Sogni di Sicilia

A morning of American coffee, the last of Elena's torta (Joe), oatmeal biscuits (me), and reading and doing crosswords, before showering and going to the market. Approaching the usual fogies congregating outside Bar Europa, Joe looks ready to walk up and join them. We ran into Fina as we arrived, and later saw Maria Teresa and Pina. Mariella had already come and gone, after her morning Pilates class. I told Joe, I'm not looking for anything, but this is where people run into friends. And I like eavesdropping on tidbits of conversation. Sometimes I learn a new phrase, or how to deal with a vendor, just by watching and listening. Best of all is seeing where the old ladies congregate--those places have the best food or the best shopping deals. Right now they're all over the Christmas stuff. People set up their own presepe at home. With Joe as my shield, I could take photos of the market unobtrusively. Too bad you can't hear what's going on--it's a joyful noise! Bac...

I did most of my housecleaning today; I'll get to the first floor bed/bath tomorrow. That's an area we both really use, and I procrastinate on the chore of it because it is so much work. I'll start on it while my hair color percolates tomorrow morning. Upstairs, I got everything cleaned and the perennial laundry washed and hung, then started yet another batch of chocolate chip cookies, confident I've got the high-altitude, Italian-substitute- ingredient, Fahrenheit to Celsius, cups and tsp to grams finally figured out! I'm leaving the cookie production area as the last to clean. The cookies are 98% there. Don't let perfection be the thief of joy, Kahren. Between testing and tweaking, I ate six cookies. Now I understand why all those ceramic figures of bakers are portly portrayals.  Pretty darn close Joe wanted to walk to the farmacia , and it was nearly noon. I said I'd finish the current batch in the oven, shove the rest of the dough into the fridge, and he...