We have a mold problem. Probably every house in Italy has a mold problem. You see, houses here are built with cinder blocks and covered with a skim coat of plaster or light concrete. They don't seal it. The paint they use isn't "mold resisitant" - those things cost too much money. The walls attract moisture because winter here is nothing but a rainy season and they're nothing but a pourous cinder block. Mold. We're all sick. Today I was trying to rid our house of mold and started moving the larger pieces of furniture to find - an entire wall of white and grey fuzzy mold growing behind my husbands' armoire. After many hours of bleaching, washing, and vacuuming I'm done. And I'm literally done. I'm ready to move. I know, I know, everyone thinks living in Italy is like being on a lovely vacation everyday. Far from it. I know, I know, I'm not supposed to complain - but this is not merely a complaint, this is full fledged gripe. Like I said yesterday, every single family I know has been affected with breathing issues since moving to Italy. The US Navy has done air samples and decided there's nothing wrong with the air quality here, in fact, they say it resembles the air quality in some of the US's larger cities so we shouldn't complain. I think they should start testing the indoor air quality - mold is a big issue here and it's something we're not readily adjusting to- in fact, we're suffering. Sorry to vent, but if you have a family full of hacking, wheezing, snotting, nose bleeding folks you get to a point where you just want to SCREAM!!!!!
OK, I'm done, thanks for listening.
I am thankful it's not worse. I am thankful there are medicines that can treat our symptoms. I am thankful we'll be moving from here this year. I am thankful I have friends in the same boat that offer support and allow me to support them when it gets rough. I am thankful for the power of prayer. I am thankful my husband brought home pizza tonight for dinner so I didn't have to cook. I am thankful that I have lived near Naples that produces the absolute best pizza in the world. And I am really thankful for my new pillow- it's fantastic!!!!!
Today Lewis got out of the tub and said "Lewis has left the tub". LOL! He can't help it, being an Elvis fan is in his blood.
