Friday 17 December 2010

A frozen birthday

Yesterday my twin and I turned 32. Whilst she was enjoying a glass a champagne in the 24 degree, Australian summer weather, I was freezing - literally - in the sub-zero temperatures of snow covered Malito.



I have never been so cold in my entire life, I couldn't get warm all day. It didn't help that we were without water - and still are. Bel fidanzato and I are the only people in the entire village without water. When we moved into our apartment, the comune had to give us an independent water supply by attaching some tubes to the internal water system and link it up to our house. We live quite high up in the village, by a church. To reach our apartment you have to walk up a rather steep incline. See that church in the centre of the photo? Well - we live right up there.



The tubes that bring water to our apartment are above the ground and therefore frozen. The tubes should be 40cm under ground so that they don't freeze, but they aren't and the comune has no money to pay for the work which will be quite a big job, given the location of our place, and the length of the tubes which loop all the way from ground level, up around the back of the church. So now, we just have to wait for the sun to shine, for the water to flow once more and in the mean time we will continue to live like those many years ago - collecting buckets full of snow to use as the toilet flush, and going to the fountains to fill our bottles of water (and going to the in-laws if we want to have a shower!)


It's nice sitting by the open fire whilst your partner cooks you a romantic dinner, but I must say that I prefer a summer birthday!

5 comments:

FilipBlog said...

Very good picture to introduce your blog, here it is also snowing

Carolina said...

Happy Birthday Leanne! So sorry to hear about the water but love your spirit of dealing with it :)! Your pics of the village are gorgeous and bring back both wonderful memories and thoughts of hauling wood up from the basement garage, cleaning the thermo-fireplace daily, laundry that never dries and dreading going out in the car. I think I'll stick to California winters and Malito summers!
Hope you get warm my dear! Sending you virtual sunshine :)

Susan said...

Happy Birthday Leanne, Saw the news in California about the unusually cold winter the South of Italy was experiencing. Do stay warm by the fire. Susan

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Filip,
Glad you like the photo - I must say it did come out well!

Ciao Carolina,
I am sure you've had your fair share of Malitano winters... brrrrr....so cold.

Hi Susan,
I think the whole country, no the whole world has got some crazy weather going on!

LaLa said...

The photo is great! You have a nice way of writing about your experiences. I forget how much I like reading other people's blogs. Thanks Leanne! So what did your wonderful partner make you for dinner?