Fresh Fish

A few days ago Vika and decided to take advantage of the nice weather and go for a walk. The Holiday Inn is only a 20 minute walk so we walked there. We went through the center of town and walked along the marina towards the Holiday Inn. Our village is not the prettiest village but there is definitely lots to look at. We walked along the rows of docked boats and then towards the entrance of the marina. Across the water at this point we checked out the machinery that has started to build the new port. (Soon we'll have ferries from our village to Ischia and Capri - but probably not in the time we'll be here.) Then we had to watch the fishermen perched along the edge of the marina inlet. It was particularly exciting when I realized that one had a fish on his line. I took Vika close so she could see it. I wasn't hooked quite the way I expected; it had one hook of a three way hook gauged into it's side. Lovely. He reeled it in and I was telling Vika about it. Then I realized he was speaking to me. He was telling me to show Vika. He released the fish onto the ground RIGHT in front of us. That poor fish (at least a foot long!) was a flipp-floppin all over the place! And Vika DID NOT like that. She screamed - as in hysterical screams! I instantly tried to sooth her (flip-floppin fish still going at it) and then I picked up the fish to show her that she didn't need to be scared.

At this point the fisherman is talking away to me and I'm not understanding a word. I'm still
working to sooth Vika. The fisherman has walked over to his buddy and returns with a plastic bag. Next thing I know he has bagged the fish and put in the bottom part of the stroller - yes - it is still flip-floppin. Of course he is feeling great that he has shared his catch and I really do not want to offend him. I'm not sure where sharing fish falls into Italian culture and certainly don't want to become the "American that didn't appreciate it!" (No one recognizes me as Canadian here) Soooo....on our way we go. Of course the plastic bag was one of the really crinkly kind and made a lot of noise every time it flipped or flopped. As we walked away all I could do was smile - and try not to laugh aloud!

As we continued on our way I gave Brian a call and asked him if he was up for teaching Kyle how to gut a fish. That question through him off a bit! I told him the story but as I'm telling it, I'm starting to wonder if I really want to be eating a fish from the marina in our village (polluted water from boats, leached toxic waste from illegal garbage etc). Hmmm...maybe we won't have fish for dinner.

Even though there will be no gutting of the fish, or eating it either, I think Kyle would want to see it - and the stray cat that live sin our yard would probably quite like it for dinner. So in the fridge the fish goes. (It is no longer flip-flopping) I'm thinking that Kyle and Brian can take a look at it in the evening. No such luck. That fish spends another 24 hours in my fridge.

The next evening Brian and Kyle take out the fridge and put it in the garden for "Kinky" the cat. Yes - I will be rid of that fish in just a few minutes and Brian has agreed to bury any remnants. On problem - Kinky is absolutely uninterested in fresh (OK, day old) fish). I give up - leave the fish in the garden maybe she'll eat it later. At bedtime I still have a fish staring at me from the garden. I expect it will fish parts I'm viewing from the kitchen window in the morning.

Thankfully in the morning the fish - and all signs of it are gone.

A grandparents' fix

Here's a few photos of the kids taken over the summer. Just thought I'd share as it seems to long since we've seen so many of you! This are strictly snapshots but I think they're important because so many of them really show the kids personalities!