Rakins and Scrapins: May 2011

Monday, May 30, 2011

Weekend Selections

A new item (to me, at least) on via Etnea...emergency provisions for several needs...a bit embarrassing to look too long!

My favorite shop in Catania now....only men working inside with all that beautiful yarn.

Cutting through the courtyard of the Duomo

Stopping by Mario's Ironworks and admiring a new lava top kitchen island
Note: Our friends from Hawaii who visited recently said that the Hawaiian movers did not want to touch the lava tables as it is bad luck.

View from the kitchen balcony...the grass is so high that it's hard to see the sheep.

The sheep moved the next day near the road where we walked. Some wanted to pose, some continued to eat, but others ran.

Roses growing over a fence

Lourdes: 53rd International Military Pilgrimage

This pilgrimage has stories within the story. Last year, we were able to fly directly from Catania to Lourdes this year we had to drive to Palermo. We got up early, stopping at Angela and Bros. Agip service station for breakfast. The car would not start when we were ready to leave. Flint made a call to have the car dealt with, then he called Massimo's Taxi. Natale drove us to the Palermo airport with one stop along the way. The Autogrill area was filled with students as this is the time of year for study trips. However, one of the teachers was one of our former neighbors from the Aci area!

Upon arrival in Lourdes, we walked over to reconnect with North American Volunteers and tried to help the college students serve supper. What a delightful group of students from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio! So devoted to their faith and caring in their service!

Before the Welcome Mass for the USA military pilgrims began, Flint ran into Tony, a friend from our days in Germany! He had even spent Christmas with us years ago, but with changes in email, moves, etc., we had lost touch. How wonderful to reestablish contact with such a good guy!

During our few days there, we learned many stories of what brought people to Lourdes, how they happened to be there, and the profound impact this holy site has had on them. Again we were touched by our Wounded Warriors, their families, and sacrifices they have made for us.

The theme for this year's pilgrimage: "United by the Father and One Same Prayer"

A procession begins

The top of the Basilica looking toward the fort. The crown was a gift by the Irish.

Candles

German soldiers preparing to place and light their candle

Street food...delicious sausage sandwich

Enroute to Mass...they played at the English speaking Mass in the Grotto early Saturday morning. Irish bagpipers joined them for the closing hymn "How Great Thou Art."

French military school

Frank...we met him last year...patriot and devoted to God

Waiting to process

Waiting for the 'official' picture of the U.S. pilgrims

View from our room at the Hotel Vesuvio

Sunday Morning....the International Mass

We didn't eat here, but the exterior is an interesting one.

After our dinner at Rivierasol with Luis and Diane

Assigned tables for meals. We shared with this lovely couple from Palermo.

We also shared with Carmela and her husband.

Only a few people from Catania shared our dining room. ObyWhan managed to change our return flight directly to Catania, and we were privileged to meet Mimmo and Francesca.

Our flight left Lourdes later giving us a bit more visiting time. If the car had not broken down, we would not have even asked about changing the flight. Upon arrival in Catania, torrential rains greeted us. Natale took us to pick up our car (the alarm system malfunctioned). The person who was taking care of the car was leaving it and the key at a nearby business. However, when he was moving the car, it wouldn't start again. (It was NOT the alarm system.)

No electricity upon entering our house about 10:00 p.m. Flint flipped the circuit breakers, but the alarm lights weren't working properly. He called the landlord who came over and triggered the alarm a couple of times before he turned it off. He told us there was an area power outage Saturday. Here we were late Monday night. We had to throw out everything in the refrigerators. Thank goodness, we don't stockpile our supplies.

Although we would have rather spent money on something other than the long taxi ride and coming home late to clean out refrigerators could have irritated us severely, the peace of Lourdes and the grace of Our Lady remains with us. Sometimes our situations may be troublesome, time consuming and pricey, but they really aren't too bad. We continue to count our blessings.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Recent Happenings...including a visit to the new IKEA

We've been pretty busy lately. Some of our favorite people visited in April. Grandma and Joe stayed with us while the rest of the family stayed with others. Our coffee table became the ground for little soldiers with the tansu serving as the air field. High school soccer on Saturday afternoon...a whirlwind visit, but so much fun.

Although it's not chronological, this would be a good time to tell you that we also made a quick trip a couple of weekends later up to Vicenza for Joe's First Holy Communion. How solemn and serious he was and how thrilled we were to share this Sacrament with him and his family! We enjoyed a wonderful visit with all the family, plus Vicenza people we now know, and eating all the delicious Filippino food in his honor! Unfortunately, I lost our little camera on this trip; therefore, some bits are not as complete as they should be.

A friend and I created our own walking tour of Motta Sant' Anastasia. This was our time to rehash the recent Royal Wedding. We meandered up and down many of the streets, looking in windows, searching for ribbon, being called to 'volunteer' in a new beauty shop, and eating lunch at the New Olde Tyme Bar. At our final stop, we bought peppers from a truck farmer. He gave us several eggplants to go along with them. What a glorious day!

Our dear friend David and I spent a day at Catania's new IKEA during his spring break. This was my first time to even enter an IKEA, and I can see why people find what they want there. David and I enjoyed morning coffee, shopping and lunch before heading home with a few items each.

ALOHA!!! From Island to Island

Dear friends who now live in Hawaii came to visit. Although we experienced stormy, unseasonably cool weather, our visit and adventures were warm, happy, and definitely filling.