process so  must be a sign he thinks I am slowly learning also Dante (grandad) is slowing down a lot now so the workload on the rest of the family is growing so any help is welcome even from a soft Englishman. House owners doing their final visits for the year for a few weeks now so still plenty to keep us occupied, off out shortly to our favourite “Le Querche” to join some owners making me feel hungry already so will close now and get ready.

News August 2007
OK just a quick update very busy at the moment and family with us as well so a pretty hectic but enjoyable time for us. Weather this year hot!hot!hot! and very dry bit of a disaster for the farmers bad or no crops, starting to have water cut off’s now, in our time here have not seen it like this, been great for holiday makers but not for the people who live here. Not sure how it will affect our grape harvest but have to say not looking to healthy at the moment, and struggling to keep our vegetable patch going but will manage somehow. Lastly an update on the electric, decided to have a quiet word with a friend how has “friends” in ENEL the electricity company, well a few days later while we were out they turned up and replaced a length of our cable seems to have made a difference but still not perfect but manageable just. Have tried to remain “Italian” and manage with our 3 kilowatt supply, but look around at holiday homes who are forgetting about saving the planet and having 6 kilowatt supplies put in, so in the end we are beginning to feel that we should drop our principals and join them as we live here and it does not seem fair that we should be the ones to go without while the meager supply is rapidly run down for holiday use. 

News June 2007
Yes still here! I was shocked when I looked at our site only to see how long it had been since I last did an update to the site, it is somtimes dificult not to keep covering the same ground over again in updates after all we are only a middle of nowhere rural working household so only so many things happen. Did look at the picture below of me on my tractor and saw the vineyard was still bare today it is in full flow and established now really quite proud of it and produces great wine. Life still throws us suprises both good and bad the latest bad one is Electricity, the other evening we did not have enough electricity even to power our cordless phone, called out the engineers and they tracked the problem down to the house above us draining all the meagre power and leaving us with enough to give what looked like one candle power. The main problem is after telling us what the cause was they then said we have to call in an electrician to monitor it then certify the low power here?? after them coming to tell us the problem why can't they just put in the new line it was their own diagnosis. Still there you go Italy still can throw trouble at you, most probably drag on for months now before we can get the line upgraded and cost us a considerable amount of cash just to provide what they contracted to, but still not leaving our bit of dodgy paradise it does have so much to compensate, will try to keep a little more up to date in future.

News March/April 2006

Raining today so a chance to update this page, have had a really nice spring period so far and everything is starting to look fresh and alive now. As always we are busy, and if you ever decide to stay with us you will get a taste of a real working traditional farmhouse. We are happy with our home, and our hard work over the last five years which we hope has produced a home that even the inhabitants of yesteryear would still recognise as the farmhouse they used to live in and earn their living from, but which in reality has gone far beyond the simple farmhouse with more bathrooms for the comfort of guests although in past years it most probably had no bathroom or toilet inside the house, a kitchen that our local friends still wonder at but they do approve of our use of Italian taste and materials, again in past years in spite of the reputation for good food their kitchen would have been tiny with just a sink and wood stove because their food and taste was and still is very rural and simple. Also we have just had to include the luxuries that are “essential” to us expats that seem to have no value to local people who still live the traditional rural lifestyle, but its heart is still pure farmhouse. Our latest “luxury” is pictured here, oh how much hard labour this is saving, not to mention the extra “Browny Points” it is earning us, by showing we are still trying so hard to become REAL Italians maybe a way to go yet though, no parading round Piazzas and expat gatherings living the flowery dreams of books for us. Just long days, hard work, and pleasant times with close friends in-between, for us this is the real Le Marche and life lived in the real world, with its real rewards that can only come from the effort put in.

January / February 2006
 Another (5th) year and life continues to settle us into the “Italian” way of life, so much so that the thought of living anywhere else fills me with dread, and this from someone who until our move here lived constantly with the travel bug to keep on moving. Although as Liz would soon say, it does not stop me from looking at that greener grass on the “other side” but now it stops at just looking and wondering. One thing that has changed quite dramatically with the passage of time, has been the amount of friends who came to start a “new life” with a permanent no going back move here, and looked as though they were here to stay have now thrown in the towel and mostly returned “home”. Where at one time we had a healthy group of friends from outside Italy, now we seem at times to be almost the sole surviving people to have made the move long term and permanently. There are still fresh people arriving to ‘chase the dream’, but we now tend to keep to our distance as hearing these people in the markets and restaurants, with their plans, is something we stay away from as we now know they wont all make it but who are we to shatter their dreams they may just make it. The one thing that we, and others fail to recognise sometimes is Italy and Italians are a “foreign” culture that is more pronounced in our rural setting, and they do not bend to suit us, and the best that will be gained is to be accepted as “Honorary” Italians, as we will always be wanabe’s unlike England where every creed and colour suddenly become British! and pandered to, this is not a judgement just an observation whether rightly or wrongly made.

But on to news, Christmas saw a large gathering of family over here with us, and a great time was had by all. The kids got their snow to play in and build a snowman, then up to the mountains to bob sleigh, followed by a trip into Sarnano for a hot chocolate so thick you could stand a spoon up in it, topped off with thick cream. This was the stuff memories are made of, and it most probably will be a very long time, if ever that this Christmas gets forgotten. The problem will be trying to top it again, but you never know we may be able to equal it.

We are currently exploring the possibilities of installing our own swimming pool, depending on the final costs, and accepting that even in Italy it will still only have a short period of use as winters here are still long.

With the knowledge that we have long very cold winters, we are sitting here by our log burning stove already planning out next winters heating strategy, which may eat into our pool fund for even more heating next winter.

Liz will escape for a week during February to visit family while I doggy sit (someone has to) so it will make break from the long cold days here, to long cold days in England, but I will survive okay as we now have authentic spices sent out for a decent curry! just don’t let our Italian friends know as they would never forgive us. The last authentic curry was in Rome during an autumn visit, we also discovered the bus to Rome from our local town this is the way to do it, no car to worry about which is not needed anyway as it is so easy just to walk everywhere, now back to stoke the fire up with another large log. One last sad note our friend and Liz’s mentor “Granny” as we lovingly called her who was our neighbours mother, died during January but she will remain on the April calendar page along with Liz this year as she taught her so much about the local way’s, and will be missed.

May / June 2005 
Well June is now with us, our life these days seems to be almost totally work, but as we came here to make a lifestyle change and start a new career we could say that we have achieved it completely. Things that were so hard for us to deal with at the beginning now are just a part of our lives now and don’t warrant a second thought, and we only realize how far we have come when someone else arriving here starts talking about the difficulties and maybe they may have to end up leaving, which in fact some do but most do make it okay. All of our early projects like a new vineyard, fruit trees, and olive trees now are looking as though they have been here forever, even the house four years on has only one minor project to complete during the winter months (bad thought!) as our workload eases. Okay four years may be a long time elsewhere but here it is almost record breaking speed, and we have achieved this all by ourselves when we say we restored a house in Italy we really mean just the two of us, and this with a business to run as well. Going to stop now as being this humble and not blowing our own trumpet, may make you think we are proud of our life and achievements here. By the way here are is a picture of what was our cow shed room, now our utility room and summer dinning quarters helped by Toby and Max.

 April 2005
Although I had planned on not doing to many updates in case it all got a little repetitive, so many people have asked for some kind of regular update as they were still interested in our ongoing saga so I will go back to a monthly update from next month. As predicted our Italian urchins “dogs” did go through a period of gay abandon without Mitzi to keep them under control, but much to their credit they have gone through that and seem to have matured into a pair of fine young dogs with their own different personalities and ways, to our surprise “Daisy” learnt so much from Mitzi she has turned into her in a miniature form. As I prepare this update some of our family visiting us are taking in a film in the lounge, they have had some glorious weather but today it has turned wet and miserable. But it has given the grandchildren Toby and Max a day off from being slave driven by me into mixing concrete for one of our more major renovation projects, a second kitchen and dinning room for our summer quarters down stairs. While their Mum and Dad skived off to Assisi and Perugia for the day we got down to some serious floor laying and finished the floor during the day, to get ready for the repointing of the stone work, still Mum and Dad had a great day out and came back with glorious reports of Assisi in particular but never came back with a sample of Perugias most famous export “Bacci chocolate”. Yes even four years down the line we are still fitting in our own renovations in our spare time between managing property for our clients, and we are pleased to say looking after our guests both returning and new.   

Another Christmas is on us and this year no snow (yet), so we have been able to get around much easier, although there is still plenty of time for it to make up for lost time. The mountains do look very nice with snow-capped peaks and good skiing for those people who enjoy it, but for me I will stick with a good warm fire. As always we would like to say a very prosperous new year to everyone who are friends, guests past and future, and people who visit our site for help and advice, and as you see we are still updating.

Well that resolve about not updating did not last long, just as I thought there was no more to say I looked out of our window and realised just how much our vineyard had come on from the time it was just a patch of earth. So here are the before and after shots of the same patch 2 and a half years on.

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