Christmas Evening

It is already nearly 9 p.m. and I have now time to write a little before bed. Lucia came to visit this evening and we chatted forever.

Today was a long day. The day began with rain and winds. The sun finally arrived with blue skies in tow. The sea today was very angry with huge waves. I hope tomorrow it is nice enough to walk over there. I still have only seen it from the car driving back and forth along the marina area.

We went to Zio Claudio's for a very wonderful but long Christmas lunch. There were so many types of food served today. First were the appetizers. There were plates of proscuitto (ham), salami, salmon over a toast, shrimp in a sauce, and a wonderful quiche type of food with ham cheese and eggs, 2 types of cheese (parmasean and talllegio), olives, pepperoni, bread, tuna, and the fruit of the sea (squid). That was only the appetizers. Next came either a cup or bowl of broth. Then came ravoli with meat sauce. After this platters of meats were served. There were 3 choices of meat: lamb, pork loin and turkey fillet. Also there were potatoes with this course. Finally it was the desert course. There I saw 5 things. There was a cherry cake, a cream type pastry similar to cream puffs, a banana and chocolate confection, cookies dipped in chocolate on one end, and coconut cookies. There were 2 types of wine served: either white or red. I choose white today. Then 2 types of water: aqua natural and aqua frizzante. The first is what we drink at home and the second is water with carbonation. Then there were fruits and nuts too. Just sooo much food. I did not even try to sample all of it. I had 2 slices of salami, 2 slices of tuna, a slice of the quiche, some tallegio cheese (I prefer parmasean), and the shrimp during the appetizer course. A small half cup of broth that I could not finish and a few ravoli. Then in the meat course I had a slice of pork. I skipped the potatoes. I had a cream puff and a piece of the banana confection for dessert. In addition to all this bread was also served. No wonder it takes a couple of hours to have a traditional meal!

I got a lovely Christmas ceramic house from Zio Claudio. Lucia and Stefano gave me a beautiful silver necklace with a cross. Ilaria and Gas gave me a cute pink and white photo album. I came home and Zio gave me more gifts that I cannot mention because Jenny has some of the same. Sorry, I will give those details later. One gift I got that Jenny did not get is a joke gift. The first words that Stefano taught me was PISA MERDE which means PISA STINKS... so Zio Corrado gave me a red shirt with the white emblem of Pisa on the front. On the back it reads in Italian, THANK GOD I AM A PISANO (from Pisa) NOT LIVORNESE (not Livorno). Stefano is from Livornio. They are coming to dinner tomorrow night and Zio has already given me instructions that I am to wear that shirt to dinner. He is teasing Stefano. LOL

Jenny, one of the gifts Zio gave me had me just simply bawling and bawling. I could not stop crying for a long time. It will touch your heart. But that is all I will tell you at this point. Zio Claudio's house was decorated for Christmas. In the corner on a table was a 4 ft Christmas tree with some tinsel, lights and many ornaments. Under the tree, sitting on the tree skirt was a nativity scene. The doorways were covered with tinsel or flashing lights and a bag with mistletoe hung in the center. The tablecloths were gold colored out of paper not linen. In fact, except for the bowls and glassware, the plates (and there were 4 of them per person in various sizes for different parts of the meal) were disposable. They were not paper but a type of plastic but very decorative with a Christmas theme of poinsettas.

I took many many photos. I just cannot explain all I saw or heard today.There were so many voices and I picked up bits and pieces around the room. Just so much activity and so much happening all at once. Many cameras were taking many photos. Lucia, Zio Claudio, Fabio and I were all taking photos. I am going to get copies of them all.

We left around 3:30 or 4 coming home. I rode with Nico and Ilaria and Zio rode with Gas. We got here and Ilaria had misplaced Zio's house keys. So we had to wait for Lucia to arrive with her set of keys. She was about a half hour behind us. It was very windy outside as we waited.

Ilaria visited with us a little while and then she, Gas and Nico went home. Lucia and I sat at the kitchen table and had a long visit for at least 3 hours. It was lovely. We left Zio relaxing in his chair watching tv.

Tomorrow for lunch we are going to Ilaria's house. Then Lucia and Stefano are coming here for supper. Lucia is going to prepare a fish dish that I love.

Zio and I played Scopa this morning and already he is ahead of me. Score Zio 14 and me 10. He skunked me in one hand with 4 pts and me zero. Typical. He can count cards and lets me know it. LOL.

I am extremely tired tonight, so I am closing with a shorter post for you to read. I want to check my email and facebook and then I go to bed.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas.
Arlene