MOVING TO ITALY
“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Changing Your Life
It feels as if we’ve never left Italy and in less than a week we’ve already done a million and one things. I am in a total whirl. Totally changing your life is a big task.
Today we visited Borgata Malpertus. We went up into the mountains to find the land that goes with the house we just bought for a song.
Yes that’s right we bought a house today in Bobbio Pellice!
Why?
It’s a long story. In short the house in Veravo is a major project and won’t be livable for some time. In the meantime we need somewhere to live hence the new place.
We are about to fully embrace a rustic life! I can’t wait to see what she teaches us.
Within minutes our children were feeding baby lambs with the local children, and I was busy taking photos.
I can’t wait to see the Borgata in every season.
Today has been an incredible day, crisp sharp cold and filled with the warmth of the local people.
After such a long journey we seem to have found a home that we never imagined yet already love.
Sam and I are already making plans and dreaming of how the Borgata could look if were totally restored.
That’s the joy when following your dreams…you never know where they will lead.
Our adventure begins…..now I’d love to hear about your dreams, how will you be changing your life?
and the gang x
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Excitement! I can’t wait to hear more about this. I love mountain areas and people – so different from the plains and towns. And the seasons so beautiful, the air so crisp. I could move up to the Dolomites tomorrow and it’s only two hours away!
Wow, how exciting! And such a great life there for kids! Countryside and animals! How about school? Is the local school far?
Good luck, looking forward to the progress! Always exciting to have a renovation project!
Hi Lisa, I’ve just found your blog through the commentluv search engine and wow, what a journey you are on. This latest renovation project looks like it’s going to be lots of fun… and hard work. Look forward to popping back to see how it all goes 🙂
How wonderful to meet you Jen, I just love your blog and totally understand the need to create mood boards lol x I worked in Australia in the decorating field for many years and yes I love wallpaper (and can hang it). Our current renovation is the latest in a long list and what we love doing. We are enjoying the lifestyle living in a working Borgata, so much to learn, ciao for now lisa x
Bravo! Bravo! That’s the spirit! Keep in mind you are an inspiration with all your whirlwindedness! (I’m starting a new career at making up words) As we say over here, GO WITH YOUR BADSELF!
And I’m with Jackie. I love hearing the details of the mundane, the ins and outs of the reno, the buying process, daily life, etc. If you are ever hard pressed for a topic, write on one of those and I’m in heaven.
Oh….and more goat pictures. He’s adorable! Maybe we should name him and let him have cameo appearances….
Oh I just love that word!! And will keep my ‘badself’ on the move! j
I’m so glad to hear you like reading about the day to day life, I always feel like I have someone to impress and should be writing something else. If I follow my heart is shows in my writing. I’m with you re the name for the goat although I’m not sure how long he will last before heading for the table (don’t tell my daughter, she can’t get her head around the fact that animals here are rarely pets). Still maybe they will sell him to us xxx
When we were in Baccana there was a free roaming goat as well as a donkey family. We were so entranced that when we came back to the states we had to get a goat! Now we have four and they are just what your daughter would like, Pets! Americans are in love with goats now.
Well I think a few might be pets, I have a friend Michelle from Bleeding Espresso who also writes a blog called Goatberries…they are so cute x
Excitement! I can’t wait to hear more about this. I love mountain areas and people – so different from the plains and towns. And the seasons so beautiful, the air so crisp. I could move up to the Dolomites tomorrow and it’s only two hours away! Xxcat
It is the people I love so much, they are hard but with a real sparkle in the eyes. One old lady lives here, she is in her eighties and goes up and down the slopes like a mountain goat. She wants me to learn Italian quickly so we can have a ‘chit chat’ x
I’d love to go to the Dolomites, maybe we’ll catch up some time xx lisa
I so admire you adventurous spirit and tenacity Lisa. I could never get quite that rustic! I like warmth and comfort too much. But I love how you embrace every obstacle! Such a great role model for your kids.
Can’t wait to see what you do with the place!
b
Funnily enough Barbra I wasn’t expecting to get this rustic either, the house in Liguria was our original plan but we need a fair bit of work to make it liveable. Luckily for us we have super Sammie who is in love with the lifestyle and embracing it wholeheartedly. I can see the amazing potential of this borgata and can’t wait to get started. ciao lisa x
It’s perfection. I’m sure rustic life will suit you all just fine. It seems that you all, already, are made for this. xo
Well it certainly suits Sammie just fine, I am still dreaming of that vespa ride by the beach in my outrageously fashionable gear……HA!
What a coincidence, ‘Under the Tuscan Sky’ is on television now. Vendesi!
I spent two Octobers in Baccana, between Aullua and Parma. Oh my, I do envy you and so look forward to your adventure!
The very best to you!
Strange how life works out Anne, I have watched that movie many times and read most of her books. Sadly we don’t have a work crew to help us with the renovations but I just love the scenes with the owl and the Madonna, the entire movie is gorgeous. Our reality is a little harsher but just as spellbinding. I also love ‘Extra Virgin’ by Annie Hawes. ciao for now LIsa x
What courage! We bought a house in the mountains 12 years ago, too. It was nothing like your little village, though. At least the cabin had a gas burning stove for heat but only in the living room, no heat in the 2 bedrooms and the Winters are very cold at 7,150 feet elevation. Friends and family thought we were nuts. Our daughter was very unhappy, being 15 years old at the time. Thank heavens your little ones are younger so view it as an adventure. After the 12 years and some “improvements” we have a very comfortable little cabin to ourselves. You will never regret your decision, I am sure!
Oh I think if Carina had been 15 we’d have had a mutiny on our hands Caterina. Even now they comment about when they will be going home. Our house will have a wood fired stove and I keep thinking the locals manage so we should as well LOL. I am just waiting for the ‘improvements’ to begin and your cabin must be very high?? Thanks for your words of support they mean so much x
So glad to see you are finally there. I can’t wait to hear and see the tales of your adventures. Where are you currently sleeping, not in the house surely. But maybe you are!
Ps. Larger pictures would really be good xxr
Ok bigger pictures it is Jeanni, and we are staying in a hotel but leave in the morning. A friend is letting us use her house in the mountains until we can get the borgata sorted for heating. So much happening and funnily enough we have ended up back where we started all those years ago. x
We are only a skype away as well….happy to help you in any way we can!
wonderful and thank you so much Marla, we hope to visit in the next day or so x
Fantastic, Bobbio is just over the mountain from us, can’t wait to meet you and see what you are up to on this adventure. If you need anything, do let us know. Fabrizio is from this area, so knows a lot of resources.
fantastic fantastic and thanks so much for making us so welcome. Can’t believe you are so close and I will have a million questions for you both xxx
Wow Lisa. I have watched your adventure with interest and I marvel at your determination with your project. You’ve started on your dream life giving it 110%. All the best, I can’t wait for the next installment.
Cathy can you believe it we finally got here! We will have plenty of installments that’s for sure!! sending love and sorry haven’t been keeping in touch I’m struggling to keep up with everyone LOL you know what I mean, xxx
Love it!!
knew you would Margaret!!! xxx
Hello Lisa, I have loosely been foloowing along and loving so many of your fabulous photos that you post. I am shocked to se that you are somewhere very close to us. I am wondering if you are in Val Pellice or ??? We live in Val Chisone and would love to meet you and your family. Give us a shout here or on fb…We’d love to welcome you to the area.
What a small world Marla, yours was one of the first sites I found and someone over at Italian Reflections already told us to look you up. We are staying at Hotel Glicini and leave in the morning for a friends house in Gambasca. The borgata is in Bobbio Pelice and when we fix it up a bit (heating etc) we will move in. I know we will meet up how exciting!!! ciao lisa x
It looks so perfect and so cold!! I love that your dream is now your reality,, and you are where your heart is meant to be.
Happy days, looking forward to hearing how your new adventure begins, and how much fun you all are having.
Dreams really do come true xxx
Lisa it’s incredible, so cold it takes your breath away. It’s snowing here at the hotel and the kids are wrapt. Yes dreams can come true, it took something but we got here in the end xxx Sending love to the family x
The adventure begins! Good luck with everything. With a bit of luck our house will be finished by May.
That’s great Deb, you are finishing and we are just starting x
You what???????? Arrived in Italy 3 days ago and already bought a house??? Lisa, you ARE a whirlwind! What wonderful land and a great goat-neighbor. How exciting for the kids (and for us readers)!
Yep that’s us, even I never know what we’ll do next! The goat neighors are wonderful and very friendly, we are going to learn so much. The lady already told Sam she will help him when we need to
#$*%^ the animals. The mountain people are so strong and the area so wild I am in awe x
Yes, that is certainly the joy when following your dreams!! Looks amazing! Is that little lamb yours too?
Sadly not ours but our new neighbors, it’s a goat and so sweet. Looks like we’ll be getting lots of animals as well. What made you make your big move??
ciao lisa x
I guess we’re just following my husband’s lead in a way. This is his dream, so we’re trying it out for a while. I still think we’ll only be away for a few months though, so definitely not as amazing as your adventure!!
I think that would make it so hard for you Talia especially with a little one. I remember our first time in Italy when Luca was only one and it was very hard to relax. I hope you find your dream together and stay in touch….sending love x
Hello Lisa,
I love everything about what your doing. This is my dream also, to buy and renovate an old house in bella Italy. I fell in love with Italy quite a few years ago, and cannot seem to let go:) I think you would understand…… Thank you for sharing this wonderful project with us.
Sally xx
Italy has that effect on you doesn’t it Sally, I totally understand and keep following your dream x Can’t wait to share the adventures further xx
All I can say is “wow” Is the new place attached to other houses or units? And is it on an alley way or is that a road between the houses. Also do the houses have heating inside as it looks freezing. Sorry for the questions I am just so damn interested in your journey. (I could ask heaps more but won’t) 😉
Hey Jackie please ask all the questions you like, I’m going to start putting more writing on the posts I always feel they are too long and nobody will read them LOL . The houses are all attached to each other, ours has a courtyard leading off a huge gate that is directly onto the path. It’s very tiny and not wide enough for a car, probably would have been donkeys. The house needs heating and it has a huge wood oven on the bottom floor. The bottom floor is for the animals and under the oven is a space we thought was for firewood but have been told is for chickens. It’s snowing now and so many changes I can’t keep up with them all xxx
PS Can I ask you if you think it would be better to have larger images?? x
I love larger images but the only problem may be, they take longer to load if you have a few of them and people may not wait. So the animals actually live in the house with you? You actually have to walk in the house through the animals or is there a separate entrance to get to the second floor? Are you getting animals of your own? or are you going to turn it into living space? I am assuming there is electricity in the houses. Love it.
Hey Jackie, I’m trying to keep it to about half a dozen pics max per post and put the vertical ones together or try some montages. Sam reduced all the images in size so hopefully they will open okay.
The animals do live in the house although this little guy was in a seperate part ( a small room which had six goats and some young goats and about four babies, also a couple of rabbits and some chickens all in together. We could hear the bleating everytime we walked past but the door was locked. We bumped into the owner who was lovely and she showed us inside and told Sam all about the animals and offered to help us when we get our own.
Our house in Bobbio Pelice (above) has three levels and the bottom one is for animals, it’s incredible and when we get the power on I’ll get some pics. We hope to get our own animals asap. x
When I first walked into the village Baccana, even though I am not a religious person, I was struck by an imagine of the place where ‘Baby Jesus’ was born, the stables being part of the homes. Amazing. So different from what I have known all my life.
Our little boy Luca keeps commenting on ‘baby jesus being born here’ each time he enters one of these stable areas and our house has a number of them on the ground floor. Many of the houses have ancient fresco’s on the outside and it’s also totally different to our lives but just beautiful and simple x
“…beautiful and simple.” Sound perfect to me. I’m touched your son has the same impression I had, thank you for telling me.
With Easter coming up I am waiting to see the celebrations and explain the stories to the kids. x
I’m so happy for you!!!!!
thanks that’s lovely Anne x