UNINVITED AGAIN!

SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2004

The phone rang this morning and I asked Art to get it. I figured it was Enrico, returning our call from yesterday. Art had spoken with Wendy, but none of us knew what time we were supposed to go to Enrico and Wilma’s ranch on Sunday. It was Wilma on the phone, and as it turns out, we WON’T be going to the ranch tomorrow.

Art thought that Wilma said Enrico’s brother (not Gino from the hardware store) had been killed in an accident. Art offered his sympathies and said that maybe we could get together another time. Wilma was quite insistent. “No, not maybe”, she said, “definitely we’ll get together!”

Art called Wendy to tell her about the change in plans, and we asked if she and Giuseppe would like to come to our house for an American barbeque. We then drove down to Marsciano to see if we could find out what happened with the brother of Enrico and Gino.

I was surprised to see that the hardware store was open, but thought maybe the young boy was working there today. Art double-parked and went in to ask. When he returned to the car, he told me that not only was Gino working, but that Gino had told him we should go to Enrico’s…he said there wasn’t any reason NOT to go…their GREAT UNCLE had died…AND he had died last week and the funeral was held last week! Hmmm…

When Gino told Art that we should go to Enrico’s, Art had to tell him that Wilma had UN invited us! I wonder what will come out of this? Was Enrico more involved with this situation than Gino? Or more involved that Gino knew about?

We stopped in at Ternana’s…they will be going to the sea fro a month in July, and Art will have to go without one of Marco’s pizzas for the entire month of July! It nearly killed him to go without the pizza for the month of May…maybe we can just stop in the gelateria more often!

We went to the Coop for a few things for the cook-out. I bought potatoes for potato salad, a whole chicken to cut up, and some pork ribs. I also took a look at the flour, and discovered that the Coop brand flour is lower in protein, which apparently makes it lower in gluten, and thus not as well suited to bread making. I hadn’t planned to make bread, but seem to have gotten the urge lately. I’m still searching for the one really easy AND great tasting loaf.

When we got home I made a ketchup based sauce for the ribs and a vinegar based sauce for the chicken. I made iced tea, a chocolate cake and the potato salad. I already had cole slaw in the frig from yesterday. With sliced tomatoes, this should be about as American as you could get!