We Remember When.....

As we enjoyed dessert (gelato) after a wonderful dinner with dear friends, Matt and Christine, we began to reminisce about memories of gelato, bars, and other random things in Sicily.

• Years ago we were with friends in a similar gelateria. One friend asked for two different flavors in one cone. The server was taken aback, and informed us that one could order this and that flavor, or that and this flavor, continuing excitedly with a litany of permissible combos, but one would never mix the two flavors that had been requested!!!

         As we relayed this story to family members who visited a year or so after, the same scenario took place in another gelateria, another town.

• In 1995 and the years that followed, the only women we ever saw working in the bars were an occasional older female family member at the cash register. We were taken aback the first time a female took our order at a table in a bar. We also remember whispering and elbowing each other when we first saw a female working behind the bar.

• The fish trattorias and restaurants did not even keep vino rosso in stock. Once when friends requested red wine, a waiter walked down the street to buy a bottle.

• This happened to two ladies we knew who wanted cappuccino after dinner, a desire that would not cross the lips of local. The owner of the trattoria wrote a note to the owner of a nearby bar telling him to serve the ladies and he would pay him tomorrow.

Visit to Germany

For Columbus Day weekend, we visited our dear friends, Carole and Tony, who happen to live in the Altstadt of Kaiserslautern. Everything one needs is right there....the market, church, restaurants, knit shop, museums, history....the list goes on. Just a couple of drives the entire trip made for a wonderful, relaxing, and enjoyable visit.





Pasta people in the market





Fun in a park




An outing into the countryside included a meeting with the Camuso men



Synagogue ruins... Looking through binoculars that are posted give visitors the means to see how it looked when it was intact.

Reindeer at a wildlife park

After our time with the animals, we drove to Kusel for a delicious meal at Cafe-am-Markt.

Home, sweet home!

Of Mice and Us

In case you have read previous blog entries, you may recall the mention of the numerous neighborhood "cats" that keep the "mice" away. Well, the weather is cooling and those cats are not keeping the mice away! I saw one creeping up the stairs having come in from under the garage door. Later that evening, one ran through the living room as we had up to that moment been seated comfortably watching our big screen. I called a neighbor and asked if she had ever encountered any, and the reply was, "Yes." A negative of living by a beautiful field and it's a neighborhood thing as she informed us about a sonar plug-in deterrent, some little sticky houses, and regular traps. 


As we continued our relaxation (not as relaxed as earlier), my Flintster saw the critter race by. It ran under the television cabinet near the front door. With a mop in his hands and the Swiffer vacuum that makes noise in mine, I was going to flush him out, and The Flintster would attack! The vacuum didn't make enough noise so I used the compressed air for cleaning computer keyboards. That made him run along with my screeches and Flint's calling the tiny thing various bad names! But, we didn't get anything but a broken mop! And our neighbors may think we have lost our minds.....


But isn't it crazy how seeing a mice will make one clean house!? We keep a clean house, but after those mice, this place sparkles.... the windows haven't been cleaner!


Flint came in from work yesterday with enough sticky traps for more mice than I ever hope to see. His explanation of  how they work (as told to him by his local friends) is worth the price of a ticket. It includes sounds that I don't think can be spelled. We placed one downstairs and one in the living room. One down this morning....... 


to be continued???

A Handful of Olives

This is our olive crop from the little tree in our front yard. Literally a handful all growing in the same area except for one alone on the other side.

Parking...Quite Often an Adventure

Parking is where you can find it

On our recent trip to the airport for the long weekend, we drove through to find all the lots full and men instructing us to park on the sidewalks, etc. We parked on the street pretty far down from the entrance in an area where people have had their cars stolen in past years. Flint paid a fee and took a picture of the guy. The guy put a paper on the dashboard and off we went without giving it TOO much more thought. Upon returning, we found our car just as we expected. No problems whatsoever.

Another airport parking story came to mind as we drove around looking for a parking spot. Years ago as we searched, we followed a car as it turned into a lot under the raised bar and parked. Then we went merrily on our way. Upon our return, we loaded our car and waited 15-30 minutes for an airport employee to leave so we could exit behind his car before the bar lowered. Free parking, but we haven't had the nerve to try it again.

Two Little Friends Come to Visit



They know the recipes!



One of our most entertaining weekends was Labor Day when dear friends asked us if their two boys could stay with us while they made a special trip. Since the boys just started first and fourth grades, we attempted to plan for every minute. The boys probably could have planned our time as the older one created a Wii tournament for us. First stop after church was the NEX to add Wii Resort and all that it required for more Wii variety.   (Guess whose idea that was! But, who won the tennis tournament?  ;-)

Our first meal:  Moroboshi Sushi Fusion in Etnapolis, one of Sicily's first shopping malls.


The Dragon was a hit!



Talking to parents as we take a walk along the Ognina followed by gelato at Ernesto's



Neighbors invited us to their farm. What could taste better than sun-warmed grapes, prickly pears, figs straight from the source?  Almonds cracked open with rocks gave us the opportunity to discern bitter almonds from the sweet.




On the Circumetnea train ride...part of it was being repaired so they put us on a bus, then back on the train, then another train. Not an excursion that I would recommend now.



At the Old Wild West...Birthday party plans made

Getting boys ready for school was something new for us. Our casa was much livelier, and we monitored our television habits by not turning on NCIS or CSI (shows that we have just learned about, and really enjoy). We commented at least once a day for the next week how quiet it was without the boys. We certainly enjoyed their presence, and we're looking forward to more events including another Wii tournament. We may even let their parents compete!

St. Jeanne Jugan Feast Day

We know this man has never lost a game of checkers; we doubt that he loses at Scopa either-the Sicilian card game meaning 'sweep.'

August 30, 2010: The first Feast Day of St. Jeanne Jugan since she was canonized in October, 2009. One of the Little Sisters of the Poor called to remind us about the day, and I said that we would come after work to assist with the evening meal. We thought that everyone would be worn out after a day of festivities that began with Mass at 10:00 a.m.  We should know the Little Sisters and their residents better by now! The D.J. was cranking up for some eager karaoke stars, and the residents were outside enjoying the lovely weather. Joy filled the air as residents with their families, workers, Little Sisters, and volunteers ate, sang, and danced in the sunshine and under the stars.

   May God continue to bless the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor!

(My first video posting effort. Can you recognize the song? The light is fading, but the spirits continue to soar as do the hands in the air!)