Una Casa Abruzzese, and Two Aussies – Possibilities

1 to 14 March, 2021 - Bomba - (Italy)


Since last writing, we have begun the process of legitimising ourselves a fraction more. Having legal ownership of the house enables me to list the property as my residence, and for Italian bureaucracy to recognise that residency. In theory, it is a right, and they can’t deny me said registration.

That doesn’t mean they are going to make it easy. We are taking things “piano, piano” – gently, smootnly, slowly, quietly, however you want to translate the implied laid back phrase. One step, and then worry about the next. However, our town hall visit was met with a hurdle, when the lady taking our details became fixated on Jo (Australian) and her status. I tried to convey that we would sort her status out once my situation was resolved, but it was too late. She was convinced we weren’t understanding her, and that it was pointless continuing without a bilingual go-between. I didn’t believe such mediation was necessary, but it was becoming increasingly clear that we were not going to circumvent this roadblock without alleviating this concern of hers.

Two days later, my paperwork successfully submitted (thanks to interpretation and political skills of Perry), we are relegated to the waiting game. I don’t know if we will hear in the mail, or if it will come from the council, but the wheels are turning.

Our minds are slowing tilting towards the subject of potential. No longer do we look at this house and think of what it is, but we are starting to think of what it might be. Big projects and small. Big ambitions are starting to condense in our thinking, turning in to sketches and conversations. We have had a geometra (surveyor), a builder, and an engineer. Jo warmed them to our project with cheesecake. We were floored when they got rough ideas and quotes back to us within 2 days. I cannot recall getting a quote, even for a small job, that quickly in Australia.

So while the big remodelling jobs begin sifting and settling, some small things are pushing through. The front door needed a lick of paint. Did we do the correct thing, by enquiring at the council, first? Ignorance is bliss, right? Maybe Jo would have painted the door red, or blue, but no, brown is the colour for doors in the old town. Why would you want to paint a door blue? That’s a colour for seaside villages! Hmm, green? Better, but not in the old town. Brown. Have you considered brown?

We didn’t ask what colour window boxes need to be.

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Our First "Before" and "After"
We were told the door should be brown, being in the old town. So we painted it brown-ish. As far as we thought we could push our luck, still technically brown, but slightly not.


A Splash of Red
It may be high above the street, but Jo adds her touch of colour to the Bomba landscape.

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During these consultations, we have learnt some more about the house. The second cellar is now referred to as “the smokeroom”. It turns out that those blackened beams are not charred from a fire, but are the result of decades, perhaps centuries, of smoking meats. Hooks for hanging small goods line many of the beams. One or two large hooks were probably for an entire pig. We both know that the smokeroom has potential yet to be unravelled.

Food continues to be an anchor in our lives here. Within the walls, Jo continues to push her culinary skills, producing bread rolls in our crappy oven, and home made tagliatelle with “8 half eggshells of water” as an ingredient. How quaint! Her new favourite Italian chef, Stefano, who teaches recipes while teaching Italian, imparts his knowledge and plants creative seeds.di

Beyond the walls, we continue to have food based sharing moments with local residents. Soup swaps help use up large pieces of pumpkin, and receiving a massive portion of marinara from Lee was a delightful highlight. Jo made cheesecake and delivered segments as thank you gifts. This despite them being unevenly cooked (thanks to our dodgey gas oven), and being of unexpected consistency (thanks to different cheese, different biscuits, and lacking a food processor).

Bomba may not have a restaurant, but our village is on two very important schedules. Wednesday is market day. This market is greatly suppressed due to covid restrictions, but our favourite weekly visitor comes every time. The pork man.

To make everything feel complete, we continue our Melbourne Friday night routine. Takeaway. While Melbourne “beginning the weekend” takeaway was not always pizza, it often was. In Bomba, if you want takeaway pizza, it has to be Friday; and if you want takeaway on Friday, then I has to be pizza. How good can pizza from a mobile pizza van be? Awesome. Wood fired pizza from the back of a transit van.

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Neighbour, Lee, Maker of Marinara
We got a massive bowl of spaghetti marinara, cooked by our neighbour, Lee.



Seriously, Wood Fired?


Yep, Wood Fired
Our pizza guy, with his oven in the back of his van.


Life's Pretty Straight Without...
Fonzies - Twisties by another name... Which one is the original?


It Must be Wednesday
This is Nino. We generally just call him "The Pork Man". He comes to Bomba on Wednesdays, and has a mountain of Chicken and Pork on the go. We generally keep it simple - "un panino della porchetta e patitine" - roast pork sandwich and fries, but we did add a couple of succulent ribs last week.


Home Made Tagliatelle, with Salmon

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It may sound like we are spending a lot of time making home. While it is true, we were hoping to get out a bit more, the ambitions for the house have made it easy to not go far. This does not mean we have not done anything. We are exploring nearby villages, where and when we can.

Yesterday, after receiving a little tip, we made our first nature excursion by vehicle.

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Ruins of the Old Mill


By the River, above Cascate del Verde


Cascate del Verde
Little excursion to a nearby waterfall.

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Town life sees us turning more and more into locals. Hanging washing on our balcony; coffee in the piazza; attending mass on Sunday; tending flowers in window boxes. Life’s not bad in Bomba.

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Random Statue in a Niche
An odd little nod to Australia in a lane in Bomba.

Weather Closes In


Bomba e Lago di Bomba


Possibly the Last Dusting of Snow The cloud lifted after a couple of days, and this might be it for this winter.

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Time Lapse Sunrise
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Time Lapse Sunrise
The morning comes to Monte Amaro


Church, Bomba
While waiting for the mass, our first service in Bomba.

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