It's Really True...

...time flies when you're having fun.

My sister's weekend went by way too fast. We floated in the pool, ate, played, took a Segway tour of downtown Nashville, went for a steak and lobster dinner, played poker and drank---a lot! Well, I should say everyone drank a lot except me. I just don't. I'm too much of a lightweight when it comes to drinking. It's a very fine line between having a good time and being sick. One glass of wine---two at most---is enough for me. Still we all had the best time.

I had Mary, my travel agent/friend come for lunch on Friday. I made a big Italian salad with cheese bread. Jeanne brought the Provel cheese I requested. It's made only in St. Louis. Sometimes people refer to it as Italian Velveeta. That's what St. Louis style pizza uses---not mozzarella---Provel. So good.

Anyway, I had Mary there to discuss our Italy trip in the spring. All 7 of us are going. We will have so much fun---we all get along beautifully. Sure, we might have some disagreements, but there's so many of us that we put everything to a vote. Works for us! We'll fly in to Rome and spend a couple days there. We'll have a day trip from Rome to Pompeii. We'll go to Tuscany and take in as much as we can. Cinque Terre is on the list as well as La Spezia---our ancestral home town. I'm hoping to line up someone that can help us find the Church where our ancestors were Baptized and married. It would be especially fun if we could connect with relatives. We'll see---that's a tall order and I have no idea how to go about finding someone to help me.

On Sunday, I went to the airport with Janice and Joyce. While they took off for home---Texas and Indiana---I flew to Panama City, Florida to meet up with Sandy, Victoria and Elizabeth for 5 days at the beach.

Some fun photos from our weekend:

Janice, me, Jeanne, Joyce (behind Jeanne), Sharon, Janet (behind) and Jennifer. Prior to their visit, I was looking through my photos for a picture of all of us girls. I didn't have a single one with all of us in it.

When we were younger, we referred to my grandmother's sisters as the "old aunts." Somewhere along the line, we became them! Janet (with the help of our cousin, Judy---thanks Judy) had these photos of the old aunts blown up and made in to fans. It's sort of a joke because we had already assigned each aunt to one of us for reasons that matched each of us. Janice has Aunt Stella due to the same hairstyle and color. I'm grandma (Maria Jennie) because I'm the oldest and bossy (although, all of my sisters can give me a run for my money in the bossy department!) Jeanne is Aunt Pauline because  she's the crabby one. Joyce is Aunt Josephine because they share some of the same facial expressions. Sharon is Aunt Elda because she's an "in-law." Janet is our mother---because there wasn't another aunt for her to be. And Jennifer is Aunt Annie because she's a work horse---which could actually fit for all of us. We're taking these to Italy with us because once the Pagella family made it to the U.S. none of the sisters ever got to go back. We're taking them!

 Heavy concentration at the poker table. I lost $8.50. I'm usually a winner, so I can't complain.

Sharon was the big winner---considering she rarely plays poker, I was happy for her.

We talked about so much:

Ronnie is so smitten with Evie that he built her an elaborate playhouse/playset. When there was water under the slide after a rain, he put in a French drain---for a swing set!!! Anything for Evie. Janet is starting to "use" her to get what she wants from the old grouch! Janet and Jackie are going to get Evie to ask for a pool for next summer! They'll get it---he can't refuse Evie.

Janice just spent a week in St. Louis taking care of Uncle Jules and Aunt Irma. They are in very poor health---Hospice has been coming. Janice cooked and did laundry for them. They were very grateful. She's going back for another week in August---and probably one week a month for as long as they last. Janice is good-hearted. I never knew she could cook, but Jennifer says she's a good cook. Uncle Jules and Aunt Irma liked her cooking so much they bought a barbecue grill for her to use!

Our niece, Ranya (Jennifer's daughter) got married on July 1st. They'll be hosting a party for her in St. Louis soon. Jennifer works 4 days a week so she can spend 3 days on their farm in Salem, MO. After two heart attacks last summer, she works out every day. She looks fabulous! I just wish I could have her hair.

Jeanne's little grandson, Travis finally likes her. He spends the night and doesn't want to go home! She said that she lets him do and have anything he wants. She doesn't make him go to bed either. Finally, at around 10:15, he said he was "tired" (in a little 3 yr. old voice) and wanted to go to bed. I guess he was confused that no one was making him go to bed. He finally gave up! The next day, when Jeanne took him home, he was all mad. She asked him if he wanted to run errands with her---assuring him that it would not be fun. He jumped at it! When they left, little Nathan (not quite a year) was sobbing at the door. I would not have been able to leave him behind! The jury's still out whether he wanted to go with Jeanne, or just didn't want his big brother to leave again! We're not sure whether he likes her or not---remember, she's the crabby one! Only kidding, she's not that crabby! And definitely not with her grandkids!

Sharon filled us in on all of Matt's retirement plans next spring. He'll only be 55. I think he wants to pursue his second career---as a fishing guide. Poor Sharon doesn't seem to have much say in the matter. Matt wants to sell the house and get something smaller with less maintenance. We'll see.

Joyce is finally back to work after her accident---broken wrist on the job. She's had surgery and lots of rehab over the last year. She's anxious to get back to her regular job. She's been in another department until she was cleared to return to her old job. As a result, that department has increased it's numbers. They gave her a bonus and are begging her to stay. She says "no" as she likes her old job much better. She lifts heavy boxes. To her, it's also how she works out.

Joyce's daughter, Devon has completed her first year of college at Indiana University. She settled in just fine. Back home for the summer, she returned to her job at Panera Bread. In order to give her more hours, they cut Madison's hours (her sister who took her job when she went away to college.) Madison is starting her senior year and the college process.

So there you have just a little snippet from each sister's life!!