What Fills My Plate

Today I was in my local post office (Post) to pay my electric bill.  Included in this bill is the national television charge of approximately 20 euros.  This is how the country squeezes the turnip and makes sure they get all the money intended.  It is all above the table.  One good thing I noticed was a sign stating that now free wifi is being provided while you wait in line.  This is a good thing!  Lines are long here, often stretching outside in the cold.  Bills are being paid, money withdrawn and packages mailed.  Nothing is quick here. home made It's market day in my village, always Thursdays.  Strolling through I found three vegetable sellers, two fish, one cheese, one roasted chicken, one shoe salesman, one florist, and assorted junky stuff made in China.  I bought two bottles of hot sauce spreads from the Sicilian guy, he is my source to stay spiced up a bit.  We are expecting visitors and maybe they will share my desi...

Yesterday when I was in Padova I went to my usual bar where they have wifi and when I walked in I noticed that the owner had put up black and white photos of past historical events.  Almost in the center was a photo of John Kennedy shaking the hand of Nikita Krushchev, and I had to tell the owner that my hand had also shook the hand of John Kennedy.  I got a double take on that one and he asked me to explain, which I did in my elemental Italian.   When I was 9 years old John Kennedy was making a tour of the United States before declaring his candidacy for President.  This was in 1958 and in June he  made a stop at the airport of Colorado Springs where my family lived.  My father knew of the Kennedy family because he had been stationed in New England after WWII, and he told me that we had to go to the airport and see Kennedy.   We watched the plane land and taxi up to the terminal.  They used a moveable staircase such is now used for...

Spring Brings More Business For Gondoliers Spring is here in Italy!  We know this by two things, one is when we see leaves sprouting on the grape vines, and the other is when we see cotton floating in the air from the cottonwood trees.  Grapes are usually one of the last plants to show action, so when they show leaves we know the weather will change for the best.  The cotton makes allergies go nuts! March was fairly dry, compared to other years, and April seems to be also the same.  We have temperatures reaching 70, causing Italians to shed those overused scarves and black jackets.  Standing in my coffee bar are four gentlemen, two with shirts and two with jackets.  It’s a mixed bag this morning caused by the overcast skies. I made a visit to my family doctor this morning in order to get his signature that I am alive and well.  My teacher’s pension system needed assurance that  my descendants were not mooching off the system after my ...