The Big Dilemma

I wrote a while ago about the problems that Neil and I had working at opposite ends of Europe.  Where to live?  How to live?  Neil is chipping marble blocks in Pietrasanta - not something you can do easily in the wilds of northern England, and I am writing, teaching and publishing in England - not something I can easily do in Italy.  But we have finally decided that we have to make a decision because we are both tired of spending our lives apart.
I have decided that I'm going to give up creative writing tutoring for a year and base myself in Italy.  I will have to be on planes and trains quite often to keep my commitments - literature festivals, workshops etc - and I'm going to be quite broke -  but it's worth it to be here. 
And  the great news is that we have found a little house on a hill, in an olive grove, with spectacular views of the sea - one bedroom and a tiny room I can use as a study, with a small sitting room big enough for a sofa and a TV.  But the terrace is great - a concrete ledge with a tree growing through.

It 's just (only just!) affordable and will be quite  close to the marble yard that Neil uses.  So - with a large intake of breath - are we mad? -  we have signed the lease and been given the key.  It will be weeks before I can live there - after the end of the university term - but at least I know that it's there waiting for me.





We found this table in a shady corner of the olive grove in what seems to be a rather overgrown garden.

 This is one side of the terrace.



And this is the view of the sea with Pietrasanta just below.   Now we're off to celebrate our insanity!







Comments

  1. Wow! Here's to wonderful glorious insanity!

    I have to say I am once again terribly envious.

    You have me dreaming my mountain top writers retreat fantasy again!

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  2. And if not now, when?
    Go for it!

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  3. So you have chosen to live - I hope you will find happiness there. (and many great stories)

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  4. Thanks for the encouragement everyone! Yes, you can't pass up an adventure when it comes along. And hopefully, there will be stories!

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