AN ITALIAN SAYING?!

JULY 26, 2004

Yesterday we had a barbecue.  We had hoped to have five couples, but two couples couldn't make it.  Enrico, Wilma, Wendy and Giuseppe came, and Art grilled ribs and chicken.  I made a barbeque sauce that turned out great.  We had prosciutto and melon for an antipasto.  This seemed cool and refreshing, and was delicious.  After that, we went to American style, with everything on the table, help yourself. 

Enrico insisted on eating only one course at a time, but the rest of us just dug in.  We had cole slaw, because I knew Giuseppe really liked it the last time, and Enrico and Wilma liked it too!
I also made a cold pasta salad...My favorite one, a Greek pasta salad.  I got the recipe years ago when I worked in the Kroger deli, and it's been a staple at our house every summer.  Sliced tomatoes with dinner, and brownies for desert finished things off.   

As we sat around talking, Enrico said something that Wendy translated for us...Apparently an Italian, or maybe Umbrian saying:  "Not every donut is born with a hole".  Hmmm...  this means that things aren't always perfect! 

Wendy had a neck brace on...She was rear-ended on Saturday as she was on her way to be a witness in a wedding!  She went to the hospital AFTER the wedding since she the accident made her late.  I hope she's okay! 

Our other news is that I talked with my son yesterday.  Maeve is scheduled to have a CAT scan today, and then her parents will meet with the neurologist and urologist to discuss test results.  This means that by the end of the day, we should all have a much better idea of what lies ahead for Maeve. 

Siobhan went to the hospital on Saturday to meet her new baby sister.  Of course when it was time to leave, that wasn't too much fun.  With the move from N. Carolina to Florida, and the tests Shannon had to undergo while she was pregnant, Siobhan has spent a lot of time away from home and away from her parents.  Although she stayed with her other grandparents, this was still hard, and I'm sure that she's picked up on some of the anxiety concerning the new baby. 

In addition to being a normal, precocious 2½  year old, she's also something of a drama queen.  She cried. She pleaded.  She wailed.  "B..b.b.but... I want you to come home NOW!"  And of course her parents felt bad, but they're also smart enough to know that in ten minutes she would be asking NaNa  to tell her a story.  It will be so wonderful when all four of them are together again.