INSPIRATION

Let’s have a Coffee and Chat ‘getting to know you’

getting to know you

In the evenings after the kids have gone to sleep, when the house is quiet Sam and I both get on the computers. Sam sits at the table in the kitchen and I sit at my little desk in the lounge, we talk through the doorway and he constantly calls me to come and look at things he’s found. It’s hard to concentrate tonight, the fire is making the room warm.

I’m thinking of making a coffee and thought wouldn’t it be nice if I could have one with you, a little getting to know you session.

I love hearing about your hopes, goals and dreams!

Friendships have formed within these pages, I’ve met incredible people with big dreams living in Italy, incredible people living amazing lives all over the world, people who are planning an Italian life, people with big hearts, friends I’ve come to care about and who care about us.

So I’d like you to close your eyes (after reading this of course) and imagine you are in Italy, actually close by and heading our way. We’re meeting for a coffee, we’ll be in a tiny cafe with lots to share, much hugging and kisses on both cheeks, delight at finally meeting in person, and sharing…..lots of sharing…..

Over to You…..

Where are you staying, what have you been doing here in Italy? What have you been writing, drawing, creating, thinking? Who are you with, who do you love, what did you want to be when you were growing up, what makes you laugh?

If this is your first coffee in Italy how does it taste…..where are we sitting?

Which city, village, town, are we by the sea, in the mountains, feeling the warmth of sunshine or the chill of snow…..

What would you like to know about me?

Let’s get to know each other Better my dear friends…..a meeting of like minds and kindred spirits xx

I’m all ears… take it away my friend…..

and the gang x

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8 replies
  1. Judith Elms
    Judith Elms says:

    Hi Lisa, Sam and Family,
    I think you are all so eager, loving, caring, I would love to Chat, I miss my family so much, I,m very 🤒 unwell, I have not been on Facebook for a long time due to health ,however Lisa I love to see what you and Sam, & children have achieved, love and cheers to you Beautiful friends ‘
    Cheers 🌟♥️♥️♥️🌟👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

    Reply
    • Lisa Chiodo
      Lisa Chiodo says:

      Ciao Judith, sorry to hear that you’re so unwell, I wondered how you were and hadn’t seen you on fb.
      Sending lots of love and hope that Connie will be able to share her adventures when she returns from Italy mid year.
      much love xx lisa and the gang

      Reply
  2. Krista Bjorn
    Krista Bjorn says:

    Hi lovely 🙂 I’m in Australia, sitting in my armchair, Bear in his. I incorporate a bit of Italy into my life whenever I can, usually through books and food and your blog. I miss it often. When I’m stressed and anxious, I can close my eyes and remember sunsets over Lago Maggiore, late nights talking with friends in a house with 2-foot thick stone walls, a train ride through the mountains on a glorious Autumn afternoon. So much joy and happiness in those memories. 🙂 XO

    Reply
  3. Yvonne Evans
    Yvonne Evans says:

    Hi Lisa, Im reading this as an exercise in dreaming and wishing…..a move towards something. I think I am meeting you in a coffee shop where there is ocean. I am staying near Firenze but I know to live here in Italy I will need water nearby. So I am meeting you in a location near the sea to feel the area. My home is just out of village with some land. It is even land, no sloping and no height and I walk easily into the village. My two cats have come with me to Italy along with my art and selected pieces of furniture and I have added lots of sought out italian pieces from my jaunt in the car around Italy. I have a small b&b that I run and have frequent visitors to offer me income and I have an online counselling practice with skype. I have excellent wifi in my home. Sometimes I work with groups of people around the world in selected locations such as Scotland where I guide others to learn how to connect with the land and their wild nature. I write poetry each morning, I paint on canvas and I am currently learning italian in the afternoons.

    When I was growing up I wanted to be a teacher. I have taught for much of my life though not in schools but in the corporate world and one on one sessions about consciousness. Lisa what I would like to know about you is what you have learned about creating your own reality? Do you come across the need to give yourself permission to go a certain way? Do you feel personally that you have been soul guided?

    Reply
  4. LA CONTESSA
    LA CONTESSA says:

    CIAO BELLA………….I already lived in ITALIA its been 28 years ago we moved there and 25 since we left so I only lived there for 3 years and 4 month and 7 days BUT WHO”S COUNTING!I being the AMERICAN did not want TO LEAVE!Most of our belonging left a head of us with my Italian husband I stayed behind to allow my first born finish FIRST GRADE.WE than came home with 18 pieces of luggage, two dogs, two cats and an ITALIAN woman!IT was a HARD ADJUSTMENT for ME……..STILL IS.I would play ITALIAN MUSIC and of course WE cook THE ITALIAN WAY……..but I’m NOT YOUR TYPICAL ITALIANA!ALTHOUGH my NICKNAME is LA CONTESSA…………….The house is paved with bricks the closest thing we could find to a CASA COLONICA LOOK!I was an ANTIQUE DEALER for years so A LOT of that STUFF JUST STOPPED IN MY HOUSE and NEVER MADE IT THE SHOP!I have created my own ITALIAN FARMHOUSE in MY own WORLD with chickens in the GARDINO and a PIGGY who lives in the CASA CON NOI!I dress in KAFTANS and have ITALIAN OPERA BELTING through out the house and GARDEN on any given DAY………..if THE ITALIAN is HOME he will offer YOU a CAMPARI……….the ONLY drink he drinks besides VINO and we do make a KILLER PIZZA in the oven that came from the VALLEY behind our house in FIRENZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SMALL WORLD it was bought HERE in the USA!I do speak to the animals in ITALIAN but they do not speak back so I am losing the technique!I hear things are changing over there and NOT for the BETTER!!!!Over HERE we have the IDIOT man in the White House!I”m thinking NOW we may end up in AUSTRALIA!!!!I do have the coffee machine YOU would find in THE BARS over YONDER!!!!!SO, if you were ever to come my way YOU doNOT NEED to FRET about THAT STARBUCKS MUDDY WATER STUFF that cost $4.00 a cup!WE GOT YOU COVERED!IN a PROPER CERAMIC ITALIAN COFFEE CUP TOO!XX

    Reply
  5. Sharon
    Sharon says:

    Hi Lisa

    Unfortunately I can’t imagine meeting in Italy, but, I am in Portugal enjoying life.

    I am Australian and I married a Portuguese man. We retired here 5 years ago, to a small village of 64 people, near a lovely town called Viseu.

    Our house has been in my husband family since the mid 1700s and we have done quite a bit of work to,it. We grow mos of our own fruit and vegetables and eat seasonally. It is so nice, we are able to have fruit and vegetables from our land all year around. We live a very different life to the life we lived in Australia. But, I do miss the children and grandchildren.

    I have followed you n Facebook and your blogs for about 5 years I think, maybe a little less. I am interested to hear how,Th children are growing and enjoying the life, are you and Sam renovating any more houses? How large is your village in Italy. How is your dog?

    We have a lovely dog called Fafa and we enjoy her,

    Fernando has lots of family here and in Viseu and Viseu has s much happening, we attend orchestral concerts in the 700 Cathedral. This year Viseu hosted the European Folklore Festival, the town was hopping.

    I look forward to more of you blogs and a coffee

    Cheers 🤗

    Reply
  6. Caterina B
    Caterina B says:

    We have met before, Lisa. I have read your blog for many years, ever since you were renovating a house back in Australia before you made the move to Italy. I have enjoyed the blog over the years. How many could it be? I don’t remember. I am retired now, and still live way out in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. We became grandparents two years ago and are loving it. We have two sons, one of whom is the daddy. of our grandson.Our only daughter is back home with us.now. She returned home two years ago, and is recovering from a fifth surgery on her severely damaged ankle from an accident six years ago. This last surgery just might be the one that lets her rejoin independent life. We have three dogs and three cats, one dog and one cat for each of us, according to our daughter. It’s hunting season here now and hubby has been accompanying our oldest son up the mountain while he hunts. Twice they have returned home in the middle of the day because of weather. So far, no luck. I don’t remember if Sam hunts deer. We don’t eat it anymore because of hubby’s heart disease. I don’t think I’ll preach about eating meat right now, though. Your children are growing up so fast I can hardly believe it. Before we know it, they will be going off to college! Yikes! And….our grandson, too! If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll have a second one by this time next autumn. I am happy to read that you are forging a good and happy life in Italy, Lisa.

    Reply
    • Lisa Chiodo
      Lisa Chiodo says:

      Congrats on becoming Grandparents, how lovely!! We started late with our own children so I’ll be an older Grandmother for sure. I’m hoping your daughter recovers what an awful thing to happen and five surgeries…. can’t begin to imagine. Sam doesn’t hunt, but we do have deer here and I saw a family of them a month back when out gathering chestnuts with a friend of mine. Carina is about to turn 17 and Luca 15, where did the years go? She has a lovely boyfriend and has settled in to life here so easily. Look forward to hearing about a future grandchild come autumn, my mum has just become a Great Grandmother again with the birth of my nieces son… Auguri to you dear Caterina xx much love lisa

      Reply

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