I Love My Host Family!

June 8, 2007

Um, have I mentioned that Italian is not my forte? This was brought home to me by the most amazing host grandmother in the world. Luigina picked us up and drove us back to her home for our third family dinner, and she graciously reminded me how to spell her name correctly. Hey, even English majors need spelling help.

Jen and I joined together and bought Luigina flowers, and we presented them to her before she went inside; we offered to watch Andrea while Matteo and Loredana were at work, and Roberto got into every mischief available. Andrea, Luigina's seventeen-month-old grandson, is just about the cutest boy I have ever seen in my life. He ran after a soccer ball for close to forty-five mintues, and when he got tired of that he drew all over a table with his crayons set.

Luigina had fixed a feast! Our first course was delicious marinara ravioli, and we ate with gusto. This was followed by crostinis and several different types of kabobs: pomodoro e mozzarella; pear e formaggio; bread with meat; and cantaloupe e prosciutto. Delicious! Luigina had taken a class at Casa Buitoni, and she had learned how to make the bread with meat kabob there--it was thin bread and beef wrapped together around the stick and crisped to perfection, and I licked my fingers clean at the end. All this wonderful goodness was crowned with a pie made by Loredana's mother, and I savored the sweetness.

We had spent an evening filled with laughter, and Jen and I were getting ready to go when Luigina pulled out two videos. She showed us two of Clara's band recitals before she passed, and she played beautifully--she had a couple of flute solos that I would have loved to have on CD, she was so good. Clara was absolutely beautiful, with chestnut hair and pale skin that shone in the stage lights. She was very unassuming in the videos, but her talents as a flutist put her in centerstage.

Accompanying these performances was a video of Luigina and Roberto's wedding!!! It was gorgeous, and the video was really elegant--it showed pictures and clips of the wedding and reception, joined by upbeat music that emphasized the happiness of the day. This was followed by several short clips of Luigina and Roberto with young Clara and Matteo, and Matteo looked EXACTLY like Andrea was now--ADORABLE!!!!!!

Um, can I keep them? I miss them already!