Days 8 & 9

It's hard to believe that we've been gone for a week already. It's taken us this long to just decompress from the busy season running the inn and all the holiday activities in Rockland over Thanksgiving (ie Festival of Lights) weekend. I have to say that we miss everyone, our puppies and the inn, but it's been 60 degrees here and quite comfortable. That's hard to beat when it's snow and freezing rain at home.

After a week of some crazy running around, yesterday (Friday) and today have been pretty mild. But before I forget, here's the link to my gingerbread house creation for 2008. It was featured in a local newspaper article, so I am quite proud. Also, for the first time ever, I created an atrium completely out of molded hard sugar candy. I dreaded this part of the process, but it turned out to be easy.

Anyway, we slept in on Friday and this morning which was very nice. Barbara had some shopping to do, so late Friday morning we ventured out to the shops in Snellville. Much to our dismay, the selections were not up to par. So, we decided to head to the new Stonecrest Mall in Conyers. Ugh, has this area changed a lot.

PJ bought new sneakers and several nutcrackers. Barbara bought a new 20 quart pot to make sauce. All in all, it was a successful trip. One good thing about all the changes in ATL is the improved restaurant scene. Dinner on Friday night was at Cosmo's Little Italy Pizzeria on the square in Lawrenceville. Who knew? Real italians from Bari running a restaurant in Gwinnett County. I remember having to travel 20 plus miles into the city just to go to Camille's in the Highlands. Things have changed.

Bill, Gina and Beth met us there and the place was packed. Of course two hours and two pizzas later, we were closing the place down. It was nice to get back to Barbara's at a decent hour. Once again, Beth has done a terrific job on our holiday cards. We spent about two hours last night applying address labels, return address labels and stamps for 700 plus cards, ugh. The good news is that you should receive yours soon. PJ has started stuffing as I write.

So today was all about the family. We went to my brother Paul's house in Dacula around 1pm. We hung out with brothers, sister and cousin Julianne too. Nicole, Louise, Joe and Joel were there too. There was lots of laughing (mostly from watching everyone play Wii bowling, golf and tennis). Then, I forgot to mention Barbara made sauce, meatballs and sausage old school style with the new pot. Along with six pounds of pasta, there was enough to feed an army. Luckily, we amount to one.

So, we are back at Barbara's now. We have slightly modified our itinerary tomorrow. After dinner at Barbara Bender's house, PJ and I are heading west. Our goal is to get as far as possible to accomodate a special desitination (maybe two) on Monday. More about that later. Tune in to find out........

Days 6 & 7

Yesterday was spent dirivng through rain and fog to Barbara's in Atlanta. Not much exciting to report although we made decent time. It was nice to arrive at Barbara's and have a delicious home cooked meal awaiting us. We got a wonderful nights sleep as well. Today, we picked up Marty and went into downtown Atlanta for some shopping. We went to the Exibition center to see Bodies: The Exhibition. this was the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen. From their website:

To help you see what a body really looks like on the inside, this Exhibition uses real human bodies that have been preserved so they do not decay.A human specimen is first preserved according to standard mortuary science. The specimen is then dissected to show whatever it is that someone wants to display. Once dissected, the specimen is immersed in acetone, which eliminates all body water. The specimen is then placed in a large bath of silicone, or polymer, and sealed in a vacuum chamber. Under vacuum, acetone leaves the body in the form of gas and the polymer replaces it, entering each cell and body tissue. A catalyst is then applied to the specimen, hardening it and completing the process.This method of preservation creates a specimen that will not decay. This offers thousands of unique teaching possibilities for educators at all levels, including medical professionals, archeologistsand other scientists.

You really have to see this to believe it. Not neccesarily for the faint of heart. We then met Becky and Kean for dinner. We ate at a wonderful Italian restuarant called de Paolo's that is consistently voted the best Italian restuarant in all of Atlanta. We are now back at Barbara's playing with the puppies and getting ready for bed.

One last thing. Just before we got home, we encountered an SUV that had a lighted wire frame lawn reindeer strapped to the front. It was one of those motion ones where the head swivels back and forth. It was absolutely hysterical!!

Day 5

Well, it's now 12:07 am and we are settled in at the Beautiful (uugh!) Days Inn in Winchester, VA. Today was quite a busy day. We had yummy scramble scramble and bacon prepared by Karen for breakfast and then took a tour of the property with Jessica. She was getting a little randy by lunchtime so we took the cue to continue our journey. We took a short drive to Lancaster, PA and met one of our favorite guests, Donna, for lunch. It was really great to see her and also a little odd to see her on her home turf. I've decided that I can not partake in any more buffets on this trip or I will weigh 400 pounds!!

After lunch, we took a two hour drive to Osterberg, PA to meet Frank's friends Wayne and Renee and their 3 kids. We all went to dinner at the Jean Bonnet Tavern (pronounce like Jean Benet Ramsey oddly enough) This was a neat old tavern and B&B built in 1762. Apparently it is haunted and interestingly enough, there was a camera crew for the History Channel there to film a segment on haunted inns. We'll have to keep an eye out for that one. We had a really nice dinner and are very tired now so I am going to end this post. Tomorrow is lunch with Frank's nephew Alex who lives here in Winchester. Then, it's a 10 hour drive to Snellville, GA where Everybody is Somebody (yes, that is the town motto). Check out some photos here.

Days 2, 3 & 4

Wow, this is a lot of ground to cover. We awoke Saturday morning to the sound of bull horns on boats in the East River as Tim's apartment is just off the Brooklyn Promenade (great view if you lean out the window, ha ha). Breakfast at Clark's Diner (I ordered "The Big Breakfast", yum), then off we went.

If the previous night's adventure was not enough (did PJ tell you about my ignoring both our GPS systems and got us lost?), we needed to get gas almost immediately after getting in the car. Tim assured me there was a gas station on Atlantic Ave just before getting on the BQE. Yes, it was there with fencing and all as they were replacing the tanks. Wanting to check the accuracy of the Mercedes Benz trip computer (it said I had 50 miles to empty), I decided to rough it and off we went through Bay Ridge across the Verazzano Bridge through Staten Island across the Goethals Bridge into Elizabeth NJ. By the time we got to my favorite old Hess Gas Station, I had a mere 5 miles left to empty. Yeah, we made it!

Before meeting Eric and Kristin for lunch, we took a drive down memory lane through Long Hill Township (where we met) to see my old house and PJ's childhood house. Nothing much ever seems to change in NJ except higher taxes. Well, the house was painted a different color; the neighbor across the street was still working on a second story addition (6 years later, Jen!), but it was still good to see.

Lunch with Eric and Kristin was great! Eric looks great too (he said we should say we saw "the best looking guy in Hillsborough"). He may have been the best looking guy at our table, but that's not saying much with me and PJ being the others. It was fun to catch up on his improvements and reminisce about good times past. Kristin has her own GPS story, but it's not my place to tell tales (ask her to tell you cuz it's really funny).

After lunch, we stopped by our old house in Tewksbury (Califon), and it looked good too. It's for sale down in price to $549,000. Wow, the real estate market has really tanked in NJ. It was a fun drive from there to the Waldsteins in Henryville. We arrived at the start of their "adult party" with children attending. What does that mean, you ask? It means six couples getting drunk with ten screaming kids wreaking havoc on the house. Actually, the kids were well behaved. The parents got a little crazy, ha ha. Well, after a fun night it was off to bed at midnight.

Sunday morning was reminiscent of times past with the Sunday paper and good bagels with a schmear. Oh yea, there were two kids jumping about, but it was still fun. We got on the road before 11am to meet Scott and Michael for lunch in Plymouth Meeting (outside Philly). Much to my delight, there was a California Pizza Kitchen restaurant there, so it was Thai Chicken Pizza for me, yum! We shopped the mall a bit. PJ found three nutcrackers in Boscov's, but I can't complain because they were 60% off. He's becoming quite a good shopper.

After that, it was off to see the Hall's of Honey Brook, PA. We arrived at the tail end of Jessica's 2nd birthday party, so we go to see some old friends too. Mostly though, we sat around and drank until about midnight and slept until 8:30 this morning. Fortunately, hangovers were at a minimum. But we did have a lazy morning drinking coffee around the kitchen table watching Karen slave over the stove making swedish pancakes, again yum! Finally, we got showered and out for the day around 1pm after grilled cheese sandwiches. Karen and Kyle live in the heart of Amish Country. You know Intercourse and Blue Ball. While these things seem to be opposites to me, they are also the names of two towns in Lancaster County.

It was fun to see the horse and buggys too. Even more funny to see the hitching posts for the horses in parking lots for the bank and Walmart, etc. It's a different world here. We did a little more shopping as that seems to be the Amish country pass time. Then it was home for a nap (for me) and PJ convinced Karen to create a Facebook acccount. We may never get her off the computer. Finally, dinner tonight was at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. OMG, this makes any buffet you've seen before seem weak (even Millers, you Mainers). We are talking about over 100 feet of buffet lines (two sided even!). Ugh, I am stuffed; I am tired; so it's off to bed. More later............ Check out some pictures of Jessica here.

Day 1 of our Road Trip

Today was the first day of our road trip. Since we weren't on a time crunch, we decided to take the ferry from New London, CT to Orient Point, NY. It was a beautiful ferry ride. Click here to check out some of the photos. We met Tim & Madlyn for dinner and then went to another spot for dessert. Tomorrow, we have lunch with Scott and Michael and then off to Henryville, PA for the evening with Christine, Eric and the girls. I would've been more witty in this post but it has been a VERY long day and it's almost one in the morning. I'll get the creative juices flowing for the next post. Thanks again to the Minders and Galkowski's for keeping an eye on the inn while we are gone. We know if is in good hands!!!

Frank interviewed on WCSH6

Last week, our local NBC affiliate, WCSH6, ran a report on money saving tips and asked viewers for suggestions on other tips. Well, of course Frank sent an email to the television station and got a response from the on air newscaster, Cindy Williams. He discussed the purchase of our new television and how we were able to get a great deal on it by doing our research. Frank & Cindy emailed back and forth and she invited us down to the studio in Portland to be interviewed for an upcoming segment.

Despite the horrible weather (incredible wind and torrential rain) we made the trek down to Portland to the TV studio. It was a fun experience. Cindy could not have been lovlier! By the way, this was also an excuse for us to hit Christmas Tree Shops!! We trudged our way back up to LimeRock Inn in Rockland and came to home to two very excited dogs. They are not used to us being gone all day. We will let you know when the segment airs.

We won an award!

Last night was the monthy business after hours for the Penobscot Regional Chamber of Commerce. It's a chance for chamber members to get together to network and catch up with each other. This month it was hosted jointly by Kno-Wal Lin and Penquis CAP. Penquis CAP is the local community action program that assists people in need through all types of programs including fuel assistance, victim service, health & housing. Last year, Frank and I (mostly Frank) helped organize a fundraiser for the Keep ME Warm fuel assistance fund. Well, last night we were presented with the Above & Beyond Award from Penquis CAP for our efforts. We had no idea this was happening and we were very honored to receive it. Click here to learn more about what Penquis CAP does.

Sunrise in Rockland, Maine

Ok, so I didn't actually get to see the sun rise because I had to get back to LimeRock Inn to take care of the dogs and serve breakfast. But....I did get some beautiful shots of the pre-sunrise light over beautiful Penobscot Bay and Rockland Harbor. Check out some pictures here.

Foreign Auto Festival at the Owls Head Transportation Museum

This weekend, the Owls Head Transportation Museum hosted their Foreign Auto Festival. More than 150 antique automobiles from around the world showed up today. It was also a beautiful day to watch the antique plane show at the museum. Click here to see some picture of classic foreign cars.

Penobscot Island Air

Two years ago, a wonderful guest of our from Lancaster PA named Donna invited me to go along with her on a plane ride over Penobscot Bay. There were several lighthouses that she wanted to see that could only be viewed by boat or by plane. Since it was winter, a boat was out of the question so she chartered a flight with Penobscot Island Air. The offer scenic plane rides in the area. Last year, Frank and I won a plane rider for four at our local chamber auction and since Donna was visiting again, we decided to return the favor and take her with us. Our neighbor Bill also came along for the ride. The fall leaves are at their peak right now and it was a beautiful warm autum day here in Rockland. We took in several sights during the plane ride including flying over Wolsgrover Island, which is owned by our neighbors Lucy & Bill. The highlight of the trip was a flyby of the LimeRock Inn! It is amazing how different everything looks from up above. We had a wonderful trip although I find the older I get, the less tolerance I have sharp banking in small aircraft!! Enjoy the pictures here.

Fall Weddings in Rockland Maine

Yesterday, guests of ours got Married at Birch Point State Park. They were a very nice couple from Ohio. At LimeRock Inn, we have a small wedding, elopement package that includes lodging, wedding cake, the bouquet, boutinierre, cake topper, champagne reception and a wedding officiant. I also photograph the entire ceremony and put the photos on a CD for the couple. We have done several in the past in our backyard gazebo. This one took place right on the rocks at the beach. You can check out the details of the package here.

Although the weather was uncooperative most of the day, we got a small break right during the ceremony. Even on cloudy days, the coast of Maine is just beautiful. We are nearing peak for our falls colors and the gray of the sky brought our the reds and oranges of the leaves even more.

LimeRock Inn Featured on Maine Watch

Recently, LimeRock Inn was featured in a segment of Maine Watch with Jennifer Rooks. The program focused on Eco-tourism and discussed our efforts to help sustain the environment. you can view the program by clicking here. Enjoy!

Dahlia's, Dahlia's and more Dahlia's

Today, I went with our neighbors, Lucy & Bill, and Frank's sister, Barbara, to Endless Summer Farm in Camden. They specialize in Dahlias with over 2000 plants and 250 varieties. It is a sight to behold. This was an investigative trip in preparation for the dahlia garden we will be planting next spring. Some of the plants were 10 feet tall. Check out some photos here.

You can also check out the Endless Summer Flower Farm website here.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Frank and I were able to sneak out to see one of Midcoast Maine's most beautiful new attractions. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is located on 248 waterfront acres in Boothbay. It's a wonderfull day trip from Rockland. The gardens feature a staggering variety of perennials, native wildflowers and beautiful stonework.

We had a beautiful day to walk the grounds and enjoy the gardens. Click the link below to view my web album. Enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/CoastalMaineBotanicalGardens

2008 Parade of Sails

Not many know this but Rockland, Maine is home to the largest fleet of historic schooners in the country. They all offer either multi-night sails or day sails. This past friday marked the annual Parade of Sails where the local fleet, as well as schooners from other parts of the coast, converge upon Rockland harbor for all to see. Myself (and upwards of 500 others) took the 7/8 mile walk out to the Breakwater lighthouse in the middle of our harbor to enjoy the show. Please click the following link to see the photos. The photo in the post is of the Victory Chimes, a three masted schooner that is depicted on the Maine state quarter! Enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/ParadeOfSails2008

Stardate, Saturday, December 29, 2007. We're home :(

When we left off, I was sitting in the airport in Rome trying to find an internet connection. Imagine my dismay when they announced a gate change for our flight, and PJ was no where to be found having gone in search of a network cable. Well, it all worked out. Different gate, but same terminal, so it was just a short walk.

We boarded, and it was off to Zurich. By the way, no pictures, but the Swiss Alps are beautiful. We encountered the Italian Alps first, and they were impressive. Then off the other side of the plane, we saw the others. Wow, are they tall. It felt like we needed to go up higher in the plane for fear of skidding on the peak of one as we flew over.

It was foggy in Zurich, so we didn't get to see anything. Oh yea, 45 minutes to change terminals for the connecting flight didn't help either. Sorry, no new watch for Frank. We didn't even get to see the Miss either, but there was plenty of chocolate on the plane. Kudos to our friend Christina Ferrara in Rignano as she was right about Swiss Air. The service was great and our luggage arrived with us. Dare to dream.......

Eight hours on the plane, and neither of us was able to sleep. Fortunately, a couple of complimentary cocktails at least relaxed us; the food was good; and there was plenty to do watch on TV with individual monitors at each seat. Check out the openning picture as we flew over Maine. Yes, they pointed out Rockland.

At that point, PJ suggested parachuting out of the plane to save us the three hour drive home from Boston, and we are used to arriving somewhere without our luggage. I guess I just need to let this go. Anyway, it was disturbing to learn that it's only 25 minutes by 757 at 40,000 feet from Rockland to Boston. Oh well. Customs was a breeze in Boston, and we ended up waiting longer for the shuttle to parking. All in all, it was a textbook return. We walked in the cottage shortly after midnight.

PJ woke up at 6:30am. Yeah, I'm surprised too. I slept until 10am. PJ's parents arrived around 12:30pm with "the boys", Chance and Rascal. It's great to be back in our house with the puppies. They are happy too although Chance is somewhat out of sorts because PJ subjected him to a bath. Lunch at the Black Bull Tavern, and it feels like home again. Dinner tonight at In Good Company in the good company of Lucy and Bill.

Our guests have checked in and seem nice. A trip to Hannaford for supplies, and I am ready for breakfast in the morning. Well, at least all the ingredients are here. My heart may still be in Italy. Ciao to all. Buon Anno Nuovo! Happy New Year.

Our last day....

It’s Friday around 1pm, and we are VERY sad. I am sitting at the gate in the airport (PJ found a smoking lounge) in Rome, and we don’t want to go home. Adrianna packed us a wonderful lunch including Roman pizza and panini con prochiutto and fromaggio. I am sure they taste good, but will do nothing to cure the bittersweet sadness of leaving Italy.

Yesterday was great. We woke up early (for once) around 7am. Took breakfast downstairs and off to the train station for the hour commute to Rome. We could not come here and not go to Vatican City. After a short subway ride, we returned to the streets to find the entrance to the Vatican Museums.

What a surprise. A combination of tourists and Italian nationals, but the line was VERY long. The entrance opens at 10am, but people start lining up around 8:30am. Despite being long, we only waited for 1½ hours to enter . As always, check out the photos cuz they tell the story better than I can. We spent about 1½ hours in the museum finishing with the Sistine Chapel. Despite fear of arrest, PJ even managed to take a couple of photos in the Chapel without the flash. This relegates him only to purgatory for a few years, not directly to hell.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/VaticanCity

After departing, we walked back to Piazza San Pietro for a few more outside photos before heaving for Piazza Navona. There is a national Italian lottery drawing on January 6th that pays five million euros. Lucia told me the lucky tickets come from here, so we found a place and bought one. Of course, that means I have to come back in January to pick up my prize. Oh well.

We headed back to the main shopping area (Via del Corso) to pick up some regali (means presents – Italian word of the day). Lots of people, tourist and otherwise. Turns out that the day after Christmas is also considered part of the holiday, but the day after is like in America. People are out shopping for bargains and returning unwanted gifts. What a surprise.

After success, we headed back to Piazza del Popolo to the train station for the hour ride home. The train was crowded at first, but as we left Rome center, there were more seats. PJ slept (what a surprise). I called Lucia to let her know when to expect us. Of course, she was waiting at the station with the car. Not necessary for us to walk (well, actually, as fat as we are it would have been a good idea.

When we returned, it was more sleep for PJ and internet updates for me. We have had very good fortune with the weather here and for travel. After, I went down to the kitchen to hang out with Zio Mario. Like us, he was feeling sad and asked us to stay longer. It was very nice because he asked me to sit with him by the fire, and we talked about everything and nothing. What it was like to be a kid in Italy during WW II. It was tough for Italians because they started out (well, what we would say) on the wrong side.

He talked about encounters with the Italian and German soldiers, and finally the relief from the Americans. He called it Fromaggio giallo, but that means yellow cheese, or as we call it, American Cheese. Made me want a grilled cheese and tomato soup, my favorite as a kid.

Soon it was time for dinner. Romano, Lucia, Rodolfo, Chiara, Zia e Zio plus the cousins, Argante and Sylvia. We had a blast. We talked a lot. Drank a lot of good wine. Romano has quite a collection. And simply enjoyed eachothers company with a little Italian and English. At one point, PJ remembered that we had the DVD from “If Walls Could Talk”. So, we subjected them to 30 minutes of purgatory watching me and PJ on TV. We laughed, but soon it was time to head to bed. Our last night in Rignano.

We slept well, and I woke early to start packing. It was not necessary because everything fit easily. We didn’t buy too much or bring too much. Zia Laura came over to say good-bye while we were having breakfast. Then, it was time to bring the bags down and go.

Oops, I forgot to mention that Vincenzo and Christina came by last night and brought a present for us. A beautiful hand painted Italian plate full of candy. Yea, for us. They also brought their photocard, so we could show you pictures from pizza dinner last Saturday. Two meters of pizza on the table for 12 of us. YUM! They are great friends, and we hope they can come to Maine soon.

Lucia drove us to the airport; was nice enough to see us through check-in and a final cigarette for PJ; then we said good-bye as I do for now. Ciao Italia!

UPDATE: Ok, we just got home and it's 12:19 rockland time and 6:19 the next day Rome time, we are very tired as neither of us slept on the plane. We will do one more post tomorrow!!

It keeps getting better........ but tomorrow is our last day :(

Wow! We survived Natale. It’s hard to believe that it’s the day after. We slept until almost 10:30am. The big surprise when we arrived downstairs was Lucia and her family were still asleep. What a great night.

Wish we could say the same about the weather today. No complaints from me as their idea of rain and ours is substantially different. But I have to say, today was the first day I felt cold outside. The temperature barely made it into the 40’s, and with high humidity, you definitely felt a chill.

We hung out with Zia Adrianna and Zio Mario in the morning. Zia was nice enough to take us into town to see the square of Rignano and also see Zia Maria’s apartment. Zia Maria was Mario’s sister. She passed away in October. I told you about her last night.

Anyway, the apartment is cute and quite small. Living room, dining room and kitchen (all in one) along with a small bedroom and bath. Romano did a great job converting the space for her. He’s a great person.

When we returned, Lucia was awake and reported that Romano was at work; Rodolfo was out with friends; and Chiara was feeling sick. Ugh! We took some time to get caught up on emails and blogs and spent some time alone in our rooms. Before I knew it, it was time for lunch.

After lunch, Lucia graciously volunteered to be our tour guide on a trip to Vitterbo, the largest city in northern Lazio (the state where Rome and Rignano are located). It’s an awesome medieval town whose origins lie with the Etruscans (who the heck are they). I don’t have a clue, but apparently PJ studied them in Art History in college. Nice to know at least some of that tuition money went for good use.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/Vitterbo

Anyway, the oldest part of the town today is medieval (check out the pictures), but was built on Etruscan ruins that date back to Christ’s birth. They basically built caves or gallerias (Italian word of the day) in which to live and start a village. More on this later…….

I forgot to mention that before we arrived in town, Lucia drove us past an upscale resort that is built over natural hot springs (acqua caldo - a bonus word of the day). Not much to see unless you were willing to pay to go inside, but it was still interesting. She also pointed out a low lying area of water that was frequented by people who wanted the perceived benefits of the hot spring, but were unable/unwilling to pay the price. I thought that was quite funny, the idea of a bunch of strangers wrangling around in the mud. I digress……..

After we finished in Vitterbo, we returned to the car and headed home (or so we thought). She took us a different route, and I didn’t quite understand because it was already dark. There was really nothing to see, or was there…….

In fact, we found ourselves in a traffic snarl, and she pulled off and parked. I thought it was just traffic as this new road (like in the US) was smaller and brought us through every small town along the way. All of a sudden, we walked around the bend and found ourselves in Christmas paradise.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/Sulpi

In this town called Sutri (I think), there is Presepio (a live nativity) like you have never seen in your life. I can only say the pictures don’t remotely come close to capturing the beauty. The candlelight; the vignettes, everything was awe inspiring. The place is another Etruscan settlement carved out of lava. It was discovered during an earlier excavation of a Roman amphitheater that was built on top.

Every vignette was set in a galleria and represented how the Etruscans might have lived culminating to the live nativity at the end. Of course the Italians take their religion very seriously, so the three wise men had not yet shown up. But while we were there, we found shepherds in adoration. Not too shabby. The beauty of this cannot be expressed in words (you understand this idea is impossible for me), but it’s true.

Another 30 minutes, we returned home in time for dinner. Leftovers, but nothing to complain about. The food was great the first time and the second time too. After, we started talking about stuff, and Zio Mario asked if we were fans of Hillary Clinton.

Nice to know she’s as much a joke here as she is at home (Sorry friends, Louie, and Uncle Frank, who are democrats). If it’s any consolation, I like Obama. Does that count? Well, I also like Rudi too. Do they cancel each other out? OK, no politics, only Italy. Tomorrow, it’s off to Vatican City and Rome to enjoy our last day here. Ugh, I’m very sad now. Time to go to bed.

Buon Natale Tutti! Merry Christmas Everyone! By the way, we got behind on posts, so check out the previous entries back to Saturday for everything.

A Merry Christmas it was! We slept until 10am; had a light breakfast; and it was off to the villa on the farm. Romano, Lucia’s husband, is a home builder and has been working on this house for about 10 years. He’s done most of the work himself. As he put it, it’s been like therapy (well, not his word) for him. The land which has been in the family for a long, long, long, long time is beautiful (see photos). By the way, Chiara made the nativity scene with panatone and the people from marzipan. Neat, right?

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/ChristmasDay

The house is awesome too. Four bedrooms, five baths (at least five as we stopped counting) in a traditional style from Tuscany. There is this HUGE room downstairs complete with a separate kitchen (Yes, even in Italy they have them). It stays warm enough here that broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce are always fresh. The meat we ate, chicken, beef and pork, were all fresh off the farm, quite literally. Well, except for the prosciutto (sp) and dried sausage which Argante had made previously along with the strawberry wine. It was good too, and by the way, when does he find time to go to work? I don't know.

We arrived around noon and the first round of eating commenced shortly after 1pm. The cast of characters extended to include Romano’s brother, Fabrizio and family, his sister, Natalina and his Mom, Nonna del Fina. We were 18 for early dinner and 24 for the later meal. That included the rest of Laura’s children Rosella and Frederico and there families, a long list of friends of Romano and Lucia.

Overall, it was a wonderful family day. We spoke to PJ’s parents and my family in GA. We miss this puppies, and I am afraid to say, a little home sick. It’s hard to be away for so long. Well, we have two full days left to go out and explore. We are going to make the most of it, so there’s more to come. Merry Christmas to everyone!

No fishheads, only fishes.........

Well, as you can imagine we are a little tired. In anticipation of the night of 1,000 fishes, we decided to lay low for the day. Adrianna was nice enough to bring us to Torrita Tiberina, the very small town where this branch of the family is from. Only 900 people, it’s small, and like Calcata, it sits like a fort on a hill top.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/TorritaTiberina

We stopped at a local market to pick up some flowers to visit the tomb of Zia Maria, Mario’s sister that passed away this fall. I called her, Mani Magico or magic hands (and two day’s worth of Italian words of the day) because she was always doing something. Sewing, knitting, whatever, she could not sit still. She was the quiet one who never married. She lived in the house that she grew up in. In fact, she was the success story of Mom’s reconnection to the family.

Sidebar: When Mom retired, she wanted to research our family tree. When you come from immigrant families, it’s not easy since the records are not local. She went to my grandmother’s old address book and wrote a letter. She made 9 copies and mailed them to the last addresses she had for my great grandmother’s, Lisetta, siblings. Eventually, all but one were returned undeliverable. The last one went to Otttavio, Maria and Mario’s father and Lisetta’s younger brother. Zia Maria still lived in the house and kept the letter even though her dad was dead. She brought it to Rignano on her next visit. That’s where Patricia, the American girl from Rochester, NY, came into play. She met a guy from Rignano; fell in love; and stayed in Rignano to marry and raise her family. She translated the first letter from Mom which led to the reunion in 1996 and our reconnection to family once lost.

After Torrita, we returned to Rignano to visit the tomb of Mazio, Adrianna’s brother who passed away from a heart attack shortly after Mom and I were here for the first time back in 1996. He was a good guy who was full a life. Funny thing, his oldest son, Argante looks just like him. Argante was one of the many we spent the holiday with this year.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rpjwalter/ChristmasEve

That brings me to Christmas Eve dinner, and the night of 1,000 fishes. Well I exaggerate a little, but the Italian tradition is to eat only fish on Christmas Eve both as a sacrifice (the catholic part) and for good luck. Adrianna did not disappoint. There was enough to feed an army, and a small army we were. Our family plus Laura, Mazio’s widow, two of her children, Argante and Sylvia, Laura’s sister and her husband rounded out the number to 11 in Mario and Adrianna’s seemingly small apartment, but there was plenty of room. Good food, a friendly game or two of Bingo, then it was off to midnight mass for some, bed for others, and as it turned out, two hours more work for Adrianna, ugh. We went off to bed, so Santa or Babbo Natale could come.