After a cold Tuscan winter, we've returned to our house in the Lunigiana. It was chilly last night. We turned on the heat, which heats the water in the taps and also provides warm water for the radiators.

Nothing happened. When I turned the knob to get pressure into the system like you always have to do upon returning, water poured out onto the floor.

What follows, although a true Italian miracle, is the reason our returns are so tense until we know everything is working. Try to find an Italian plumber at 5 pm on a Friday! You might was well start counting the number of days (or weeks) you'll have to shell out for a hotel before one is likely to make an appearance. It's chilly at night here, and the thought of cold showers wouldn't entice us to stay at any cost.

Luckily, our neighbor Francesca knows everyone. One phone call and some pleading was all it took to get a plumber to agree to take a look.

He had a fine look. He mumbled something about needing a technical expert. Then, then minutes later, he got the thing to work.

You can't always count on miracles. But it's safe to say that your vacation rental will be better maintained than a house that stands empty half the year.