SMILES ALL AROUND AS OUR KATHY AND DERRILL ARRIVE AT THE RAMANDOLO CLUB. FERRUCCIO IN HIS UNDERSHIRT (TYPICAL FURLAN) GREETS HIS NEWLY ARRIVED GUESTS. WHAT EVER IS GOING ON BEHIND KATHY'S BACK SHE SEEMS TO BE ENJOYING IT. HOPEFULLY MORE PHOTOS TO FOLLOW. SALUTI A TUTTI.
MESSAGES (edited and translated by GB) FROM RAMANDOLO/NIMIS:> Ivano: This is what I wrote yesterday before we went to Anna Maria's: We just met the horses. (Photo above) The club is brand new and perfectly restored. Ferruccio speaks English well . We are to go to dinner at Anna Maria's (my cousin). More later when I have time! Not good phone reception here. I have to walk up to the vineyard to send. Thank goodness the picture (above) came through. Monday - it is pouring rain here w/thunder & lightening! BEAUTIFUL! This is one of the most charming places we've ever been.
The dinner last nite was fabulous - much vino, salami, prosciuto, melone, melanzane, pork cutlets, figi (from Lucia's garden), grissini wrapped with prociutto, olive and excellent company. (I am in the car waiting for Derrill and lightening just struck so close and hard that the car shook! I hope it didn't knock out power at Club Ramandolo.) Lucia's (Anna Maria's daughter) husband is in mineral sciences. He and Derrill had a lot to talk about. We go, now to Anna Maria's for caffe. NOW we have driven around w/Cesare to see where Lucia & Marina were born & possibly the house that your father built the 2nd floor addition (1932). Cesere's English is good but sometimes we don't get it all. (They must make due wiith "Motto di Mani", hand signals.)
The Ramandolo Club is done perfectly. Great bed with gold sheets and cover. Bathroom with glossy, gold tile floor and white tile walls.
NOW (1:47) we are in Cividale (ancient city nearby) having lunch in an osteria antica. The rain has stopped but clouds are still here. Alle cinque (at five) we go with "Il Ferruccio" t0 see Sandro & maybe Aldo (two of my cousins).
Kathy ( Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T)
Caro Ivano
Ieri sera siamo andati a cena da Annamaria e Cesare Comelli c’erano anche Lucia suo marito ed il figlio Iacopo
Ti salutano tutti e ti aspettano per il prossima anno
Derrill ti manderà le foto della serata
Mandi
Ferruccio
Dear Ivan0:
Last night we had dinner at Annamaria and Cesare Comelli's and also with Lucia and her husband and son Iacopo.
Everyone sends their greetings and they await your arrival (possibly) next year. Derrill will send you photos of the evening. See you later;
"Il Ferruccio" http://www.ramandoloclub.it/
9 comments:
Your cousin looks like a younger Ivano!
GB: "Il Ferruccio" isn't that much younger. Must be all the Ramandolo wine he drinks.
To: "Ivan Comelli" Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 3:51 PM
Subject: Cavalli
At the momment we're out chasing 3 cattivi (bad) cavalli (horses) thro the vineyards!
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
HI Ho Silver! Avvia!! GB
>
> So- we were at a restaurant and "Il Ferruccio" got a call from Julia(His daughter) that she went to feed the horses and they got out. Ferruccio ordered and then went home to check. He came back and we ate. Then we went home, changed to boots and searched around thru the mud, forest and vineyards with flashlights for tracks and pattume. When we found tracks we got in 4x4 and drove uphill & down looking. We spotted them several times but they ran. (Probably got a good look at Derrill) Finally we got close so Ferruccio got out and chased them and tried to get a harness on one male but he got away. Finally we got close and Derrill drove behind Ferruccio as he followed them. Suddenly they ran down a row in the vineyard and with Ferruccio running after them, they all disappeared. We waited for a while and then Derrill drove to where he thought they would come out of the vineyard and there they were with the female leading and the others following. We drove behind "Il Ferruccio" all the way so he would have light. Il
cattivi cavalli! Now the leader is tied in a separate corral. Derrill and Kathy
GB: Thank God for that pattume. Did anyone have a video camera??
Yesterdays morning I received a telephone call from Kathy and Derrill. It was about 7:30 PM in Ramandolo, They were at Cesere and Anna Maria’s house having a glass of the Comelli-Comelli family’s “vino organico”. (Derrill said there was a bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle to add to the “organic taste”.) There with them was Lucia and Marina, Cesere and Anna Maria’s daughters. (Unfortunately my cousins Aldo and “Il Ferruccio” were not there.) I got a chance to talk to all of them. It has been a year since I last talked with my relatives in Italy. All were doing well, except for Marina, who recently injured her foot (Poverina. Mi fa piangi e sospira). Anna Maria raved on and on about Derrill and Kathy and how nice they were. Apparently she took a real liking to Derrill (must have been his explanation of the dangers from all those human and cavalli co2 emissions into the Italian atmosphere) because she kept saying to me, “Anche piu bravo ti te.” (“Even nicer than you”). Then she added “Cesere e enamorato con tu libro” (Cesere is in love with your book.)
Indeed, when I spoke with Cesere he kept complimenting me on my writing abilities. (I always knew Cesere had a superb sense of literary genius in him). He especially liked the first and last parts of the book. Readers of “La Nostra Costa” already know that the first part of the book started with “A Rancere’s Lament” and then told the story of Bronco and Valentina, how they met, and their journey from Nimis to Italy. The last part was the end of their journey and “Il Ultimo Ponte”.
I want to thank “Il Ferruccio” and the Comelli-Comelli family for being generous hosts to Kathy and Derrill these last few days. And I want to thank Kathy and Derrill for keeping us all informed of there adventures in the “Land of the Furlans.” Con tanti bacin da Mor. ivano
IVANO Have been reading the messages on KATHY AND DERRIL form ITALY .
Boy are they lucky , and I wish that I was in there place . RENO
Keep hoping 'Fellow Furlan". Maybe we can go together. ivn0
I am incredibly impressed with Ferruccio and his knowledge of architecture, art and world politics as well as his excellent command of English. We had a delicious dinner at his house last night and Lugina (wife) and Julia (daughter) are sooo charming . (the above was written on Tues. Nite)
NOW (Thurs.): we have flown away from Friuli 30 min. Ago. Yesterday we had morning caffe with Anna Maria & Cesare & then rushed to museo to see the works of Tiepolo. Lunched in Piazza. And then went back for a hike up to Antica (sp) Osteria Ramandolo on the hill behind the Club. Then we rushed to see Sandro who was, again, not there, but we met Teresina and got pics. You will not believe how many pics we have taken. I think, at this time of year Sandro must work very long hours. Also stopped to see Ferruccio's filio (??), the wine maker. What a nice man and what a winery!!! His daughter will be married in the winery on 9/02. Wine is VERY big here as the soil is right and the breezes from the mountains and the Adriatic sand the steep slopes for drainage are excellent. The whites are prevalent and a bit sweet. Reds are also a bit sweet and sometimes con frizzante. We, then rushed to Anna Maria and Cesere's for polenta. (Great- I was hoping Anna Maria would cook you up a batch.)
With cheese, potato/cheese frittata-like dish, zucchini, salami, insalata verdi, olives, (all Furlan energy foods) &&& the best tiramisu we have ever had. Only the 4 of us, speaking Italish - translating, teaching, learning--- we talked about health, politics, familia, etc. Till 10:30. Then we went back for coffee and cake this a.m. to say good bye. They are two of the warmest people we have ever met. What a wonderful visit to a wonderful part of the world. Now we fight the rain & the heavy Autostrada traffic around Venice and Padova. Actually, I think the driving is a little better around here than around Florence & Rome. Sooo the end of the "Eagle Diaries". U all must visit Friuli-soon-before it changes too much. K & D.
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Hey Fellow Furlans, Derrill and Kathy :
I also have been keeping up with all the messages from Derrill and Kathy. Sounds like Cousin Ferrucio and company is giving Kathy and Derril the complete Furlan Tour.
It is very evident they are having a wonderful time. I hope they have a chance to see il Ponte del Diavolo in the city of Cividale and also they should make it to the castello di Udine and have a good tour of Udine. I remember one day my wife and I spent the entire day in Udine. We visited every little street and corner, we must have walked over 30 miles, our feet were black from the soot from the cobble stone roads. Udine is a little eerie at night especially when there is a nice sunset, the mountains in the background gives it this sensation of protection. Nice experience. The last time we were there it was early October and my brother and I drove through all the streets of Udine while taping with our video camera. Spent a good hour filming.
I made contact with Cousin Ferrucio some time ago and he informed me that he has made the trek over here in Canada and also visited Niagara Falls, which is 10-15 minutes from my house. Ferrucio has a real good thing going for him with Club Ramandolo. And I will definitely advertise it for him on this side of the border. That is the least we can do for a fellow Furlan.
And as the Furlans always say "Fasin un tai di vin " translates lets have a glass of wine, usually in celebration.
Ciao e Mandi
Doriano "Canadian Furlan"
PS Derril & Kathy have a great time !!
Buon Giorno Ivano:
Non sai come mi fa piacere ha ricevere le tue notizie del Friuli. Devo dirti mille grazie per il tuo pensiere.
Ivano, I hoping to see you at the reunion in September. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be in Italy at the same time and enjoy all the beautiful things and people.
Thank you so much for continuing to send me all your Blagga. It's wonderful. I think from all this you will have enough material to create another book.
Stai bene, Mandi
Thelma
Iv0:Thelma's father and mother, Frank and Pina Micossi were born in Friuli. I write about them and the Hotel D'Italia in Davenport, in "La Nostra Costa".
ivano:
....... they all love you (here)-especially Anna Maria & and Cesare and the daughters (Marina and Lucia). Everyone remembers when you and Mildred visited and even Teresina (Bressani-my aunt) asked about Mildred w/out being prompted. She was so darling, she reminded me of Grandma Mary. Of course we had Ramandolo wine and "straws" (soft biscotti) for dipping in the wine with her while we waited for Sandro (my cousin). You have a real treasure of a family there. Especially Anna Maria and Cesare.
Derrill & I still have some great (unrevealed) surprises for you which will be shown and discussed when we get to the States! I hope Ferruccio didn't give anything away via email & don't ask him or they won't be a surprise. BTW: "Il Ferruccio" started reading the book and explained what he had read so he definitely gets it. Also, Cesare. quoted it a lot. He says he felt that the beginning and ending were perfectly in sync and he waits for the next book. His spoken English was so good for not having spoken for 40 yrs. And his reading comprehension and and analysis of the book was amazing - he explained to us exactly why the beginning and ending of the book were perfect much to his two daughters frustration because it took a long time and they might have thought Derrill & I weren't interested but we really were interested! . Anna Maria delighted in helping us with our Italian & her hand signals were a scream. Also her cooking was excellent and she received much praise from her husband for it. We now have much more to discuss on the phone - you don't realize how tedious it is to type on the B'berry because there are 2 letters on each key - but it kept me from backseat driving and Derrill appreciated that.
You know that Anna Maria and Cesare take care of Jacopo and Marina's daughter during the summer - that's so neat 4 both grand parents and kids! Ciao 4 now until I think of a revealable story again. We are in the Alps and hiked 8 hrs today - I may never walk again! Kathy and Derrill
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