Sogni di Sicilia

We are T-minus 10 days to slogging ourselves Stateside. Things yet to do: Figure out how to get everything into our luggage Eat up the perishables and things in open packages  Book Rachi's trip (we're waiting for Travel Tuesday) Each book our Thailand/India trip (ditto on the Travel Tuesday) for a "honeymoon". Book any Catania stay at the end, if doing one, or any other quick side trips before we fly out. Catania Christmas Markets (and a stop into Geox on Corso Italia, and possibly take a caffè with Jay Greco) Finish the week's laundry Deep clean the place  Clean out the fridge Book Ryanair gift card for Vincenzo and Mariella Get spazzatura rotations completed Ask for Nonno's handwritten spazzatura schedule. So that last item is a bit odd, perhaps. To back up: Over three years ago and my second day in this apartment, I was desperately trying to keep the garbage -- spazzatura -- schedule straight. It's so ingrained in people's minds here, I remember ...

You can tell when it's 24 days before Christmas here, because suddenly, everything is Natalizia ! And each day, a little more is added. This morning involved cleaning up yesterday's baking craziness, far more evident in daylight. I stayed in my PJs because I could! My sweeping, mopping, and re-wiping surfaces started the day, but I did sit with Joe and have coffee while we looked at a few things for when Rachele comes to town. While sitting on the sofa, my phone rang. Mariella said you're coming to lunch, right? Of course! Why would we ever say no? I quickly showered, finally washed my hair, then dressed and got ready. We spent some time looking at our Thailand honeymoon trip before we final book. I found a Black Friday Weekend offer where the second guest gets 75% off, so I'm angling to be the second guest! Lunch included pasta with zucchine and cheese, breaded cutlets, a multi-ingredient salad, ficodindia, the pandora Christmas cake, Christmas biscotti and pistacchio...