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A Life Chapter Closes

Four great dogs… my friends, my confidants, my fuzzy children.. unforgettable. My search dogs, now all gone from this earth, but not from our hearts. My last, dear Romeo, was the best of my best. His love and devotion reached deep into our hearts and souls, making the journey from here over the Rainbow Bridge a difficult but precious one during his last few weeks.

But not only having to say goodbye to our dear boy, but also a final goodbye to a way of life for close to 30 years. I may have not been active in search and rescue for the past 4- 1/2 years living here in Italy, but with Romeo by my side, we never truly left that life. Now that chapter is finished and we have turned the page, as sad as it may seem to be at this very moment.

So why, apart from missing my 4 great dogs, would this be important enough to write about? What was the Search and Rescue that gave substance to my life for so many years?

It began with the woods and dogs, both which I were very comfortable with. When I was young, I would camp out in the backyard. I’m sure some of you have done that. Dad must have seen something of himself in me so when I was a preteen, he took me on my first hike up a mountain. I didn’t do a lot of mountain hiking until I was an adult, but the hook had been set. Mom wasn’t big on us having pets, so once I got married, all bets were off. I’ve had dogs all my adult life.

Let me take you back to the early 90’s. I had been actively looking for a volunteer group to join, to give back to the community where I was living in central Virginia. Being more of an outdoors person, nothing offered at my church seemed to call to me. At some point during that period, a friend of mine asked me if I had ever heard of searching for lost people with dogs. I was clueless. I went to a local training held by Dogs East SAR group in northern Virginia. It was a night training. Many of the callouts for searches are at night, as usually the family looks for their missing person during the day, then when unable to locate their family member, they call the local sheriff’s office by the evening. This makes night training essential for the teams.

After watching a handler and her dog locate a volunteer ( the subject) hiding in the woods, seeing the dog return to the handler, indicate the ‘find’ with a jump, and returning to the subject with the hander, I was totally onboard. No going back for me. My first search dog was an adoption from a work partner; a washed-out gun dog, a sweet, somewhat confused Labrador named Buck. We became candidates for Dogs East SAR group, but after a few months we moved to K9 Alert SAR Dogs located closer to my home near Richmond. This group then became my family for the next 26 years, with a brief absence with my third dog, Orso. I will explain that decision in a bit. Buck and I, after two years (this is about normal) became an operational team for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, as eventually my second and fourth dogs, Luce & Romeo.

So it began all about woods and dogs but it morphs into so much more! Little did I envision how much more it would mean to me and what it would require of me! Take land navigation.. when I first was introduce to all its complexities, I was certain I was hearing a foreign language. I felt out of my league immediately. I knew how to have a dog as a pet, but to train it to search and locate lost people, a new world opened up to me. There was search strategy & scent theory, First Aid, dog obedience, multiple search tests for both my dog and I, radio comms, evac strategies and techniques, the list goes on and on. Throughout my 27 years of active service, I never stopped learning.

K9 Alert SAR Dogs – early 1990s & 2000s

Level of commitment was high. We were required to train with the group 50% per month and training was every Saturday night or Sunday day. Location for training could be 20 minutes up to 3 hours from my home. Searches could be anywhere in the state of Virginia. Volunteer work is not for the faint of heart or for those with a family of small children. Just many hours on call and lots of driving ahead. For me, with my daughter already grown and my husband a busy chef, I was able to balance training commitments, searches with my career & family life. Not always easy, though.

About 18 years into my membership with K9 Alert SAR Dogs, my husband and I were building our home in Nelson County, Virginia. Literally we were building it with a few helpers, and it was a large home on a mountainside. Training with the group, traveling long distance, the time commitment and doing statewide searches had to be put on hold for about 5 years. I was in the midst of training my third dog, Orso, a monster-sized Labrador. I shifted gears, got certified with a police dog association and became a Special K9 Officer (strictly volunteer) for the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office. During this time with NCSO, with Mike Hull, a world renowned Man Tracker and Massie Saunders, local search manager, we formed the local search group, F.I.R.S.T., Fast Initial Response Search Team. We assisted the local sheriff’s office as well as responded to a few regional searches.

Nelson County Sheriff Office

With fourth and final search dog, Romeo, and our house completed, I returned to K9 Alert for my final active years in SAR.

Training

Then there were the solid bonds built between me and the people of SAR, whether in my group or throughout the state. When you spend so many hours together, whether training or at searches, it’s inevitable that you come to view your group members as your extended family. There are also the friendships made from people you’ve seen throughout your travels in the SAR community. All these individuals become part of your support network and many lifetime friends. Searching for lost individuals can be very taxing on the mind and body, and it is important to have strong trusting relationships in the field.

Friends Made…for Life

But truly the strongest and incomparable bond I had was with each of my amazing dogs. Each one so different from the other, with their own talents, strengths and personalities. They so love to work when their rewards are food, toys and praise… Training with them was always the best part of SAR for me, and their devotion to me and their work unfathomable. I am sure all handlers feel the same about their dogs and rightly so. We are a team, my dog and I.

My Guys & Gal

The chapter may have closed but it doesn’t end my friendships and I will certainly not forget my dogs. Nor will my husband, John. With his support and sacrifice for so many years, I was able to commit long hours to my dogs and SAR, many of those hours away from home. Our dogs will always be a part of us. I am thankful that I was able to serve the community of Virginia and very thankful for the gift of my four great dogs.

Sadly, Romeo crossed the Rainbow Bridge
January 15, 2022, but we know that he is happy and running pain free with his litter mates, Isla and Buddy, and most certainly with our Orso, Luce and Buck.

More Fun, Less Work

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The apartment renovation work is behind us and the hot weather is gone. Time to do some more fun stuff. Why else move to Italy… certainly not do be consumed by projects!

So what am I cooking up for fun? The most obvious are the town festivals. Entertainment is usually free and they are more predominate in summer but are year-round. This past summer, our comune’s calendar was chock-full of music, food, historic and sports events and they continue on into the fall. The venues are usually in our town’s piazza or a street that has been closed for foot traffic only. Food vendors are prominent, and the offerings are so wonderfully delicious. In conjunction with the street food, the local ProLoco group may cook up an amazing array of the area’s typical dishes. Check out below what was cooking here in Rocca! ….. traditional lamb fest, and this tradition has been going on for 43 years here… So we check out the calendar here as well in neighboring towns to make our decisions. 😉

Each year, a day prior to the Lamb Fest, a local hiking guru offers an excursion, usually up the mountain to historic or ecological sites. This year, we were able to join this event with about 30 others. A quick breakfast of the delicious local pastry, Le Scrippelle, was offered. We headed up into the countryside to a local grotto, just underneath the wind farm and Roccavecchia. The weather was iffy, with clouds and fog and the threat of rain, but just as we began the hike, the wind pushed all that away for a glorious day. It was a diverse group of various ages. I think the most memorable part was when some of the group began singing local folk songs as we hiked along. We finished up the day with a delicious group meal and more fantastic folk music at Le Due Querce Ristorante here in Rocca .

A while back in one of my postings, I had mentioned the difficulty I was having finding a place to take Romeo for off-leash walks. In the US, if I went hiking with the dogs, the only true danger would be coming up on a mother bear and her cubs. But if you make enough noise as you move along in the woods, having a bell on your dog and backpack, you normally will not have any issues. Here in Italy, I’m not as comfortable. There is the concern of meeting a herd of wild boar, with some angry males and their maiming tusks. Just not something I’m keen on Romeo running up against. The perfect and obvious solution was to take Romeo up the mountain where we had recently hiked with the group. There I can see for miles to assess if all is safe. Romeo is recovering from a lazy year now that he is back on the trail, and we’re all getting some extra miles in and loving it.

  • Our friend Alex and her dog Jack joined us for a fun morning.
  • The castle of Roccavecchia is directly above Romeo at top.
  • The grotto is located in the large rock outcropping to the left.

So apart from hiking and road trekking, we love to bike. Well, not as much as in our younger years. Many moons ago, we both had road bikes. I can remember putting in some serious mileage back in college. Those days are long gone. Now, we have mountain bikes, but truth be told, we are not into biking the killer climbs at our age. So we dusted off our bikes and headed to the sea. There are some fantastic bike trails throughout Italy and the one along the Adriatic coast is called Il Corridoio Verde Adriatico. We stick with stretches that are relatively flat as we get back into shape.

Last year, when we lived near Silvi Marina, we could bike to the town of Pineto and up towards Roseto d. Abruzzi. Some stretches still go along a busy route 16, but slowly almost the entire coastline will have a beautiful dedicated bike path. Last week, our jaunt was a short one from San Salvo Marina up to Vasto Marina and back. Only about 8 miles, but we could tell that we were seriously out of shape in the comfort department! So we’ll be back each week as we enjoy this great fall weather.

  • Monument of the Bather, Vasto Marina

We have some more fun events planned as well as just sightseeing around the many hilltop villages. I promise to share pictures and also recap John’s application process for his Italian passport.

Normally I leave you with a few stunning panoramas, but this time, instead I’m all about food . We’ve tried a couple new places in the area but always come back to our local favorite, Trattoria La Fonte. Angelica at La Fonte has been creating some awesome salads for me and friends around are now enjoying them as well. Yes, I love to eat… being Italian… but also like to stay in shape. One new restaurant for us is close to the beach in the town of Cupello. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for following…

  • Angelica salad 🙂
  • Serious burger Chalet Cupello
  • Angelica taking La Fonte’s bruschetta to a new level
  • Milkshake and donuts – Chalet Cupello
  • Another amazing La Fonte salad
  • Indulgence…fried
  • Angelica … got to love her! Semifreddo perfection

Sea Rescue Dog

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About 27 years ago, while living in Virginia, I started to actively look for a way to volunteer. I wanted to give back to the community, but I wasn’t finding anything that I felt capable of or comfortable doing. Then I was introduced to Canine Search and Rescue (SAR). The fit was perfect for me – many hours in the woods, hiking mountains, using cool outdoor gear, day or night, all with a dog. And of course, finding & rescuing lost persons or providing closure for family members was the most important outcome of hours of training.  What could possibly be a better way to volunteer? You can read up on K9 SAR through the link to my Virginia group, K9 Alert Search and Rescue Dogs, Inc. Many missions, 4 dogs and 25 active years sped by. As the years started to accumulate and I got older, I could feel the numerous miles taking their toll on my body. I was definitely slowing down as the same mountains seemed to be getting higher. Leaving behind friendships, etched in years of training and searching day or night in all kinds of weather and terrain, was truly a tough decision. Before I had to make that decision, which was even more difficult as Romeo, my current dog, was still in his prime, John and I moved to Italy.

With the move and wanting to have more free time to enjoy and see Italy, I promised John and myself that I would not get involved in another search and rescue group here in Italy. And I am keeping THAT promise. What John didn’t bargain for was that I was interested in helping the Sea Rescue Dog Association in nearby Pescara. My original intent was to see if they needed an extra body to hang out in the water for the dogs-in-training to rescue, or haul water on the hot summer days to dogs and humans. Who was I kidding!

So, in November 2017, I went to observe one of their trainings, which just happened to be taking place on a piazza in downtown Pescara. During the off-season months, when it’s too cold for humans and dogs in the sea, most of the trainings entail obedience among distractions of people and sounds, as well as some agility and rescue techniques for the dogs. I found out that Romeo and I could participate and actually get a sports certificate, without me taking a lifeguard test. At my age and with my promise to John, I figured this would be just right for Romeo and I, and I could still provide help when needed. We couldn’t do real-life rescue, but we could be involved.

winter practice

Winter Training

My once-a-month commitment (which I told myself), turned into every Sunday. Romeo is excited to go and is loving every moment of his new ‘job’. And he has made some nice ‘girlfriends’ along the way. After many months of obedience work, we are now entering the sea. I grew up in New Jersey with a father who imparted to me a healthy respect of the Atlantic Ocean. And if you’ve ever been to the Jersey shore, you know you need to respect those waves and undertow. So I cut my sea teeth on the Jersey shore, and it feels so very good to be back in the water. Romeo was a bit hesitant as he’d only been in lakes and ponds, but he’s getting use to the sea now.  We did have some little waves last Sunday, which gave him a few minutes of apprehension but he sailed on through smiling.

The water work is both similar and different for him. Similar in the fact that he is ‘finding a person and rescuing them. The difference is they are not lost and they are in the water. Romeo was a land search and rescue dog in the US, where he would search an area in the woods to find the lost person, come back and tell me and bring me back to that person.  Now I’m directing him into the water to a specific person. He swims out  and pulls them to shore. There are additional components where we enter the water together, swimming out to the person, and bringing he/she to safety.

Pulling Marco to shore

Pulling Marco to shore

Romeo is catching on quickly after only 3 lessons in the sea. Labradors, as well as the gentle giants – Terranovas (in US they are called Newfoundlands) are just bred that way.  What I forgot to teach him were the Italian commands for focusing on the drowning subject and then  heading out to the rescue. Our trainer, Marco, would be holding the dogs back, as their handlers sprinted into the sea to face the shore to pretend they were drowning. The dogs would be going crazy to swim out. Romeo’s turn came up. I sprinted out, turned and Romeo just meandered into the sea. Why wasn’t he getting ‘pumped up’ to head out to me? The light bulb came on… Marco was speaking to him in Italian. I have now added the Italian command to the English, and Romeo is becoming bilingual. Soon I can drop the English..smart dog!

IMGP3016

Pumping Up The Dogs

IMGP3045

Gulliver Ready To Rescue!

You may be asking, what has John been doing while I’m having all this fun? Well, he has graciously stepped up and volunteered his services as one of the group’s photographers. And literally stepped up..at our recent sea trainings, he’ll be calf-deep into the water, ballcap turned brim back (as any self-respecting photographer knows), clicking away at those ‘blasting through the waves’ canine shots.Many or most of the pics on this page today are his. Additionally, he gets to walk the beaches and shoot all kinds of interesting compositions, with some soon to grace the walls of our home.

The members of this group are hardworking and talented (as well as their amazing dogs), but definitely fun-loving Italians who have graciously accepted Romeo, John and I.  A few of them do speak some English and are very helpful in translating what Marco is explaining to the group. My primary translator and friend  Fabio, along with his lovely wife, Silvia, are Skyping with me once a week. They are working to improve their English that they use in their work environments. I’m trying to improve my conversational Italian. (They are doing a lot better than I am!) Needless to say, all the training sessions with Sea Rescue Dogs are in Italian. 😉

IMGP1798

Kim practicing her pull

Marco throwing baywatch

Marco throwing the Baywatch

IMGP2753

Practicing pulling Baywatch to shore – the rescue

Beaches officially open beginning of June here, so the teams that have gotten their lifeguard certification and completed the water training, will be working the local beaches. Our sports certification test is coming up July 1. My daughter Brooke and our son-in-law Ryan will be visiting during that time, so they get to watch. I’ll try not to be too nervous.

It should be obvious that Romeo and I are thriving. It’s difficult to turn away from a long-standing love of working dogs, and volunteer work gets into your blood. We are very happy campers and I am truly thankful to Sea Rescue Dog Association, but mostly to my husband for his patience and understanding, and to my God for giving me Romeo. Wow, life in Italy just fills my heart.

Enjoy the pics… Ciao until next time….

IMGP2746

Romeo pulling me in

IMGP3061

Enjoying the life

 

Our Furry Kids

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waiting on the ballJohn and I both came to our marriage with dogs. Well, not just dogs per say, but more like dog children. And a funny thing, we both turned out to be lab lovers. The thing about labs is they actually do remain children all their lives, even when they become elderly… We kid each other that it’s like living with 3 year olds… every day…

When we were planning our move here to Italy, one of the big issues was moving our dogs safely to our new home. You can read about that part of our plan in my posting Hiring a Pet Mover. It went so smoothly, we were amazed. Yes, Romeo did get a UTI, but a few weeks on antibiotics cleared that right up.

Apart from getting them here, was the thought of leaving our wonderful vet behind in Lovingston, VA. I am sure Dr. Ligon would love to come here to examine our pups as well as see Italy. A fanciful thought but just not a practical one. 😉 I did have some concerns trying to locate a highly recommended veterinarian in our region, with me not knowing anyone to ask. Would he/she live up to standards we had come to know and love back in the States? Would there be sticker shock? Would we be able to express our concerns so that we were understood?

All of that was laid to rest. We found two excellent practices, all through Facebook and Google reviews. The first one is a small practice led by an endearing and competent veterinarian. Both our dogs love her and her techs, and she has a very gentle manner. Romeo was the first to visit her upon exiting his flight with an UTI. (That was more from his habit of holding it longer than necessary than anything done erroneously with pet mover management. )We got that straight and then Orso, Mr. Timid at the vet, had to be checked out for a paw infection. Again, gentle doctor fixed him right up.

Then things ‘heated’ up for Orso. Orso is our 12 year old lab, one of my retired SAR dogs. Back in June 2017, he had a soft tissue sarcoma removed from his side by Dr. Ligon, DVM in Nelson County, VA. Tests followed and it appeared he was cancer-free, apart from the sarcoma, and would still ‘be with us’ to make the trip. Whew.. But we knew, at some point, cancer would return. A lump developed on the back on his front left leg, and we needed a clinic that could address the possible implications. Once again FB & Google reviews found us an excellent clinic only 30 minutes from the house. This particular practice had been founded a number of years ago and had just recently moved into a new facility. Last count, I figured they have at least 7 or 8 vets on staff, open 7 days a week from 9 am – 7 pm! And my concerns of being understood….out the window. At least two, if not three, of the vets speak English. The staff is knowledgeable, trained in the latest medical advances, and most of all, compassionate. And what great care and concern they showed Orso and us. We are totally impressed and know we are blessed to find this clinic.

dear orso.jpgI’ll try to condense Orso’s treatment as best I can. They removed the lump on his leg, sent off for analysis (non malignant), did ultrasound, found spots on his spleen, returned after a given time for second ultrasound, concerns that spots appear to be growing, removed spleen and 4 lumps on his side, all sent off for analysis. And through all this, Orso was a trooper. John and I… not so much and the staff couldn’t have been more caring to our feelings as well.

What about the costs on all of this, you may wonder… About half of what we would pay in the US. The vets actually apologized to us about “charging us so much!” In the meantime, as we await analysis, Orso has recovered nicely and feeling himself again. Whatever the outcome of the analysis, any treatment will only be for pain management, when and if needed, and anything that would improve his quality of life here.

I know that is a lot about our dogs, but again, they are our furry children and give us unconditional love. We try to match that with our love in return and the best possible care. And they get to learn and live Italian. 😉 So rest assured, if you are moving to Italy with your canines, there are wonderful veterinarians to be found.

In the meantime, Spring is trying to make a bit of headway, but cold, chilly, wet weather has set in for a bit. I don’t want to think about what the mud will be like at the end of this spell. The farmers around us, Ugo and Francesco, are getting their vineyards and olive groves ready for the new season. Also, the fruit and nut trees are blooming all around. I’m getting itchy for nice hiking weather, then bring on the hot, dry summer! But until then, some early spring shots. Enjoy and ciao for now…..

trees pruned

Olive Trees Pruned

vines ready

Vines Ready

early blossoms

Early blossoms….whoops.. possible snow next week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

When The Winds Blow

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Last year, this region of Italy was slammed with an inordinate amount of snow. The folks around here are saying this only happens once in 5 years. Well, that seems like a pretty tight model for us. Power was out for many days, snow reached up to tops of doors, stuff like that. Now, the worst of it was closer to the mountains, but even Treciminiere, where we live, had a couple of feet from what I can gather looking at pictures.  Even if we don’t get much snow, fingers crossed as I’m not a winter person, the wind blows from the mountains with a fierce-some force.

So, we’re taking measures to prepare for the worst, and hope, as they say, for the best. One of the challenges is the mud around here. The alluvial soil turns into glue. Sticks to your car, feet, dogs’ paws and just is a pain. The road we live on is gravel and farm tractors are up and down it during the day. This in itself may prove to be a bit problematic maneuvering if winter is wet and warm. So maybe I need to pray for cold temps until the spring. In regards to mud and our parking area outside the courtyard, we lined the area with cane stalks (in lieu of straw) and this will give us a stronger base to walk over. Always the courtyard to park in if needed.

 

Cantina – wine cellar
Our ground floor
The stable – used for milk cows

Another item to take care of are the broken windows and open spaces under the house. We have basically three rooms on the ground floor under our living space; stable, cantina & storage. The stable was the worst offender with a number of broken panes of glass and just open drafty windows. John took cardboard, left over from all the IKEA boxes, and covered up all the openings. He then sprayed the cardboard with some acrylic to weatherproof. Looks like it’s working and the floors upstairs are much warmer. In addition, John put up a tarp over the entrance to the cantina to stop more airflow.

Inside, we had to take care of the entry hall as this space was an add-on at a later date and not winterized at all. Single pane windows, sorely needed silicone, and the older part of the house is not heated. John bubbled wrap windows and the dividing door from unheated to heated. We also got some heavy curtains to cover the single pane windows in the heated part. Much better and the dogs are happier as well, as they have their beds in this hall.

We have lots of gas for our boiler and cords and cords of wood. Dogs have a nice garage with dog beds & heat lamp, so they are set on the days it’s not too nasty. Otherwise, the guys are usually inside with us when there’s bad weather. In the unheated part of the house, we have a cold storage room. We are setting aside drinking and washing water, extra staples and the such. So, yes, there are some challenges apart from all the beauty, but that’s a given everywhere on planet earth 🙂 And it doesn’t sound too much different from winters in Virginia.

Some fun stuff that has been going on these past few weeks are wrapped around the holiday season. Christmas decorations have gone up in towns and villages and many homes have twinkling & blinking colorful lights. Stores are filled with all kinds of sweet gifts, wrapped in sparkling and shiny papers and bows.

 

Lovely Tree at a Local Bar
Serious Dolce
Stacked Cake
Window Shopping
More Dolce

In Atri, the season opened with La Notte dei Faugni, which coincides with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

(Google translate: The tradition of the “faugni” in Atri is very rooted and dates back to the pre-Roman period, when the city was the capital of southern Piceno. In Atri the “faugni” appeared for the first time in religious rites in 431 AD. with the council of Ephesus. Subsequently, this ritual was renewed on the occasion of the translation of the Santa Casa da Nazart to Loreto. Tradition has it that even today, at the dawn of December 8th (5.00 am), feast of the Immaculate Conception, there are “fauns.” The Faugni are bundles of light, well-connected reeds that are brought into procession along the streets of the historic center of the city of Atri, from people of all ages, each of which embraces a “faugno.” The event acquires a particular charm due to the historical setting in which it is repeated: you walk the streets and neighborhoods of the historical center, along the remains of an ancient theater of the 1st century AD, the churches from the thirteenth century to the eighteenth century and the ducal palace of Acquaviva (one of the most powerful families in central southern Italy from the fourteenth century to the 18th century.)

 

John and I are still not quite into the late night/all night partying culture of Italy, so we bailed very early in the evening. We did get to see & hear a wonderful Celtic Italian band – Modena City Ramblers – warming up for their set that was to begin at 1:30 am. Warm up was at 8 pm and we could manage that. Streets lightly filled with the earlier crowd. When I looked back on FB the next day, I saw pictures of the streets packed with folks during the wee hours of the morn.

Also this past week, I got to attend a training session with Sea Rescue Dog Association. Romeo and I were both thrilled to be working. As I mentioned in my bio, I had been an operational dog handler in search and rescue in Virginia for a bit over 25 years. Great years of volunteer work and also great friendships with other dog handlers. Sorely missed! I do get a chance to chat online, from time to time, with my good friend, Pam, who is an operational handler with K9 Alert SAR Dogs, but it can’t take the place of face-to-face in-person camaraderie.

Going to this training on Sunday, now that I’m planted in Italy, was a treat, and Romeo got a good workout. Working dogs need to work. Sure, I take him for numerous walks, but built into this breed is the desire to work = thinking play, so to speak. Sunday was the ticket. Two hours of obedience & socialization exercises. Some of the lesson took place in two different adjoining (busy) piazzas and the other on the beach. I was in heaven, as I was brought up as a water baby and the sea calls. Romeo was a bit in shock. IMGP1078 - Copy First time seeing waves. And he really wanted to test the waters, but the exercise was to teach the dogs, at this point, to remain on shore while the handlers approached the water. Lots of fun and we’re invited back as either a guest or a member.

Now, I did retire from SAR to give John and I more time together to explore and that is still set in stone. Giving each weekend to training is a huge commitment, which I did faithfully carry out in Virginia. Now we want to see Italy and Europe. No more callouts in the middle of the night or on holidays to look for a missing person. I’ve passed that baton over when we moved here. But I can be a member, train Romeo and assist on a more relaxed schedule. No, I’m not going to test to be operational, because at this time in my life passing a lifeguard test is not going to happen. 😉  I guess you can tell I am pumped as I’m rambling on and giving you way too much information. I’ll stop here with a huge “thank you” to everyone at Sea Rescue Dogs and, of course, my husband.

I leave you with some great shots, courtesy of John, of our training day. Ciao until next time.

 

 

 

 

 

Just Life

navabruzzo 2 Comments

So here we are starting to navigate through some real-life decisions. Some can be a bit stressful and others just darn confusing. I find myself getting too caught up in overthinking things. Time to take a walk through the vineyards, or watch a sunset or sunrise. Sit down in a field and just be. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve seen tons of pics of our new home, food and surroundings. Feast for the eyes and all the senses. So just know, when real-life decisions start to crowd me, off I go into the fields, on farm roads, Romeo and Orso in tow. Just allowing the beauty to wash away any little worries that may try to crop up on this gorgeous canvas of life here in Italy.

farm road

So what could be so stressful? We bought a car this week. Well, we put a deposit on a car. The car wasn’t on the lot to drive home. Just one in the show room. We actually had to drive about 20 minutes down the road into a larger city to see  a few or to test drive one. Our car will be ready to pick up in about 3 months. Interesting concept… I’m sure if we had gone to a larger dealership, we’d be in our new car now. But we chose to work with this smaller dealer closer to home. Loyalty to the local businesses or was it just because we like the low key salesman… Either way, we’ll continue driving our rental and hopefully we’ll be surprised with an early Christmas gift. Last time I purchased a new car was probably about 20-25 years ago. This car isn’t expensive, so the stress isn’t related to cost, but I think that some of the stress or just uneasiness comes from the thought ‘what did I miss in the transaction because our business dealings were 90% in Italian’! And what did I buy? Dacia Duster by Renault. Google it.

Another reality check: dogs. Romeo needed a vet. He got an UTI because he rather hold his water than let it go. Most likely flight related. So you’re no longer on vacation when one of  your ‘children’ needs a doctor. We found an amazing vet located about 20 minutes from our house. She and all her staff are exceptional and Romeo is on the road to healing. Small world.. the vet’s brother is in water rescue with his Golden Retriever and hopefully he and I (and our dogs) will meet up soon. And we made a new friend with Dr. Borsini. And as we speak, Orso is struggling a bit with his arthritis. In my enthusiasm to put in lots of miles of trekking through the vineyards, I’ve overwalked the old man. So we’ve backed off on long walks with him, upped his supplements and hoping rest will get him back feeling better. If not, he’ll be meeting the doc real soon.

dr borsini

Dr. Borsini and two of her wonderful technicians. Romeo getting lots of love and great health care. Shown here a week later all healthy. Grazie mille!

 

Then there were bunches of silly things. I’m mixing up Tuesday (martedi) and Wednesday (mercoledi) and showing up at appointments on the wrong day.  Well, they’re both M words and I’m sure it’s happened to other transplants. I’m not paying attention to details and poor dear husband John drove us 2 1/2 hours to a lunch that was 3 days off. Just dumb stuff like that. Can wear you out if you let it get to you. If we find ourselves in a place on the wrong day or time, we just enjoy the moment. Look at something new, find some focaccia to eat and marvel at our surroundings.

So on the not so stressful meter, everywhere we turn, we are meeting and getting to know new people. Many of them are locals, such as Marco at the dealership or Dr. Borsini. But others are foreigners, such as us, buying (or renting) their future retirement homes. Yesterday, we traveled a few hours south into the region of Molise to meet some folks from Britian. Our friend, Angelo, from Palata, organzied a day in Agnone for all of us English speaking people. One couple hoped to move into their new home within the year. They  had been moving furniture and remodeling a lovely townhouse. The other family found their dream home in the countryside and were enjoying the process of remodeling. They have a 10 year plan before they would move permanently. We all toured the famous Campane Marinelli bell foundry, had a stop at a delicious cheese shop and then a lovely al fresco lunch at a local farm.

lunch agnone

Feels like I’m in a movie or travel brochure. Pinch me!

cheese agnone

Wish we had brought a cooler

When we lived in Virginia, I tended to spend a lot of time alone in the woods with my dogs. It’s how I refueled myself. I worked, enjoyed my time with my fellow workers, and would meet up with friends occasionally for a dinner out. But most of my time was spent training my dogs for search and rescue, whether at official trainings almost every weekend or informal ones during the week. Everyday was a training day to keep dogs keen on their jobs or to learn new ones. Maybe a lot of this was, not only enjoying the work that goes into providing a service, but filling up something in my life. Hang with friends that were all dog handlers, and all of us keen to talk about our dogs and where they were in their road to a certification. Now I’m finding time to experience the journey of meeting new people and making new friends in a totally different setting. I do miss SAR and my friends, but I’ve embraced this new chapter in my life. And I’m enjoying it! Part of the entire Italian package, I would say. Stretching me…

But I’ll leave you with another evening view from the house that fills my soul with amazing peace…. ciao for now.

sunset gran sasso

 

 

A Neighbor

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How do I even start?… We’re in Italy. We aren’t on vacation technically, but it is, I think , always going to be partly like a vacation. How can it not? It’s gorgeous here and each morning, as I take the dogs for a walk in the vineyards and olive groves, I just laugh out of pure joy. The landscape is stunning. The serenity of the land takes my breath away. I cry for the love of it.

sunset over mountains

the boys homeBut first a bit of a summary of the trip over, then I’ll share the good stuff about our first week here. Checking the dogs in for the flight was my biggest concern, and it was for naught. Nate with Capital Pet Movers met us at United Cargo about 3 hours prior to takeoff. The boys loaded well into their crates and just settled in for their part of the trip. When we landed, Annamaria from Bliss Pet Services took over and had the boys through their vet checks and customs. They were loaded, crates and all, into their van and met us at the house about 4 hours after our arrival. They were smiling and feeling fine. So all four of us are smiling now.

The house was ready for us. As this is an older farmhouse with newer add-ons, things will need fixing and we’re totally aware of that. But it fits us! This week, we’ve been spending time putting our IKEA furniture together. John is a champ at this and it’s going along bit by bit or piece by piece. And look at the before and after shots of the house. Such a big difference! Who could have known..

Our First View! A bit scary…
After the cleanup!

 

But what I really want to share with you is about people, specifically this time, one neighbor, (H)ugo. (Not sure of his spelling but definitely a silent H.) Hugo is 85 years young, owns and works all the vineyards and olive groves around our house.  He showed up at our place about an hour after we got there and John and I fell in love at first sight, so to speak. He’s generous to a fault. We are laden down with delicious tomatoes, peppers, pears, olives, melons, figs and of course wine! Every day, since our arrival, Hugo shows up to drop off something or to wave us into his Jeep to head off somewhere on the farm or to his home for an aperitif.  He embodies ‘Italy’ to me. But let me say, something very essential was revealed to us, even though I had a basic knowledge of this.

HugoThe need to be able to converse! Yes, you all have heard, just like us, the importance of learning the language of your new country. But it doesn’t hit you until you meet someone like Hugo, who cannot speak a lick of English, what you’ll be missing out on. Thankfully, my lessons with my teacher/friend, Stef, and my conversation friend, Giuliana, have given me basic conversational skills. Hugo and I can communicate. Unfortunately, John is at a loss right now and it has really hit home with him that he needs to get up to speed on a basic level. John had been swamped finishing up our house to sell over the past year and that took up the lion’s share of his time and energy along with working a part-time job. But now, John is ready to learn and I think it will happen faster than he expected. 😉

So, if you are thinking of moving here or even just planning a vacation, figure out what works for you and practice some Italian ahead of time. I still have a VERY long way to go. It was evident when I went to the residency office yesterday and the official there did not speak English and would not simplify her vocabulary on my accou6nt . I just dove in and tried not to be intimidated. Doesn’t mean I understood 70% of what she was saying and she didn’t get frustrated, but we both survived and I understood basically what I needed to do for our next meeting.

A lot of other stuff happened this week, such as getting new phones, wifi at house, locating grocery stores, markets, meeting some lovely folks from Ireland, walking around Atri a bit, eating out at a wonderful local restaurant that is too close to us (LOL), helping the dogs adjust and they love it here; the list goes on and on.

I’ll end for today with some lovely scenery around our house and John’s ever meaningful words taken to heart; ” Helene, we have moved to Italy to slow down, so slow down!” I think I can…and will.

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Hiring a Pet Mover

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waiting on the ballHanding over the care of our ‘boys’, Romeo and Orso, takes a big leap of faith. Good thing John and I are grounded in that aspect of our lives. It doesn’t mean I don’t find my heart racing, from time to time,  with the thought of them flying in the hull of a plane for 8+ hours, being handled by strangers in stress-filled locations, spending a few hours going through their customs check in Italy, then being transported to their new home, with us waiting their arrival. I could allow it to take me to a bad place, but I choose to trust that our compass – our dear Lord- has got this covered. I just have to take the steps needed to ensure my guys have a good ride all the way.

There are many parts of this process anyone can do themselves, if they so choose. I just felt that John and I already had a lot on our plates with this big move,  and that I’d rather have an expert take over to do all the work. Making this choice comes with a big price tag. You can pick and choose what the pet mover will do or not for you and your pets, and I chose pretty much all. Basically when I sell my Jeep here, I’ve got the pet moving expenses covered and a little change in my back pocket. The boys are darn worth it.

I shopped around, read reviews, got some quotes and eventually signed on with Capital Pet Movers in Maryland. Our departure airport is Dulles International, and one of the reasons I went with Capital was their familiarity and proximity to Dulles. I also researched the owner, Derek Huntington, and liked what I read. The fact that he was re-elected as President of IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transportation Association) bode well with me. Derek is on the money for responding to all my questions, whether by email or phone. He is taking the jitters out of this process.

The options we choose:

  • Flight Arrangements International
  • Custom Crate (Orso needed a custom one built to meet International flight requirements) $700
  • Crate for Romeo – $250
  • USDA – Health Documentation & USDA Completion
  • Meet & Greet at Dulles Cargo for check-in
  • Air Freight – direct United Flight Dulles to Rome (we are all flying on the same flight)
  • Services – TSA Screening, Booking, Documentation, Fees, Fuel surcharges & Taxes
  • Destination Agent – Customs Clearance & Import Charges upon arrival in Rome, delivery to our residence in Abruzzo

There is a lot of detail involved, with Derek handling a lot on his end, but we are required to put some things into play first. As John and I would be selling our vehicles, we needed a vehicle to transport the dogs to their vet exam, as well as transporting all of us to Dulles Airport. We ended up renting a Stow-n-Go Minivan from Enterprise in Charlottesville. This gives us lots of room for the boys’ older crates (to be recycled via Derek at airport) and our check-in luggage. I had to make certain both boys had their international microchip in place, as well as new rabies shots at least 21 days out from departure. Then within 10 days of departure, they must have an exam from an USDA/international vet. Thankfully, my vet qualifies. Derek has already mailed me the international exam application form, all ready for my vet to sign post exam, and FedEx labeling and letter to USDA in Albany NY. Again, I could hand deliver this form to the USDA office in Richmond, VA (about 2 hours from home in Nelson County) but just something else I’d rather Derek handle.   The USDA returns paperwork to Derek authorizing the transportation of our dogs. This all needs to happen just days out from the flight. A bit nerve-wracking but Derek has it under control.

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Sample of a custom crate – tagged for flying

Once we get to Dulles, we meet Derek or one of his associates at Cargo. There the hand-off happens. The boys get into their much larger crates for the flight. Note: on international flights, there are stiff regulations on crate sizes. The dog has to have a few inches above when standing, able to turn around easily and when lying down, there are inches in front of the paws. All this is outlined on United Airlines site at their PetSafe page.  Just to give you an idea on Orso’s custom crate; it will be costing us $725.

John and I will check-in to our flight and let the flight attendant know our dogs are flying in cargo on our flight. The captain should then go down to cargo, take pics of the boys loaded and show them to us. It’s important to have confirmation that your dogs have been loaded before takeoff! Once in Rome, Derek’s contact will take charge, relieving the dogs, getting their paperwork through customs and transporting them to our house. We had originally thought of renting a van at the Rome airport to transport them ourselves, but nixed that idea. Thought driving a van on the beltway around Rome would be way too stressful. We’d rather arrive at our new home more relaxed and ready for our boys new adventure.

As we progress through this process, I will keep you all updated. Please keep this whole process in your thoughts and prayers. These are our children flying without mom and dad close by.  Oh, important note, they will have tee shirts in their crates that smell like us. 😉