Another interview and a visit from a friend.

 We have been busy since our last trip.  So much has happened since I last posted on my blog that this one is going to read like a laundry list.  My original intention when I started this blog way back in 2010 was to post weekly.  I decided though that maybe people weren't interested in my puzzling adventures so I only wrote about the IPP's I attended.  Since then, this blog has grown into the most generic puzzling blog ever.  The randomness is crazy even to me.

But I digress.  In February before we took off on our last trip we had a group of students from the Journalism school in Perugia stop by for an interview and a walk around the WPC.  Sadly, the articles haven't come out yet, but when they do, I will be sure to post them here. While they were here George was cutting Marti's exchange gift for G4G so we let them give it a go and take one each home.  

After they left, the work began in earnest in the Palace.  We have them starting the work on the elevator, the kitchen and George's workshop.  

WARNING!  You need strong fortitude to view the following photos. Or to be totally insane to do this kind of thing.  

Removal of 2 bathrooms

Start of the kitchen

Master bathroom entrance

Master bedroom

Master bathroom

Giant hole...

Kitchen

As you can see, all we need is a coat of paint and all will be just perfect. The Palace used to be an old hotel.  When we bought it, it had been abandoned for 12 years.  The rooms while in good condition, are small.  We wanted a master bathroom that rivaled that in Florida, sadly to do that we would need to gut an entire floor and there are too many support walls.   We are making due with a smaller master suite.   I love to cook so we decided to do the kitchen my way and not go through renovations in a few years time.  This started out as a small project and has grown substantially since we began.  

I continue with the driving school. I'm pleased to note that I have now completely translated the driving book and am beginning on the online videos from the driving school.  I've only 4 more to get through.  Piano, piano (this is Italian for do things {very, very} slowly).

The Tesla saga continues.  George had to have that car.  It is now April.  Seven months since we bought it and it is resting quietly in the garage waiting for us to be able to drive it.  We finally got the paperwork put in place to get the tags put on it when we encountered another problem.  George! He was walking around the building taking photos of the signs so he could translate them.  Turns out that is not a thing the bureaucrats like.  He was taken into the management office and chastised.  Thankfully Antonio told the supervisor that George is a bit light in the head and they had him delete the photos.  But this did not help with the tags.  Now we need to pay the VAT again in Italy! For anyone who can count, that is 41% vat on this car now.  Italy want's its share.  We had to go to the accountant to pay the VAT, and now I need to request the 19% back from Germany...Hopefully by the time my birthday rolls around again this year I'll be able to drive it for a few months.  Did I forget to mention that I'm a new driver and the car has to be garaged for 3 years while I "learn" to drive all over again?

And finally, we had another visitor to the castle.  This time Steve Nicholls came along for a bit of puzzling fun.  We of course gave him a tour of the WPC to begin with, then he and George geeked out and did the 3D printing thing.  Me? I cooked dinners and had some good laughs as well. It's always a joy to have friends come out when the nights are filled with laughter.  (And probably a bit too much wine.) 

George and Steve put together one of his A1 printers (when Peter came he put together the 2 A1 minis, Tanner put together the 3 carbons-do you see a pattern here?) Sadly, I have no photos of it.  

We did unbox quite a few puzzles.  I started ages ago with the library, and when Steve came over, he helped us with the chest room.  Having that little bit of help pushed me along and now the room is finished.  

Of course I had to let Steve have a go at the puzzle door...

It was a great visit and I can't wait to have more puzzlers come over and see what we are up to.  

After Steve left, Antonio and Elena helped us unpack a bit more.  Well, Elena did.  Antonio played.  

We finished unpacking in the apartment.

And started to work on the mirror room.  We have a system down now.

George made these brackets that hold the glass in place on the mirrors and we then used UV glue to hold them to the mirrors.  It's an amazing looking room now.  But more on that later. 

And that my friends is the last two major events that happened while I was busy living life in Italy.  Bureaucracy, driving school, and renovations are now my life.  Perhaps one day I can get back to enjoying the puzzling.  

Until next time....