Catch up.

It's been a while since I posted. I think the 'We completed' post was the last one and that was 2 weeks ago (blimey, that time flew!). A very quick run down on things that have happened since I suppose. 

We moved in officially a few days after completion, once we had managed to clean and get things in place (although not a new oven (it was delivered yesterday to Sabi's parents house...)) Our beautiful retro red fridge arrived a few days after while our washing machine came at some point too. 

The biggest challenge, and it is a challenge is that Sabi got a job! She is working in a cafe about 20 minutes down the mountains in 'Mondovicino', an outlet park and shopping centre that caters for a whole variety of people and tourists alike. It isn't her dream job, but it is (in my eyes) short term until I am up and running teaching English and running woodland activities and she can get Amore Mio Italia going. 

Sabi's "part time" job turned into 8-9 hour days almost immediately (day 1 in fact) and she has been working shifts, though thankfully she is usually home in time to say good night to the kiddos. With this, I have been thrown into the stay at home dad position which I have struggled with purely because the house isn't ready, I'm not allowed to drive (Thanks Brexit, ya great goose), we don't "officially" own the woodlands here yet and I don't speak Italian. 

Day 1 of "Kids with Dad" found us upsetting old ladies in the Ice Cream parlour and confusing staff at the Supermarket (I say "us" obviously, it was only me that did these things - see blog "Where Neil caused trouble" for more). Thankfully things improved after this with trips to playgrounds, and a second trip to the market both much more improved (actually saying Grazie, instead of 'you're welcome, in Italian, to the shop clerk). We also made some progress in the house, getting the kitchen and living areas cleaned and sorted (though we all knew it wouldn't stay clean...)

We celebrated two birthdays over the weekend just gone, Nonna (Friday) and Il Padrino (Monday) so we had an impromptu pizza cook-up on Saturday and then we visited Nonno & Nonna's for the late afternoon (and night and following day) on Monday. The kids enjoyed the swimming pool, which is the only thing our new house misses (though I am tempted to chuck the kids in the pond sometimes). 

Sabi had a day off on Monday too so we 'explored' up the mountain, aiming for Rastello, but being blocked off at a ski resort because of some e-bike event, so turning around back to Norea and a picnic in the park. 

We continue to do stuff, explore etc. Lobo continues to escape and terrorise the users of the cycle track out the front of our house. I have almost given up worrying about that though. The next big and exciting thing to happen will be on Saturday when my amazingly fantastic, adventurous explorer (Leonardo) turns 5! 

We'll be having a party at Nonno and Nonna's so there can be swimming and his God mother (Manu & family) can be in attendance.