Motta Market Trip #1

The Motta market is just up the road from our house on Wednesdays, and today the weather and my schedule permitted me to go on a lovely walk. Not nearly as loud as the Catania market, some vendors were still setting up when I arrived around 9 a.m. I walked around looking for veggies, but I remain amazed that I can buy anything....cleaning supplies, make up, dishes, cookware, linens, clothes...in such a small parking lot!

I bought most of my veggies from one very nice little man (yes, little, as I tower over many of the men here)....fennel, tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchini; then to a younger, taller vendor and equally nice, selling about the same things, but he sold beautiful mushrooms, too.

The market is across the street from the local cemetery which I had never visited. Anytime cemetery gates are open, people are visiting (with flowers bought at the market or just outside the gates) so I went on a quiet stroll through one part. I wonder if some of the remaining relatives live in such nice spaces.

Enroute home, there was a man with a New York Yankees caps selling artichokes out of the back of his car next to a man selling fish out of the back of his. I asked for 'five' artichokes; he asked me to hold the plastic bag, and he cut off all the extra greenery and plopped them in there. At five, I said, "Cinque." He said, "No," gesturing to the back of his LAV heaped with artichokes. He continued filling the bag, then said, "Cinque." 20-30 of the freshest artichokes to share with neighbors for FIVE Euro!

In spite of carrying two full bags of fresh produce, I had to take a picture of the road leading home.

Our Car

We left our vehicle, affectionately known as our BAV (big a** Volvo), in Louisiana in our nephew's good hands. Returning to Michael, the Volvo person across from base, Flint asked about a good, used vehicle that met his criteria of a tank--solid and gets one out of the kill zone. My criteria: automatic and it gets me where I'm going. When we took the car for a test drive, one of the first things the owner pointed out was its television. When questioned about why would you want one in a car, he answered, "When you are stuck in traffic."

Now as we speed past vehicles along side the road in our 2001 BMW, our first thoughts will be: I wonder what program they are watching....

A Walk into Motta

We're getting into a routine, I can tell, as Flint did his favorite Saturday morning activity. He checked out the nearby car wash, then came home and waxed our 'new' car. While he was at the car wash, I walked down to The New Old Tyme Bar where several of my former colleagues and spouses gather for Saturday breakfast.

I took a residential backstreet for about half of the walk before heading down the steep, Motta hill. The street included an olive grove, and Baby Jungle (name of a daycare center). Its sign shows Pebbles and BamBam and uses the term I have enjoyed since we first saw it years ago....'baby parking.' A very pleasant walk of 1.33 miles with a few garbage bins. Looking forward to it again, especially since I rode home in the cleanest car around, and I didn't have to walk UP the hill. Pictures later.

Lunch with a Legend

Flint and I enjoyed a reunion and lunch with Pina, one of the most remarkable people we know. Pina taught host nation here for years, but we came to really know her on weekend trips she would organize for the faculty and community. We consider her an encyclopedia of Sicilian history and culture as well as being a wise, wonderful lady and friend.

While enjoying typical Sicilian fare of antipasti, pasta, pork, dolci, and caffe, we learned so much.

Traditional Sicilian songs are all sad. When I mentioned one that people sing with gusto and happy faces, it's about crushing skulls.

Sicilians gesticulate as they didn't have time to learn the languages of those who conquered them one after another; therefore, they learned to talk with their hands.

A saying, "You can talk about the sin, but not about the sinner."

YouTube - Dean Beard - Rakin' and scrapin'

YouTube - Dean Beard - Rakin' and scrapin'

Dear friend and the person I know who has attended more concerts than anyone I know provided the theme song for the blog. Who would have thought it? Thanks again, DAB!

Animal House

As we have unpacked, unpacked, and continued to unpack, we run across things, our landlord has been in and out, and we visit. One day he mentioned to Flint that we might want to keep the garage door closed as there are "cats." When we lived in the Aci area, we had a couple of cats come in through the skylights(different times). We sensed their presence in the room, sleepily cornered them, one exited quickly via the balcony; the other, I carried downstairs to the outdoors for release into the parking lot. The garage door provides a much larger entrance.

A few days later when Carlo was dealing with our water heater, I mentioned the "cats." He said, "Yes, but they are helpful with the "mice.They come in from the field. Little ones." Hmmmm....

Since this is the cool,rainy season, we have a roll of rug padding by the front door to keep the breezes out. After a night's rain, what did we find lining the living room floor by the door having crawled under the roll, but "worms!" Pencil point skinny earthworms. They wouldn't catch a minnow, and I am grateful they aren't the German variety that were not only fat, but stretched almost the width of a sidewalk.

"I Am Not a Writer" Disclaimer

Just for the record, I don't consider myself a writer, nor did my English composition professor at Louisiana Tech. Doing her postgraduate work at Purdue, the class heard something about it every day. I often wondered why she didn't stay there as it was so perfect, but she had returned to her roots in Ruston. MFB, or MBF, and her marks all over my paper did NOT succeed in making me a better writer...at the time, I think they just hurt my feelings.

At this moment, 50% of my blog followers are English teachers with postgraduate degrees and great respect from me as a former colleague of both. This intimidates me a bit. However, my Atlanta buddies, DAB and RR, encouraged me in this endeavor. My plans had been to call whatever I wrote "Snippets." When I used the term 'rakins and scrapins' in my mother's way, they fell out and said that should be the name. Since DAB is a WRITER and has earned his living by writing, I knew I had to go with that. Thank you, DAB and RR!

Driving home

One afternoon as we drove home, we followed a herd of 'geep' as Americans affectionately call these critters.

Viva St. Agata!

Flint,friends, and I drove to Catania last night to join the thousands in their tribute to Catania's patron Saint. We were jammed shoulder-to-shoulder in an area where lo, and behold, her carriage stopped right by us! Beginning with the Lords' Prayer, a Bishop spoke (just a few thoughts) while people passed handkerchiefs, gloves, holy cards, and even a baby's pacifier on a pink ribbon for the "assistants" to touch the item to the jewel encrusted bust. When he finished, the pullers of the ropes insisted that everyone move back, crushing us some more. After a couple of cell phone calls, a priest picked up a silver bell, rang it, and the carriage moved forward as everyone applauded.

Afterward it was street food! Salsiccia (sausage), cipolleta (green onion wrapped with bacon), and polpetta di cavallo (horse croquette) along with a sip of the vendor's homemade vino rosso in (what I call) a plastic dentist cup. Can't beat it!

This morning as I fixed breakfast, I spotted a European robin. Can spring be on its way??

HEAT and HOT WATER!!!!

Two repairmen came to repair their specific brand of water heater. It's working now! In the process, one asked for 'la scala.' (stairs) So I took him downstairs, opened the garage door, but then in our conversation, I realized he needed our ladder...the one that my beloved Flint has set up as our computer desk in the living room. Yes, it's real tacky. On a big plus note, they came a day earlier than originally scheduled!

Coffee soap and Lysol Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes

Just a quick note to let you know about Maison de Martin, LLC, homemade soaps. KM who makes the soap, sister of dear friend, DJRM, and will be my neighbor on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in a few years, makes wonderful kitchen hand soap out of coffee grounds. It removes onion and other smells from one's hands, and leaves them silky smooth. Contact her at maisonmartin@bellsouth.net.

The Lysol DADWipes work wonderfully when the expresso maker hasn't been screwed together tightly enough and the coffee sprays out onto the stovetop where supper is cooking. Therefore, it couldn't be cleaned immediately and the scrubbing side worked its miracle.

Our house at via Giubeleo 2000 3A

Return to our bella Sicilia

Flint and I just moved into our 'new' townhouse-style apartment last Tuesday. Three levels of moving boxes, etc. up and down makes for a great workout. Our landlord, a cute, young Sicilian named Carlo, lives next door with his wife and four dogs. It's good having him near as we have spent more time without heat and hot water than with. Daily calls about the situation as Sicily must be having some of it's coldest weather ever!!!! We are fortunate to have an air conditioner in the bedroom that is also a heater, and there is enough warmth-after tinkering-to have hot water for dishes and showers.

In Sicily (and maybe the rest of Italy for all I know), each brand of water heater is only worked on by specific people. Although the plumber has visited us twice, the water heater repairman won't arrive until Friday. Looking forward to his arrival as I get cold when I stop traipsing up and down those stairs!