Grave News

I slept through my alarm this morning. I think I need to imbibe more caffeine throughout the day; also I'm still getting over this bug, although it's nearly gone.

Deciding I needed American coffee, I made a small pot and knocked it down. Last weekend, at the hotel, Mariella was eating cereal. Cereal? I asked, arching a brow! Every morning, she answered. It gives her energy. Because I dream of being her, I bought a box on Monday, and have been eating some here and there for breakfast. Elena remembered the particular brand and type of biscottini I love, and bought some to put in the apartment before I arrived. So, coffee, cereal, and cookie, for breakfast, and for energy.

My favorite breakfast cookie, and it has to be the Tre Marie brand 

Today was a clear calendar day. I decided to search for the tomb mentioned by my chance online encounter; the woman whose grandfather is buried in the Biancavilla cemetery.

I decided to enter the high gate, at the top of the cemetery's hill, and work my way down to the usual entrance, next to the church at street level. It's a big cemetery, but I was determined to find it. All I had to go on was a photo of the tombstone and the written data.

Up, up, up the steps to the top entrance, and a pretty view of the town

More steps up

Another view

It's almost Pingatore! A sign our families are indeed joined

Simple common graves of the unknown, or those who had no money for a proper interment 

I thought I was done going uphill

City view from the less picturesque side

Lush greenery softens all the stone

Some facades are pretty cool. This one has an art deco feel.

Straight, right, left, up stairs, down stairs; nothing is in a grid, and the cemetery is embedded into a hill, so nothing is flat. Whew; it's a hot day. Eventually, I got down to one last possible row, and there it was. Had I walked in through the usual gate, it would've been the first grave I saw! But I would have missed a pretty stroll.

Ta-da!

It's literally right inside the front of the door I usually enter

Now having success, and the knowledge it exists, I walked to the Chinese Store to buy a vase, flowers, scissors, and wire. Then a walk back to the cemetery to clean up the grave and add the vase. I'll send pictures to my new online friend soon.

It should be noted that I'm not a grave visitor. I went to my dad's once after his interment, because my mom wanted me to bring her, but that's it. The people are not there, and engraved rocks mean nothing to me. In this case, however, I remember several times needing something far away, from someone I knew or barely knew, or only knew people they knew, who happened to be someplace that I wasn't. I know how grateful I was when someone could help me (or my kids) out. I'm paying back into the circle of kindness. This instance just happens to involve a grave.

As I rounded the corner, returning to the apartment, Mariella was on the balcony, calling to me. I went up to her place and told her the success story. She said we're having rabbit for lunch. I'm eating lunch here? But I didn't question it. If you've eaten Mariella's rabbit dish, you would not question it either.

Wine-braised rabbit with potatoes, tomatoes, and black Sicilian olives. Olives are not pitted in Sicilian cuisine, including those on pizza, so dental work beware!

Olives and herbs, and this morning's harvested apricots, are from the vigne property. These, plus good bread and good people, accompanied the meal. Nonno heard the woman-online grave story, and his eyes sparkled. The world is small, he said.

The apricots look like watercolor paintings, and taste like heaven

Nonno's olive preparation... I can't stop eating these once I start.

I sent photos of the grave, vase, and flowers to my chance online encounter just now, and immediately got a "tears of happiness" emoji and words of thanks in return. She will be in Catania this fall. Perhaps we will meet!

After a brief nap (food coma), Ettore came upstairs... with Tea! She's not only grown, but is talking up a storm. Another smart kid! After a bit, Lilliana, Mariella, and Tomaso arrived; it was so great to see them! 

They like drinking Americano--any beverage with ice added

Riding the crest of last night's win, we showed Tea some hockey moves

Minnesota Women's Hockey Champions

Tomaso is being taught biology entirely in English. Lillian made him explain the digestive system to me, in English. She told Tomaso, if I understand him, he gets gelato. If not, no. I asked if she accounted for any stupidity factor on my part. She (an epidemiologist) said it's more concerning to her that in English they use the word bowel in place of intestine. But Tomaso nailed it. 

Joe called sometime during all the hubbub and said hello to everyone. Mariella told him to eat something.

Then they left, and Rodi and Matteo arrived, joined later by Agnese. We officially had a circus. Finally, everyone went downstairs; I cleaned up the place, and sat down for a minute. Soon Ettore peeked around the corner, then Matteo, then Elena (always looking chic). We had a nice catch up, and the boys played, only fighting a couple of times. Seems like yesterday that my own punks were at it constantly!

I was surprisingly hungry around the early hour of 7 pm, so I ate yesterday's leftovers. And now I'll have a snack and some tea, and turn in early. I'm toying with the idea of a bus trip to Catania tomorrow.

Buonanotte.