It's been a rough night for me: I got food poisoning again. And yes, it was seafood again.
We had decided to make the effort to eat a family dinner out, once every week or two. We thought we had struck gold by locating a little Italian trattoria several blocks away from our house (much better than our previous attempt at local dining in Aventino: A Mexican Restaurant owned by people from Pittsburgh, made with Italian ingredients...not too good.)
Anyway, this place was perfect: no Menu Turistico, only Italian-speaking waitstaff who ignored you from the moment you walked in (which, when you have three children is ideal as they don't care that your offspring are sword fighting with the Grissini or spilling water everywhere) and authentic food, made the way Romans would actually make it.
But when eating in Rome, there is a rule which you should never ignore: only eat a fish which still has it's head on. If they give you a small fish like Orata or Spigola and it is headless, don't eat it.
And stay away from shellfish in general.
I mean, Rome currently has the highest dioxin levels in their drinking water in all of Europe: since the Tiber flows to the sea 10 miles away and all the shellfish is caught locally, where do you think the chemicals end up? Exactly. Order the Gamberi from Sicily and ignore the Vongole, if you value your time, nightlife and stomach muscles.
Other than the food (which incidentally was delicious and I only had a bad reaction) a funny thing happened last week.
We tried having Sky installed. For expats, you know this means English-language satellite TV. For everyone else, Sky is English-language satellite TV and I am tired of missing everything in the world and watching only the BBC International feed which gets updated every 8 hours.
So we made the order, made an appointment, and I waited for Luigi to come install Sky. Of course, Luigi speaks no English and my Italian is very limited, so this was destined to be a comedy skit from the start.
After 10 minutes of trying to understand his gesticulations and interpret his idea of English and extend my understanding of Italian, I called Elena of Questura Fame.
Apparently, you can have a completely renovated house in Italy with all new electrical wiring and heating, but the building code doesn't require the building to have WIRES CONNECTED to the wall outlets. So my apartment is full of shiny new cable plugs but decidedly empty of any wires.
So we had to call an electrician to run 200 meters of wire throughout the building. And no, my landlord did not have to cover the expense.
So guess what happened when we called TeleItalia to get a landline and DSL installed? Yes, you can have new phone jacks in the walls, with no phone line run through the wall!
Which meant we had to call the electrician, again, and have another 200 meters of cable pulled through the house.
And TeleItalia has still not returned to hook up my phone and DSL.
Rome, as they say, was not built in a day.
And as for the move, I filed the damaged portion of our insurance claim today. Ouch. We could probably move to Euro Disney for a month for what it will cost to fix our antiques from England.
And the missing things have not been found, which unfortunately, includes one of Grandma's blankets that she made for my daughter and the family Bible that Bill and I got when we married. Not expensive things, but priceless things.
If anyone is going to move, please contact me for a list of MOVERS TO STAY AWAY FROM.
What a headache.
The good news is that we finally have reliable, regular babysitters. Bill and I got to go out two weekends in a row. Fabulous!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Oh the Joys of Moving, an excerpt of an actual letter regarding my move...
To all my friends and family who think that moving is easy, please read the letter below. It comes from an actual letter to the moving company responsible for the move to Rome.
Dear XXXXXX,
I understand that today is Labor Day in America, but I hope you can give me advice on how to proceed with this portion of the move.
Bliss Moving delivered the shipment Friday and returned today, Monday, to unpack the shipment.
On Friday we discovered many problems with the shipment: some items had no inventory tags; some of the inventory tags were on the wrong items; some items were damaged; several items appeared to be missing; some boxes arrived already opened.
I spoke with XXXXX Smith regarding these issues and she advised us to photograph as much as possible. Any packages which we needed to open, she advised us to photograph if it appeared that the item might be damaged, then take further photos of the damage we found, if any.
After unpacking a few things, we stopped, as the damage is severe and we wanted Bliss to observe the unpacking first hand.
More items were damaged today, some severely.
In spite of counting and checking all the boxes and items, we have approximately 15 missing items.
Bliss is aware of the damages and missing items. XXXXXXXXX from Bliss has been very cooperative in trying to resolve issues. Her delivery crew has been very helpful in photographing the damage.
At this time the damages, in random order, are:
1) A broken leg on an antique Restoration era chest of drawers (missing inventory number). At some point a person noticed the damage and used a resin-based glue to reattach the leg. The leg is in the wrong position and glue has spread over the side of the chest.
2) Missing finials on an Edwardian dressing table.
3) One box of books is torn open on the side and partly crushed.
4) One box, inventory tag 107, is crushed and clearly has a large footprint on it. Several items in the box were damaged. Unfortunately the item number was assigned to a side table, not a box.
5) Revolving bookcase, inventory 115, was not wrapped properly. There are gouges througout the veneer and it is missing shelves and supports.
6) A box labeled as cushions/ pictures, but lacking an inventory number, has been opened and is not completely full.
7) Toy tractor has detached seat and is missing bolts to reassemble it.
8) Item 47, a wardrobe, was scraped severely at the corners on the top and on the legs. It was not 'finish-wrapped' or covered in protective padding, in spite of the fact that it has two full-length mirrored doors. It was packed full of boxes of books.
9) George III sideboard, inventory 156, has mouldings loose and detached; it is missing mouldings on the legs and drawers. One brass pull (original) is cracked and half the mounting plate has broken off. The plate piece is missing.
10) TV stand, inventory 183, is chipped and gouged on the sides. It was not covered in any protective material.
11) Box 168 was dented and torn open.
12) Box 131, labled kitchen goods was smashed.
13) Mission barristers bookcases were not padded or the glass protected. One is pulled apart on the side casing; two doors and three shelves are inoperable.
14) Eastlake arm chair, inventory 176, has broken arm. Someone noticed the break and used resin-type glue to reattach the piece, then used packaging tape to hold the arm while the glue cured.
15) Italian walnut desk, inventory 191, was not padded or wrapped in any way. The top section of drawers is loose. There are heavy gouges which have removed the veneer and damaged the hardwood over the entire bowed front.
16) Box 167 was torn and opened.
17) Box 68 was torn and opened.
18) Inventory 175, Antique Wells Fargo Post Office Desk, was not wrapped or padded in any way. Bliss Moving used their own tape to secure the loose doors on the hutch for delivery. Mouldings are cracked and broken; desk pieces and gouged and splintered; the feet are heavily scraped.
19) Inventory numbers 192 and 23, the headboard and footboard of a white Jenny Lind style spindle bed, are scraped, dented and gouged. This item was not wrapped in any protective packaging.
20) Inventory 163, a Sheraton Mahogany inlaid table, was not wrapped in any protective padding. It has scrapes which removed the finish on the front.
21) An Art Deco Drinks cabinet, no inventory tag found, has multiple damages. It was not wrapped in any protective padding, other than paper, and the paper was only over the top half of the cabinet. There are scrapes and gouges on the lower part of the cabinet where it was exposed. On bronze handle is bent; the door on which the handle is places is bowed inwards.
22) Inventory number 79, a box of shoes and clothing, is punctured in several places.
23) Crate # 37 was heavily damaged, with timbers falling off one side. The boards were also cracked.
24) 2 rugs (Red and Ivory Persian) were not wrapped in protective paper. Both have tape directly attached to the fringed edges. The red rug is torn on one side. The white rug has a large stain on the outside of one end. It has not been unrolled.
25) Edwardian Mahogany Wardrobe, 81, was wrapped only in plastic. There was no padding over the full-length mirrored door. The corners are rubbed. One side is split, there are veneer chips missing on the entire piece.
26) One box of mirrors and art, no inventory tag, was opened.
27) Box 58 was dented. A toy inside was broken.
28) Our dining table and the leaf was not wrapped in protective padding. The table has scrapes on the high-gloss finish; the maple wood has large cracks which run through the depth of the wood, with each crack being several inches long. The leaf has a large crack, approximately 12 inches long. Air has gotten underneath the finish, discoloring the maple wood.
29) Our dining room buffett/ sideboard, matching the maple table above, has dents and scrapes on the full length of the top surface, which had no padding at all. The doors were held in place with plastic wrap only. There was no padding on the sides or corners. There are dents which go through the veneer and finish to bare wood. The doors have been leaned on to the point where they are no longer haning level and the interior hinges were damaged. One shelf, when the doors were opened, fell out, the shelf supports are missing. There are long scrapes and gouges over the entire piece. The drawers no longer stay closed; the magnetic opening mechanisms no longer work.
30) Inventory number 153, an American Eastlake table, was taken apart and not wrapped properly or padded. The top is missing two large mouldings; one moulding is broken. The marble top (crate 35) is broken in half.
31) Crate 37, the large marble top for our outdoor dining table, has all the edges are corners broken off.
32) Rocking horse, no inventory tag, has veneer missing off the TOP of the rockers.
33) Inventory 48, also a wardrobe, is bent and has a piece of loose and jagged metal protruding.
34) Inventory 105, a table, has a large and deep scratch on the surface.
35) Item 112, a leather ottoman, has pressure marks on the leather. The exterior packaging was punctured; the leather also has multiple puncture marks.
36) A Regency mahogany work is severely dented. The front is pushed in, the drawer is now tough to open, the mouldings are broken.
While this list is by no means complete, I wanted to let you have an idea of the damages we are dealing with.
As the wardrobes, buffett and bookcases are broken, I can not finish unpacking. European houses tend to have no built-in storage and I have no furniture in which to put clothes, books and extra dishes. Bliss moving left an hour ago as there was nothing left for them to unpack at this time.
Furthermore, the damages have left many items unusable (outdoor dining table) at the time of year I would want to use it.
I have photographed as much of the damage as I can, taking almost 300 photos so far. As I can not finish unpacking, I have no idea what the list of missing items entails.
Please send an adjuster to begin working on this claim as soon as possible.
I would also like the crew from Bliss to be given the opportunity to speak with someone to corroborate the details of this claim while the details are fresh in their minds.
If there is anything else I can do at this time, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your help in resolving this matter as quickly as possible,
Mrs. Rachel XXXXXXXX
Isn't moving a treat? I think I may stay for a while, just to replace my furniture.
Dear XXXXXX,
I understand that today is Labor Day in America, but I hope you can give me advice on how to proceed with this portion of the move.
Bliss Moving delivered the shipment Friday and returned today, Monday, to unpack the shipment.
On Friday we discovered many problems with the shipment: some items had no inventory tags; some of the inventory tags were on the wrong items; some items were damaged; several items appeared to be missing; some boxes arrived already opened.
I spoke with XXXXX Smith regarding these issues and she advised us to photograph as much as possible. Any packages which we needed to open, she advised us to photograph if it appeared that the item might be damaged, then take further photos of the damage we found, if any.
After unpacking a few things, we stopped, as the damage is severe and we wanted Bliss to observe the unpacking first hand.
More items were damaged today, some severely.
In spite of counting and checking all the boxes and items, we have approximately 15 missing items.
Bliss is aware of the damages and missing items. XXXXXXXXX from Bliss has been very cooperative in trying to resolve issues. Her delivery crew has been very helpful in photographing the damage.
At this time the damages, in random order, are:
1) A broken leg on an antique Restoration era chest of drawers (missing inventory number). At some point a person noticed the damage and used a resin-based glue to reattach the leg. The leg is in the wrong position and glue has spread over the side of the chest.
2) Missing finials on an Edwardian dressing table.
3) One box of books is torn open on the side and partly crushed.
4) One box, inventory tag 107, is crushed and clearly has a large footprint on it. Several items in the box were damaged. Unfortunately the item number was assigned to a side table, not a box.
5) Revolving bookcase, inventory 115, was not wrapped properly. There are gouges througout the veneer and it is missing shelves and supports.
6) A box labeled as cushions/ pictures, but lacking an inventory number, has been opened and is not completely full.
7) Toy tractor has detached seat and is missing bolts to reassemble it.
8) Item 47, a wardrobe, was scraped severely at the corners on the top and on the legs. It was not 'finish-wrapped' or covered in protective padding, in spite of the fact that it has two full-length mirrored doors. It was packed full of boxes of books.
9) George III sideboard, inventory 156, has mouldings loose and detached; it is missing mouldings on the legs and drawers. One brass pull (original) is cracked and half the mounting plate has broken off. The plate piece is missing.
10) TV stand, inventory 183, is chipped and gouged on the sides. It was not covered in any protective material.
11) Box 168 was dented and torn open.
12) Box 131, labled kitchen goods was smashed.
13) Mission barristers bookcases were not padded or the glass protected. One is pulled apart on the side casing; two doors and three shelves are inoperable.
14) Eastlake arm chair, inventory 176, has broken arm. Someone noticed the break and used resin-type glue to reattach the piece, then used packaging tape to hold the arm while the glue cured.
15) Italian walnut desk, inventory 191, was not padded or wrapped in any way. The top section of drawers is loose. There are heavy gouges which have removed the veneer and damaged the hardwood over the entire bowed front.
16) Box 167 was torn and opened.
17) Box 68 was torn and opened.
18) Inventory 175, Antique Wells Fargo Post Office Desk, was not wrapped or padded in any way. Bliss Moving used their own tape to secure the loose doors on the hutch for delivery. Mouldings are cracked and broken; desk pieces and gouged and splintered; the feet are heavily scraped.
19) Inventory numbers 192 and 23, the headboard and footboard of a white Jenny Lind style spindle bed, are scraped, dented and gouged. This item was not wrapped in any protective packaging.
20) Inventory 163, a Sheraton Mahogany inlaid table, was not wrapped in any protective padding. It has scrapes which removed the finish on the front.
21) An Art Deco Drinks cabinet, no inventory tag found, has multiple damages. It was not wrapped in any protective padding, other than paper, and the paper was only over the top half of the cabinet. There are scrapes and gouges on the lower part of the cabinet where it was exposed. On bronze handle is bent; the door on which the handle is places is bowed inwards.
22) Inventory number 79, a box of shoes and clothing, is punctured in several places.
23) Crate # 37 was heavily damaged, with timbers falling off one side. The boards were also cracked.
24) 2 rugs (Red and Ivory Persian) were not wrapped in protective paper. Both have tape directly attached to the fringed edges. The red rug is torn on one side. The white rug has a large stain on the outside of one end. It has not been unrolled.
25) Edwardian Mahogany Wardrobe, 81, was wrapped only in plastic. There was no padding over the full-length mirrored door. The corners are rubbed. One side is split, there are veneer chips missing on the entire piece.
26) One box of mirrors and art, no inventory tag, was opened.
27) Box 58 was dented. A toy inside was broken.
28) Our dining table and the leaf was not wrapped in protective padding. The table has scrapes on the high-gloss finish; the maple wood has large cracks which run through the depth of the wood, with each crack being several inches long. The leaf has a large crack, approximately 12 inches long. Air has gotten underneath the finish, discoloring the maple wood.
29) Our dining room buffett/ sideboard, matching the maple table above, has dents and scrapes on the full length of the top surface, which had no padding at all. The doors were held in place with plastic wrap only. There was no padding on the sides or corners. There are dents which go through the veneer and finish to bare wood. The doors have been leaned on to the point where they are no longer haning level and the interior hinges were damaged. One shelf, when the doors were opened, fell out, the shelf supports are missing. There are long scrapes and gouges over the entire piece. The drawers no longer stay closed; the magnetic opening mechanisms no longer work.
30) Inventory number 153, an American Eastlake table, was taken apart and not wrapped properly or padded. The top is missing two large mouldings; one moulding is broken. The marble top (crate 35) is broken in half.
31) Crate 37, the large marble top for our outdoor dining table, has all the edges are corners broken off.
32) Rocking horse, no inventory tag, has veneer missing off the TOP of the rockers.
33) Inventory 48, also a wardrobe, is bent and has a piece of loose and jagged metal protruding.
34) Inventory 105, a table, has a large and deep scratch on the surface.
35) Item 112, a leather ottoman, has pressure marks on the leather. The exterior packaging was punctured; the leather also has multiple puncture marks.
36) A Regency mahogany work is severely dented. The front is pushed in, the drawer is now tough to open, the mouldings are broken.
While this list is by no means complete, I wanted to let you have an idea of the damages we are dealing with.
As the wardrobes, buffett and bookcases are broken, I can not finish unpacking. European houses tend to have no built-in storage and I have no furniture in which to put clothes, books and extra dishes. Bliss moving left an hour ago as there was nothing left for them to unpack at this time.
Furthermore, the damages have left many items unusable (outdoor dining table) at the time of year I would want to use it.
I have photographed as much of the damage as I can, taking almost 300 photos so far. As I can not finish unpacking, I have no idea what the list of missing items entails.
Please send an adjuster to begin working on this claim as soon as possible.
I would also like the crew from Bliss to be given the opportunity to speak with someone to corroborate the details of this claim while the details are fresh in their minds.
If there is anything else I can do at this time, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your help in resolving this matter as quickly as possible,
Mrs. Rachel XXXXXXXX
Isn't moving a treat? I think I may stay for a while, just to replace my furniture.
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