Far From The Madding Crowd in Civitella Casanova

A moment of quiet reflection and contemplation is always a good activity, especially when your life is at times dominated by a computer screen of some sort.  In this age of constant distraction that we live in, it is of vital importance to take some quality time out.  To have a glimpse of the past,  can be quite therapeutic and re-energising.

A Chance Encounter
Earlier yesterday I visited a small village in Abruzzo, very near to my home, Civitella Casanova, located less than 10 minutes away by car.  We chanced upon an old pathway as we were walking into the centre towards the market.  I said to K, "Come on, let's see where this leads!"  The thrill of not knowing where this path would take us, was like stepping into a mini adventure.

There was no signpost at the top to indicate what we would find at the bottom of the steps.

 We descended into a quiet haven, a world dating back to the 18th century, leading to two historic fountains, which had been renovated.  We were both amazed that this veritable piece of history was tucked away in a hidden corner of the village. 

 Once there, we spent some time reading the poster board which revealed facts of the renovation work carried out on the fountains by the village authorities.

Flashback to the Past
The image of my grandmother as a young girl walking 10 kilometres from her village to the nearest fountain to collect water for the family, flashed through my mind. She would do so on a regular basis, carrying a big traditional copper water pot called a "conca" on her head.

Below is a detail from a free picture which came with a recent copy of Il Centro, the local Pescara newspaper.  It shows the Fontana Caruso in Roseto degli Abruzzi, in the early 1900s, with the women at the fountain waiting to collect their water.  You can see two of the "concas".

Here is another detail from the same free picture of a woman with a conca on her head.  This could easily have been my grandmother, or my mother and other female relatives..

Below the complete picture given away for free from Il Centro.  I will be putting it in a special frame, as it is a wonderful memory of the past tradition of the "conca" at the fountain.

Formidible Abruzzese Women
 My grandmother's life was hard and she lacked a proper education, but she was a very intelligent woman. She is one of my all-time great heroines in life, and is one of the Formidable Abruzzese Women that I have written about on this blog.

Losing Oneself
The silence in this little area today touched me, and made me realise that quiet contemplation nowadays is not something I do regularly.  I should do this more often.  Lose myself in the past, remember how life used to be, "far from the madding crowd"....

A Traditional Abruzzo Christmas Delight:Recipe from Life in Abruzzo Blog!

Following recipes has never been my forte, but seeing one for the traditional Abbruzzo Christmas "Calgionetti", in Life in Abruzzo blog, spurred me to have a go, and the results are truly delicious!! These special treats were made by my mother every Christmas time, and she used to make hundreds of them for us to eat, and also to share with friends and family. Sadly I wasn't at all interested in cooking in my youth, so I did not pay attention to how these were made. Imagine my delight when I came across the recipe! Without hesitating, I knew I had to make them and hopefully you will be inspired to make them, too.

Please note that this recipe contains quite a few nuts, so will not be to everyone's taste.

I noted today that homemade calgionetti were on sale in the special Christmas food section of SISA, the local supermarket. They were selling them for 18.50 Euros a kilo, which makes them quite a delicacy!!

Here is a link to the post"Caggionetti, Calggionetti, Cagiunitt" where you too can make your own Abruzzo special Christmas treats, if you follow the instructions carefully!

The ingredients required for "calgionetti" can be found in the Wordle below!

Below you can see images I took of some of the stages.

Boiling the chestnuts, an important part of the process!

Rolling out the dough made from flour, olive oil and wine! A copy of the Life in Abruzzo recipe which I used can be seen next to the rolling pin and dough.

The pastries waiting to be fried!

Angel Delight
The angel you can see in the photos certainly helped me to create these yummy sweets which are a traditional part of the Christmas festivities! She was able to oversee the delicate process while I made two batches.

The finished pastries, sprinkled with icing sugar, waiting to be devoured!

To make these Calgionetti, please read and follow the recipe instructions in Life in Abruzzo.

I have just submitted an article for the series on "A Few of My Favourite Abruzzo Things", so please watch this space for further details coming soon!

The Abruzzo Dream - My Story

Thanks to Vicky Loras's Blog Challenge, I would like to share this post, which presents a different angle to a part of my life. The reason why I moved from England to live in the heart of Abruzzo, Italy. Then soon after, an event which shattered me to the core..

Worlds apart yet a destiny foretold. My blood is 100% from Abruzzo, my heart is 100% British. Two countries forever intertwined from the moment of my birth. I was born and brought up in England by my parents, both from Abruzzo. Now I find myself living deep in the beautiful countryside of Abruzzo surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Far From The Madding Crowd. I wrote about these two very different worlds in May this year and to read all about it, you can click the link Worlds Apart.

My parents had left Abruzzo in the 1950s during the depression to seek a new life and work in England. Both my parents have settled down in England forever, and they return to Abruzzo now for holidays and only accompanied by myself or my sisters. My beloved grandmother had also left Abruzzo at the grand age of 61 to begin a new life in England with my parents. I wrote about her life story here.

I have written about the unique love story of my parents in "1955: The Look of Love" here. I guess I owe my life to a certain mirror which played a pivotal role in their first encounter. Below is the anniversary card I made for my parents this year. They both loved it. A young, beautiful couple, their whole lives ahead of them.....in England in 1955.

What brought me to leave my country of birth after half a century?
Together with Karl my hubby, we decided we wanted to live in a more open, less hectic space. It was impossible to afford this in England in 2007. House prices had rocketed with the housing boom, and we were faced with properties costing up to half a million pounds. YES!! that is what it would have cost to buy the house of our dreams. At our advancing ages, we would have had a mortgage around our necks forever.

Time for a Change
At that time we were living in a tiny two-bedroom maisonette in an area only a bike ride away from the city centre of beautiful, historic Oxford. We had lived in the same place for 16 years. However, the area had changed considerably over the years. From friendly, peaceful neighbourhood to a busy, noisy and ever changing scene. People never stayed in the houses around us for long. Respect for the buildings and gardens was different from when we first arrived. Strangers coming and going. We had neighbours above us, next to us, across from us - every direction was covered. There was no peace, no quiet. It had become a living nightmare, if truth be told. It was time for a serious change. A change which led to the image below.

In the depths of the Abruzzo countryside

A Seachange
The change was about to become dramatic. We began looking at houses in the Oxfordshire area. We wanted a house with a bit of land around it, so we would not have the problem of noisy and unfriendly neighbours ever again.

We looked at lots of properties and we even put an offer in for a beautiful, charming, picture perfect cottage in the heart of a lovely village in Oxfordshire. The house cost a cool quarter of a million pounds!!! The bank had already agreed to lend us the money for a mortgage. Everything was set for paperwork to be signed. Then after a survey of the cottage was completed and everything was ready to go, we suddenly got cold feet and we pulled out. In hindsight, if we were meant to buy the house, we would have gone ahead with the deal. Nothing is impossible when you are determined and are passionate about something!

So we continued looking, but became disheartened. We both had excellent jobs and I suppose we were the epitome of DINKIES. Dual Income, No Kiddies, so we had quite a bit of disposable income at that time. Yet we still could not afford what we wanted without having to borrow a huge amount from the bank. That is when the idea came to our minds. Why not go to Abruzzo?

Why was Abruzzo chosen?
It was an area K and I both knew as we had visited for holidays many times. The pull of my family's roots played a part. The land where my parents were born. The land they had left to begin a new life in the 1950s.

The price of properties in Abruzzo was much lower compared to in England. Why not give it a go? The seed had been sown.

We could have chosen to go anywhere in the whole world, but Abruzzo held a special, magical attraction. The people, the lifestyle, the scenery, the food, the traditions...the glorious summers, the beaches, the mountains......what was there not to like about this region? Why not move lock stock and barrel to this stunning, quiet, unspoilt area?

We were advised by friends and family not to sell our little house, which was in a prime location.

"You should rent out your house in Oxford, get a mortgage, buy a property in Abruzzo then in the future if things don't work out, you can always come back to your house in Oxford."

My dear readers. I absolutely agree this was very sensible advice at the time. However, we followed our hearts and instincts. We did not follow this advice. We chose to risk everything for our chance to live the dream and walk the talk............even if it eventually turns out to be temporary.

Location, Location
So in 2007 we began looking on the Internet for properties in Abruzzo in earnest. We discovered so many sites.....at breathtakingly reasonable prices. We registered with House Around Italy and they provided excellent assistance in all stages of the process. Within 5 weeks of viewing our property after a whirlwind weekend tour of properties, we had the keys to the house. It was a fast and painless process. Maybe we were lucky. We were so, so excited!!

What we got for a very reasonable price was a tumble down "casale" (old farmhouse) in great need of restoration and tender loving care. It was the perfect restoration project! The property was set in 12,000 square metres of land, with olive trees, an orchard and many other fruit trees. It also had a big open barn and outhouses. Two rooves were missing...... Undeterred, we fell in love with it at first sight.

We had been in the right place at the right time and the moment we sold our flat in Oxford was the highest point in the property boom. It crashed a few months shortly afterwards. By that time, we had spotted the house of our dreams in Abruzzo and with the proceeds of the sale of our property, we were able to buy the house outright and have money left over to start the long renovation process....That was in August 2007. The move to Abruzzo wasn't complete until mid 2008. Within months of the dream move, however, my life and that of K's changed completely.

February 25th 2009
My mother suffered a devastating accident on her bicycle on the way to church one bright, sunny, beautiful, calm and peaceful day. In just one second her life and all the family's life changed forever.

I returned on the first plane to London to be told by the consultants to brace ourselves for the worst possible scenario. My mother had suffered a catrastrophic brain injury and it was touch and go whether she would pull through. The idea of abandoning our new home in Abruzzo was something we considered privately. I spent more time in England than in Abruzzo during these turbulent and stressful days, weeks and months.

Amazingly, my mother did pull through!!! She spent over 5 months in hospital and rehabilitation. The day she came home was the most fantastic day ever. We celebrated her birthday in style, and then I finally returned to Karl and furkids in Abruzzo.

I have written about this miracle many times on my blog and so will not dwell on it in this post. I would just like to say that as a result of this event, my heart has been in 2 places. My family need my help and moral support. For this reason I travel back to England quite often. I am half here, half there. The dream move did not come at the right time, in all honesty. I have not been able to seriously contemplate a full time position in Abruzzo, because of the need to return to England at a moment's notice to deal with my mother's affairs, and also to give my sisters a well-deserved break. Maybe one day, a fresh decision will have to be made about where to spend the rest of our lifetime.....

K and I agreed that a margin of 10 years to do up our house would be realistic. 4 years have passed since we actually signed the paperwork. We are only a third of the way there! Now we have become LILOPs. Limited Income, Lots of Pets! We are currently actually living like the proverbial church mice, but it is a new experience and we shall see how long we can last.........

How have my two lives fared?
They have fared well so far, but it hasn't really been easy. Dividing my life between the 2 countries, and the pull of family commitments tugging at the heart strings is something which is difficult to get to grips with. I am faced with the eternal dilemma. I would like to be in two places at once, but that is of course unrealistic.

What is my future destiny?
The simple answer is I don't know. My life is still an open book waiting for the next page to unfold. Yes, this is a bit scary sometimes, but I don't dwell on this, as I am living in the present. In the past, I used to live with my head in the future. All I know now for sure is that nothing is permanent. Life can change in one second, that is all it takes. My family in England is very dear to me. I love Abruzzo and I feel at home here. I love England and feel at home there, too.

Together with K, we feel comfortable in both worlds. I would like to say that K has been my rock and has supported me and my family with great understanding and devotion.

Abruzzo Scenes Today with the Menagerie

With Kelly and chicks.

With naughty Fluffy and more chicks.

With new kitten on her first outing in the garden today.

More new kittens relaxing indoors.....

Due to a special request by @ David Warr, here are some more cat images!

Kitty's looking at you, David.

A pensative Fluffy. She is a brilliant big sister to the 4 kittens.

Below, in the early days in our new home in Abruzzo. You can see me de-weeding an area which had no roof, so weeds had reached to the ceiling! This room now has a roof, and it needs considerable more work done to it before it is finished.......

La Strada.......

...that is not 'a road' is getting worse. Thunder, lightning, torrential downpours has turned it into a quagmire. August 2008, we first started making noises that we were not happy. Our dream of turning our small holding into a Biker's B&B "Far From the Madding Crowd", started to hit serious problems. Only truly hardy bikers would ever contemplate travelling down "La Strada".....

Video of "La Strada Brutale" to follow soon, only if I have the courage to publish it. You might have to watch this space. It does exist, and 3 copies have been made and sent to the Comune.

A Bold Biker
Ian was one such brave and non-plussed biker. Had he known the true condition of our road, he would never have attempted to ride down it at midnight one dark and scary night. He hit the road, but undeterred, he carried on until he saw the flickering lights of our abode, shining like a beacon in the distance.

He stayed for 4 nights and the experience was truly magical. Many fairy lights on the balcony, many talks long into the night later, Ian proved to be a fantastic guest of Moto-Abruzzo. I tried to be the 'Hostess with the Mostess' and I was in my element!!


Back to 'La Strada'......

Ringing up the Lord Mayor of Civitaquana on his mobile phone is not something I relish, but I have had no choice. My livelihood has been at stake and so has K's. I don't want to damage our car by constantly driving it up and down 'La Strada', so I have had to take up working virtually, which I hasten to add, has been a dream come true.

This is a fantastic area of experience for me and one which I am really enjoying immensely. In fact my dream was to work from home, all because of "La Strada".

Giulietta
I love the name GIULIETTA. It's my sister's name. Nobody in England can spell it correctly or pronounce it correctly. I think it's a beautiful name. Giulietta Masina won great acclaim for her portrayal in La Strada. My father named my sister after the actress Giulietta Masina. A fabulous circle of events, don't you think?

An ever evolving theme: Life is a CIRCLE.

Facts about Giulietta Masina here. Not many people know that she was known as the female Charles Chaplin and that she was married for half a century to Federico Fellini, one of Italy's most outstanding film directors.

Romeo and Giulietta
In a way, I'm glad my father didn't have his way. He had planned to call his future son ROMEO. Can you imagine how my possible brother's life would have panned out in school before the days of Romeo Beckham?? Yes, he might have been teased remorselessly. On the other hand, what an intriguing life he might have had! Maybe that is why I have a fascination with the story of Romeo and Juliet? To have had a brother and sister named Romeo and Giulietta might have been seriously cool.

Confession: A part of me does regret not having a brother. I wonder if my life might have turned out differently?? Having two wonderful sisters is amazing, but having a brother might have been quite cool. I will never know.

Qwiki: Olive Oil and Abruzzo!!

Image above was taken yesterday near where I live. Click on the picture to see it in full.

Having spent most of today finishing off helping with the digging, planting and back filling of 20 olive trees, I came back to the computer to find out about Qwiki. It is a new multi media, interactive search experience, which is a cross between wikipedia, Google, Fotopedia and YouTube. Qwiki is also apparently developing an API, along with iPhone and iPad apps.

I decided to type in "olive trees", "olive oil" to see what would happen and below is the Qwiki search result. It is great that I was able to embed it onto my blog so easily. There are literally millions of topics you could choose from. The possibilities for classroom exploitation are enormous in terms of research projects you could set your students to do.



Abruzzo on Qwiki
I then typed in "Abruzzo" and the following Qwiki came up. It is a fantastic tool! The only slight thing I can say is that the accent and pronunciation of the Italian words is not perfect, but hey, I am sure that will be improved over time.



Further Information about Qwiki
"Wow! Qwiki is Engaging!" on Free Technology for Teachers.
"Newsy Video: Can Qwiki Compete with Google?" by the English Blog.
Mashable


How do you think you will use Qwiki in your teaching situation?

Abruzzo News - Partial Eclipse of the Sun

This morning I woke up to a cacophany of different sounds. Dogs barking, hunters shouting, chickens clucking merrily away, cats miaoing enthusiastically for their brekkers, and something absolutely breathtaking and truly spectacular was happening in the horizon. A partial eclipse of the sun!! I witnessed it through a lens darkly and it was the "ultimate astronomical show" imaginable.

My very talented hubby took the spectacular image above from the balcony and the one below was taken with the aid of a tripod at 15 minute intervals between 8.15 - 9.15 am. Don't ask me how he did the one below, because I haven't got a clue, but you could contact him on his blog. Thank you dearest K for kindly giving me permission to use your photos here.

If you would like to learn more about the partial eclipse of the sun across the world today and other interesting facts you can read the following information:
BBC News
BBC - Solar System - Sun
BBC News -Stargazing and Dark Sky Tourism

ProProfs Quiz maker

I have just created a free quiz using ProProfs Quiz Maker. I registered with my name and a password and then I followed the options available. I had fun doing it. Why don't you have a go and test your knowledge of Abruzzo? One of the questions is about centenarians. There is a clue to the question here.


This is just a personal experiment for me to see how ProProfs Quiz Maker works. It will be great for creating lots of different types of quizzes in the future, and it is very easy to embed on a blog and other social networking sites. I believe it is possible to embed images and videos into the quizzes as well, so I will definitely need to investigate further. My first attempt is a very simple one indeed.

Has anyone used this programme before? Would you recommend using it with your students? I would love to hear from you!

Abruzzo Quiz » ProProfs Quiz Maker

Welcome to Samantha's World!

Gorgeous Samantha in her new home

The mother cat was lying lifeless in the middle of the road. The tiny kitten was trying deperately to cross the busy road to get to its mother. Car after car narrowly avoided running her over. A car pulled up. Valentina got out quickly and assessed the frightening situation. She had to rescue this little kitten immediately, come what may. Without hesitating, she grabbed the little bundle of fur and put it into her car and drove her off to safety.

Curious Samantha

A few days after this dramatic rescue, K asked me to view an Internet ad regarding rehousing a little kitten. It had been found abandoned in the middle of a busy road and taken to a rescue home. Now this kitten needed a permanent abode. I read the pitiful story, took one look at the photos and said "Let's ring the number right now!"

Picture of Samantha in her new garden

Valentina answered her mobile. I said "I'm ringing about the little kitten you found abandoned. Could we please see her?" Valentina agreed to meet us in Catignano and then come to our house to check that we had a suitable place to take care of the kitten.
It was love at first sight. How anyone could abandon such a sweet, fluffy creature was beyond my imagination. As soon as Valentina viewed our "garden" and house, she said we had the perfect place to house the kitten and she was satisfied that we would look after her.

We invited Valentina in and she told us more about her passionate voluntary work for looking after abandoned animals and relocating them. She has been doing this for many years. The local region used to fund this type of rehousing and after care, but then funds were abruptly stopped. Valentina and about 40 dedicated volunteers, decided to carry on their stirling work using their own initiative and their own funds. I don't think Abruzzo has an organization like the RSPCA, so volunteers like Valentina and her colleagues are to be highly applauded for their selfless work in saving and protecting abandoned animals.

I would like to say a very big thank you to Valentina from Samantha. Without you rescuing her in such a dramatic fashion, she wouldn't be here with us now. She is settling down very quickly and she is an extremely happy and adorable kitten. She has not yet made friends with the rest of our menagerie. Hopefully, all 11 will live together amicably.

For the time being, Samantha has taken to perching on the back of my chair while I am working on the computer. A real "laptop" cat!!

Our Little Bundle of Fun Being Weighed!

Kelly Update
Kelly has been undergoing treatment for the past 2 weeks and he is doing very well. I wrote about what happened in True Hero. He is a very brave dog and has borne all his injections and administering of antibiotics with great calmness and patience. He is on the road to recovery, but he still needs extra care and attention for the forseeable future.

A True Hero

With a heavy heart, I boarded the flight from London to Abruzzo Airport yesterday. The previous day, I had been on top of the world, looking forward to going home after a fabulous few weeks teaching at the Lake School of English, Oxford.

I had had an urgent message from K. Kelly, our stray dog, had been involved in an accident in the fields surrounding our home in Abruzzo. A tractor had run him over and had partially severed his foot. Poor Kelly had lost a lot of blood and with the help of the farmer, K had to cut off what was left of Kelly's foot. There was no other help at hand as it happened in open countryside and there was no other option. Kelly was transported back home in a wheelbarrow acting as a stretcher. By the time K had phoned for a vet, Kelly had somehow or other, vanished into thin air. No amount of calling or searching, found him. As it got later, and the sky grew darker and darker, it was assumed that Kelly had gone somewhere to lick his wounds and die with dignity. Thoughts were that at that stage, Kelly was beyond saving, even if he did come back, as he had suffered such a horrendous injury. The notion of having to put him down to spare him agony, saddened us immensely.

A life-saving Decision
Imagine my great surprise, when I phoned K the next day, to say that I and my parents had arrived at Abruzzo airport, to hear that Kelly had crawled back to our home and was in a very bad state indeed. The fact that Kelly had somehow or other, willed himself home was astonishing and uplifting. However, the thought of the vet spelling out a negative prognosis, made me feel edgy and very worried for him.

The local vet arrived and spent several hours tending to Kelly, giving him a drip, cleaning him up, giving him injections and generally saving his life. Kelly had lost a lot of blood, but luckily the injury had been just millimetres away from touching a main artery. The vet said Kelly would have died within 15 minutes of the impact if the main artery had been touched.

Most importantly of all, he stated that Kelly's life could be saved only if we could dedicate ourselves to 15 days of intensive TLC, involving twice daily injections, bathing the severed part of Kelly's foot three times a day, and punctual and exact administering of antibiotics and medication. Without hesitation and without the need to confer, we both agreed that of course, that was what we wanted to do. The thought of putting Kelly down there and then was simply not an option we wanted to consider if there was the slightest hope that he could live a fairly reasonable life.

A Dilemma
I must say in all truth that the heavy burden of the work rests on K's shoulders. My family are here in Abruzzo for the first time in 2 years. My mother's serious accident last year resulted in all our lives and plans being put on hold while we waited anxiously for news of recovery. The fact that my mother has defied all the medical odds stacked against her, is indeed cause for celebration this year, and this two-week family holiday has been greatly anticipated. My mother will be celebrating her birthday here as well. So, a moral dilemma has ensued. Kelly is very important. My family are very imprtant. I can't be in 2 places at once, clear and simple. So I will be with my family, and Karl will stay here, to look after Kelly while I am away, yet again.

Irony?
How ironic that just a few weeks ago on my blog, I featured the Newsy.com story of "Oscar, the Bionic Cat", who had had his legs severed in a similar accident to Kelly's. Even more of a coincidence, just a few days ago, I had taught my students some expressions such as "to pass away", "to kick the bucket", and "to put an animal down". It makes me think. Would all this have happened if I hadn't somehow tempted fate? It's a question that I have asked myself. The chance of one of our menagerie being involved in an accident is minimal as there is no heavy traffic around here, apart from the odd tractor or combine harvester.

A Fighter
Today Kelly wagged his tail, limped around his pen and ate some food. This is very positive. Alessio, our brilliant vet, has stressed that the only thing which stands in the way of Kelly's recovery, is the onset of gangrene in his foot. I hope and pray that this will not happen. Kelly is a fighter. He deserves another chance.

The Homecoming

The engine purring away contentedly at an average cruising speed of 120 kms per hour, I had to find something to do whilst riding as a pillion passenger on an Aprilia Caponord Rally Raid motorbike for 2 days from Abruzzo to Oxford. The only way to beat the volcanic ash from Iceland was to hop on a motorbike and take to the open road. Time flew past, because I was totally absorbed in the nature that surrounded me. I could throw every cliche in the book at this point and they would all be true, so I will limit myself to a few. Yes, I felt "at one" with nature. Deep in thought, I was able to appreciate the spectacular beauty of the undulating hills of the Abruzzo countryside. Yes, the roar of the engine was a thrill, when pulling out into the traffic. Yes, I was surprised to see that a lot of people were staring at the motorbike, an awful lot.

What is the connection to my adventure with the following headings?

• The End of the Road
• Stairway to Heaven
• Pony Express
• Salvador de Madariaga
• Espallier Pears
• The Real Deal
• Ted Simon
• Moles
• Born to Be Wild
• Arabella's Biker Club
• ETD
  
• A White Rolls Royce
• The Parting of the Waves
• The Royal Wave
• "Bella Moto"
• Saddle Sore
  
• The Tunnel by Friedrich Durrenmatt
• Formula 1
• FC Basel
• Akropovitz Exhaust
• Sheepy Hollow
• Eternal Flame

My next blog post which will reveal all is titled "Special -K in April Rally". I had over 2,000 kms to think of this title. Second best was "On the Road", 3rd best was "Easy Rider". Last one was "Janet's Motorcycle Diaries". As you can see, my mind had a very pleasant work-out and I proved that I still do have some grey matter left.

Unfortunately, the group of primary teachers I was going to be teaching for the next two weeks was unable to get to England from Turkey, Italy and Japan. I was allocated another class of delightful Upper Intermediate/FCE level students. A great mix of UAE, Nicaraguan, Swiss, Spanish, Japanese and Korean students.

Coming very soon - an explanation of the above titles!! In the meantime, can you guess what the above could refer to???

My Mother, My Self

The choice I made a few weeks ago was simple and unequivocal. I had the chance to spend a whole week with my mother in Italy amongst her close family and friends. K picked her up in England and accompanied her to Mosciano Sant' Angelo, in Abruzzo, where I joined her. Just the two of us, my mother and myself.

A Lifetime Bond
The complex and quite often symbiotic relationship between a mother and daughter is one which is unique and unbreakable. This bond is forged even before birth. There is an innate "natural instinct" to protect and nurture, love and cherish, til death do us part. For the past week I have devoted myself to the person who gave me my life. Her own life hung in the balance just under a year ago. The family was in turmoil. A new era had dawned. With remarkable spirit and determination, my mother was able to pull herself out of the long, black tunnel she so unexpectedly and violently entered, to come back smiling in her inimitable fashion into the daylight that now surrounds her.

A Heartfelt Thank You
A big thank you to everyone who came to visit my mother while she was in Italy last week. It meant so much to her to be back amongst her close family and friends. Her "joie de vivre"was palpable and infectious. Everyone was amazed to see my mother again after all that she had been through. She is indeed a fighter.

Delizia!I had no access to technology during my week away from home. I did not blog, tweet, take part in Ning discussions, Moodle, Google-Wave or do any course work. So, with my mother comfortably tucked up in bed usually by 7pm every night, I whiled away the evening hours by reading "Delizia!" by John Dickie. It was an excellent choice. The epic history of the Italian people and Italian food was a riveting read. I was fascinated to discover more about the mass emigration of Italians to the USA. In addition, all the major cities which have food named after them were mentioned. In particular, I enjoyed reading about the history of Naples and its food, which were vividly depicted. I would love to visit this city which has undergone so much of a turbulant past. I would also love to read Sofia Loren's cookbook called "In Cucina con Amore" published in 1971 in America. Her huge smile in the picture below says it all.

Image above from the book found courtesy of Google search. Other images used found via Google Images.