Domenica pronzo/ Visiting Fratello Pirisi

 Every once in a while the 2 wards we go to will put on a lunch and all the ward members stay to eat together.  Last Sunday PoggioFranco ward had a lunch and we totally forgot about it.  So Chris and I weren't sure whether we should leave or not since we didn't have any food.  We started out to the parking lot and the DeSantis's stopped us and asked why we weren't staying and that they had plenty of food to feed us....so we stayed.  The DeSantis's alone could have fed the whole ward!  This is where Canada and Italy differ for their post church lunches.  Everyone is supposed to feed their own family in Italy but they end up bringing enough to feed an army of people--with tons left over....whereas--most families in Canada are expected to bring enough to feed more than their family to share with others and there is never enough.  Every family has a table set with tablecloth/utensils/napkins/cups and they eat like they were at home except they are all sitting right next to another family.  Tons of pasta al forno!  Yum..

We have very few children in both wards

The couple in the above picture are the DeSantis' and they were so kind to us in feeding us from their 2 huge pans of pasta--then fruit, then torta...

Yesterday we visited Fratello Pirisi who I think is 90 but says he was born in 1943.  I think he's mistaken because we went to his birthday party last March and I'm sure he was 90.  He has no family--never married.  Anyhoo, he has the most infectious smile. When he sees us he grins from ear to ear.  He lives in a casa di cura which is a senior's home and its always fun to visit there.    

Below is a picture of a fellow that came up to us at the senior's home to visit and ask about our name tags.  He was very nice but hard to understand since he has no teeth.  We asked if we could take his picture because he was so fascinated with Chris's camera.  I don't think he had ever seen an I-phone..He was a bit embarrassed when he saw his picture because he wasn't shaved.  

Directly behind him was a fellow that walked away from "his" chair for about 5 minutes and when he came back a little old lady was in the chair.  He immediately took the chair and dumped her--then tried to hit her for being in his chair....scary for some of these sweet people.  She was quickly rescued by the staff..Whenever we go to this senior's home we get stopped by the old folks thinking Chris is a doctor--one lady lifted her pant legs to show him what was going on with her legs....Oh, excuse me, Dr. McDreamy, can you look at my legs??