FERRAGOSTO, OR EAT UNTIL YOUR EYES POP OUT!!!

It was just a little get together, Tony, M.Teresa, Ale and Patrizia, Patry, me, and Patrizia's parents...so let's not make a big fuss... half a pig, two ducks, lasagna, "fregula" with clams, Tacula" birds, large shrimp (I mean small lobsters)... that was only the entrees.

This is the "Fregula with Clams"  A super tasty Extra Large couscous type pasta, with a tomato, wine, clam juice sauce...ummmm!!


I contributed a few American treats, Peach Pie and Salsa with bruschetta.  As they say here, it went "a ruba" (translates as if they stole it).  Apparently the good soul who ate the last piece of pie covered the plate just to let others think there was more...someone was left sorely disappointed! 



No one looks at the camera when there is such good food around!



I used to looooove this bird delicacy when I was young, but I got out of the habit and stayed away from them this past years.  Yesterday I was tempted again, and I know remember why I loved them so much, the mirtle flavor makes these birds quite tasty, definitely "finger licking good" BTW there is no other way to eat them but with your fingers!!!



This is my brother's pride and joy, the old fashioned oven, not the pig!  Well maybe also the pig!  They just built it and it's getting quite a bit of use.


Patrizia's mom, quite a good cook, did not come from Sanluri empty ended, this is but one of her contributions to the meager meal, ducks cooked with rosemary and oranges among other things...delicious!!!

 Tony's "piece de resistance" the roasted sucking pig in a bed of mirtle.  but, please do not even think that this was the extent of the meal, this is only what I could roll out of the chair to photograph!  the lasagna was not even touched, fruit salad, sorbet, pie....

FIRST THE LIZARDS... NOW THE CROWS! OH NO! I DON'T THINK I CAN *BEAR* THAT

Anybody that knows Rupert, knows about his forever war with the lizards. Unfortunately, as of right now the lizards are waaaaayyyyy ahead in the scoreboard, but Rupert is not discouraged in the least! He knows that one of these days, he's going to have a mouthful of lizards!
Yesterday, while at the pier, now his favorite diving board, he spotted some crows and quickly changed his swimming shorts for his camos (camouflage for the uninstructed), and went into his stealth stance. The terrain did not aid him, since stones are not only difficult to balance oneself on, but also noisy, yet he took it all in stride and gave it his best shot! Well, looks like crows are just as fast as lizards and they were gone in a flash...darn it!

RUPERT DIVES!

Finally today I was able, although just barely, to film Rupert as he dives. Here he is in several performances. The very first time he dove was so cute...he actually scratched at the water so as to have an idea of what he was jumping into!
Now he loves it so much, it doesn't take much at all for him to leap! I was able to slow down the film and look at his body in mid air...perfect 10!
Now tell me, have you have seen Olympic divers doing better than Rupert!?!

WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION, BOOMBA BAROOMBABA...ALL I NEEDED WAS *A WALL*!

Here is Giuliano last week, halfway though the job of stuccoing the wall, who had escaped the mason's finishing touches and thought it had achieved the dubious fame of remaining UNFINISHED.  Now, that maybe fine for a symphony, but definitely not for my wall!!!!!!
Finally, all the right stars aligned and I was able to have Giuliano finish the darn thing. 

What a difference one week makes...  Rupert likes it so much better this way!

The hideous red unfinished mess is now a quiet oasis



Don't you agree?

CAN I SWIM, OR CAN I SWIM? HEY PHELPS...WANNA RACE?

 Monday, July 26, 2010


Just shot this video yesterday, the best part, which is Rupert diving into water several feet deep like a gazelle, is not filmed because I was alone and can't control Rupert who wants the wubba toy, film, and throw ant the same time.
I can't stress enough how much he loves the water!  Of course we waste a LOT of time because he won't give me the wubba, I have to try and steal it and he LOVES getting it before me!  So we play cat and mouse for a while and then he goes into the water, which most times is a signal that I have his permission to get the water toy.  when he's at the beach he does not pay attention to anything,  the only distraction he will respond to is a female strutting her stuff.  One such friend is Nocciola, a scruffy little girl that walks the same beach; at first he scared the stuffing out of her, but yesterday they played very nicely for a bit. 

SNOWFALL IN RIVERWALK

The snowfall of February 5th 2010




Rupert loved jumping like a gazelle, snow up to his withers!

What a wonderful, peaceful picture of our deck!

Riverwalk village srouded in mist and snow.

Looking down Swan Drive from our front door.

Two houses down from us.

Corner of Riverwalk and Swan.

Edwin and Rupert at the end of our driveway.

Walking down the road.

Edwin and Rupert walking down our driway into the street, Edwin's truck on the right.

Nothing like a snowfall before Christmas.

OFFICIAL PICTURE OF CLEVELAND WIN

Here is the official picture of Rupert's win at the Cleveland Show.
He is back in Tallmage, Ohio as we speak, and will be shown on Saturday and Sunday. I do not have my hopes up as he has a bad case of "puppy acne" in his chin, and "puppy alopecia" in his muzzle, so he is not looking his best. Hopefully the judges will look beyond these temporary flaws, and judge the dog.
Colleen tells me that he is having a great time with Gemini, her bitch, and I'm not surprised because he is a very social dog, and looooves the little girls! We took him to Colleen's Wednesday, and as soon as we entered the house, he went straight into the dog quarters without looking back, one whiff of females.. ..and he's gone!
I know that no matter what happens he will have a great time in Ohio, but I must admit that we miss him and hope the time will fly.....