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OUR ITALIAN EXPERIENCE - Our Italy Journal
Welcome to my daily journal, a look over our shoulders as we navigate our lives in Italy. The journal reads from the beginning to end of each month.
We post to the journal several times a month, so if you'd like to be notified each time we post, send us an email: evanne@lavventuraitalia.com
For previous entries, click on JOURNAL ARCHIVES to find the month you're looking for.
Evanne is also a contributor to ItalianNotebook.com. From time to time she writes about something of cultural interest about life in Italy. Take a look and you can subscribe to get a daily (5 days a week) snippit of life in Italy. Click here: www.italiannotebook.com 
For those of you who have known us for a long time as Roy or Dad and Evanne, the names Nonno, Dino, Eva and Nonna may seem a little strange at first. We are grandparents of Marissa and Nicole of California, hence the Nonno and Nonna nicknames. Dino and Eva are our Italian nicknames, or sopranomes. If you've been reading the journal, you'll know about those changes, too. In addition to LINKS in the column on the left, you will now find Dino's, soon to be world famous, collection of photos of Fiat Cinque Cento cars. Everyone needs a hobby and it probably keeps him out of trouble.
January 1
If you don't think that it gets cold in Central Italy - here's a shot of our garden hose - (horizontal water!) 
With a cold and sunny start to the new year, we begin to walk up to church, only to have Rosina tell us that mass is at 10 AM today. So we get in the car (many friends and relatives are still in the village, with no parking near the borgo ), and drive to Attigliano for a caffé. Only one bar is open, and it's quite good. Back at home, we park and walk up to mass, where I leave a space at the end of the aisle, soon taken up by Rosita, aka Nonna. Her face is lit up and I'd love to wish her a big auguri, but the first hymn has already begun. After mass, Rosita is surrounded by well wishers, and that is when I tell her she has a new smile on her face and ask her if she is contenta (content, or happy). She beams as she responds: Molto!! Alessia and the babies are still at the hospital in Terni, for the girls were quite small, 2.3 kg (about 5 lbs.) each. Babbo Natale will surely add them to his list for next Christmas Eve. We stop at home to pick up the car and Sofi and drive to Il Pallone. Nando's Bar is open, but the market is closed. No matter. Yesterday, Dino picked up sausages from Pino and for pranzo we eat them with lentils (I remembered to soak them overnight) and three colors of peppers, onion and fennel that were sautéed together in a padella (frying pan). Lentils are a tradition on New Year's day, and they signify money to come one's way in the coming year. Magari! (If only that were so!) Dino prunes the branches of the plum tree and most of the cachi (persimmon) tree on the front terrace. (He tells me I've been writing it incorrectly all this time.) Up on the ladder, he's in his element. He loves this kind of work, and it provides us with lots of firewood starters for next year.
January 2 I pick up just what I need and Dino does his errands, including a stop at the sewing machine store, while Sofi and I wait in the car. Today is our 9th wedding anniversary in the Catholic Church in Italy, although we have been married for more than thirty years. I'd like to celebrate, so in our silly fashion, we eat at MacDonald's. Since every day is a celebration of our lives together, it's a fun thing to do. Back at home it's too cold and misty for Dino to work on the terrace and there are so many photos and edits for him to do before posting the December journal that he agrees to sit down with the photos and catch up on the new software so that we can finish and post. Friends worry; Annika from Sweden even sends us an email to ask if we are all right. So that tells me that people do read the journal. Va bene. In the afternoon, I work on Cesar's painting, doing a bit of dabbing on the sunflowers and leaves, then move everything aside to work on the little girls' dresses. Hours later, I'm pinning and pinning and have done most of the preliminaries for the little dresses and matching scarf for Mamma Alessia, so take out the machine, in preparation to sew. Well, we're out of straight pins, although we have several hundred pinned already on this and that. But it's quite dark now and Coro practice is in half an hour, so that's it for today. No need to set up the machine. Let's take a break. A domani. (Until tomorrow...)
January 3 While Dino arranges to pay, I see a really wonderful small cast iron flying pig with wings, also of the same black cast iron, and must have it to paint. I love wings of all kinds, and it will probably sit on the steps outside the summer kitchen. We'll ask our friends at KLIMT in Viterbo what paint will be best to use on it. Add that to my list of projects.. Back at home, I work on the albero geneologico di Mugnano (the village family tree project) and after cutting and pasting in an excel chart, the numbers don't jive. So I'll ask Dino to work on it to see what he can figure out. He's intent on building a wooden housing for the wood storage in the parcheggio, and leaves to pick up some hardware items, after I have give him approval of the size. It's a project he'll love, and since I love him, Come no? (Why not?) I'm pulled these days in at least three directions: Cesar's painting of sunflowers, the baby outfits for Tiziano and Alessia's new girls and of course meals to fix, not to mention the family tree project for the village. Life is like a dance these days. Oh, don't forget Coro practice, which will probably happen several times a week before the festivities at the end of the month in honor of one of our patron saints, San Vincenzo. We've turned off the freezer in the summer kitchen and moved everything in it to another freezer. Let's fix something for pranzo from there...probably chicken and potatoes. In the meantime, the freezer will defrost...
January 4 I work in the studio on little dresses for the new babies in town and a scarf for Alessia, their mother. Since I'm designing them myself, I'm frustrated that the dresses are not finished, but will continue to add things until they look wonderful. The scarf is another matter, and comes out well. Sorry, but we only have one photo of one dress, and not a photo of the mother's scarf. With plenty of leftovers to eat, this time sausages and sautéed peppers to be served with my favorite celery root and fennel and potatoes baked in the oven with grated cheese on top, we eat a delightful pranzo. Dino finishes the December journal and posts. He has purchased a new software, one that complicates his usual photo montages, but after a while he's finished. We took our time posting, and have heard from more email friends who are worried. Sorry. Tonight there is Coro practice and it is late, but for an hour I sing with my friends, sitting silently as each one offers her own opinion about what we should sing and how we should sing it. These Italian women have very strong characters, and I'm reminded that Sofi has a strong character, too. I love them all, yes I do!
January 5 I follow an hour or so later in Pandina with Sofi, who is scared to death to be in a car with me. I'm thinking it's because she's used to being in my lap or by my side. She huddles in her sherpa bag on the backseat. We meet Dino outside the parking structure where the car will remain for the next couple of months, and drive right home, for Stefano Jr. is expected, si, certo! (yes, of course!) He arrives and begins work on the bottom level of the hallway, which we have primed with taped plastic cloths on doors. Dino makes a shopping list for materials and drives to Orsolini in nearby Attigliano, while Stefano works on. I'm dreaming of pinkish brown walls in two shades, with a rail in between, and the larger paintings done of a few of our neighbors hung on these walls when they've been painted. The current four small framed prints will probably move to the salone. Sofi and I stay in the studio, out of Stefano's way. While we stopped for caffé earlier, I saw a headline on the newspaper that worried me, but does not apply to us, although it does apply to homeowners who have residence permits. Nevertheless, it's important news:
ANSA.it > ANSA English > News
According to the latest figures from the national statistics agency ISTAT, the rate of unemployment between young people aged from 15 to 24 was 30.1% in November.
The rate was 0.9% higher than October 2011 and 1.8% higher on a year-by-year comparison. It was the highest monthly rate posted in Italy since January 2004. Italy's overall jobless rate was 8.6% for November, a rise of 0.1% compared to October and 0.4% higher on a year-by-year basis.
Percorso:ANSA.it > ANSA English > News -
(ANSA) - Rome, January 4 - The government said Wednesday that it is re-evaluating a controversial new 200-euro levy on residence permits for migrant workers in Italy.
The measure, which is due to come into effect at the end of this month, was approved by Silvio Berlusconi's center-right administration before the media magnate was forced to resign as premier in November by Italy's debt crisis.
Premier Mario Monti's emergency government, which approved a tough austerity package that aims to balance the national budget by 2013, initially left the levy in place.
But Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri and International Cooperation Minister Andrea Riccardi said in a statement the move was being reassessed after complaints from many quarters that it would hit some of the poorest people living in Italy.
''In a time of crisis that hits foreign workers in our country as well as Italians, it is necessary to verify if its application can be changed on the basis of the foreign worker's salary and the composition of his or her family,'' the statement said. With our house turned upside down, Dino tells me he lay awake last night worried about all the cracks in our house, and we agree that it is primarily caused by a group of muratores (contractors) in Giove, who put a new roof on the house before we moved here full time. They put far too much cement on the structure, and the integrity of the structure has begun to be compromised. He seems to have a solution... Stefano works away diligently, and in the first couple of hours we see a real difference. It's possible we'll have him repair more cracks. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new paint detail, which Dino and I will do as soon as the intonico (plaster) dries. Meanwhile, there are garments to finish for the babies and a detail for Alessia's scarf; one I think we'll finish after she tries it on. Dino has researched a new satellite navigation system, and they are on sale in Viterbo. The purchase of one will not be any more than all the money we spent navigating on our iPhone on our last driving trip to France, which caused substantial roaming charges on our telephone bill. Yikes! Can't paint in the studio today, for the house is in pretty much of an uproar with everything moved out of the hallway, including the wonderful painted floor cloths made for us while we still lived in the U. S. I work more on the little outfits, making them more like Baby Gaga style. Come no? Dino has no idea what I am thinking about regarding the painting for the families of the village. He drives me a bit crazy with his negative thoughts, when what I need is encouragement. So I'll let him be for awhile, until I have it all mapped out. That may take a trip to the priest, Don Daniele, to research the marriages here over the years.... Stefano stops work for the day after 5 PM, and won't return until Monday, due to the holiday tomorrow. Va bene. In the meantime, Dino comes back with a new navigation system that was on sale, and it will be fun for him to play with. It will also save us money on our next trip to France, speriamo.
January 6
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial. Relics are an important aspect of some forms of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Shamanism, and many other religions.
The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae, meaning "remains" or "something left behind" (the same root as relinquish). A reliquary is a shrine that houses one or more religious relics.
Since the beginning of Christianity, individuals have seen relics as a way to come closer to the saints and thus form a closer bond with God. Since Christians during the Middle Ages often took pilgrimages to shrines of holy people, relics became a large business. The pilgrims saw the purchasing of a relic as a means, in a small way, to bring the shrine back with him or her on returning home, since during the Middle Ages the concept of physical proximity to the "holy" (tombs of saints or their personal objects) was considered extremely important. Instead of having to travel hundreds of miles to become near to a venerated saint, one could venerate the relics of the saint within one's own home.
Roman Catholic classification and prohibitions. There are three classes of relics:
First-Class Relics: Items directly associated with the events of Christ's life (manger, cross, etc.), or the physical remains of a saint (a bone, a hair, skull, a limb, etc.). Traditionally, a martyr's relics are often more prized than the relics of other saints. Also, some saints' relics are known for their extraordinary incorruptibility and so would have high regard. Parts of the saint that were significant to that saint's life are more prized relics. For instance, King St. Stephen of Hungary's right forearm is especially important because of his status as a ruler. A famous theologian's head may be his most important relic. (The head of St. Thomas Aquinas was removed by the monks at the Cistercian abbey at Fossanova where he died). If a saint did a lot of travelling then the bones of his feet may be prized. Current Catholic teaching prohibits relics to be divided up into small, unrecognizable parts if they are to be used in liturgy (i.e., as in an altar).
* Second-Class Relics: An item that the saint wore (a shirt, a glove, etc.) Also included is an item that the saint owned or frequently used, for example, a crucifix, rosary, book etc. Again, an item more important in the saint's life is thus a more important relic. Sometimes a second class relic is a part of an item that the saint wore, known as Ex indumentis ("from the clothing").
* Third-Class Relics: Any object that is touched to a first- or second-class relic. Most third-class relics are small pieces of cloth, though in the first millenium oil was popular; the Monza ampullae contained oil collected from lamps burning before the major sites of Christ's life, and some reliquaries had holes for oil to be poured in and out again. Back to life in Mugnano, I have a question. Does it seem strange that meatloaf is one of our favorite winter treats, served with gravy, roast potatoes and broccoli? The supermarket in Il Pallone sells polpettone (like a large oval meat ball) meatloaf ready to cook, and our pranzo today is quite good, along with some good local red wine. I'm buzzing later while finishing one of the babies' dresses. The service of the blessing of reliquaries tonight is very interesting, especially with dear Dino in his confraternity costume while standing on the altar with Fabrizio and Mauro and Don Daniele. This is Don Daniele's first blessing of the relics, but Vincenzo reads the important passages in a Gregorian chant. Although he's in his early 90's, he knows just what to do. How could one not love this dear man? I surely give him a big hug after the service ends, and help him walk toward his daughter Anna's house nearby. Dino wants to ask our friend, Don Francis, the meaning of the service. Are we blessing the relics? Don Francis emails us back with the following:
"I never heard of an annual ceremony of blessing the Relics! How interesting: I would think that the Relics should be blessing the people, not the other way around! D. Daniele is probably being overly cautious about the authenticity of the relics because they lack the official documents of verification with the seal of whatever authority allowed the pieces to be cut off and put inside the reliquarie".
Many bone fragments from the catacombs were treated as "relics of martyrs" (hence: San Donato...) when in fact they may have come from simple Christian burials. Also, some relics may have come from tombs that, for one reason or another, were thought to contain an important person and were rediscovered long after that person's death. Problems arise if there is no inscription on the tomb, but maybe someone had a dream or a vision... In Spain, the ancient Roman tomb that is supposed to have been that of St. James (Santiago) may in fact have been the tomb of a famous heretic executed at the end of the fourth century!!!! Of course, that you cannot say to a true Spaniard! Back at home in front of a lovely fire, we settle in and watch movies for the remainder of the evening.
January 7 
Beautiful sun greets us again, and we look forward to the new day. I'm on a new morning regimen, one that began yesterday, of putting on makeup and doing my hair the way Dino loves it. Come no? The morning races by, with me also funtioning as Dino's quasi-barber, using his special equipment as he counsels me up close. His hair is so short that it's fun. It's so pleasant spending time on the terrace that I'd love to spend more time there, although the babies' dresses are "waiting for their closeup" and one is yet to be finished. I spend my time making tiny pink rosebuds to adorn the dresses, and they come out quite well. It's a good day to do laundry, for the sun is warm on the terrace, and we do laundry on weekends, when the cost of using electricity is quite a bit lower. One learns the rhythm of their town or village here and we all seem to be in sync, although many women wash clothes daily by hand. I'm reminded of an event that took place in Genoa some years ago. The G8 leaders were to meet there, I believe in a special yacht in the harbor, and Silvio Berlusconi, then the Prime Minister, told the people of Genoa a few days before to be sure not to hang out their laundry on the day of the meeting. As if thumbing their nose at their leader, the locals all did laundry on that morning and hung laundry from every possible spot. This was a case when bella figura (to make a good impression) backfired to the sound of laughter from many of the residents. Mario Monti, the new Prime Minister, stroke a decidedly serious tone when standing alongside French Primier Sarcozy at a press conference last night. We're surely on a more determined track to recover from Europe's financial challenges, although those of us living on dollars here embrace the euro's decline. We make reservations for our Spring France trip, including the art workshop, so I'll not worry so much about what I want to do to tone down some of Cesar's painting to enhance the sunflowers and his face, leaving most of the rest as subtle background. It takes a special talent, and although I'm reading about the technique, would feel better getting counsel from an expert, and David is surely that. He confirms that I can sit with him on the morning I suggest.
January 8 We are up early and walk up to church for a sweet mass and the young South American priest officiating. He lives somewhere in or around Viterbo, and does his best to overcome the language differences between Spanish and Italian while teaching us important lessons. Today, he reinforces the gospel. I sit next to Rosita, whose new smile remains. She now has what she has been praying for...new family members in the form of grand daughters, who spend their time in her bedroom with their parents these days. Enzo and Rosita are truly loving grand parents, and when I ask her if they cry, she tells me they are quiet and content. What a blessing! Back at home, I work some more on the second little dress, and soon we'll be ready to visit the new family. In the meantime, there's a fish pasta to fix from the frozen delicacies we purchased recently in Viterbo. I make one of Dino's favorite salads, to go along with a red fish sauce (using one of our jars of tomatoes from the larder) and hot pepper seeds and carmelized onions and a bit of butter. It's a bit watery, since I put the frozen fish right into the sugo instead of letting it defrost and getting rid of the water. No matter. Dino likes the pasta a lot. Va bene. I think the frozen fish is a bit tough, and we balance that against glasses of local rose wine, which is a bit more powerful than the delicate version we purchase in France. Is this a bit like the national character? I'm not so sure, after reading yesterday of the French drivers' penchant for rear ending unwitting drivers. No matter. Italian and French people are full of spirit, and I think that's a good thing, not that I'm about to judge either one. With plenty of vino under my belt, I'm looking forward to an afternoon nap. Dino wants to attend a recital in Bomarzo this evening after dark. Va bene. It should be a very good group from Viterbo, and will be held in the Comune in Bomarzo, a building we love. We drank a heavy rose wine from Southern Umbria at pranzo, which left me with a headache and a long nap, meaning we did not attend the concert, instead enjoying a lovely fire and movies on TV.
January 9 Our dishwasher has misbehaved after 8 years. It is a SMEG, so should not be a problem. The repair man is called, for last night after we started it it continued to run and run. In the middle of the night, Dino went down to stop it. This happened once before...I think 8 years ago...You know what that probably means. If it costs more to repair it than purchase a new one, we'll get rid of it. I've been thinking of my current painting on the easel, and considering doing a kind of dark wash on the areas underneath the sunflowers. Perhaps I'll try it. How bad can it be? In the meantime, I work on the dresses instead, creating five little sequined hearts on the more tailored outfit. Sewing sequins is more fun than I thought. Young Stefano continues to work on the walls, and the good news is that all the moisture in the salone (living/dining room) on the front wall was indeed cured some time ago when the senior Stefano worked his magic with it. The house is no longer "like a tree". (We were told after we bought the house that it was like a tree, absorbing moisture from the ground directly, with no foundation underneath! We've since fixed that, confirmed by today's revelation.) Time for some good news on this sunny day. Sofi is not well, trying to hide and shaking. Is she afraid that we will take her to the vet in Viterbo? I make a little chicken broth, add a little vial of Enterogermina, but she is not interested, nor will she eat her breakfast treats. It is only later that she is ready to eat, and does eat all the liquid and the little pieces of chicken in her bowl. The medicine should do the trick soon. Afterward, she spends a little time outside in the warm sun, but is happier upstairs in her bed in the studio next to me. Lets sew some more sequins! Tonight there is an early Coro practice, and we'll practice music to sing on San Vincenzo's big day, January 22nd, when the vescovo (bishop) of Viterbo will participate. Oops! Federica calls to say it is cancelled. Va bene! The blessing of the animals on the feast day of San Antonio d'Abate is next week, but since it is only in Bomarzo, we will not attend, although dear Sofi is feeling much better. The big dogs scare Sofi, so unless the blessing is resurrected in little Mugnano we'll stay away. If you're around, the grand celebration and fire is in Bagnaia on the 17th of the month, in the square you'd reach if you were to visit Villa Lante.
January 10 I iron the living room curtains against the front window, for have agreed to shorten them so that they do not lay on the floor in pools, French style. Sigh. While Dino will do the sanding of the intonico, I'll rework the drapes. Since I'm allergic to dust, this is one project I won't work with him side by side. It's a lovely clear day as we drive off to Viterbo, with Sofi wearing her maglietta (sweater). She's one cute dog. We find her a new gabbia (cage) and drive home for pranzo. Tiziano and Alessia's twins, Erina and Rachele, are 13 days old today! We drive down to the Gasperoni house, where both sets of nonni (grandparents), Tiziano and Alessia and the babies greet us. Well, the babies don't greet us; Rachele is asleep, but Erina lays in her mother's arms, not making a sound, but so sweet looking.
Here is a photo showing Erina in her first (unpaid) modeling job with the little dresses. She's later held by Mamma Alessia wearing her matching sciarpa (scarf), although we don't have a photo. Sorry.
We visit with the family. Everyone looks tired and at the same time supremely content. The babies are angels, not crying but waking up every three hours for a bit of nourishment. Sofi welcomes us back at home, and in her first test in the gabbia while we were gone, she moved it about three feet closer to the door! At least we know she cannot push her way out of it. I'd rather have her free in the house, but Dino is adamant that she be in the gabbia when we are not there. I agree...for now. Dino is feeling fine, so fine that he raises the new firebox for the logs up to rest on the andirons and builds a magnificent fire. I love it! Bravo, dear Dino!
January 11 Yesterday I ironed the drapes for the front window of the salone and this morning will pin and sew the hem so that they don't sit on the floor, French style, as they have. Sigh. Dino meets the other Dino at Stein's house and stays while his new stufa is installed. Stein will arrive on Monday, and this will help to keep him warm. We're hoping he's feeling better, and plan to see him as much as possible and to watch out for him. He's like family to us. Sofi will be over the moon with happiness when she sees him. I want to work on underpainting shadow for Cesar's painting, but first pin the first set of drapes for the salone. We won't know for some days if the length is correct, but no matter. I'm on to painting. AvantiLet's go! I stop after an hour to research underpainting. Being mostly self taught is really a challenge, but a fun one. So I do a kind of a wash with ocra gialla (yellow ochre), and when it dries I will continue to modify the technique, perhaps with some white in some areas where light strikes the subject at its brightest. It's all still a bit of a muddle, but interesting. After pranzo, we wait for the dishwasher repair man. Dino sands the recent intonico work in the hallway, while I read upstairs, being somewhat allergic to dust. Sofi joins me. I'm really interested to paint the hallway, hopefully doing a test of the two colors in a day or so. At 5PM, Sofi guards the house while we attend a trigesimo (30 days after her death) mass for Marsilia in Bomarzo. Renzo and Angela wave to us when we turn around in the church, and after mass we greet Angela, who thanks us for attending, while Renzo meets with Don Daniele. The women who sing and must be in the Bomarzo Coro have amazingly strong voices. We join them when we know the music, and afterward decide to drive to shop at Il Pallone for tomorrow's pranzo. Then it's back home in front of a lovely fire and another sweet evening.
January 12 We test the two colors of paint for the hallway, and they are not good at all. Italian paint shops do not put a dab of the paint inside on the top of the can, so Dino does that for us. He also takes a photo of the two color samples on the wall and prints it. We can't return to Viterbo, because we have to wait for the repairman. Time to work on the albero geneologico di Mugnano for a bit. Upstairs the recent underpainting has not dried, but looks a bit smoky due to the paint mixture I used. Let's let it wait another day. In the meantime, I need to work more on the Mugnano family tree, deciding how many trees will be in the final painting. Ten families make up almost 500 of the almost 1,000 names we've collected. Is that a large enough representation? For my idea, it is the families who connect by marriage that represent the community over the years. Until around 1960 the village was cut off by the Tiber River and there were plenty of marriages between neighbors. There still are, with residents loving this little place in the sun. I sit and read for a bit, a book about a couple who purchased a place in France and their adventures. All the while, birdsong serenades us and Sofi drinks up the sun on the terrace. After pranzo, I surely return to the studio to work on the village family tree. We return to Viterbo, pick up another two paint samples, and one is quite good. It's too late to return tonight for more, so we'll do that tomorrow. I work on the village family tree project, checking names of spouses with people born here. It's a long process, even before beginning to map out the painting.
January 13 Sun reigns supreme again, with Dino doing major winter clipping work outside on tree after tree. Later, he'll sand inside, finish prepping the hallway, and test more paints. With yet another trip to the paint shop in Viterbo, we have what we think are the correct colors for the hallway. Back at home just before the sun begins to set, Dino will try again. Just before leaving home for Viterbo, MarieAdelaide called out to me to tell me that Coro prova is tonight. Va bene. In the meantime, I'll work on the tree project, returning at the end of the "G's" in the alphabet. I never do make it to Coro, but they are a forgiving bunch. Tonight we rest, for tomorrow will be a day of taping and more prepping and painting, with me painting the darker color on the bottom and Dino taking the pale pink at the top, in addition to the white soffitto (ceiling). Don't confuse that word with soffritto (fried onions and bacon, the dictionary tells me). But what about frying chopped onions and carrot and sedano (celery) to make a base for many dishes? I thought that was soffrito. If that's not confusing enough, here are a few more found nearby in the dictionary:
January 14 Dino gets out the ladder and paints the pale pink, while I get on my knees and paint the darker color at the bottom. By the time it gets dark outside, I've done the first coat against the stairs and a bit next to the door, while Dino has worked wonders above, using a ladder flat against another ladder, lying horizontally with one end on one step of the ladder and the other end on a parallel step of the staircase. I'm not sure how he plans to do the very highest spaces, for we've been working with brushes, not the easier rollers, although they are available. For some reason, Dino wants to use brushes. Va bene. I like working with him, although Sofi is not sure what is happening. We take a break in the middle of the day. I've made a great casserole dish for pranzo with: leftover chicken and rice, sautéed caramelized onion, sliced spicy green olives and their fragrant oil, ricotta cheese, gorgonzola cheese, a splash of rose wine and grated parmesan cheese on top, cooked in a 350 degree oven for half an hour or so. I've been looking at the painting of Cesar and am not sure I applied the right underpainting; it looks too brown. Perhaps I'll mix up a batch that looks a bit more shadowy gray. The worse that can happen is that I will have to paint over it. That's one of the forgiving things I love about painting with oil paints. Dino does not want me to return immediately to paint a second coat of the deeper pink paint on the wall of the hallway, so I check in with you and do some work on the tree project for the village.
January 15 We're up to our ears in paints and paint prep. Dear friends are arriving: Don Francis, on Wednesday for one night, after our dear friend, a Lutheran Minister from Norway, Stein, aka Pietro, arrives on Tuesday. Now we hear that Tomas, Stein's son, will arrive tomorrow, and Dino will pick him up at the train station in nearby Attigliano. So we hope to have most of the preliminaries here finished and supplies put away for a few days. This is a good place to utter: Magari! (If only that were so.) At mass this morning, Sorella Grande ("big sister") Rosina reminds me that there will be an important Coro practice tomorrow evening, to prepare for our feast day next Sunday, when the vescovo (bishop) will participate. I don't think he's been to our little village before; he is fairly new in this position in Viterbo. Nonno Enzo is here, and after mass we greet him, asking how things are at home. His smile is over the moon. When I ask him if he is tired, he tells us no. When the babies sleep, he sleeps. I'm sure it's not the same for either grandmother or Alessia, the girls' mother. That also means Tiziano is tired as well, for I think they all sleep in the same room these days. We drive to Il Pallone, and have caffé at the new bar, since Nando's is closed for vacation. I love this bar! It's sophisticated and stylish, more like a bar one would expect in Milan. Afterward we shop for groceries, including a pork fillet that Dino will grill and have with homemade apple sauce. I love making this applesauce, for I make it using my mother's Foley food mill to press out the cooked apples. It is at least 70 years old, and still works perfectly, reminding me of watching Mom make it when I was a young child. I've been thinking of more philosophical things these days, including trying to discover who I really am as a person. I believe I am the same person I was more than sixty years ago, when I look today at a black and white photo of me that is displayed in our bedroom. I was about three or four at the time, sitting on my knees in the sand as water from the sea danced around me. I loved making sand castles, and looked up at my father, I think, with joy. It is that inner self that I can identify with, although life has had many ups and downs since that photo was taken. There is plenty of painting to do, but we do not return to it until after pranzo. Dino works on the ladder to paint the soffito (ceiling), while I paint the darker pink closest to the floor. I'm really thinking we need wainscoating between the two colors, in a kind of taupe to work with the old tumbled travertine floor tiles. Dino can paint a gold strip on that. We'll see... All over the news is a story about a cruise ship that ran aground off the tiny island of Il Giglio on Friday. We think we know the ship's purser, who was one of the heroes, and was taken off the ship in a winch with a broken leg. here's the story:
Cruise captain 'panicked' but the ship's purser was a hero
Death toll reaches six as Costa Concordia's captain is accused of abandoning ship with 230 still aboard
THE SINKING of the cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Italian island of Giglio continues to dominate the headlines as the death toll mounts and claims emerge that the ship's captain was "showing off".
Francesco Schettino has been questioned by Italian prosecutors on suspicion of manslaughter and abandoning ship after at least six people were killed in the accident off the Tuscan coast on Friday.
Costa Cruises, the owners of the wrecked ship, said on Sunday that it appeared the accident was caused by "significant human error". It added: "The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and the captain's judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed standard Costa procedures."
It is now being claimed that Schettino was "showing off" by navigating close to the island in order to salute a friend. According to The Daily Telegraph: "It had apparently become a long-standing practice for the Costa Concordia to sail close to the island in order to greet its inhabitants with a siren from the ship.
"The tradition appears to have begun when the wife of a former senior officer lived on the island and he would take the ship close to Giglio to greet her."
The death toll rose to six on Sunday when three more bodies were discovered on board the vessel. A further 15 people are still missing.
The ship's purser Manrico Giampetroni was winched to safety on Sunday 36 hours after the disaster. He was trapped on board after he broke his leg as he helped evacuate passengers on Friday night.
The Guardian reports: "Giampedroni emerged as one of the few heroes of the tragedy amid reports that the captain and other crew members panicked and mounted lifeboats ahead of passengers."
The Times says that Schettino has been accused of abandoning ship because he left the ship "while there were still some 230 people aboard - including two newborns and four disabled people who were not rescued until 2am". No, the purser was not the same man as the purser we met on a cruise from Barcelona to Rome a number of years ago. We had been robbed just after having a meal at a restaurant in the area, and the purser at the time on our ship helped us mightily, since all our money and our identity papers were stolen. He now works for the Costa Line.
January 16 Dino picks up Thomas, Stein's son, at the train station. He'll pick his father up tomorrow, who is remaining in Rome one more day. We look forward to seeing him! I don't attend Coro tonight, instead doing more paint prep and cleaning up, then watching TV.
January 17 Dino paints a second coat of most of the darker pink paint I painted yesterday, then changes clothes to take me to dear Giusy for a pedicure. I'm researching seed information, and hope we can find some seed starting pots locally that are made of sustainable materials. I think Dino can find them in Orte while I'm with Giusy. It's wonderful to see her again, and I'm in and out right on time, which is a miracle for her. She's very happy with her life, and that makes me happy, too. I show her the burn on my hand and she sprays water on it from an atomizer, then puts gentalyn beta cream on top, followed by a bandage. Telling me to do the same tonight and then tomorrow it will be much better, she moves on to give me a great pedicure. Dino picks me up and we return home after picking up a seed starter kit in Orte Scalo. The mixture I've read about to start the seeds is only available there in a huge bag, so I've asked Dino to pick up what we'll need from Bruno in nearby Attigliano. Where to set up the seed potting frame that Dino purchased while I was with Giusy? Well, I suggest right inside the balcony door, and since we face South/Southwest, it's ideal. We'll rig up a light for it as well, so that the seeds will get at least 8 hours of sunlight a day, even on bad days. We also picked up four dozen little starter vases, and that will be more than enough. Even though we begin with more seeds than that, they don't all germinate. We hang up the rose colored drapes in the front hallway, and they look fine. The color is an amazing match with the lower color on the walls. I make our first cece (garbanzo) and pasta soup for pranzo, and it is delicious, served along with bread toasted with olive oil, garlic and salt. Dino returns to painting the upper walls of the hallway a pale pink, while I catch up with you. In a couple of hours we'll drive down to visit Stein and his son; then Dino will take me to Coro prova (practice) for an hour. I have organized all the music we will sing on Sunday, and enjoy these sessions that are no longer than one hour these days. It's so cold inside that I put on boots, having adjusted to the fact that we do not put the heat on during the day. Late each day, Dino starts a fire, and that brings us heat in the kitchen, where we spend a lot of our time during the end of the day. My fingertips feel frozen as I write, but we are ending the month in a week or two, and then Spring will arrive soon, at least we hope. I love these days, just the same. Is it because we are alone together with our little dog, each doing our own projects, with no outside challenges facing us?
January 18 Arriving as the sky turns dark, we sit around and have tea for a while, before he brings in his overnight bag and a gift: special roasted coffee from his area. We remember that it is quite special, and look forward to making it soon. But I've soaked lentils and Dino has purchased special salsiche (sausages) from Pino in nearby Attigliano, so we feast on those, a salad and our wonderful (budino di cachi) steamed persimmon pudding, lit with a flame over a bit of brandy. We opened two special bottles of our red wine from Languedoc, and surely we'll return this spring for more. In front of a wonderful fire, there is much to talk about before settling in for the night.
January 19 
Don Francis leaves mid morning, after special croissants made by Tre Marie that came frozen. We've only to heat the oven and let them bake for twenty minutes. Stuffed with an albicocca (apricot) filling, they're very good. We drive to Viterbo for a round of errands, including buying 20 meters of wainscoating for the hallway that we will paint and attach, but do take the time for an afternoon nap. It's cold. Last night I did not attend Coro practice, but Rosina warns that Friday night is a very important rehearsal and I don't dare miss it. Va bene.
January 20 Francesco calls to tell us we must complete our census by this weekend. What does that mean? Dino will tell me when he returns. He's gone to Colle Amerino Vino Cooperativo outside Amelia to purchase prosecco for Sunday's celebration of San Vincenzo and then on to Viterbo to purchase other supplies. The burn on my hand has not completely healed, so I continue to add special cream and take it easy. Outside, skies are cloudy and a bird chirps now and then. Wonder which birds here don't fly South for the winter? I'm reading a book in my Kindle, and am aware that there are a number of misspellings in a couple of books I have read. How is the data transferred? Does it have to be retyped? If not, if there were not misspellings in the original, how does this happen? It's not important, but I wonder if there is more that is changed or missing in addition to misspellings. One day, I'll ask my pal, Al Gore's internet. Today, I need to tend the sweet fire in the kitchen fireplace. These days, we have fires in the morning as well, for the temperatures outside are quite cold. Thanks for being patient while we are late in posting for the mid month. We'll post once this month, for the first time in recent memory. Sorry.
January 21
January 22 On this day, Dino leaves early to get ready to feed the band from Bomarzo, the Banda Polymartium, their snack, mid-march around the village. I walk up a bit later, for a rehearsal 30 minutes before the start of the mass. Afterward there is a procession, including Bishop Lino, which is a real honor for this tiny place. When the kind bishop presides at the mass, he has such lovely things to say about Mugnano. We're known as a village having lots of spirit, a lovely architectual face, and a devout heart as big as the Mediterranean. After the procession and the reception at the Orsini Palazzo, which is quite wonderful and characteristic of its 16th century beginnings, I ask Don Daniele if we did all right. He responds with a smile, telling me that he is proud of us and beams, and that is enough for me. I find Dino and we greet a few people; then walk home to little Sofi, who has been frightened we are sure by the fireworks at noon and the noise. She seems fine, albeit a bit more affectionate than usual. Just before walking home from the festivities, we came across Cesar and took a photo of him. He tells us, we think, that he will be here until April, and I let him know I am doing a painting of him and invite him here for a look. I'd love another chance to look at his features up close.
Here is a photo montage of this morning's events: 
January 23-30 Where have we been? Well, down for the count with an influenza, and on this Saturday we're just emerging from its heavy mantle. With lovely sun outside, we're doing laundry, hanging up a new temporary bar in front of the backstage area of the hallway, and slowly regaining strength. There's nothing much to report of the past week. Each day I've looked at Cesar's image, not having the strength to return to it. No matter. Sofi has been a champion, staying at my side no matter what temptations have tried to lure her outside. She's a very good girl.
January 31 Dino has had a rasping sound at night in his lungs, and our good doctor checks him out and tells him he has had a bit of a bronchial problem and prescribes medicine to take. That is all. I ask him again for a recommendation for a gynecologist, and there will be one joining his practice soon. I'll remind him by email to find out more. I've had some pain, but only at night, and it's not a big deal, I don't think. We have pranzo at MacDonald's, and it is fun, then drive home and take a leisurely nap. Skies are grey and it is cold, inside and out. I begin the seeds with the biologic "pills" (compressed peat) purchased recently at Spazio Verde in Terni, but we do need a grow light, for otherwise the plants will grow long and spindly, reaching for the light. Dino is not thrilled, but relents. We'll hopefully purchase one tomorrow. Looking forward to whatever comes our way next month, we hope all is well with you, too.
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