10296 The Great Italian Escape

Looking forward to that Pas 55 - Thanks again.

I was very interested to see that this couple is going to pop up yet again on Channel 4. They appeared in the No Going Back series in (if memory serves) 2003 and then again in a follow-up programme a year or so later.

They have a [URL="http://www.casadelsole.co.uk/"]website[/URL] promoting various services (including property sales) and Sarah has written a book titled "[URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuscan-Living-Yorkshire-Moors-Hills/dp/1844031829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220179585&sr=1-1"]Tuscan Living: From the Yorkshire Moors to the Tuscan Hills[/URL]" (using her maiden surname of Fraser). My late wife and I stayed with them on their farm/building site for a week in April 2004.

While I am grateful to them and the programme-makers for the role they played in me being where I am today, the opinons I formed after spending some time with them are not ones I can share here. Still, I would find it interesting to see how they've been doing and I'm sorry I'll miss the programme.

Thank you for the link Allan. I am impressed by the very comprehensive properties for sales descriptions and accompanying photos.

I seem to remember they had no grasp of the language, no financial reserves and no real idea of what they wanted, but an interesting program all the same. We saw it just before our first visit 3 years ago. Seemed everything was about Italy on telly then - Francesco's Italy -Top to Toe was also on. These 2 programs certainly fired us up if nothing else.

She has certainly been busy since moving to Italy, as she only had 1 child in the 1st programme, then got pregnant shortly after arriving, now there are 4 of them. Glad moving to Italy did'nt have that affect on me!

[quote=AllanMason;95726]
While I am grateful to them and the programme-makers for the role they played in me being where I am today, the opinons I formed after spending some time with them are not ones I can share here.[/quote]

Go on Allan - live dangerously - spill the beans! We're all dying to know. :yes:

[quote=herealready;95829]She has certainly been busy since moving to Italy, as she only had 1 child in the 1st programme, then got pregnant shortly after arriving, now there are 4 of them. Glad moving to Italy did'nt have that affect on me![/quote]

Now don't be greedy, you had enough when you arrived :yes:

We have just had the tv crew from freeform productions filming in and around San Ginesio, and staying with us and at Shambala. Not sure when it will be screened, or whether the chosen couple decided to buy here or back in the UK - no doubt the area will look good.

I posted about this couple, their update etc when the new series was being made a little while ago because Channel 4 is apparently, still keen to make these types of prgrammes and estate agents are falling over themselves to get people who are already settled here having "done their project" to tell all with pictures!!! Anyone wanting to appear in the Daily Express PM me!!!!

Is there any money in it?, but again perhaps not?, I hate to say it but it was that first programme I watched which motivated us to come here, not enough to have 3/4 more kids though, they must be much younger with much more energy!
A

Lesson no 1 ...... get a good friend to keep their eye on your place if you are away for a long time!! :yes:

Just thought.... I wonder if they pay them for the programme?

And change the front door lock when the property is finished being refurbished and give that good friend the only extra key.

Couldn't understand why the Turnbulls weren't checking the chestnut house, as it seemed to be nearby - what a horrible mess! And what about the other couple who cancelled all their bookings??? How not to succeed in business..................

Yes, they made out they were good friends. My earlier post was tongue in cheek!!
If you looked at the lady at the house under renovation she had a suntop under her teeshirt and had obviously been sitting out sunning herself!!
Personally never stayed in a B&B and things like that prove I've done the right thing (for me anyway)

I thought the Turnbulls place outside looked like the Clampits lived there! :laughs:

I started watching the programme, on Channel 4+1 at 9.00pm - couldn't miss 'The Bill'

Had to switch over after a few minutes - that woman's laugh really grated

So I watched Good Will Hunting on Film 4 instead - quite enjoyed it.

[quote=alan h;96045]I started watching the programme, on Channel 4+1 at 9.00pm - couldn't miss 'The Bill'

Had to switch over after a few minutes - that woman's laugh really grated[/quote]

I lasted just 7 minutes had to turn over thank god I thought it may just be me what an
awful woman.

I forgot to watch and was kicking myself needlessly it now seems!!! lol

Borrini its strange but i noticed the bikini top too!!! Was it just us?? I thought lazy c.w why wasn't she sorting out that basement!!

I found Richard and Sarah to be a inspirational couple particularly Sarah who has not only had 4 kids under circumstances most of us would struggle with but has been willing to turn her hand to just about everything.Good on her! I could feel her frustration with the other couple and totally sympathised with her.But she spoke with such candor on their situation and that of other expats in the area.

The slightly hopeless woman with the rat invasion has my sympathy as its happened to us!My tip to her is too put all bedding etc into storage boxes if you are not going to be out for some time.It was a puzzle as to how exactly so much wildlife had penetrated her house? was it something to do with the fact that shed only spent £7,000 on restoring it? Did that include windows???

I found the amount of £30,000 for restoring that other house pretty unbelievable too.Did anyone else?? What about taxes geometras fees permissions from commmune etc ??Needless to say my OH got his ear bent afterwards about how some people seem to manage to convert an entire house on the money were spending for a new bathroom!!Oh dear he'll try and stop me watching next week

once again idiots make good television, ok it made Sara and Richard look better than the last one they did, and it's nice to see they are happy and things are working for them.
But that Doris who basicly could not be bothered after the booking were made, I wanted to punch her, and the girl who went back to uk without bothering to close up the house properly. are there really people out there that are this thick?
I have to agree with Alan it was'nt worth missing "the bill" for!

Rather harsh! even by my standards.

[quote=Sally Donaldson;96051]I forgot to watch and was kicking myself needlessly it now seems!!! lol[/quote]

"Mrs Cheese-Grater Laugh and the Lobotomised" is repeated at 6pm tonight on Channel 4

I may start to watch it again, as i can't really believe it was a bad as I thought first time around.

.

LOL (oops, forgot I wasn't allowed to do that any more!).
I'm afraid I don't know who the Clampits are but if what you mean is that we're more Grundy than Home Farm I agree entirely. We're poor farmers, living on a working farm and we're very happy to be living our own dream (although I do sometimes wish Richard & the kids would tidy up after themselves!).
Allan, I think I might remember you... did you stay with us at Easter on our first year of taking guests in the Farmhouse? Go on... share the sour grapes - I promise not to be offended since renting out our house was possibly one of the worst experience of our lives too!
No - you don't normally get paid for appearing on a show like this but if you are clever at marketing you are able to make it pay in other ways.
Cathryn (Rat Girl) didn't leave us a key so we couldn't do anything to help... she also paid almost nothing in exterior renovation (because Richard helped her out) but the work she and her boyfriend did on the interior is naff so it's definitely worth paying a professional if you can afford it.
Anyway, the show time has changed - Thursday's at 8.00pm now.
Today is our last day of filming... Hurrah. Back to simple digging and hoeing.
Sarah

The Clampits are "The Beverly Hillbillies" - a TV programmme about a simple country family who "struck it rich" and moved to the city. A similar (but reverse) situation to yours. They were rather nice types too - good hearted people - not a bad bone in their bodies - who were often rediculed and exploited. They always won through in the end. :winki:

:laughs: Sounds just like us then... do I recall that they struck oil too? Sarah [[[url]www.casadelsole.co.uk]][/url]

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Oops... sorry - am a complete Luddite. I think what I meant was [url=http://www.casadelsole.co.uk]Casa del Sole - Welcome[/url] (and am I really so awful?) Sarah

Sarah good on you!! ignore the gripes and I'll be watching tonight and loving it!

Hello could somebody tell me what I missed?:smile:

watched both of the current series including last night, found it very enjoyable viewing, glad to see you got your €5k for the errant foal, like you said it looked like he would have paid anything :smile:

Gonna have to ask as I'm dying to know, that couple who bought the place in the centro storico who had previously looked at the farmhouse, the chap and his "secretary", looked like something was going on there :wideeyed:

Overall I take my proverbial hat off to the tenacity you've all shown in pursuing your dream and not giving up during the frequent nightmarish times, looking forward to next week's prog.

oooh Ron is spreading rumours!! I bet that lady is very good at shorthand!:nah:

Quite honestly Sarah I don't know how you cope, children, horses and farming. Your friend was really silly not leaving you a key so at least you could have looked in and been able to alert her before it got too bad. Has she kept the place, moved in or sold it?
Has the couple doing B&B ever finished their place or even still there?
TV programmes never tell you what happened in the end.
The property last night, the renovated one, what a bargain! Is there any garden to it or parking?
Is there many English people around your area? We have been looking further north and very few and far between.
Looking forward to the next episode! :yes:

Really enjoyed the series - you come across as having a really lovely family Sarah. Well done to you for sticking it out and for having the guts to do the TV thing - it's not a walk in the park for many reasons. Very best of luck in future.