What are your resources for a day in the country?

4-18-2009

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’ve spent the weekend in Bibbiano. We left Rome Friday. We were with Camilla and Federico Friday night. It rained in Bibbiano and when the sun came out the light was so extraordinarily beautiful. Saturday morning, Camilla dropped the children and I off at nonna’s, just down the road. She and Fererico are going to a wedding in Venezia. Now the adventure begins.

Saturday was tough, but everyone was in good spirits. We played in the garden during the morning. After lunch, I put Peter to bed and the girls watched a movie. Peter woke at 4 p.m. and I watched him until dinner time. I played with him, fed him dinner, changed his diapers … all the usual stuff.

The girls did their homework after Peter woke. Homework is impossible. I have to sit there and look over their shoulder in order for them to do the homework. It’s so annoying and arguments always ensue. I say over and over, “Fai compiti. Per che tu non ascolti a me?” Then Anna and Ludovica make faces at me or roll their eyes. They stare off into space and tell me they are “thinking.” What fun? All the while a little boy is running in circles around the table with his toy cars screaming, “vvvroomy vvvroomy.”

Soon dinner is ready. I fed Pietro first. Perrera and Sita (the couple who live and work for the nonna) made pasta with mozzarella and tomatoes. It was delicious. I drank spumante with nonna. I REALLY needed a glass. Dinner is the same as the last time. Ridiculously formal. Peter refused to stay with Sita while we ate. He loves me this weekend and constantly wants to hold my hand or for me to pick him up. This makes me REALLY happy, but I know as soon as Camilla arrives this behavior will end. Sita tried to watch him during dinner, but he cried bloody murder. Nonna told me to fetch Peter and I brought him to the table and sat him in a chair next to me. I told him, “Bravo Pietro. Che grande? Tu sei come Ludovica e Anna al tavolo.” This made him really happy and he behaved himself.

After dinner it’s time for bed. Mamma mia! I have to put all three children in the bath and get them in their pajamas. This is normal, but it’s more difficult without Camilla. All three babies are to sleep in the same room. I have to tell Anna and Ludovica there can be absolutely NO talking this night because Peter has to sleep with them. Ludovica listens to me, but Anna won’t shut up. Just as all of them are tucked in and the lights are out, in walks nonna. I have to repeat the process all over again. Lights out again. I listen at the door and wait until everyone is silent. Silence comes and I retreat to my room, just down the hall. Twenty minutes pass and in walks nonna. She tells me she has left her keys in the babies’ room and cannot lock the door or set the alarm. She gives me a small flashlight and tells me to find the keys. Geez! I can’t get a break tonight. I quietly enter their room and begin the search. I can’t find any keys. Then I see the keys tucked in Peter’s hand. I manage to take the keys from him without waking anyone. Finally, I am finished and can relax.

I was really able to explore the nonna’s house today. It’s absolutely beautiful. The furniture is especially exquisite and very old. I took a lot of pictures, but I would love to come to this house with all my photo gear and take portraits of the family or create a photo series of some kind. The house feels a bit dead, though. There is little life here and I wonder what it was like when the nonna’s children were young. Now she seems to live in 3 or 4 rooms only. She spends a lot of time in her library and she has the most fantastic collection of books. I especially liked looking at her picture books. She has books like “Paris 1837” and “Fasto Romano” that contain plates and prints of what these cities looked like during the 16th and 17th centuries. I loved seeing pictures of Piazza del Popolo and Piazza della Rottunda before the cobblestone and when people were driving around in horse drawn carriages. She also has wonderful magazines. One magazine I was reading is called, “Le Dimore Storiche Italiano.” Here I found pictures and articles describing famous piazzas, villas and sculptures around Italy.