When I mentioned to people that I was moving to Tuscany, Italy, a majority of them exclaimed with joy that it would be just like living the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. If you have actually read the book, it is a little less romantic than the movie. It is clear that the author fell in love with Tuscany and Tuscan living. However, she describes in detail the time and frustrations regarding home renovations in Italy.
A few months ago, my husband and I discovered our own need for house repairs. The home that we are renting had a leaking roof. After more than a month of just trying to get in touch with the landlord, we finally got someone to look at the immense damage to
the bedroom wall. After weeks of people coming in and out of our place inspecting the damage and roof, we had to wait more time before someone actually took action. They repaired the roof and then had to tear one of our walls apart. (See picture of wall on the right.) The water damage was that bad. Apparently it takes 5 guys to tear that wall apart too. They repaired the wall, and then we waited more time to have people paint the room. Tuscany is a beautiful, romantic place, but houses are old and rundown. Plus, the time it takes to get things repaired can be incredibly stressful. Can’t say having a leaking roof was the best thing that could have happened during my first 6 months in Tuscany, but I still love living here anyway.
The Great Morrison Migration 