So made it here, almost missed my train to airport, but made it, flight was close to full but made it on, an hour delay at termini before the train got moving, made it in kind of exhausted, ate something. Same and different, the cracks in the walls are bigger, almost alarmingly so, there's a driveway and huge concrete bridge on one end of the property, where the black fig used to be, otherwise everything as it always has been, tho isn't likely to be too much longer. The claim is it hasn't rained in three months, the day we arrived it poured, tho only for 5 sec, and luckily once we were safely in. They've been working on a puzzle outside, which is covered with a tarp with holes in it, I suspect it will get rather wet... In afternoon, went to zia Ciccina's and got something at sidis, where grandma doing most of shopping now. The puzzle didn't get wet as it turned out. 

Up at 7:00 unusually early, walked into town to the mercato, wandered thro briefly the usual stuff, ran into the guy who does the tinsmithing on the way in, he's a relation of those next door I was always confused about that, Ran into Gigino, and Antonio's father. Nice to walk down the street and run into people you know. Walked up through park and around madonnella, bought some peaches, headed back. Read some Dorthy Day, did a bit of sketching, Dinner, did a oil painting of some fig branches which took most of afternoon. Into town, zia Rit was back, recounting her stay in Rome with Ricardo, the account focusing on the fact that he lives entirely on watermelon, at least while his wife is away in Australia. Zia Lilliana, was there as well. Had some Amarena, Rita was going to head to Formia for something tomorrow and we were going to tag along. Stopped by supermarket again, back and to dinner. 

Woke up really early, Rita turned up around 9:00 with Elia, we went to Formai because they were picking up a PS2 for him, was E 325 I think, dont know what one runs at home, was a toy shop sold bookbags with cartoon characters that ran an incredible E 55. After went for un caffe and coronneto at cafe and pastry place, talking about traveling, Rita suggested the next time we planned to go someplace we should let her know and we could meet up there, would be amusing thing to do, hang out in another country with Zia rita. This being her had to stop and run to the house just next to the cafe, to grab a colleague from school and say hello, a philosopher, who teaches religion and was describing how he got in trouble in Turkey trying to record someone praying in a mosque, being an Italian he had to emphasize several times he was recording it as an interesting spiritual experience, not 'come un spetacolo' so he was clearly in the right. I ate 3 packets of granulated sugar while sitting there, rather large ones, largely because Elia watching encouraged me,  besides being very peppy my teeth actually seemed vaguely sore. From there went to the supermarket where Rita was getting some beer for Zia, always interesting to look at big supermarkets in other countries, booze seem to be cheaper, E9 for a bottle of Gordons gin, dunno. Rita saying that her husband always wants to drink Bud, which appears to be made under auspices of Bud but in Rome by Birra Peroni. Kind of ironic, also very strange that they have bunch of open bins of frozen food unpackaged in bulk, seafood, vegetables, without an kind of cover, or packaging must take a lot energy to keep that cool. Picked up the pastries had gotten at cafe, and back. to the house. where talked a bit more, pranzo, did a bit of watercolor, then tried to work a bit without much success, Went to Zia's said hello to Arturo, who looked forlorn as ever, and was dirty as ever. Ran into Nina and Anna on the way said hi, someone had died. At zia's they were also discussing who died, grandma hadn't noticed. Long discussion of how exactly to fit the deceased into tree of people they knew, some relation of Angela's family. Headed back. 

Headed to church massively early, because it was a 10:00 funeral mass, ran into Angela and walked with her, were the only ones at the church, the key still in the door when we arrived, she said there was supposed to be a meteor shower, but didn't see anything that night, tho only looked briefly Got there at 9:30, was 45 min before the mass started, It was a huge crowd, a lot standing when those with the casket made their way in. Back for pranzo, tried to do some work after but instead dozed off, a little discouraged with writing up this project. Went into town, passing antonio scherzerino going to the country and running into maria virginia also on her way to zia's, hung about there a bit, then went into the piazza to see arti e mestiere, had the same guy doing reppousse, who nick watched intently for a while. looked also at the painted ceramics, $70 for a fancy tile of the madonna della civita, tempted to get something for Bethany, but not clear why she would want a coffee mug with the castello d'itri on it, so resisted. Back, to zia's where Antonio had arrived, he proposed to take aunt mary to see the town in the car, and we went along, went up the mountain to see the view of the town from above, is amazing how much more its built up, houses way up the mountain, even since the last time we were here two 
years ago, never mind all the time Aunt Mary has been away. The proposal was made to go see franco the house was open but nobody responded, and maria virginia didn't want to get out because she couldn't remember the dog's name. we headed back and ran into franco and mary returning from church on way. pulled over and said hello there. Hopefully catch up with them briefly, and with Cinzia. Back, dropping off some prickly pear on way, and some with us, and with resolution that they'd pick up grandma and aunt mary to go and see the stuff in the piazza, went back after cena had a little more stuff, but not much, again resisted the urge to get anything useless, and made our way back. Really amazing how much grandma and aunt mary argue.


Have noted that grandma does this, tho haven't been able to tell if it's just her, or universal among older italians, (it seems to be and not just older ones, I note that even what a year and a half after the euro came in, a number of people still proudly attest they just put all their change down on the counter and let the cashier pick out what's needed) takes the practical approach of ignoring the euro by referring to 1 euro coins and mile lira, other people clearly cite prices of things like houses in units that are clearly lira, but not clear if they're just tacking on 3 zeros as well or if the price of big things is still actually available in both units. Up and got a loaf of bread 8:30 a little late for bread it seems, all they had out was 1 small loaf. Tried to work in morning with a little more luck but only a little, in afternoon tried my hand at oil painting of a bit of grape vine, also with limited success. Around 5:30 we headed down, usual insanity at supermarket, then to zia's Lilliana and Antonio's sister I think there with pictures of antonio and maria virginia in st petersburg. Rita came in, went out to get marscapone, came back, we went up to help her get stuff together. Ran into Gulia on stairs coming down. Upstairs Elia was busy playing grand theft auto in his underwear, we set ourselves to cutting up pommedorini for the fresh tomato pasta, meanwhile Pena made her entrance, and started making tiramisu. Erasmo, who last time I saw him was really a baby, was sitting with Elia, and is now at the constantly asking questions stage, which is terminally cute even I have to admit, and his questions are usually simple enough that I can understand them, sometimes even answer. So preparations continued, Gulia returned and dragged out their new kitten, white with a couple, grey spots, which seemed about to jump onto erasmo's head with claws extended at one point, slowly people trickled in upstairs. I took a picture of a watermelon that was growing on rita's terrace, still not clear who the one woman with the two kids is tho know i've met them before, Giaginto was there so maria virgina, and zia cicina were not. We ate around 9:15 when simona and her husband who's name I cant recall got in since wasn't clear when everyone else was showing. Eventually Reno and his wife, who's name I also cant recall arrived with what's his name that also works in the butchers shop, whose name I also cant recall. Certainly had plenty to eat between the pizza and pasta and prosciutto melone, and chicken involtine, goodness knows I've eaten more meat in this trip than in the past two years even taking into account bjorns meat. Daniele arrived, he was talking about people needing permission from university hydrology department to build houses, never occurred to me that haven't heard about any reservoir around here, so maybe the municipal supply comes from underground water, wonder how old, and how sustainable the setup is, tho probably they give more thought to this kind of thing than in the US. Also later telling amusing local scandal that a big regional politician, had gotten it into his head to write a letter crediting a local conservative politician, who Daniele pointed out was a bella ragazza, citing bill clinton to suggest the nature of their acquaintance, with the rebuilding of the castle. which was a huge amusing scandal because it was so patently untrue and the commune had to publish a long letter citing all the history of the reconstruction, going back to first requests for funds in the 50's (which shows how long it takes to get anything done in Italy) Seems to be established that nobody has gone to the museum that they've opened up in itri , the one person who had couldn't seem to give a satisfactory explanation of what was there, suggesting in jest maybe an old rifle of fra diavolo's. The old rule that people never value what they have, only explanation of italians lack of interest in history. Dessert, the tiramisu, svegedelle with a soft filling that tasted of cinammon, ice cream, followed by the inevitable limonata, I downed nicks as a shot as we left early with simona, who was taking erasmo to bed at 12:15, certainly an amusing evening. 

Had weird disturbing dream, at some kind of beach resort, wandering through interminable administrative building, then in the water looking at stuff at the bottom, in a train station with Mike Tyson talking with someone about trains to napoli, trying to lasso a dog to keep him amused, then dreamt I was home and hadn't remembered to bring anything back, and was cursing at myself for it. 


Again tried to do a little writing with a little more luck, around 11 the guy the son of a cousin of Lilliana maybe showed up wanting to interview grandma and aunt mary for research he's doing on emigrants from Itri, So asking questions and talking a bit, grandma mentioned selling the bootleg liquor and aunt mary was giving her a hard time about making her father out as a crook. I got his email and offered to send him what dad had written up of the family history, occurred to me should also put all that online, so that the names register if someone does a web search for them. after dinner did a little more writing, tried a bit of painting again with mixed results. Went to zia's where the interview resulted in a good bit of reminiscing. Some stories I hadn't heard. Saying that their father had come to the US because his family was poor and their mothers rich and didn't want them to marry, so he mortgaged land that had belonged to his mother, nobody was able to remember to who, and used the money to come to the US, with the understanding she would wait for him. he was in NY sharing a room with 3 men and a married couple, and dreamed of a man standing on the side of the mountain near her balcony calling to her, and shouted in his sleep words to the effect of Madonna, if I come I'm going to throw you down that mountain. The next morning he was sitting at breakfast and the other people asked him, last night why were you calling on the madonna and threatening to throw something. And he got up leaving half a glass of milk on the table (so says zia cicina) and took a boat back. Great grandmother was in the field doing something and said to (her father or uncle don't recall) that she heard his whistle, and he said no, how could that be, he was in America, Again she heard it and again he said how could it be, he was hiding because he didn't want to run into her family. Finally she heard it again and ran after him and found him. He had one sister from the same mother who had died when they were very little, and didn't have even a photo of her, as well as other half brothers. He worked out with this sister, that he'd stay with her while getting paperwork for the marriage done, my great grandmother would break off from her parents, and they would get married out of the sisters house. I didn't quite follow it, but her parents knowing the plan wanted her to get married from her house, but she insisted, that since they wouldn't give it their blessings to begin with she wouldn't get married from their house. Then after a while he went back, and after a while longer she came with zia Lecia. Cicina was saying that truly she wasn't proud of the family figgliozi, that even now they don't have a good name, because of old people who remember. That with the brothers they say that someone and the other's families were ok, but that with carlo (whether a great uncle or an uncle I'm not sure) things weren't good. That other people would let there workers go when the day was done, but he'd try and keep them for another hour thinking that since he had alot of people if each worked an extra hour it would save a days work. I didn't get the particulars, and exactly who it was him or another Figgliozi that was said to get female workers out in the forest to get a horse, and take advantage of them and to quote zia tourneranno piangando e pianganno anche per tutto la vita. Cicina, saying the major recollection she had of that grandfather was of looking at jars of olives that was payment from what I think was in effect sharecroppers, she said look how pretty all the olives, and he gave her a slap. Of other grandfather again saying he wore earrings and if you asked, would say they let you hear better, and a sash, always red around his waist  was a carter and always kind, always had nuts and stuff in his handkerchief for them. Cicina remembered that way back all the men wore earrings and my great grandfather also had holes for them still, tho he never wore them
Also saying that zio Carluch? was always to be seen on a horse, with a gun over his shoulder and half a dozen dogs following behind him, but that if anyone was hurt they always call for him because he went on the horse leaping over walls and ditches, faster than anyone else could go, and when you heard him clatter by with the dogs howling behind him you knew something was wrong. Grandma added the comment, who knows how many children he had, he never got married, but who knows how many children he had. Also I didn't quite get the story, that when cicina -the other one I think, came into ellis island, great grandfather said he'd throw a nut to her from above, so she'd know where he was, Also saying that Lilliana, who was youngest if they were fighting, wouldn't cry then but wait till their father got back, and run to him crying, and he'd tell her not to cry, that he'd make them go to bed with their socks and shoes and she'd go away happy. 

Were supposed to go to il santuario before dinner so aunt mary could get the photo to scan, and we'd drop off a pizza, Rita however somehow hurt her back, and we weren't going. so tried to do a bit more writing, in afternoon finished picture of walnut. picked a good bit of figs before dinner. Down to zia's where talking again, about the war this time, how terrible it had been, It hadn't touched her as much, because they had property and could go to the country at casa capira. But it had been terrible for people who spent 8 months under the bombardment. That they cursed the americans, and thought they didn't care about anything but eating, drinking and bombing, with no care for those who suffered. Grandma commented that  they had orders to do the bombing, zia didn't dignify the Nuremberg defense with more than a shrug of the shoulders. She said it was something that caused so much destruction, destroyed the town, but no good. The cousin of their grandmother, had un mulino, a mill, where everyone in the town went to have their grain ground and that one day it was bombed and the whole family was killed, 50 people were killed in the bombing that day. when the first people came on the rubble, one person (named I cant remember who) threw themselves on the ground crying sure his wife (I think) had been killed but at the last minute she'd left and hidden under a bridge, so was ok. 7 of them spent the war in casa capria, the parents, lecia, lilliana, her alberto and Orle? Urle? Alberto had enlisted in the military before the war, and been in the air force, he didn't like it, saying he had to eat when he wasn't hungry, and sleep when he wasn't tired, he preferred to be free. He had a friend there from somewhere in alt Italia, he also left when his time was up. Later they both got called up to fight in Africa, zia thinks, and turned up together there. They were then called up again during WWII and wound up together again they were both on dive bomber crews, with one thing and another Alberto wound up in Rome, and the other guy in Gaeta, Alberto did a runner from there, he came back to itri, found his home in rubble, went Zia's, their house was empty, and knew they were going to casa capria so went there, and stayed with them for the rest of the war. His friend, had heard about Albertos home town and knew that people he knew were at some place with the name casa capria, which you could get to from san augostino.. In Gaetae asked ho to get there, and someone told him to walk along the beach till it finished, which he did, meeting a fisherman he asked him how to get there, got directions through the mountains, and walked. They were sitting in  the house there at night, and heard a knock at the door, her father wondered who it could be at that hour, Alberto opened the door,it was his friend and gave a great cry and embraced him. He told him that finding himself far from home, he'd come here, alberto said he two was living on other people's hospitality, so he'd have to ask my great grandfather, my great grandmother said you take a spoon worth from every plate, and you have another plate, and he stayed with them for the rest of the war,  (zia said russians, why there would be russians there before the germans left I don't quite get, maybe it was after) Germans or russians she said would come by every now and then, and everyone would hide because they'd take them away for forced labor, one time my great grandfather because he was heavy, and older couldn't get away to hide, and the grabbed him and were going to take him away, and orle, came out from where he was hiding, and said to leave his grandfather and take him instead. They took him somewhere in a nearby town as forced labour, and he was gone for 3 days, after which he came back on foot, shouting to the people that came running not to get close, but to get some boiling water, he was covered from head to foot in bugs, fleas or ticks, I'm not sure he said where they slept the ground seemed alive with them. Saying also that at times Alberto would get upset and take it out on her (I don't know if they were fianced before the war or what) and one day she went up onto the mountain and was crying, Urle, saw here going and followed her and asked her what she was crying for, and she said, and that she couldn't understand why he was angry with her, he said she had to understand where they were in the military 50 70 people thrown together in one room, and in the dive bombers, where when the anti aircraft fire was coming at you the short time you were low, it seemed like you were in the middle of a fire, that it had to act on a person's nerves, and if she waited she'd see the old alberto would come back, better than before, and that that gave her a lot of comfort. the germans left, one day they were still milling about and escaping the next day the americans arrived, my great grandfather talked to them in english (tho zia always says americano not englese)  confirming they were american and the germans were really gone for good. They came back to the house, and every door and window was gone, even the poles that held up the roof.  There were two american soldiers with their rifles and bayonnetes standing at the door, and her father said he was the owner, they said that their were three bodies inside, americans that had been killed, and the three were laying on platform in the central hall, covered with just their feet hanging out, with tags on them. The field nearby was full of tents soldiers were using. They were africans and spoke french it was the first time she had seen a black person. All the soldiers seemed to play the piano, the germans had taken the piano from upstairs to take, but had run before they could get it, a soldier saw it, hit a key and seeing it played started to play, the word got around, and people would come by, throw a pebble through the missing window to get their attention, and mime playing it, she'd let them play and she said she heard so much music then. She remembers the african troops as being very polite, and not giving her any trouble tho she was alone and though she couldn't speak to them because they all spoke french. It was a beautiful sight she said when the american troops came in, from the house you could see the road, as all the tanks and the soldiers marching in line were just like the movies. She remembers walking with the friend of albertos, and the troops coming by and calling out bella, bionda, and she was ashamed,, but they threw packs of ciggarets and tins of food, they gathered them up, he had a fishermans vest, when he escaped from Gaeta he couldn't wear his uniform so he threw it away and got a vest from a fisherman, she'd washed it and he wore it, it had a big pocket in the back and they put everything in it. it was the first tobacco the guy had had in a year he would smoke grape bark in a piece of paper, and that night they had a party. The friend was going to go, but my great grandfather said he wouldn't let him until he was sure he could get to rome where he needed to go. So talking with the soldiers, he managed to get him a ride on a truck to rome, leaving he said if he could repay their generosity he'd come back, but if not this would be the first and last time he said goodby, and they never saw him again. He wrote several times, saying his brother hadnt been as fortunate as him and had been shot by the Germans, he found his mother and sister in Rome, where they'd gone since they had family. but they lost touch and have no idea what happened to him. Uncle tony was stationed in italy with the US army, he was doing something that involved him going on a motorcyce between rome and naples and he often came to Itri, the first time he arrived, he found the mill bombed, everything bombed, and was standing lost, trying to figure out where he was, zio carluch? came by and thought that he soldier looked familiar and asked him what he was looking for, uncle tony said he was the son of Giuseppi del bove and was trying to find his house, not realizing he was talking to his uncle. He went later to try and find Amaledo, he was at a monestary school, I dont recall where, and nobody knew if he was alive or dead. So uncle tony went with a couple other soldiers,  to this town to ask, but they'd moved from the monestary, he spent the day looking, finally finding a monk he asked him, the monk was Amaledo's superior or teacher or something.  He asked him why he was looking for him, being cautious especially with a soldier. Uncle Tony said it was his brother and he was trying to find out what happened to him, the monk called the students and without saying any names asked them if any of them recognized one of those soldiers as their brother, and asked also if they recognized one of the students. So much time had passed that amaledo had grown big and uncle tony didnt recognize him he in turn hadn't seen him for so long he didn't recognize him. The priest called to him specifically don't you recognize this is your brother, and they recognized each other and embraced, the priest pointing out that the old stories occur event now, in which the brothers fight, not recognizing each other and in the moment they're to kill each other the voice of God cries out, no this is your brother.. that if the war had gone on he might have killed his brother not knowing him. They hugged each other and cried and all the students and even the soldiers who had come with uncle tony cried as well. neither grandma or aunt mary had heard the story either..


Santa barbara bennedetta 
allontanami da lampadi, fummini, e saette [tuona] 
mandele a quel parte osscura
dove non che nessun' creatura

a letto a letto me ne andai
chinque santi ci trovai
due dapere [a piede] e tre dacapo
e Gesu Christo alla meta
Gesu Christo a me disse
di paura non avere
non di dia e non di note
non aver paura di male morte

Up, walked into town to buy a couple peppers, and pick up some figs from zia's, then typed a bit , dinner, did some painting , got most of picture of a cactus finished. Into town, cena, played a bit of cards, grandma has beato fra le donne on, which is even worse, apparently it is a playoff between previous winners, even grandma commentd they were all ugly this time, loooked like a freak show. 

Were going to go to cemetary in morning but aunt mary didn't feel up to it, so the huge ammount of arguing that went on last evening about whether we should walk or take the bus, and to go at evening or morning, was somewhat to no use, amazing how much they do argue, Aunt mary had left a glass of water out, on the evening before the feast of the assumption, and it is blessed in the morning, didn't realize assumption was such a holliday here, everything was closed. Instead around 10 cinzia and fabio dropped by with a cute little puppy, on their way from Rome, going to beach, they're thinking about where to go on the honeymoon, she doesn't want to fly, she's afraid, they're thinking about greece, though fabio wants to go on a cruise through the north of europe to greenland. Nice to see them, cinzia meant to bring us a wedding favor, but forgot. Said tomorrow we'd go to the castle together tomorrow. Went to mass, half full. dinner, mostly hung about, walked into town to get some bread and cheese and juice, antonio's was the only place open said hello to him, still has the picture hanging up, asked me to do another one, though wasnt entirely sure he was serious, but think he was, said it would be a ricordo della nonno,  when got back zia ciccina was over, talking, looked around the house and was commenting it was a shame to tear the place down, if it could be repaired, in some way, ate played some cards..
In the morning went to the cemetary, should have started out earlier, was already bloody hot by time we left, building a really big house on the property of Maria virginas which she sold near Jean Carlo's house, retaining wall of huge pieces of stone. big area with olive trees burned by a grass fire, building alot of houses along that stretch of road now. Dead dog by the cemetery, big, recent enough to smell like hell, all that greasy matted fur ug, hate dead things. Got there, more new tombs, both attractive and tacky, so much stuff that's been rebuilt, clearly alot of recent and ongoing renovation at the fabriti masoleum, don't remember where the stone that said killed by the air war waged by the English was, if it's still there but there were still ones that said killed by the bombardment. Visited Jean carlo's and the families, where lecia is not next to giovanni, and our great grandparents are now moved down into one alcove, don't know what happened to the other aunt that used to be there, or the origional Delbove it was built for del Bove 1920 something is carved at the top of the arch the whole thing has been refaced in pink and black granite which isnt entirely tastefull if you ask me, tho of course it's none of my business. We walked back, at some point it was established both that we were meeting cinzia at zia's at 7:30 and daniele at grandma's at 8 to go to the castle, in end cancelled with daniele since he didnt really want to go, Grandma wasnt going and aunt mary still didn't feel too good. Was feast of santarocco so all went down and waited bit before procession arrived left to go meet cinzia, but then ran off to see the procession since heard it coming by, saw it and ran back cinzia and fabio had arrived, parked near zia lecia's and headed up, ran into ernesto who was standing by pizzaria with someone who worked there who was maybe a nephew. He recognized us but not cinzia,in fact asking if she was from where we were, thou on her reminding him she was a niece by marriage he pointed out she'd mispelled his name on the invitation for her wedding. Gave him one of my cards, saying he could see some of my recent stuff, not sure he understood, the nephew told him he'd explain it latter. went to castle, looks much bigger than I remember, especially with the garden at it's foot gone and that wide open space though would have been nice if they left some of the vegetation.... I really couldn't match anything to my recollection, took a bunch of pictures they did a huge amount of reconstruction, there are now two new floors where there used to be just open air, and a lot of wall must have gotten rebuilt to support all that, not sure Id have done so much myself.. but definitely interesting, you can climb up to the top of the main area and is a great view of the town. you can also see from some of the loop holes directly onto balconys of nearby houses where people are eating chena. They had bunch of old photo's by one of the first photographers to work in Itri. and a couple weird paper mache figures that were very menacing, cinzia asked and they were just left over from some play they'd held there, there were lots of plastic chairs set up in the courtyard as a theater, so we hung around there, then drove to casa caprai saying hello to franco and mary and picking up the dog, perla, mary said someone had been looking for a chingiale a wild boar that had been eating their grapes, they have a perfectly white cat, doesn't look like a funny kind of cat, but is white, fed the dog it would growl whenever the cat's came too near, who also wanted it's food. Perla then vomited it all up, and started to re-eat it, interrupted partway through, by our departure, cinzia picking him up and calling him vomitoso. I was glad I was sitting in the front and nick was in the back with cinzia and the dog. back to itri where they had some music in the piazza, the dog had diarreah in the middle of the straccia, after a brief consultation it was decided it couldn't be pooper scoopered and we all tried to drift off without attracting attention. we went for a pizza and some french fries, and meat stuffed, battered, deep fried olives which were quite good. Sat about and talked she's teaching now, young kids, specialized in handicapped children. painting progresses on their apt in rome, They had fireworks at 11 and saw part of them over the top of a building from where we were sitting. Itri is a beautiful place. after the pizza we wandered to a cafe on the straccia and had a demitas and a chinotto nera which i'm told is a true chinotto not to be confused with the other pale immitators, talking about computers and chinzia's need for something small to take notes on. they dropped us off around 2, I think i caught a glimpse of a falling star as I was standing there. 

This morning franco and mary dropped by with some prickly pears and grapes, invited us all to pranzo monday, our last day. I painted a lousy pair of prickly pears, packed up the portrait and got some of the stuff that we're bringing with much pain and trouble, have to pack the last of it up tommorow, got an ice cream on the way and went to zia's Rita came by feeling a lot better after a couple days rest, we sat around and talked, they got out some old pictures, and some newer ones, rita brought down her book of photos of her trip to the US, made me realize how little I know of the cousins in the us on my fathers side, would barely recognize them in the street, talking about the tower at casa capirai I doubt it was really all that old.. though who knows, maybe they know better than me. saying when the slept there, there was a lamp and it always went out at night and aunt mary asked why and someone replied she should wake up and look, she did, and there was a mouse that would stick it's tail into the lamp, take it out covered with the olive oil, and lick it off, and that's where the oil went. Saying also that they helped save angela's grandfathers life, he lived in an old house with two oxen he owned and one stormy night the whole thing collapsed, someone, his wife or child pulled themselves out and ran for help theirs was the closest house, at the edge of the town then he sent one of them for the doctor and they went to dig through the rubble, they dug him out, with only 4 broken toes, a stone had fallen on one side of him, a stone on the other and one had fallen over them, burying him under but also protecting him from the rubble they said it was a miracle, one of the oxen was dead next to him. he was taken to their house and all through the night people came to see him, and tracked water into the stairs, the kids complained that they were mopping the stairs and they were immediately wet again, and their mother replied that if people wanted to see him they had to be allowed to. everyone had a nickname in those days and was known more by that than their name, I've forgotten his, but saying that now where there is all houses there used to be an open field and gypsies used to camp there, and that even they knew him all by name, and would say hello because he had such an open personality and always helped people once a woman came by on a donkey and wasn't looking to good, she was pregnant and he came up on her just as she fainted and would fall, they took her in and she gave birth on their bed as someone went to call the family.
was a nice evening with alot of good food, had a fun time. 

So monday the last day, finished packing up, got some stuff together, around 11 cinzia and fabio showed up, was showing them the laptop, we were hanging about, then heading out franco was coming for grandma and aunt mary. The car wouldn't start, fabio tried, then cinzia, with much messing about and mutual kidding, got it started just as franco came in with zia ciccina. We got out, stopped at the store in zia lecia's to get some jelly and butter cinzia was making a crostino fabio wanted to get some chinnotto neri, which I admit seemed better than the other ones I've had. We arrived, franco had before us peeled some potatos, sat about a bit, getting ready for dinner, Zio amaledo showed up driven by another monk from his order at the sanctuary. Was one of those marathon meals, starting with antipasto of fish salad, olives, roast peppers a soft cheese and bread, was a nice cheese some kind of local cheese mary got in formia I think. followed by pasta with tomato and a lasagna cooked in the wood fired stove, Fried potatos, roast eggplant and potatoes, fried chicken cutlets, beef cuts cooked over a fire, prickly pears, grapes and figs, for fruit the grapes were particularly delicious. Then ice cream we never got to, cinzia's tart, would have like to try a bit. An amusing meal, alot of interesting conversations, zio atempting to cure zia chiccina from superstitions so the talk was of supernatural in general, retold his story of the fatura, with a couple new details, that it had been made by the herbal remedy dude who was rebuilding the big pink house in Itri, Franco adding that he had been his barber. Didnt get the idea exactly but seemed to be saying that when the witches were supposed to take the horses out there was something on them afterward stoffa, is that thread? Zio Ameledos theory was that someone in the house had to do it. was also demonstrating trying to see the face of someone who stole your animals in a bowl of water during the full moon. His point was he believes in a devil but that he has better things to do than play jokes like that, that it's a psychological malady usually. They left a bit after dinner. more talking and sitting zia cicchina was revisiting the subject of the bombing of the town, wonder if political events put it in mind. and all the destruction it brought, remembering the casa de fariti and all the books they had, giant old books, all scattered on the ground with the rubble of the house. Did a little trip by car to moneta where franco still has some land, you usually don't think of a fiat as a offroad vehcicle, not quite off road, but pretty rough a big field full of cow pats, which I've been to before. yesterday they went to gather some to use as fertilizer. hung around a bit more and gave our goodbyes, with promises of return Zia Ciccina said we should give a kiss to our parents for her, and not to forget our aunt in Italy that's always talking. Promises also and that they'd make it to NY sometime. Cinzia and Fabio dropped us off, promising to send us pictures of the wedding and to send a wedding favor for each of us back with grandma. Back, hung about a bit, went to say goodbye to Lena, grandma discussed the house with them, I wonder how bad that cracking is myself, it looks pretty serious, but whether it's actually structural and is going to keep opening, or if it's really just a bit of settling I don't know. had cena, Nina and Angela came by to say goodbye, grandma's story is now that she doesn't want to come back alone, and we were told to come back with her, hopefully we will. Angela for some reason noted we were thin so maybe we weren't really Americans oy. I am sorry to be going back.. the 13 days passed too quickly. Up at the crack of dawn, once again woken by grandma and aunt mary discussing something, got ready, gigino came early, we got there at 8:00. As we set off, he commented that you can no longer go fast, (I love the fact that the phrase is cammina, to walk) because of the penalty on your license system they've recently instituted, to illustrate this he went from 10 to 40 km over the limit the whole way there, though I never cease to be amazed at how skillful he is, probably helps that it's a mercedes but you never even feel him change the gears. Got our flight with no trouble to amsterdam, made the transfer, now en route to newark, another 2 hours more or less another and that's that, hope it wont be too long before I get to see all these people again...