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English Posts Italy Memoirs

Italian Newspapers: Thoughts of the Past

As a child, I remember my father poring over the Daily News, our local newspaper. Every evening, since ours didn’t have a morning edition, he’d sit in his easy chair, newspaper in hand. Slippers on his feet. For some reason, red flannel plaid slippers come to mind. Although I’m sure he had other kinds over the […]

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English Posts Home & Family

You Can Do it Mom

My children are grown and gone. I now have adult grandchildren. And yet, that voice that so many mothers know so well accuses me. It’s the voice that shouts, “You weren’t a good mom, and you still aren’t.” In my recent reading on parenting, one theme came through loud and clear. And for me, the following […]

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English Posts Italy Memoirs

Old and Abandoned: On Homes Forgotten

As we travel around the countryside, old abandoned houses like this one are a common sight. And they always fill my heart with sadness. A sort of longing for what must have been. I imagine cozy families gathered around the hearth, children playing in the garden. And whole families gathering produce from once-flourishing fields and […]

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English Posts Home & Family Italy

Olive Harvest and Moving [Video]

Hello everyone, life has been a little crazy around here lately. Some days it’s hard to keep up. Especially since we’re planning a temporary move from our hilltop village down to the nearby bigger city. And of course that always turns things a bit upside down. So today, even though the olive harvest is just […]

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English Posts Home & Family Lifestyle

The Gift of Mamma’s China

Some time ago, I came across a post which intrigued me: Which Lord of the Rings Personality Are You? I’d heard of personality types and tests, but dismissed them as a lot of nonsense. But The Lord of the Rings? They had me hooked there!  Now, if you’re not familiar with The Lord of the Rings you might want […]

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English Posts Home & Family

The Fix-It Mom

As parents, it hurts to see our children or grandchildren go through difficulties, doesn’t it? And if you’re like me, you want to fix all their problems. Kiss their wounds and make them better just like we did when they were little. But when serious trials come it’s not so easy. We can’t make things […]