Saturday, Nov 30 at home in Cremona

I never smelled the morning coffee they must have prepared. The house was empty when I opened my bedroom door.  It was 8.30. 

I had laid fresh clothes last night. I took quick advantage of using the bathroom to shower and get ready. 

At 9.15 I went to find breakfast and found a note from Marta that I'm home and do whatever I wanted. Two pieces of focaccia were laid out on top of the toaster oven. After moving dials around, the oven came on with a ping. 

With warmed the focaccia, I finished off orange juice I found in the fridge. I had just put my dishes in the sink, when Marta and baby G arrived, with yogurt for the baby and croissant for herself. 

The three of them have been living here with Marta's parents, Primo and Marina for the past month. 

Last night Marta, Mario and baby G slept in their new home for the first night.  They're camping there until the kitchen appliances are connected. Both bathrooms are fully finished.  The construction completion date was set for the end of August, but was delayed because bathroom essentials were late arriving. 

10.00 I can see by his clothes, Primo has already been to the gym. Mario has an appointment today and both Marina and Chiara are both at the  parrucchiere getting their hair cut and styled.  I haven't seen Mattia yet this trip. He had to work late last night. He's probably been sleeping in also. He and Chiara have an apartment which adjoins this one. 

At 10.45 we began dressing Baby G and ourselves in warm coats, scarves and boots. With G strapped in, a Primo drove us to IperCoop. I timed it. 7 minutes from apartment to parking lot. 

A Christmas tree greeted shoppers. Even through Thanksgiving is acknowledged, but not really celebrated here, Christmas shopping has definitely started. 

We shared a cart, pushing and intermingling our selections.  Baby G happily being carried by his Nonno, Marta's father.  Primo has never liked shopping, but the baby in his arms, he is totally relaxed. 

13 December is Santa Lucia when children get gifts. This will be Baby G's first time getting gifts. 

I had a shopping list: Perugina ground cocoa, lasagne pasta, Nutella, dried soup mixes, a small jar of amarena cherries, Sardo guttiau bead, chocolate candies, two jars of special sweet condiment for cheese (strawberry-balsamic and pear-cinnamon), amaretti cookies, bread crumbs. Not on my list, but purchased : Bernadetta's newest cookbook, lentils.  My checkout bill was just over 100€. These essentials will keep me stocked with cooking supplies for 6 months. 

I appreciate so much these trips to IperCoop! I think today's trip was done just for me. I am in love with this family and am so honored to be a real member. 

I returned the cart to the rack and for the first time, retrieved the 2€ deposit. It's something normal here, but it gave me a thrill. I returned the coin to Primo. It was his. 

Meanwhile Rosa and Marina had called. They were home. 

As soon as we arrived home, I quickly put a load of wash into Rosa's washing machine. Everyone is in agreement. The clothes will not dry outside on the drying rack, in a day. Hopefully by Monday morning. It's cold and rainy today. Oh I wish I had this very same drying rack!!

There is no between meal snacking in this household. I welcome this chance to change my bad snacking habit, every time I am here.

Rosa's hair looks so stylish! Rosa and Marta are natural beauties. 

 

We were all starving for Marina's exquisite homemade lasagne. This lasagne is authentic using homemade egg pasta, bolognese sauce and besciamella. There is no cheese, ricotta, sausage, oregano or garlic. It was so good I had a second plateful. 

For our vegetable Marta and I shard a sliced anise root, drizzled with a little fresh Tuscan olive oil and a pinch of salt. We ended with macedonia (fruit salad).

It was then that Barbara surprised me with a cotton, poka dot with red hearts tablecloth, a bag of chocolates, hot chocolate mix from Milano and anise tarallo. 

She really surprised me! Somehow she ordered the tablecloth and picked it up at a checkout counter, at IperCoop.  I thought she was picking up dry cleaning while I watched the basket of our groceries and Primo walked Baby G.  I have been looking for a cotton tablecloth exactly like this. I will use it for a working space for making fresh egg pasta. It's perfect! 

With the baby down for a nap, Marta and I walked to her new house..20 minutes away. We took umbrellas, but it didn't rain after all. I also carried along my house shoes, which I always bring with me to Italy. They're colorful wool felt slippers with rubber soles.  I bought several years ago, here in Cremona. 

The house has automated temperature control and hourly  fresh air exchange. When we opened the door it was warm inside. Just the right comfortable but warm temperature. 

With boots off and wearing my own house shoes, we spent a productive afternoon wiping down new cabinets  and unpacking kitchen supplies.  

By the time Mario arrived home around 6, the kitchen was organized for him to hook up the refrigerator and install the stove top. Marta is a lucky girl. Mario is an expert for all electrical needs. Within an hour,  even the dishwasher was hooked up. 

For dinner, we all came back together with pasta e fagioli soup, followed by home made piadina, which Rosa had prepared. Dessert was Marina's chocolate budina with slices of panettone. 

After clean-up, primo and I compared iPhone tricks. Then we all rested and watched a favorite TV game show 'Affari Tuoi' from the sofa, with quits tucked around us.

At 9.30 I said goodnight. I packed my groceries. My bag is full. I can't buy another thing. 

Tomorrow Rosa and Mattia are driving me to Cinque Terre at 8.30 sharp!

~~.~~.

From Wiki:

Affari Tuoi (Your Business) is an Italian game show based upon the internationally popular game show Deal or No Deal. It is broadcast on public broadcaster Rai Uno, though it can also be seen occasionally on RAI International, RAI's international television service.

The show is currently hosted by Flavio Insinna (September 2006 – June 2008, from September 2013 onwards); previous hosts in chronological order include Paolo Bonolis(October 2003 – May 2005), Pupo (September 2005 – March 2006), Antonella Clerici (March – June 2006), and Max Giusti (September 2008 – June 2013).

In the Italian version, there are 20 boxes; each person holding a box is a representative of one of the 20 regions of Italy.

The highest prize is €500,000, but on some occasions, there's a special €1,000,000 or €2,000,000 prize. In addition to small money prizes, like €0.50, there are three gag prizes—usually items like salami, a year's supply ofsoap, or stuffed animals like hippos andweasels (from season 2006 – 2007 a hippo prize took place instead of the €500 one).

The box named Pacco X, and also a Pacco Ybetween September 2008 and June 2013 (both meaning mystery package), may contain values between €0.02 and €200,000 (see below).

The box named Pacco Matto (crazy box, February 2011 – June 2013) or La Matta (the madwoman, from September 2013 onwards) may contain one of the possibilities which may affect the progress of the game, positively or negatively, including doubling the top prize to €1,000,000, or forcing the player to leave the game (see below).

Neither the manager ("Il Dottore", the doctor), nor the player know the content of the boxes. During the game, the manager attempts to escape from instant average risk/average prize by offering a smaller money amount, in order to lower the risk for the manager, compared with natural average prize=risk.

In order to give himself further chances, the manager decides to play "Di pacco in pacco" ("step by step") when high prizes are still active.

In Affari Tuoi, to refuse an offer, instead of saying, "No Deal!", you say, "Rifiuto l'offerta e vado avanti," meaning "I refuse the offer, and go on". To accept, you say, "Accetto l'offerta." There is no button to push. (Actually, most international versions of Dealdon't use a button and cover)

Sent from my iPhone