22 May -- Home to Cremona

I was awake at 6 this morning with plenty of time to get out the door by 6.45. Alessio and Asumi were up and about as well. Sweet Alessio carried my bag down the stairs. With hugs and buon viaggio I walked to the Santa Maria Novella Stazione. I have my mover's belt on under my sweater so it's not unsightly as is usual. It helps when lifting the bags off and onto the train. And today I have two connections to make. 

Yesterday afternoon I packed this bag for Cremona and three small ones for leaving here until I return Monday. I bought a cheap Chinese bag at the station for my books. It's too smells too much of chemicals to use for my good pasta.  But for books it will be ok. 

With time to spare, I checked the electronic board to find the binario. I didn't notice it before, but there is security here to enter binario 10.  Comforting.  They were plain clothes but they felt like the real thing. Not the feeling I get with TSA. 

I found Carrozza 9 on the fast Frecciarossa for Bologna and placed my bag in the luggage area.  At my assigned seat I observed an older couple, a bit confused, take my spot. No problem. Just find an empty seat. It's such a fast ride to Bologna. 

I turned on my iPhone data roaming and texted Marta that I'm on the train and will check in at each of the two connections: Bologna and Fidenza. 

Wow. Riding the Freccia line is so easy. If one knows a little bit about Bologna. We arrived two levels below ground. Amazing the construction so deep under the normal station. I look two escalators and one elevator up and then checked the paper schedule for the binario. Marta and Rosa (Cremona) showed me how to ride the trains  years ago. Followed the signage for Binario 4 for Piacenza, I arrived with 10 minutes to spare, using  the elevator from the underground corridor, which transverses all the binari. I stamped my ticket in the hallway. There are no validation machines on the binari. A gypsy man caught my eye and wanted to know if I needed help carrying my bag up the stairs. I gave him a polite no, knowing the elevator was just a few steps away. I have needed help in the past. I used to pay them 5€. 

The schedule for the 8.28 train. 

A teacher is sitting across from me, organizing her roll sheet. She's dressed in jeans, tennis shoes fawn leather jacket and has a bright pink polka dot umbrella. She's got a pile of 5 inch square drawings all composed of triangles and geometric figures. Colored in.  Elementary school homework? Each has the student's name on the back. She seems like someone I could be friends with. She's off the train at Modena. It's dripping a light rain outside. 

For breakfast, I have small leftover piece of chocolate panforte, two juicy apricots (county of origin: Spain) and some blackberries. Here I don't feel gnawing hunger like I do at work, which I suspect is caused by stress.

I saw a of picture of my mother out and about her caretaker Sara. We decided it was best not to tell my mother I am here. She might worry that I'm here to stay. She's in excellent hands, living in her own home, with Sara and Desiree to protect her. They text me updates. I really love them.  What has been especially wonderful is their encouragement to take a break here. Also, I am so grateful for my brother Gary, who has made himself available for any assistance the girls might need. We spread the stress around amongst ourselves so it's bearable. 

Mom has her own stress to deal with. The day can be confusing when past memories don't lineup with the present world. We try to keep things in their  'proper' location. 

I missed my November trip when my mother survived a massive heart attack. Unfortunately it also disclosed the dementia she had been hiding.  

The countryside passing by is so many shades of green. I've seen a yard with chickens and white ducks milling about. Vineyards, rolls of hay. Country houses, plowed fields, corn in various stages of planting, red poppies. 

At the Fidenza stop, a nice college student carried my bag both down and then up stairs. He told me he was going to Cremona also. 

Two African immigrants kindly lifted my bag up into the train for Cremoma at Fidenza. I look at them and I can't begin to imagine their harsh journey to this haven. Marina later told me so many of these new immigrants are sleeping under bridges. Only a few European countries will accept them as they flood into Italy from the seaports. They come with expectations of gold and plenty, based on what they have viewed on tv. It's so sad, for everyone. 

Almost there!

My selfie upon arrival at Cremona. As usual, to protect their privacy, there will be no family pictures. 

Martina and Baby G were waiting for me at the end of the binario. It's so emotional to finally see them. And what a huge surprise! Marta was waiting with the car, driving the car! Last week she was on total bedrest. She is expecting a bambina in July. It's one of the reasons I've come only for the weekend. Even though we do plan to take it easy, the four of us are off to CremonaDue supermarket within moments of hugging. 

Baby G is adorable at the grocery store. He's pushing a tot sized cart. He scans each item we are buying and proudly places each item into the cart. I found a yummy looking green olive bread stick. 83¢. I ate it for a pre lunch snack at home. I need to find a recipe for them. 

We put away groceries at home and then caught up with family news. My Italian is not perfect, but it's beginning to come more freely after being here a week. Understanding is better than in the past, which really makes me happy. 

Baby G is talking! I brought out his gifts, one by one. The books were ok, but the Swiss child sized metal water bottle and the bright yellow transformer toy were a big hit. 

With Baby G down for a nap, Marta and I went to my favorite superstore, Epercoop. I had a shopping on my iPhone. The prices, quality and selection were all fantastic compared to what I can find in specialty stores in Los Angeles or Orange County. 

This store is a paradise. I push my cart up and down every aisle. In the cheese section, I was wishing I could take these goodies home. I look up from my thoughts and standing in front of me is Rosa! She and Marta have co-ordinated by phone, this surpise encounter. I try not to cry as we squeeze each other with hugs. I love these girls. 

We bagged everything. Opps, the weight!! It feels like 35 pounds of food! The glass jars of anchovies and olives are especially heavy. The pasta costs less than 2€ a bag.  Three light weight bread from Sardegna. Lots of good chocolate. Too bad Hershey's has ruined their chocolate with additives. Marta shows me the Coop branded items, which she explains are of the very best quality. She cautions against pasta from Napoli. Apparently the soil is enhanced with something best not talked about. The Mafia still controls that area. 

I carried all my food treasures into the house. Total cost was 150€. 

Primo arrived home for lunch, as is his daily habit. Lunch was ready for us. Marina is one of the best cooks I know. And so are her daughters, Marta and Rosa. We eat wholesome fresh food, which has become comfort food for me. Marina grew up in the kitchen of her family's trattoria in Strevi. A lucky fact for all of us. She also generous in sharing recipes and tips. I love this family as much as if I had been born into it. 

The weather has turned cold and rainy. We enjoyed staying in and watch Baby G play. 

Marina has made piazza dough and it's rising all afternoon. She's been using a mixture of flours recently. She has a machine that weighs, chops, kneads and heat if necessary. I love this machine. 

When dinner time begins to approach, Baby G pulls up a chair and waits patiently for his nonna to bring out his kitchen tools. With one round of pizza dough he pretends to prepare pizza. This happy child is a joy for all of us. 

As we wait for pizza, Marina sets out focaccia, which is exactly cooked in the same way, but only with olive oil and fresh rosemary and a bit of salt, scattered on top. The focaccia is cut into 8ths. We can eat much as we want while we wait for our individual pizza. Marina explains to me that white pizza is any pizza which does not have tomato sauce. 

Baby G eats all his pizza Margherita which has been cut into small cubes. 

For dessert we eat homemade animal cookies, sent over by Mario's mother. 

I unpacked my bag and then repacked, until I tired of it and joined everyone in the living room.