BYE BYE 2005
Happy New Year! Here in Italy, there are various customs that might vary from region to region, but that are not too different from the states. For example, a New Years eve dish of lentils and pigs feet sausage (zampone) is common, but not the norm all over the country. Some people throw old things (like dishes) out the window to break at midnight, signifying out with the old, in with the new. Firecrackers and fire works are common, as are injuries caused by them. Lots of people go away for at least the weekend and spend the evening of the 31st out at restaurants eating, drinking, and dancing with friends. Vacations from this week till Epiphany on the 6th are common.
Most of the end-of-the-year stuff I have read refers to 2005 as an awful year. That may be in terms of world news and events. But despite some sorrows, frustrations and set backs (and a 60th birthday for Steve), our past year was pretty good.
We did not cover much new ground, but we did travel to some great places. We had two long Paris stays in January and in the fall, and we spent Easter in Madrid. The Pistoia Blues Fest in June allowed us to re-discover Tuscany and Florence. We returned to the states for a month in the summer and took a relaxing week with my brother and wife (who really needed it!) in Cancun in August. We returned to Germany in Dec and are packing now to go back to Amsterdam, then the US, and then Tulum in Jan-Feb.
Sometimes we miss our friends and family a lot. But this year we made some wonderful new friends and deepened some old relationships. It was fun to reconnect with old classmates from Dunkirk, and our mini class of 65 reunion put me back in touch with Chris and many others. The April Sicily travellers with Mancuso Tours also contained DHS class of 65 grads plus other new freinds. We got to know Joe and Kathy, two more blasts from my childhood, when they sprung us from our isolation here one fine spring day, and then served us a gourmet meal in the heat of August back in the states. Getting to know Kathy and Fran better (from Saranac Lake) was wonderful,. And we got to meet John from Cambridge (X 2), Jess travel companion, and see his view of life for a few weeks. This year we have been able to spend fun time with Jess and less time with Jon but he promises to make it up next year with a trip here. And it was great getting to know my nephew Matt and Erin better after our trip together to Paris. Seeing Gene and Nancy again from our long ago Syracuse days was a special end-of-the-year treat.
Here in Sicily we met Jack and Marianna and Fabrizios family, plus Michele, a loyal driver and friend, and Salvatore, our favorite English speaking-bus driver. And of course Maria and Alfonso, and their friendship on 2 continents. I dont remember not knowing Brigette and Joe and their daughter Enza, with whom we have spent so much pleasurable time this last year, and who have tried so hard to helped us speak Italian better. After we get done laughing about it, I never remember which is the right way and which is the wrong way! They have helped us in so many ways and I value their friendship a lot.
To others our home is no mansion, but with work we have made it a very comfortable nest for the two of us. My gardens are a constant work-in-progress, a source of food, exercise, and learning. As we make improvements, we know more and more that we have had made the right choices for ourselves living here. I know I see a big improvement in our ability to cope with the normal frustrations of life, but in another language.
To my disappointment, I have hit a wall in terms of my writing. But I am not in a hurry and I know that someday I will sit back down and get to it. At this point, the next steps in editing the book of short stories are a series of problems to solve, requiring decisions that I keep working on in the back of my mind all the time. I know what I want, I just do not know how to get there. I know that short stories are what I am most interested in, and what I want to write more of eventually. And for now that is enough for me.
Italians also sit back and take stock of the year-that-was. For me, it was not a bad year. May we all have a great 2006!
Most of the end-of-the-year stuff I have read refers to 2005 as an awful year. That may be in terms of world news and events. But despite some sorrows, frustrations and set backs (and a 60th birthday for Steve), our past year was pretty good.
We did not cover much new ground, but we did travel to some great places. We had two long Paris stays in January and in the fall, and we spent Easter in Madrid. The Pistoia Blues Fest in June allowed us to re-discover Tuscany and Florence. We returned to the states for a month in the summer and took a relaxing week with my brother and wife (who really needed it!) in Cancun in August. We returned to Germany in Dec and are packing now to go back to Amsterdam, then the US, and then Tulum in Jan-Feb.
Sometimes we miss our friends and family a lot. But this year we made some wonderful new friends and deepened some old relationships. It was fun to reconnect with old classmates from Dunkirk, and our mini class of 65 reunion put me back in touch with Chris and many others. The April Sicily travellers with Mancuso Tours also contained DHS class of 65 grads plus other new freinds. We got to know Joe and Kathy, two more blasts from my childhood, when they sprung us from our isolation here one fine spring day, and then served us a gourmet meal in the heat of August back in the states. Getting to know Kathy and Fran better (from Saranac Lake) was wonderful,. And we got to meet John from Cambridge (X 2), Jess travel companion, and see his view of life for a few weeks. This year we have been able to spend fun time with Jess and less time with Jon but he promises to make it up next year with a trip here. And it was great getting to know my nephew Matt and Erin better after our trip together to Paris. Seeing Gene and Nancy again from our long ago Syracuse days was a special end-of-the-year treat.
Here in Sicily we met Jack and Marianna and Fabrizios family, plus Michele, a loyal driver and friend, and Salvatore, our favorite English speaking-bus driver. And of course Maria and Alfonso, and their friendship on 2 continents. I dont remember not knowing Brigette and Joe and their daughter Enza, with whom we have spent so much pleasurable time this last year, and who have tried so hard to helped us speak Italian better. After we get done laughing about it, I never remember which is the right way and which is the wrong way! They have helped us in so many ways and I value their friendship a lot.
To others our home is no mansion, but with work we have made it a very comfortable nest for the two of us. My gardens are a constant work-in-progress, a source of food, exercise, and learning. As we make improvements, we know more and more that we have had made the right choices for ourselves living here. I know I see a big improvement in our ability to cope with the normal frustrations of life, but in another language.
To my disappointment, I have hit a wall in terms of my writing. But I am not in a hurry and I know that someday I will sit back down and get to it. At this point, the next steps in editing the book of short stories are a series of problems to solve, requiring decisions that I keep working on in the back of my mind all the time. I know what I want, I just do not know how to get there. I know that short stories are what I am most interested in, and what I want to write more of eventually. And for now that is enough for me.
Italians also sit back and take stock of the year-that-was. For me, it was not a bad year. May we all have a great 2006!
posted by Sicilian Mama at 11:58 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home