My Cup Runneth Over
We have water! Indeed it returned during the night.
Getting up this morning, however, Joe looked at our phones. No charging occurred overnight. Did we trade electricity for water? After we got a call from Vincenzo, asking if he could access our bedroom, we figured there was some control panel in there. Evidently, when the water came back, everything activated at once, and there was a power surge. All is now restored to the functioning modern conveniences.
After discussing what we might do today, we decided to check out nearby Belpasso. We were getting set to go when Vincenzo came up to invite us to his home for lunch— Lilliana and her family, and Father Giuseppe the Priest will be joining all the regular attendees. We don’t ever want to miss these lunches, no matter what my belt notches say!
Having a couple of hours to kill before going there, we walked to via Europa to check out a few spots suggested by Elena for breakfast pastry and rosticceria. We were going to have a caffe, but Joe suggested we go to Musa Nera since we hadn’t been there for a few days. After our espresso, Joe wanted to head back to the apartment, but I said I needed to stretch my legs a bit more before a Mariella lunch. I continued up via Vittorio Emmanuel and let myself take more than a nanosecond to window-shop, since I was didn’t have to consider anyone else’s time. One of the places I noticed yesterday had tiny potted evergreen trees in front on the sidewalk. I found myself by the shop again, and on impulse picked up a little evergreen and a red cyclamen to bring home. When I looked inside, I saw the lights on, and the clerk, but hadn’t noticed the Closed sign on the door. I was about to set down the tree and come back tomorrow, but the clerk opened the door, saying don’t worry, come in, come in! We chatted a little, and I explained I’m taking an apartment here and miss having my usual Christmas tree, so I’m getting this little green one. She immediately swapped it out for the same kind but one that was “decorated,” and wrapped it, along with the cyclamen, and a gratis baby tree in red wrapping and ribbon. All for a few bucks!
I had just enough time to change clothes, get Joe, and head a couple floors down for lunch. All the kids were there, along with Lilliana’s companion Reji, who is half Italian and half French.
We started with a lasagna of sausage, bechamel, and mushrooms similar to the Ferla.
The second course was sauce-simmered meats, along with some breaded cutlets, caponata, roasted artichokes, salad, and olives.
Dessert was fresh fruit, gelato, and grappa for the brave.
During the lunch, many ideas for baby names came up (there always seems to be someone having a baby), and boys’ names started getting creative, including Zeus, Zenone (Zeno), and Archimede, until Elena changed the conversation by suggesting the name Adolf Benito. Nonno brought his notebook, asked for silence, and read a poem of his that, from what I caught, likened love to doves. It was the poem he wrote for Elena and Giuseppe’s wedding. Also at this lunch, both Joe and I commented that Mariella’s plate was empty. Joe joked, asking if we should be worried that the cook poisoned the meal. Elena calmly responded, “Yes. She will finally be alone”.
Afterward, some of the guys (including Joe) went for a short drive to check out a newly purchased property for Giuseppe’s growing business, while I tried my best to help Mariella clean up, along with Reji and Maria Teresa, while Lilliana attended to something on her laptop. I got to spend time chatting with Reji; an interesting guy, who has offered to show us some off-path wonders of Etna.
Tomorrow it is supposed to be so cold, some things may halt. The predicted high is 45F.
Tonight, another get-together with many of Vincenzo and Mariella’s friends. Lots of food, and a new beer— called “Freak”!
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