Italians Quoted #7

Ciao Tracie..come stai...everything ok in Texas? You really need to get some sun.

--every single tan-obsessed Italian (pretty much covers the entire population) since I've returned

It's still May, and I'm already being harassed. It must be very easy to to get that late-August tan so soon when all you have to do during the day is drink espresso and smoke cigarettes.

As for me and my mozzarella, we gotta go to work. A presto...

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: Childhood

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Look at my 3 sweet nipoti! And little Tobey there in the middle of his sweet big brother and sister looks like he already knows that his childhood is going to be good.

It's That Time Again

I'm going back to Italy today and I want to share an image with you that shows you why...I'll miss my family, but I'll be back in Texas. For now though, I'm off to enjoy another beautiful clam-filled summer on my island. See you there!

Talking in Texan, Lesson Four

We are moving along at a neck breaking pace. I believe that y'all can handle these intense lessons just faahn, so let's move along, shall we?

I'mona: pronounced, ahmOWNa, lazily drawlin' in place of, "I'm going to."

Weensdee: meaning Wednesday, pronounced "Weensdee" (In Texas our other days of the week are Mundee, Toosdee, Thuuursdee, Frahdee, Saturdee, and fahnly, Sundee.)

Contextual example: I'mona go back thar ta It-lee on Weensdee, y'onna (do you want to) come? What about yer mamanem?

Well, I will be headin' on back to It-lee Weensdee, much to the dismay of my mamanem, but I'll missem (and here's another straight from my grandmother) "lahk aw gitout."

And if you weren't sure, that means a lot.

Happy Birthday Mom

So today is my mom's *%th birthday and this is the first time in years that I've been lucky enough to spend it with her. I wanted to post earlier with a picture of her, my sister, and me, but getting photo approval from the 3 of us would have been a miracle on the scale of organizing world peace.

I was faced with clenched-teeth threats such as, "I BETTER not find this on your blog tomorrow." Even the hint of death by Big Sister never fails to intimidate me.

If we had just taken one more, I'm sure that we would have looked like three luscious super models. Unfortunately, the home-made coconut cake staring at my dad through the camera lens turned him into an impatient 2 year-old with a world class sugar jones.

Oh well.

Happy birthday anyway, Mom. I love you :)

Ain't That the Truth

This is a brief exchange that took place between a student and me as I was looking over his shoulder at some recent prom pictures.

me: Is that the prom queen?

student: No.

me: Oh, I thought that was her because she's wearing a tiara.

student: No ma'am, they just all think they're queens.


And you know he's right :)

Very Smart and Totally Sincere Student Quoted

Very Smart and Totally Sincere Student: Are you our sub(stitute teacher)?

Me: Yes

Very Smart and Totally Sincere Student: You're too pretty to be a sub.

Me: Well...thank you! Flattery will get you everywhere.

See? This girl is smart, if not a bit myopic. Maybe this gig isn't so bad...

...HA! Gotcha.