Alessandro's Birthday

I washed some clothes, edited some photos, showered, and walked to the Wednesday market. I never intend to buy anything there (except produce), but it's Biancavilla's form of community church. The bustle of people and the eavesdropping opportunities are great for language learners. In fact, for the first time in 5 years, I wasn't the sole non-native. A German couple were at the fruit stand. A few familiar words from my time in Deutschland caught my ears, but mostly, I thought — what brings them to Biancavilla?

Horsemeat has gone up in price

The new caffè bar, Makea

At the market 

Preparing for a wedding. 

I got a glimpse of a bridesmaid in a beautiful silk chartreuse gown.

Spotting the little bread house 

on my walk home

I checked out the advertised new spot, closed for the ferie; a caffè bar on viale di Europa. It doesn't appear to be anything special.

Joe was at the apartment; we met and drove to the vigne. Today's lunch, pasta with pesto, and grilled flank steak for the next course. Being Alessandro's Birthday, I brought a small token of Paul Bunyan playing cards and saltwater taffy, but he said we're having pizza tonight, so he'll open it later. We asked Maria Teresa yesterday, is anything going on for his birthday, to which she replied, we're getting pizza; it's really just another day.

After lunch, we had to get back to Biancavilla to do a few things. Joe had a couple of work calls scheduled and needed to prep, and I had to nail things down on this Thailand trip. Delta Airlines is pissing me off. I had miles to use specifically for this trip, and the dates and seats were unavailable — until I switched from Pay with Miles to Pay Through the Nose. However; sometimes I feel there's a divine hand in things. Last night, I had an incredibly vivid dream that I suddenly died of a heart attack, and (miraculously) ended up in heaven. I booked the flight.

Incidentally, when I told Joe of this dream, he asked what heaven was like. Joyful, beautiful, I said. Then why'd you come back? he countered. He can really be a stronzo.

Finishing what I could, I set the rest aside for later, and, being nearly 7 pm, we headed back to the vigne. I asked Joe to stop first at Decó, as I wanted to get a bottle of Charme bollincine. The Decó on the way isn't my favorite one, and of course they didn't have it. I bought some white wine instead, but not super happy about it, and on the way to the cassa grabbed a box of grissini and a Buon Compleanno banner on impulse.

As usual, everyone was bustling. Tournament players were already in action, including Joe's friend Antonio. Pina and (another) Antonio, Teresa's parents, were there with Pina's sister, whose name I asked twice and still can't remember. Anna?

Vincenzo selects the best grapes to chill for tonight's dessert course

Matteo and Nanga helped string the banners before Pina and I got the tables ready

Bruschetta, cheese, grissini, etc., 

are set out as Mira, Simone, Matteo and Vincenzo look on

Pina and I got the tables ready, stringing 4 together and adding a kid's table, because people kept arriving. Francesco and Valentina, Teresa's brother and soon to be sister-in-law, Valentina; Salvatore, Giuseppe Greco's uncle; Nanga and Mira, Raji's (Buddhist) parents; the son and family of Anna(?); another Vincenzo who may be another brother of Teresa, and a few more friends of Alessandro. "Just a pizza night; just another day".

During the influx, Teresa prepared a pesto bruschetta and the classic tomato kind. The grissini I brought suddenly turned into appertivi, wrapped alternately in prosciutto and turkey. Cubed cheeses, olives, nuts, and crackers appeared. Beers started entering people's hands. Vincenzo carried two bottles of bollincine; Teresa had a bottle of spritz, and they split them amongst plastic cups smaller than a Dixie cup.

Just another day

Nanga is good with kids

Singing Tanti Auguri a Te

Alessandro is having trouble blowing out the flame at age 41

Giuseppe Rapisarda came up to me, saying, Karen, do you want a glass of Charme? I pointed out that Vincenzo just poured bollincine. Yes, but it's not Charme. Get a real glass. (I think he's figured out I have a certain palette). Cheers, Alessandro, and cheers to Giuseppe! All the while, Mary is quite content drinking beer.

We wolfed down our pizzas, sitting in the lounge chairs under the pergola. Giuseppe Rapisarda came to join us, plopped down in the one Joe just vacated, and broke it, with him falling to the ground! Joe came back and asked if he did that. Mary, holding a beer, said "Tu sei magro; lui, no". She explained the culprit: You're skinny; him, no.

The grapes appeared, along with Sicilian amari, and the cakes came out, one hosting a fireworks-style "candle". It gave me good memories of another September birthday — my sister's — when the gelato server in Sorrento learned it was her birthday. To this day, that picture of Lori illustrates "joy" to me! Alessandro took a few more attempts than Lori did to extinguish his.

Mary, Elena, and I had a fun discussion about everything from language idioms to kids to spouses, as we wrapped up the evening. We discovered that Giorgia and Joe share a birthday. "Also Karen and Giulio," Elena added.

When Elena was singing to and swinging Giuglio, who laughed through it all, I asked if somehow kids/we recall these first moments. Elena said she'd love to open her memories back to Grandma and Mommy doing this with her. I thought about the Ninna Nanna my grandma would sing to me. Me too, I added.

From the pizza hour on, Giuglio slept through the festivities. Being a happy baby all day must be so exhausting! And tomorrow he has his 5-month birthday!