I hate dieting.  The moment I start, I want everything that wouldn't normally interest me.  I'd kill for a bag of chips.  The library is over the kitchens and when I get there in the morning they are already cooking for lunch.  All day today my stomach was growling and so was I!  Must stand strong!  If you don't hear from me again I have succumbed to the hunger.  xxoo me

Back from Milan, we've dropped off Grace's visitor at the airport and vacation week is over.  Tomorrow starts the diet.  I have put on a lot of weight this winter though I don't know how much as our scale broke last spring and I haven't replaced it.  Scales are evil.  Dieting in itself is horrible but dieting in Italy is torture.  If I can stay on it for the allotted time of two weeks I think I should be up for sainthood.

the Duomo - purty huh?

Speaking of sainthood, I saw a photo in the newspaper today that showed a group of South American priests in Piazza San Pietro who were visiting Rome for the canonization of the two new saints.  They were sitting in a group singing, all dark and handsome in their black cassocks.  What a waste of beautiful manhood.  OK.  I just lost serious points with the Catholics.  So as I'm already in the hot seat here's another one with which to condemn me.  Yesterday when the girls were at their YouTube convention I walked around Milan's center.  I visited the famous Duomo, the largest cathedral in Italy.  Inside is so big it's like a columned and pewed, (look this one up on spell-check), football stadium.  At the alter there was a vast red curtain hiding who knows what.  I kept expecting the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz to jump out from behind it.  Alas not.  The church is of course beautiful and amazingly ornate.  The exterior looks like lace.  It seems so delicate it's miraculous that it's still intact.  I hope there are never any strong earthquakes nearby.  It took six-hundred years to complete, it would be tragic to lose it in an instant.

I had all day to kill so after visiting the Duomo I went to a lovely park and spent hours moving from one bench to another, sometimes sunning, other times reading in the shade or people watching.  It was perfect weather and being alone there reminded me of when I backpacked around Europe a hundred years ago.  I wouldn't do it now.  I enjoy being alone for a day but more than that and I get lonely!

Tai Chi in Milan

Now to the reason we were in Milan.  As I mentioned, Grace and her friend G attended a YouTube convention where all sorts of "YouTube personality" (who make videos and post them) get together and meet their fans.  Kids spend all their waking hours watching these videos like we, in ancient times, used to watch TV.  The downside of this is I'm sure it's aiding in ADD, (the videos are very short and loud therefore need no attention whatsoever), and antisocial behavior in the same way so much technology does today.  Grace and her friends spend all their time alone at home texting about nothing or talking about nothing on facebook and no time just hanging around together doing nothing like we used to do.  We might have been equally aimless but at least we were social about it.  The upside is that many of the YouTube people are advocates for various causes and are using their programs as platforms.  I say "upside" because they are obviously liberal causes that I support.  If they were advocating "The hunting of gorillas in the mist", or something, I wouldn't let Grace watch them!  I hope at least one good thing will come out of this brain-numbing social media which is that kids may become interested in community service and/or politics.  Grace is so obsessed with this venue that she has started her own videos for her project in Technology class at school and she has decided to study Communication in college.  I'm not sure what I think of this....  MUST NOT BE CONTROLLING MOTHER.  Yeah, right.  xxoo me

Funny Italian stuff. 

A huge percentage of Italians work for the government.  The farther south you go, the higher the percentage.  Once down in the deep no-man's land, everyone has a cousin or a friend of a friend who finds them a position with the local government.  They "work" with public maintenance, city or federal offices, local police, etc.  These are not real jobs.  In the south the mob families rule.  These jobs are pay-offs for votes, favors for friends, and a way of keeping the unemployment down and the satisfaction high.  There are more forest rangers in  the region of Calabria than there are in Canada.  Look up Calabria.  It's less than 6,000 square miles in area.  That's a fifth of the size of Maine and there are not many forests.  I recently heard of a veterinarian, I think it was, that worked for the government and had a contract to work 1 hour a week but was paid a full salary.  Another reason Italy is broke.

Torino, as I have mentioned, has become quite a tourist attraction since the winter Olympics some years ago.  The city has cleaned up, renovated and up-graded immensely since I lived here 20 years ago.  But try as they might, somethings just haven't changed.  Mainly the mindset of the workers.  The symbol of Torino is the Mole Antonelliana.  The "Mole" is a landmark building constructed in the late 1800's and was originally planned as a synagogue.  It now houses the National Cinema Museum, the tallest museum in the world.  It's a big, ornate building topped by a dome and a huge spire.  No new building in Torino can rise above it.  Obviously, it's a big tourist spot both for the museum, which is great, and for the view from the top that looks out over all the city, the surrounding countryside and the Alps.  To accommodate the tourist trade, the city has decided to keep museums open until 8 p.m during holiday weeks such as this past one.  Unfortunately, they can't find anyone willing to work past 7 and employment laws say no one can be forced to work before and after certain hours, or more than so many hours etc.  The other day friends of mine wanted to go up in the Mole to see the evening view.  They arrived at half past 7 and as the museum is open until 8, were convinced there wouldn't be a problem.  Alas, not so.  The ticket desk closed at 7 and without a ticket there was no going up.  So, though technically the museum was open, it was impossible to reach.  Welcome to Italy.

On the other hand, we just had a lovely dinner with fab wine and it's a gorgeous balmy evening.  Off to Milan tomorrow on the early train.  xxoo me

And WHY do I listen to Italian weather forecasters?  I've been watching the weather for two weeks prior to this one to know how to prepare and pack for vacation week excursions.  Tuesday and Wednesday were to be rainy with probable thundershowers.  We were in Florence with long sleeved shirts, jeans and rain coats in 75 - 80 degree sunshine.  Today was supposed to be nasty, chilly and wet so I postponed my gardening day with a friend til tomorrow.  There is a perfect blue sky, it's warm with a light breeze.  In the States we complain that the forecasts are often wrong but they are usually in the vicinity.  The Italian weathermen couldn't tell the weather if they were standing outside!  And that's not exaggeration.  We have actually watched a weatherman pointing to a map of Torino and report one type of weather when in fact, had he looked out the window he would have seen that he was wrong and it was just the opposite.  Why forecasters aren't bigger butts of jokes here I'll never understand.

Sweatiness aside, Florence was lovely.  I hadn't been in over twenty years and it was a first for Grace and her friend.  There was unfortunately the issue of traveling to any tourist destination during holiday and school vacation times.  The city center was packed and waits to get into museums were hours long.  We booked tickets through our hotel to see the Galleria dell'Accademia where the original "David" is on display, but couldn't get into the Uffizi or the Duomo. 

Ponte Vecchio

View of city and Pitti Palace

The girls in the Boboli Gardens

dinner

the tower of the Duomo

evidently the thing to do

waiting for the train

We satisfied ourselves with roaming the center, now mostly pedestrian, peeking in shops, eating gelato and spending hours wandering the Boboli Gardens.  Florence is beautiful but simply too touristic, too expensive and too Disneylandish.  And for these reasons it is also awash in beggars and gypsies and pickpockets.  Every local I spoke to warned us about our bags or told horrors stories about one poor tourist or another.  Not even the churches are safe, with vile people snatching wallets while a head is "bowed in prayer".   Saturday we are off to Milan for an overnight.  Then back to the salt mines.  I'm going to go sunbath in the "rain" now.  xxoo me

Yesterday, Easter, was cold and rainy but as we spent the day indoors cooking (me), eating (all), cleaning up (mostly GP), and sleeping for 3 hours recovering (me), the weather didn't matter much.  We had the grandparents and G here with us so our tiny apartment was very cozy.  Everyone left the table full so I'd say lunch was a success which is a good thing considering the run-up.  Friday I went shopping for groceries because I knew Saturday would be like preparing for Armageddon.  If one can avoid it, NEVER go to the supermarket the day before a holiday here.  As it is, Friday the aisles were packed and people had that wide-eyed desperate look.  It took me all morning to get in and out.  Saturday we spent the afternoon buying wine with friends.  It was our annual pilgrimage to one of our favorite producers for our spring and summer wines, (sparkling reds and rose'.  We get white elsewhere).  Of course while there, we had to try all of his products.  It's only polite.  On the way home we stopped in a town with a renowned bakery to buy grissini.  Grissini are the long bread sticks traditionally from this area.  There are 3 basic types and dozens of variations.  They are also a must at any proper lunch or dinner hereabouts, so we had to have them for Easter lunch.  Unfortunately the bakery had a line of 18 people and a waiting list for those who hadn't pre-ordered them.  This seemed a little extreme so we drove to the next town and found a bread shop that was a bit more accommodating.  For the pasta dishes, (two), GP went to our favorite tiny gastronomy shop here in Moncalieri where they make all there own pastas.  We had asparagus stuffed panzerotti (little ravioli) and roast stuffed ravioli al plin (little pinched bags).  Two days of shopping for one lunch.  It will take me a hell of a lot longer than that to burn off the calories consumed.  Happy Easter to all!  xxoo me

The Easter Bunny brings giant eggs here

The gang

I'M ON VACATION!  Between the stress involved with the accident and the tension at school, (a coup is boiling), I need this.  Of course our fabulous warm spring has turned cold and it may rain all week but it's payback for the mild winter.

Check out this photo.  This is from our usual river walk and what you see is pollen from some sort of tree that is causing a cacophony of sneezing and coughing.  It's light and fluffy and sticks to everything.  I've never seen it this thick on the ground.  You'll also see GP is shorts and tee because it's in the 70's while the Italians in the background are still in dark, heavy jackets because it's April, so fashion-wise they're still in "early spring".  No open toed shoes for these gals before June 21st no matter how hot it gets!  I do not fit in.

We are having Easter dinner here as the mother-in-law is slowly giving up her status as chief cook and bottle washer.  We have G arriving tomorrow night from Ireland to spend the week with Grace who is over the moon.  Tomorrow we are going to buy our yearly supply of rose'.  Our "dealer" has just finished bottling in time for Easter.  Reds we buy in the autumn and whites we'll get soon from another winemaker.  Apartments may be dinky but all come with a small "cantina" or wine and storage cellar.  We must take full advantage of the space!  I only have a few things planned for the week.  I'm taking the girls to Florence for two days midweek and we'll spend next Saturday in Milan as they are attending a You Tuber (?) convention.  G flies out on Sunday from Milan so we'll spend the night.  Apart from that I'm going to try to see a few friends, get to a museum or two that I haven't been to in Torino, and fill out reams of paper for the insurance companies.  Looks like the car is a total loss which means the insurance companies will be arguing over who is responsible for covering what for who knows how long.  Oh joy.  xxoo me

Wisteria everywhere!

Friday night we all met Australian friends at a place called "The Winchester".  It's a tiny pub located in an ancient little brick building in a teeny residential square.  Our friends live just across the road.  The owner is a rotund, tattooed guy with a goatee who wears sunglasses at all hours.  The decor of the pub is American Western.  Most nights he serves decent burgers and very good local beer.  He and his wife run the place and live upstairs with two kids who wander in and out.  But come good weather, they put out tables all over the little terrace in front, get out the grill and make ribs.  On these nights, the place becomes a hangout for would-be American rockers.  He and a couple of his 40 something friends have a band and they play 70's and 80's hard rock.  And they play music.  Very loudly.  We made the mistake of sitting inside to listen and two days later my ears are still ringing.  Though not my kind of music, they are actually pretty good.  Their lead singer is a gal in skin-tight black leather with a voice like Janice Joplin.  Unlike American rockers with their bottles of vodka tucked in a pocket, these guys took breaks for a shot of espresso.  And unlike American Rockers, when their buddies came in, they gave them the double cheek kiss right on their very well sculpted beards and mustaches, because though rockers, they are Italians first. 

This past week the school hosted the annual AMIS festival.  (Association of Music in International Schools)  There were kids representing 16 International schools from around the globe, and God knows how many nationalities.  They came with teachers and chaperones, and for a few days the school was a crowded musical mess.  They had a concert last night which we couldn't go to but we did get a sneak peek on Friday when they had dress rehearsal.  It is amazing what these teachers put together.  The kids are all part of school choruses and they had been practicing for this week for months, but this is the first time that all of the kids had sung together or even met!  They were fantastic.  I had goosebumps.  Families from the school community hosted the kids.  Our German buddies had two boys from Ethiopia with them.  The boys were gorgeous and polite and so American, after years in International schools, it was disconcerting.  Unfortunately they also came with a stomach flu.  Poor B spent 2 days cleaning bathrooms and running them back and forth to the doctor.  No good deed goes unpunished.

xxoo me

Yesterday before school I went to the agency that doles out the special documents dealing with on-the-job incidents.  The woman I spoke to told me that as I had returned to work of my own free will within 3 days of the accident, this paperwork is completely unnecessary.  Really?  Why is it that the hospitals, my doctor and the school, who undoubtedly deal with this stuff a few times a year, were not acquainted with this little detail?  I've been running around the past week for nothing.  The agency lady wrote out an explanation for the school and stamped it a few times to make it look official.  She attached her card with her name and number so if they had any questions they could call her.  When I handed the paper to the admin gal in the school office she said, "Is that all she gave you?".  They do like their paperwork.  The rep from the insurance agency has finally gone to see the car but as the police have still not filed their report, we're still at a standstill.  10 days and counting.  It is decidedly a bad idea to get in a car accident in this country.  xxoo me

There was a minor earthquake here yesterday evening.  I think it was caused by the weight of the paperwork being accumulated for me to process thanks to my little accident.  GP is dealing with the insurance company for the car.  He's been on the phone for a week and still no one has gone to see it where it sits at the body shop.  We had the car towed from a local place where it was delivered after the accident to the garage where we bought it because we have full coverage through the dealership.  The auditor for the insurance agency is based here in Torino and the garage is in Savigliano, about 20 miles away, and so is out of his jurisdiction.  They are trying to find an auditor willing to go that far....  The day of the accident Grace and I were taken to the emergency room as a precaution.  When we left a few hours later, the doctor gave us a release form and sent us on our way.  At school the next day, the gal in the office who deals with all this bureaucratic stuff, asked me for a certain form that the hospital should have given me upon being released.  Evidently if one gets in an accident while traveling to work it is considered an on-the-job incident.  Huh?  There is a special form for that.  I'd never heard of it.  The doctor didn't ask.  Now the school needs it.  Sounds straight forward right?  Nope.  I returned to the hospital who couldn't get back into my case file on the computer to get me this form and said I had to go to my family doctor.  I went to my family doctor the next day who didn't know anything about it so called someone at the local hospital, (not the same one I'd gone to before), to ask.  They didn't have an answer so took my number and said they'd get back to me.  They called the next day and said they had talked to the first hospital who said I needed to go to an agency that deals specifically with special forms.  I then drove to the nearest of these agencies only to discover that it is open from 8:30 to 12:00 only, no weekends or holidays.  It has now been over a week and I still don't have the special form but am going back to get it tomorrow morning and consequently going into work late.  In the meantime the gal from the office is getting panicky because she needs it.  This is only the beginning.  xxoo me

The lunch Saturday was a big success.  GP's parents tottered back and forth between tears and laughter all day, regaling everyone with stories of their 60 years together.  I saw all of the relatives I haven't seen in over 20 years and many I swear I've never met before though they seem to remember me.  I don't know if this is due to my memorable persona or my under-sized memory chip.  I did my best good daughter-in-law impression, Grace was our official photographer, and GP is just glad it's over so he doesn't have to hear any more about it.

Look at the legs on that girl!  Grace's are pretty nice too.

The "head" table

apple trees

Trofarello castle

It was, and remains, summer-like.  To recover from the lunch on Saturday, yesterday GP and I took a nice long walk up behind our place.  We walked right over the hills to the next town and back.  This is really the time of year when the weather differs the most from Maine.  We are a good two months ahead with everything in bloom here that doesn't open until May at home.  We ate dinner outside for the first time this year.  Lovely.  xxoo me

It is 6:44 p.m.. I am propped up against a few pillows, belching quietly to myself and pondering a nap.  We have just returned from the in-law's big anniversary lunch.  I will translate the menu.

To start, on the terrace of the restaurant, a table with finger foods and sparkling wine.

Then appetizers, two cold, two warm, as follows:

Cold Beef salad
Frittata and artichoke salad
Asparagus flan with red pepper sauce
Brie and Speck (sort of a prosciutto) tart with cheese sauce

Lemon sorbet as palate cleanser

Two "firsts", as follows:

Risotto with porcini mushrooms and sausage
Pasta stuffed with artichokes and fresh herb sauce

Assorted cuts of beef, sausage and chicken served with potatoes

Cake, prunes stewed in wine and spices, after dinner "digestives"

Wines through out, before and after

I am now going to collapse and will continue when I have recovered tomorrow.  Or the next day. xxoo me

Enough time has passed that I can finally write about what happened on Monday though I won't dwell on detail and actually wouldn't write about it at all if it weren't for all of the repercussions that will drag on for months and will pepper my future blogs.  What happened is this;  I had a terrible car accident driving to school on Monday morning.  I was driving GP's car, which is totaled, Grace and I escaped with barely a scratch but both were in shock, and I will soon drown under the pile of paperwork that this entails.  The accident was my fault, though I don't know exactly how it happened, and if it weren't for the fact that Grace could have been killed, it's almost laughable.  I have to say the accident was, and mostly, looked very bad.  But in a totally un-Italian fashion, it was dealt with quickly, efficiently and more importantly with  kindness and gentleness.  From the ambulance drivers, volunteers, to the police, to the overworked emergency room staff everyone was great.  Only now that the insurance companies have to be involved does the mess begin.  This is all I want to say about the accident itself because I want to keep this cheery!
Tomorrow is the great event.  The 60th anniversary luncheon for GP's parents.  Now that will be something to share!  xxoo me