boys can flamenco, too

Graham constantly ponders the difference between boys and girls. He tries to categorize them by saying girls like pink and boys are firefighters.

Hoping to change society's stereotypes one kid at a time, we're trying to teach his little preoperational mind that, yes, sometimes boys have long hair, and, yes, sometimes girls are firefighters.

Taking him to a flamenco performance in Barcelona couldn't have been a better teaching tool. There were men with long hair and they danced, get this, solo. They did not lead the women, and the women did not follow the men. Each dancer expressed him or herself alone. The women were real women, not like the images of impossibly skinny mannequins plastered all over the city. They flaunted their passion and fullness with tight dresses, stern faces, and deep, rich voices.

I suppose the best way to learn something is to experience it, and I like to think that Graham soaked in a huge lesson about gender and socialization and culture at that flamenco show.

Here's hoping his little brain will remember it...

p.s. more to come on our exciting adventures in Barcelona and how we came home to a new kitchen!

p.s. again. sorry I don't have any photos because we are still having camera problems.

sick days

Nothing too exciting to report these days. We've all been pretty sick over here. Graham, of course, doesn't realize that he's sick and still has enough energy to ask a million questions and play all day. Someone might want to come make sure he's alright. I'm not really sure what he's been up to the past three days because my head has been glued to my pillow.

Things are looking up today, tough. I am feeling a little more skip in my step.

We plan to leave on a jet plane to Barcelona this afternoon.

Pray we make it.

can't complain

I love hot showers.

Scalding hot.

I despise cold showers.

And that's coming from someone who can usually see both sides to a story, who usually doesn't have a strong opinion one way or another, who usually proclaims, "Either way's fine."

I want to complain about the cold shower I had this morning after waking up sick. I also want to complain about the fact that I spent the morning waiting for my landlord and the kitchen guy to appear to do some renovations, but they decided it was too rainy to come today. Or, that I just spent the last 10 minutes mopping up puddles of rain that seeped (sorry for the word choice, Amy) in from our windows.

But, I am simply not capable of complaining after the lunch we had on Saturday at this place in Positano on the Almafi Coast with some wonderfully kind folks.

Instead, I feel grateful that I even have a shower and that I have a landlord who truly cares about the kitchen and about our happiness.

And so this, I think, is how life will go for me in southern Italy. I will constantly be reminded to rid myself of expectations and to take the bad with the good.

I'll take 17 cold showers if it means I get to continue relaxing at agriturismos on the weekends.

Have a pleasant Monday.

but we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy

A list of the out of the ordinary, somewhat illogical (depending on your perspective), crazy things I have done this week:

A) purchased airplane tickets to Barcelona, Spain for the Veteran's Day long weekend.

2) purchased more airplane tickets to go to Oklahoma City in March to be a bride's maid in the wedding of the century! Never thought I'd be flying across the world to go back to Sooner Nation. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do when you have a BFF Amy.

C) pulled over to help two men with a flat tire, which is weird in this machismo culture.

D) surprised Libbey on this blog by telling her that before I go to the wedding of the century, I'm stopping by Chicago to celebrate St. Pat's Day and her 21st birthday. Surprise, Libbey!

Please note that I am saying, "I," not "We." Yep, that's the craziest part. I'm going without my boys.

Not that I feel guilty about it and am seeking reassurance that it's the right thing to do on account of the cost and all.

5) dyed my hair purple.

Just kidding. I didn't dye my hair, but I thought about dying it, which is pretty unusual for me. I'm thinking less sun-in bleach blonde and more brown/autumn. I've never dyed it before. What do you think?

I feel a poll coming on...

adventures with "mama graham"

The summer Graham was born, Lauren headed off to Mwanza, Tanzania. She learned that mothers in that neck of the woods get dubbed "Mama Name of Their First Child." So, if I were living in Tanzania, which I'm not, I would be called "Mama Graham" until the end of time, even if I had ten more kids.

From thus, sprang an idea for a little series on this blog. Since I am currently a stay-at-home mom in a place where everything is an adventure, I thought that I would start taking Graham on day trips to discover all the sights surrounding us.

Yesterday, Graham and I got lost in the steam in the crater of the Volcano Sulfatara. We imagined we were street salesmen selling rocks to one another and then we dined on our picnic of pumpkin bread before testing our balance on the bridge at the playground.

The most adventurous part was driving around in circles until we finally spotted the entrance to this place. It's strange, because it is right in the middle of busy Pozzuoli, and it's only about 10 minutes away from our house. Not somewhere you would imagine seeing a volcanic crater.

I started with something relatively easy, because getting around here really can be a headache at times. As I get more courageous, perhaps our adventures will be more exciting.

So stay tuned!

Oh, and we also discovered that an iphone still takes pretty good photos even when you're not using it for phone service...

Who woulda thought!

Until next time!

our view

Turns out I had a bar or two left on the 'ol camera battery, so I snapped these from my patio as the sun was setting. I know, I find myself gazing in disbelief, too. Several times a day, I just sit and stare and think about how grateful I am.

Above is Lake Fusaro, and the dots you see are traps for muscles. The island in the distance is Ischia.

I'm not sure if I've explained that we found us a nice spot in the "country," just a few minutes away from all the hustle and bustle. We are surrounded by citrus trees, grape vines, gardens, chickens, and lots of roosters. The vineyards and groves are not quite as picturesque as Tuscany, but we are growing to love the southern Italian roughness. We are able to jog to and around a lake (not the one in the picture, a different one), and we are allowed to pick limes, lemons, and oranges from our landlord's trees just outside our front gate.

Thought you might enjoy a little glimpse into our Italian life.

Ciao, ya'll.

food for thought

Right before my camera battery died and I lost all contact with the world, we drove to a little hill town called Taurasi, which was the host of a "Slow Food" festival.

I wanted to share our experience with you mostly to let you know about Slow Food. It is a wonderful organization that just might save the world if we choose to let it. Their slogan is: "Good, clean, fair food for all." Here's a little quote from their site:

Slow Food's approach to agriculture, food production and gastronomy is based on a concept of food quality defined by three interconnected principles:

GOOD a fresh and flavorsome seasonal diet that satisfies the senses and is part of our local culture;

CLEAN food production and consumption that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health;

FAIR accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions and pay for small-scale producers.

Apparently, there is a gigantic festival in Taurasi in August where thousands and thousands of people attend, but this one was small and relatively unheard of. We loved it, because we got a lot of special attention from each of the vendors.

We also got to sample lots of wines, breads, jams, and treats,

and Graham got to eat a ton of cheese. This boy loves cheese.

Anyway, if you want a little food for thought (hehe), then go check out the Slow Food website.

Have a good and not so manic Monday.