Are you ready for some football!?

Olney's ready for some football!  Fabri's ready for some football!  And I'm ready for some football!

From September 2010 Misc

The other evening while we were waiting for the pasta to be ready Fabri got out the pigskin to play around with.  We learned that Olney is a good tackler.

From September 2010 Misc

Did I mention that to go on the pasta we made our own pesto from basil I grew on our balcony?  We bought a nice marble mortar and pestle from Ikea and hand smashed the leaves, garlic, and pine nuts to make a pretty yummy and very flavorful pesto sauce.

From September 2010 Misc

It was a fun evening all around!

From September 2010 Misc

Oh, remember that time there were cows in the field next to our house?  Last weekend there were cars!  Oh yeah, and a hot air balloon...  Exciting stuff here in Saluzzo.  That was all in honor of the agriculture machine fair.  Fabri and I took Olney to walk around the fair.  It was mostly tractors and tractor accessories, but there were also some cows and some rabbits.  Olney liked the rabbits best.

From September 2010 Misc

Then yesterday Fabri, Olney and I went up into the mountains in Valley Grana.  We'd never been in that valley before and we went through the lovely town of Caraglio on our way up.  We ended at the parents' house of a nurse that works with Fabri and his mom.  She invited us a long with some other nurses and their spouses/children to lunch.  Lunch was good and Olney loved, loved, loved the house.  He ran all around and played with the nurse's dog.  We also took a little hike after lunch down to the small church they own.  The weather was perfect and by the end Olney was exhausted enough to sleep for the rest of the evening!

From September 2010 Misc

The Much Anticipated Wedding of Chiara and Valerio

Two Saturdays ago we went to our last wedding of the season.  Wedding number 4: Chiara and Valerio.  Chiara is a friend of Fabri's from high school so we were excited to go to a wedding with all our friends from Savigliano.

From Chiara & Valerio Wedding

Saturday morning I got my hair done.  That's a nice little tradition I'm starting.  I wasn't as happy with this hairdo as I was with the last one in Caserta, but it was still fun.  

From Chiara & Valerio Wedding

At 4 we met everyone at the church in Savigliano.  Weddings are different here than in the US.  All the guests wait outside to applaud the arrival of the bride and groom.  First Valerio arrived on foot escorted by his family.

Then Chiara arrived in a fancy chauffeured car with her father.  She looked beautiful in her gown and her long veil.  Once the major players all arrived everyone follows the couple into the church for the ceremony and mass.  There's no "here comes the bride" or anything.  Then after the ceremony the guests exit the church before the newlyweds and wait outside to pelt them with rice or confetti.  Fun!

From Chiara & Valerio Wedding

Chiara and Valerio did things a little differently and instead of us heading straight to the restaurant for dinner, we went to Piazza Santa Rosa for a uniquely Savigliano aperitivo.  It was nice, but I would have been embarrassed going around in my wedding dress.  Of course everyone they met congratulated them and it made a wonderful picture taking opportunity.

From Chiara & Valerio Wedding

While people were having their second & third aperitivos, Fabri and I escaped to feed and walk Olney.  Then we met everyone and went to the restaurant.  It was the Granbaita hotel and restaurant in Savigliano.  I've wanted to try them for a while as they have a good reputation.  It was a nice location and we ate and drank well.  They had a DJ so there was much dancing and merry making all night.

From Chiara & Valerio Wedding

It turned into a bit of a crazy party.  Chiara's dad was the life of the party dancing with all the girls including two rounds on the dance floor with me!  Valario's friends were sort of crazy head banging maniacs, but it was fun to see everyone rocking out.  It was a great wedding, but I sort of miss the American traditions: the first dance, cutting the cake, the bouquet toss.