"Serina's Day" begins with my bad day with the Sciclian men. (It is really a composite of a couple of days but this is a Liar's Revisionist History so I have taken some condensing liberties).
It began with a ride with Memmo but not before I asked him a question - ENTIRELY IN ITALIAN. I was so impressed with myself. The half dozen people in the room burst out laughing - that should have been a clue. Anyways, it was only when I returned home and plugged my efforts into Google Translation that I realized what I had asked.
"When do I get to ride the rabbit bareback?"
But it wasn't like I had an opportunity to get better as Memmo announced within ten minutes of our ride, (in perfect English I might add), that today, he "preferred silence." So, here was my Italian lesson for the day - oh and it only came after I was quizzed on a few of the things I had learned from last week. (Naturally and fortunately, I passed).
Sunset = Tromonto
Saddle = sela
greenhouse = effetto serra
Sunrise = alba
Next, I lost my game to the Italian Stallion and he played with his left hand. I was so pissed I challenged him to a race and then taunted him when he was going slowly. I promptly lost that one. Fortunately, Serina was there to defend me. She insisted that if Mr. Tennis would consent to some frisbee playing, I could break his fingers with the flick of a disc. A massive exaggeration but my ego had been so profoundly devastated that I nodded in agreement. So far, he is not taking me up on the offer so I am going to assume that is because he is afraid! I remain defiant and humiliated.
Serina on the other hand, fared quite well with the men in Scicli, and to our mutual benefit.
First, the gas guy, all of a sudden required Serina to get out of the car and enter his little room to punch in the credit card code which up until this point, when I was presenting him with the card, had never been necessary.
Second, while the men that really count in my life, (Sean, Oscar and Leo) - (My dad, uncles and cousin count too but they are unfortunately not with me right now), were out getting their hair butchered by a local hair dresser, Serina and I went to look for a car-wash. Lavvagio! I proudly asked several passer bys. I was surprised by their unhelpful responses but Serina reminded me that maybe I needed to explain what it was that I wanted washed. Anyways, the gas guy was of no help at all because all directions were in Italian, so we pulled up to a mechanic shop and Serina popped out to see if she could get a general sense of where we might look. Well the next thing I know we were being escorted to to the car-wash. And, the Escort explained to the other mechanic (it was an industrial car wash) what we wanted and we got the beast cleaned for six Euros.
Finally, tonight Sebastiano brought his grown up son Andrea to dinner tonight. Andrea promptly announced that he had a kid and a partner but wasn't married and if Serina was going stir crazy, he asked me "would it be ok if I took her out to Modica?" Much to her horror, I said yes and snickered my way through dinner!
The best part of today was Sean on horseback. It won't be long now before the two of us get to trot off into the sunset together. I can't wait!
Oh, and this is how Sean and I entertain ourselves while the kids are sleeping! At the Colombo Bar. I have taught Salvatore how to make a Saratini.
(Admittedly this is a grossly (accurate) portrayal of our indulgent life sabbatical BUT there is hope. My next post will be about our collective "re-intellectualization program." Stay tuned.
It began with a ride with Memmo but not before I asked him a question - ENTIRELY IN ITALIAN. I was so impressed with myself. The half dozen people in the room burst out laughing - that should have been a clue. Anyways, it was only when I returned home and plugged my efforts into Google Translation that I realized what I had asked. "When do I get to ride the rabbit bareback?"
But it wasn't like I had an opportunity to get better as Memmo announced within ten minutes of our ride, (in perfect English I might add), that today, he "preferred silence." So, here was my Italian lesson for the day - oh and it only came after I was quizzed on a few of the things I had learned from last week. (Naturally and fortunately, I passed).
Sunset = Tromonto
Saddle = sela
greenhouse = effetto serra
Sunrise = alba
Next, I lost my game to the Italian Stallion and he played with his left hand. I was so pissed I challenged him to a race and then taunted him when he was going slowly. I promptly lost that one. Fortunately, Serina was there to defend me. She insisted that if Mr. Tennis would consent to some frisbee playing, I could break his fingers with the flick of a disc. A massive exaggeration but my ego had been so profoundly devastated that I nodded in agreement. So far, he is not taking me up on the offer so I am going to assume that is because he is afraid! I remain defiant and humiliated.Serina on the other hand, fared quite well with the men in Scicli, and to our mutual benefit.
Second, while the men that really count in my life, (Sean, Oscar and Leo) - (My dad, uncles and cousin count too but they are unfortunately not with me right now), were out getting their hair butchered by a local hair dresser, Serina and I went to look for a car-wash. Lavvagio! I proudly asked several passer bys. I was surprised by their unhelpful responses but Serina reminded me that maybe I needed to explain what it was that I wanted washed. Anyways, the gas guy was of no help at all because all directions were in Italian, so we pulled up to a mechanic shop and Serina popped out to see if she could get a general sense of where we might look. Well the next thing I know we were being escorted to to the car-wash. And, the Escort explained to the other mechanic (it was an industrial car wash) what we wanted and we got the beast cleaned for six Euros.
Finally, tonight Sebastiano brought his grown up son Andrea to dinner tonight. Andrea promptly announced that he had a kid and a partner but wasn't married and if Serina was going stir crazy, he asked me "would it be ok if I took her out to Modica?" Much to her horror, I said yes and snickered my way through dinner!
The best part of today was Sean on horseback. It won't be long now before the two of us get to trot off into the sunset together. I can't wait!
Oh, and this is how Sean and I entertain ourselves while the kids are sleeping! At the Colombo Bar. I have taught Salvatore how to make a Saratini.
(Admittedly this is a grossly (accurate) portrayal of our indulgent life sabbatical BUT there is hope. My next post will be about our collective "re-intellectualization program." Stay tuned.
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