By Jim Kachenmeister
Self-published
2019
251 pages Memoir
My friend, Patricia, has shared with me all the marvelous
things that happen when she is at her vacation apartment in Lucca, Tuscany,
Italy. She just sent me her friend Jim’s memoir of the 15 years, he and his
wife Debbie have spent in this marvelous region—but the beauty of the city and
countryside are only part of the story he is telling. Some of it has been a nightmare.
Part memoir, part travel narrative, part horror, and part
diatribe, Kachenmeister tells the story of how he and his wife gave up their
jobs to move to Lucca—planning to live a quiet life there. Once there,
Kachenmeister got itchy to own some of the ancient properties that dotted the
landscape. He and a couple of partners decided to buy properties and create homes
and condos for other expats and vacationers. Enter Italian bureaucracy and
global recession. I won’t go into detail about all the problems that ensued,
but believe me, less hardy people would have escaped in the dark of midnight—oh,
wait, some actually did!
The title, Under the Tuscan Thumb, is of course a take-off of the love song to
Tuscany named Under the Tuscan Sun by
Frances Mayes and the movie by the same name. Much of the book is written in
good humor, but there are hints of the despair Kachenmeister and his team felt
when the economy and their plans tanked in 2008 and 2009. Interspersed with
this tale of woe are lighthearted and touching moments, as well as memoir-style
looks at Kachenmeister’s life prior to the move to Italy. Another section tells
of playing golf in Italy, while another far more interesting section tells of
the annual olive harvest and their own private brand of olive oil.
The couple tried in vain to sell the apartments and farm
houses they purchased, but they changed course and now run them as VRBO
rentals. He speaks about how much he loves sharing the properties with the
families that come to vacation on his beloved properties. Look at the book’s website for before and
after pictures of the property called Il Borghetto in San Gennaro where there
are 5 apartments for rent, available on VRBO. Wow! I want to go there.
Under the Tuscan Thumb is available on Amazon.
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