No, No, Nonno

Today is a kind of a nothing day so far. It’s too hot to do anything but swim, and, well, a pic of me in my swimsuit is not going to happen here.

So there is Nonno. He’s out on the property daily, tying and trimming grapevines one day, donning thick gloves to harvest capers the next. He can tell you in great detail about the first heart transplant in Africa, and always makes a point to ask Joe and I interesting questions, so he can learn more about Minnesota. He’s a published poet, and in his younger days was quite handsome.

Nonno, trimming capers (capperi) into the evening. Leaves and berries are edible; stems have thorns. 

FYI I love capers.

Why the “Ma dai, Nonno!” (C’mon; really?!), or “non sto parlando a te,” (I wasn’t talking to you) when he asks someone to clarify something, or “Basta!” (Enough!) for everything else? There’s that whole respect your elders thing, right?

Having all of us living altogether, 24/7, for the last few weeks, I can tell you why: si rompe le palle, as they say—he breaks the balls. Mariella’s name is yelled out so much, I want to whisk Nonno away for a little while, as in send him on a cruise somewhere so she can have a break. Maybe when he and my mom go on their honeymoon, Mariella can relax. Because; oh my god.

Tonight’s supper was simple, but good—chicken legs braised in white wine, sage, and rosemary; a side dish of spinach cooked with pancetta and shallots, artisan bread, and the new seasonal fruit, watermelon!

I cleaned our accommodations today, changed the linens, and did kitchen clean up duty. All in all, a hot, boring day.

I think we’ll go into Biancavilla once it cools down tomorrow; 6:30 pm or so, and have dinner. WAIT; scratch that!! I just remembered tomorrow’s dinner here is baccalà! There’s no way I’m missing that. We’ll wait until Wednesday to go to town!