In the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of receiving four boxes of treasures. Trading jewelry is fascinating. I get to see what other people collect and then tire of. We are all, I think, refining our personal collections. This is really the foundation of ebay. Its a wonderful way, for people who love jewelry, add a piece to a collection. I have often wondered, why doesn’t Tiffany understand this and have a department devoted to pieces no longer in production?

I was thrilled to get some wonderful, older Picasso pieces. I love the big earrings and rings. I brought some interesting old watches to my jeweler for repairs and he was impressed with a few of them. I’m not a watch collector, but these are fascinating. I have my kitchen table covered in jewelry. Things to be repaired or  photographed and listed and some to be tested or appraised.

I will need to clean up this week as Marc and Vito are due home August 25. I am THRILLED!!! They are finishing up the last few projects and putting tools away. It has been very nice for Vito and Marc to spend this time together and with Vito’s mom, Ana. Marc likes to go out at night and explore. He told me that after almost a year in China and 2 weeks in Russia, he was never asked for identification other then the airport. Last night, on his way to have a snack, two carabineri pulled over and asked for his documentation or maybe identification. He told them he left his wallet at home. They wanted to know where is his home. He told them his family lives around the corner. His Italian isn’t as fluent as his Mandarin and they spoke only a little English, so there was a bit of a communication problem. Mostly, Marc thought it was very funny that he was stopped in the one place he does have a home. I told him to visit the carabineri office in town. Its a large beautiful office with white marble floors, a huge marble bust of Napoleon (I’m not sure why) and 5 or 6 Moto Guzzi motorcycles parked on the marble. These are the most beautifully dressed policemen I have ever seen. Life is so different in Italy.

This was the first day that I really noticed the piles of leaves of the ground. I know some schools are starting already. We are planning to help harvest the grapes in late September. It will be fun to see Ana and my friends who are so kind and make such an effort to talk to me. Here, we tend to drive everywhere and zip around. On the island, I can walk to the town or take a tiny bus that travels around the whole island in about half an hour. We do have a little car, but I find when I drive, with Vito hollering instructions and all the scooters racing about, its too nerve racking. I also love doing our laundry there. I have a clothes line outside the second floor windows. I hang the clothes and visit with anyone working in the vineyard. I love the smell of the burning weeds and garden cuttings. The first time I ever did this, I really felt like an Italian housewife. I always learn so much from Ana. Some of the food, I’ll never be able to make, but other dishes I make for the boys all the time.

There were zucchini blossoms at the produce market this morning and I instantly remembered the first time Ana showed me how to make stuffed zucchini blossoms. She has a tiny kitchen and very old pots. By the time I wake up, she has sauces and meats bubbling away. I am usually in charge of making the strong coffee and shopping for the best pastries in the world. I know, its hard work, but someone has to do it…