The Cugini (Cousins)

Theresa still has relatives in Italy.  They live in the hills outside Florence in a town called Barberino Di Mugelo and we can attest to it as great place to be.  With our Italian being so poor and the cousins having spoken very little English the last time we were there, we were very hesitant to go and saved it for the end of our trip hoping we could improve a bit.  We didn't, but the trip was still a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  Since some of cousins need to deal with English speakers in their jobs they have been studying English and communication was a lot easier this time. 

Gas is even more expensive than it is in the states.  We really didn't want them to make the 40 minute car ride into Florence and then try to find where we were.  In fact only a limited number of cars with stickers can even come into the area and driving with so many pedestrians in the middle of the street is difficult.  We found out that Barberino, once a sleepy little town, now has a discount designer shopping mall with some of the most expensive names in fashion.  There's a bus that travels a few times daily from Florence to the mall.  So, we got in touch with the cousins, got ourselves invited and took the bus.  Worked great.  We were met by Antonio, nephew of my cousin Rosaria.

Rosaria is a distant cousin and I have to explain some family history in order for you to see my connection to her.  My grandfather's mother died when he was 8.  His father, left with a few children to care for, hired a housekeeper.  This woman had been raped by a former employer and was left pregnant. Since the employer was a man with high social standing, no one believed her.  She needed to support herself and her son and my greatgrandfather needed someone to care for his children.  She turned out to be a wonderful woman and the kids loved her.  Soon their father did, too.  He was a prominent man in the community (Pietrapertosa, I believe).  He wished to marry the woman and the town frowned upon it saying she was not worthy of him because of her out-of -wedlock child.  So, I believed he moved to Castelmezzano and there they married and had more children.  One of these children was my grandfather's brother, Antonio.  Even though he was a half-brother, Antonio and my grandfather could have passed for twins.  Zio (Uncle) Antonio and Zia (Aunt) Rosa have died, but their one remaining daughter, Rosaria, lives in Barberino and is about my age.  They also have a son, Rocco, who lives in Turino and was once the police chief there.   A sister, Michelina, died a few years ago.   Zio Antonio and Zia Rosa had three children before WWII and lost two to tuberculous and malnutrition during the war.  After Antonio returned from being a war prisoner in Britain he and Rosa had two more children, Rosaria and Rocco.  I've never met Rocco.

Rosaria and her family used to live in Castelmezzano.  The South doesn't have a lot of work and Rosaria's husband, Giovanni, is a stone mason.  So the family came north to Barberino di Mugelo. 

Rosaria and Giovanni

 Giovanni is retired from being a stone mason. Their house is filled with his tile work.

 Giovanni's hunting dog, Billy
 

 Rosaria, Me, Giovanni, and Ken

 The Grandchildren.

 While at Barberino there was a town festival.  Italians will use any excuse to have a festival.  We asked, but still have no idea why they were celebrating this time.  There were strolling singers and musicians, a juggler, animals, birds, and a pasta demo.

 What's a festival without a pasta display?

 Rosaria and Giovanni's grandsons with their son-in-law....and the goats.  I don't remember their names either.

The strolling singers.  Of course there's an accordion, too.  There's ALWAYS an accordion.

Here are some of the next generation that showed up that day.  Since her sister has died, Rosaria is the unofficial mom for that bunch, too.

While we offered to take Rosaria and Giovanni out to dinner, they would hear none of it.  Instead Rosaria made a huge amount of orecchietti (little ears) from scratch, a fabulous sauce, roast beef, some cheese and fruit and tiramisu for dessert. No one makes better tiramisu than Rosaria.  Of course there was coffee, tea, wine and "of course you must have room for a cookie or two."

They were all surprised that our children lived so far away from us, especially our son.  As one of the cousins said, "Boys never leave the mama here."  As Rosaria added  "Family is everything."  That's a credo she lives by.