PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

It doesn’t seem possible that I am packing again so soon, but there are the waiting empty suitcases, miniature living spaces that we should be able to organize to live out of for over a month. Some things are just always packed while others are waiting in the heaps in far away corners that I make as I think about what to bring. There are always special things for loved ones and of course there are lists of things to bring back here for the next 6 months until we visit the states again. Then there are the maps, dictionaries, reservation and flight information, books to read and books to send to others. As the departure day gets nearer and nearer there are the plants to think about and the bird to give care to. And of course, we leave no food to rot in the fridge if we are wise, nor garbage to attract insects, etc. etc. We have a list of things to remember when we close up the house. Now if we could only remember that list!
This trip takes us to many places and different climate zones. That sure complicates things! But there are not many surprises since we have been to all the places before and since we pretty much know what to expect and how to deal with it. That does not mean we are always prepared for those little surprises that crop up every trip. I fervently hope that no wildcat strike delays things here in strike-happy Italy.
While we are preoccupied with these thoughts, some new things have been happening in our friends’ lives. Ignatzia’s sister Maria Sciortino has had her book published and it can be bought right now at amazon.com. It is a called “A ‘Pinch’ of Sicily-A Collection of Memories and Traditional Recipes” and it has dozens of authentic recipes that are possible to duplicate in American kitchens, plus many stories of what it was like to grow up in Sciacca in the middle of the century. I helped edit the first part and have tried many of her recipes, so I feel like I have a personal interest in much of this book. If you are interested in Sciacca, go out and buy a copy!
Brigette and Joe have finally gotten their papers making their American marriage 26 years ago recognized here in Italy. We have heard about these legal embroilments from many friends who have lived in the states and Canada and also here in Sicily. The complications of dual citizenship, renouncing citizenship, different names in different countries, and having legal documents recognized here are so extreme that they make our ordeals at the Italian consulate office 4 years ago seem like a walk in the park. And we were so astonished by the experience we went through that we really felt that we were unique! Not so. Anyway, congratulations to Brigette and Joe and their daughter Enza who now has officially married parents. We will have pizza with them before we leave and Brigette will take good care of my plants in my little greenhouse.
Steve’s buddies at the orthofrutica (fruit and vegetable) store are now communicating with their American relatives with Steve’s help as a go between. He is sending the American LiBassi family messages in English that answer their questions regarding their ancestry in Sciacca. They have traced their family back to the 1500’s! Steve is having fun with this as he knows the problems that not having a language in common can bring. For any LiBassi relatives that read this page, welcome and enjoy perusing scenes of Sciacca. Below are pictures of your cousin Loredona and her husband and their wonderful store.
Finally, we have had some really gray days lately where the sea and the sky are the same color and it is useless to go out into the cold for anything but a quick walk to the corner and back for exercise. On a chilly walk to the beach the other day we noticed that the seaweed from the latest sirocco filled the sand and made things look terribly uninviting. We invite the good weather back for our return in February and look forward to our new adventures in Amsterdam, Boston, Dunkirk, Tulum, and New York City.