Friday, February 22, 2008

Bittersweet

I've started a new blog and I just can't quite erase this one...

http://timeisatease.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Sss....

It'ssss a SSSSSSS...

Suprise, Suprise, Surpise (as Rosanne Rosanna Danna would say....:-)

SALVATORE!!!!

Yes, we're having a BOY!!! :-)

Mimmo and I got to see him yesterday on the big screen and couldn't stop smiling and laughing when the DR. told us the news!!!

Yes, new pic to post soon and much more to tell....

-La mamma & the growing *Salvatore* (formerly know as the growing jelly bean and then growing sweet potato)

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Mamma said there'd be days like this...

After a difficult Tues. Dr.'s appt. (will post on later), I found myself blessed on Wed. with cancelled lessons and a free day to spend with Mimmo. We immediately took advantage of the situation and headed to our small port, Aquamorta.

We took the boat out to the other side of San Martino, one of Mimmo's favorite spots since he was a boy, to fish for cozze (mussels).

While Mimmo went down to the rocks,



I climbed upwards to find myself a spot in the sun next to beautiful, clear waterways.


There I rested and pat my belly


and tried desperately to tan my very white (only at present, mind you) self.


Mimmo popped up at one point to proudly show me his catch so far



as I continued to relax and take in the sun. I opened my eyes and noticed a change in the sea.



The tide seemed to be coming in strong, crashing against the rocks.



So I called to Mimmo to come back. He climbed up the rock and showed me a baby octopus.



And his catch of the day - not a cozze to be found, but lots and lots of scongigli (sea snails)!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Pasquetta & the Catch-Up...

It's been a long time for me with no internet and no phone line, but I think I may have just found my temporary sanctuary in Tullio's (my brother-in-law's) "office".. Tullio has a club called "Vivi l'estate" that happens to have a clubhouse with 2 computers and adsl...and guess who now has the keys?! YES, YES, YES!!!

I have been right smack in the middle of change and movement - inside & all around me. We moved and have been adjusting the house and yet we're leaving in 2 months to go to California. It's hard to feel settled obviously when I know we're going. Mimmo and I are both excited and have no idea about what we're up for in the move out west. There are a lot of unknowns, but our vision is that we will open a business out there and come back to Monte di Procida for the summers (just like all the other Montesi-Americani here). I am trying to trust a lot as I am not a grrl who is a planner. It usually starts with an instinct, a vision, a need which I follow, but it feels a bit different now with a husband and a child to think of as well in my journey. Mimmo's looking into getting a leave from work, we're trying to figure out visas, and I'm also trying to organize our California wedding celebration which is happening in 2 months.

For all the mixed emotions I have about living here, it's strange to think about NOT living here for me right now. On Friday, I went to Procida with Gilda (my mother-in-law) and Manuela (my niece) to watch the Good Friday Procession (the camera was not working at the time) and I felt so emotional at the thought of not being on this beautiful bay this summer. I am trying to remind myself that we will spend our summers here and also about how hard it is for me to be here the rest of the year. I have deeply missed my friends (who are my family), my art, my family, and being in a more open community. I'm also trying to focus on all the possibilties. And, the gratitude that I feel for having both this place to call home and California as well.

But, most of all, I am trying to just really enjoy this moment. With all the movement and change and unknowns, I have these 2 months here to soak in.

Monday for Pasquetta, Mimmo, Manuela, & I took our first sailboat ride of the season to Procida. It was a beautiful, sunny day on the bay and when we returned, we were blessed to get enough wind to get a real viaggio a vela. I was happy that the baby also got his/her first ride in....with many more to come...





Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Si vede, si vede!!!


Ok, this is a damn near miracle that a)I got my digital camera to work, b)I'm able to post here & c)my tummy is finally showing!!! I have no time here on this machine, but I just had to post for now the first photo of my growing belly from the baby's first sailboat ride yesterday (details to follow!)

This is what 16+ weeks looks like....

Monday, March 26, 2007

7 more min...

Ok, so for those of you that don't know, Mimmo and I have just moved into our 7th (and hopefully final in ITALY) home. Now, we just have to move into our California one come fall time :-) OY!

And, I am currently without a telephone line nor internet, so I'm back to my old days at the Bacoli library (there is no internet point over here) where one has to wait in line for one of the 2 computers. There's so much to say and no time - Ok, now I've got 4 more min...

Brief updates: I'm just starting to show! Oh, I will have to have Teresa take a picture of my growing belly. Our new home is lovely, but it's taking a bit for me to get adjusted. Oh, and I'm sooo emotional, mammamia. The pregnancy hormones are in full force. It doesn't help being without internet and a phone line in that department. Yes, I feel isolated and yes, I miss you all teribly.

Ok, my final minute is up, so on I go to post...

More to come...

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Ode to Leanor Indira Rivoalan

I am in the midst of packing and you know how you find those random scraps of paper along the way? Well, with me it's more like a paper trail...I found this lil' ditty I wrote to dear, Leanor Indira Rivoalan who is the daughter of my long-time European friend/partner in crime, Sandra. At the time, Sandra was very pregnant and Leanor was late in coming. I had a dream that she was named "Carina Rosa" and so, the name inspired the words following....

"Carina Rosa" sounds like a song.
"Cute Rose" in English sounds very wrong.
But, "Carina Rosa" in Italiano has a nice poetic ring.
Perhaps only to this foreign girl who invented it in her dreams.
Carina Rosa, you are inside my dear friend, Sandra's tummy.
She told me you're not quite ready to face your head down.
She told me she's doing accupuncture to perhaps help move you along.
But, I know you will, dear Carina Rosa, come in your own sweet time.
I know you will be strong, sweet, and beautiful too!
Carina Rosa, born to a Portugese mamma and French papa in Geneva, Switzerland.
What a life you're coming into!
I see you, red, bursting, drawing all in with your sweet scent.
I see me, holding, rocking you as you take my pinkie with full hand.
Soon, I hope, so soon our meeting will be held.
But, for now, sweet Carina Rosa, I know you're swimming.
And when you're ready to come to shore, you will. :-)