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Monday, July 29, 2013

Rain, American dinner, Barbies and mountain men

Lunedi, Monday, July 29th, 2013

Yesterday, as I wandered the promenade and lakefront visiting the little stalls at the marcchetino... I spotted two more OLD IRONS, made of IRON, of course. And, voila! They came home with me as TWO MORE Ferma Porta (door-stops) The Red Cross had set up a booth, so I got to donate and procure.

Woke up this morning to a lake, where the other side was invisible. It was like living inside a cloud, but on the ground. It was a big gray curtain. And, then of course it rained cats and dogs for 30 minutes. I guess that means I don't have to water my rosemary which sits on my terrace. Little gifts from heaven. I was reminded of a client I had years ago. Each and every year she would go to San Francisco. Stay at the Fairmont Hotel. And, always wanted a corner room in the tower- the new section. After a few years, I asked her WHY corner room in the new tower. She expressed with such enthusiasm..... that the corner room had huge windows which gave a 180 degree of San Francisco. I was thrilled by that thought. So, years later I took the kids to Yosemite for their famous BRACEBRIDGE dinner at the Ahwanee hotel, and stopped in San Francisco. I reserved that corner room in the new tower so that my kids could take in the beauty of this marvelous city. We awoke, as I did this morning: in a CLOUD. You couldn't see ANYTHING from any window. We were in a sea of fog. You couldn't see another building. I had to laugh. Life is great. And funny.

I am making an ALL AMERICAN dinner this evening. Filet, salad, green beans, baked potato with sour cream and chives and bacon? Pancetta. I am not sure how that will work out: Pancetta is eaten raw. I asked the butcher about cooking it and he looked at me as if I had two heads. I will grill onions and mushrooms. NO PASTA. But, a roll. I am having Italians over and this is my ritual. Once a summer, I try to find something ALL AMERICAN for my Italians: pickled okra one year! I am trying to figure out how to make sour cream. I got Philadelphia cream cheese and may just melt it. Well, challenges for challenged.

I got to thinking about my summer during the rain storm this morning... the folks I have met along the way and the amazing experiences I have drunk in. One of those such experiences was going up to the mountain above BREGLIA and to a one room rustic home, lived in by a Giancarlo, a Giovani or a Giuseppe- I can't remember. There were 6 guys and me. The men all wore t-shirts without sleeves, and really short shorts. During the afternoon, they took off their non t-shirt, shirt. The men made pizzoccheri, over an open fire with a pot which hung overhead. The best part for me is when I discovered a naked barbie-doll hanging from a hook in the corner of the house, next to a picture of Jesus and a fly paper roll. He had taken a pen and painted pubic hair on Barbie. Here, this mountain man- whose wife come to visit on weekends from the town 10 minutes down the mountain.... lives a most rustic life style- with chickens and pigeons out back: and has naked barbie hanging from his wall.
You just have got to love life! You can't make this stuff up.

Years ago when my daughter was a little girl, she must have had at least 30 barbies. Always got them as gifts. She hated barbie dolls. So, one day I walk into my son's room and his ceiling fan was on and turning in circles. When I looked more closely, I noticed that he had decapitated his sisters barbie dolls and hung the barbie heads on the fan blades. It was a sight to behold. I laughed and said "I just hope that this is no precursor to a serial killer in bloom!"

Thank you all.... for visiting my blog. It is meaningful to me and very much appreciated. Keep coming back for more.

Happy Monday

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