Today is 9/11 and we began with Mass just the three of us, here in the little chapel of Casa Tra Noi, praying for all those who died and those still affected by the event and the events since as well.
Then it was soon to work, checking everything and going through the lists. There are 25 pilgrims in all, a respectable sized group, and we three so 28 for everything, nearly all women, a big group of Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, some from Ladywell and some for the Far East. There are two married couples and a young friar from Ireland who will probably be spoiled rotten by all the women! So busus, routes, times, taxis etc all had to be checked. That took most of the morning And after Pranzo (lunch) and a time of repose, we then went off to the supermarket to do some shopping for the pilgrimage. Although we have been to the same one every year, it was only this year that I noticed it is a Co op, which made it all feel more Familiar!
The traffic is worse than ever here and the driving too. I also noticed some serious needs for maintenance here at Tra Noi. Sitting on my balcony this morning to say some prayers before it all began, i unwisely looked up and saw how crumbling is the balcony about me, the metal struts all rotten. It looked like a classic example of an accident waiting to happen and makes me a little wary of moving right out onto the balcony in case is crashes down, but sitting there this morning, at treetop level, there were two European crows on a nearby TV aerial sprucing up before the day. From where I sat I could see the patch of ground where the trees were rooted and two blackbirds chuckling together as they had breakfast. Italian politics seem in almost as much mess as ours in UK or, Murray and Andre' assure me, theirs in USA. What I do see here isa commitment to recycling and an ecological awareness. As we flew down along Italy, we looked onto acres of forest interspersed with cultivated areas and the towns and cities spreading along the coast. It seemed to bear out what they say about Britain having the least forest cover in Europe.
In the evening we went out to a small family restaurant just by San Francesco a Ripa, on Lady Jacopa land. We sat outside amid the diesel fumes and watched the night fall. The moon was almost full. Romans were gathering in groups and going off for the evening and a came by playing music to the diners. We started with aubergine slices which mad been marinated in wine vinegar and il and spices, toped with chunks of ricotta cheese. The men then had vongole,mscallops, which I love but have learnt I am allergic to so I had what the two grandchildren of the family were eating. This turned out to be pasta stuffed with cheese and spinach and a delicious sauce. This was followed by a speciality of a stick about 6 ins long threaded like a kebab with sardines, quite different from the tinned version. Then we thought we would stop but Emilia insisted we try their tiramisù and wind up with a digestivo. The good thing was that in spite of being a lot of dishes, none of them were much in themselves. At the end we felt Very nourished and cheerful but not overfull and bloated. As we walked back to the car, I saw a young girl sleeping on a suitcase and several people begging from the vars held up at traffic lights.
On Friday we have to go up to Assisi to prepare things there so are making Friday our treat day and are going to Monte Cassino, more anon! Love to all ft
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