Countdown to Christmas, Venice Style - Day 4

Ciao tutti! 

Grazie mille to all of you for reading and keeping up with my Countdown so far.  Please leave comments here, I would love to know what your feedback is. 

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the calendar I selected for today. I'd be very tempted to construct one of those for myself. Might have to tuck that idea into a folder for next year. Just maybe.  I love the vintage look of it, love the gold here and there. Gives it a little bit of glitz. 

And speaking of glitz, that's exactly what's behind door #4 today.  Come along with me, I'm going to take you on a little field trip, so I can show you what's behind the door at Cannaregio, #5182. 

We're visiting at the workshop of Mario Berta Battiloro, the last real producer of gold leaf left in Italy, and all of Europe for that matter. The Battiloro (literally gold beater) here is keeping the over 1,000 year old tradition of making gold leaf (and also silver and other minerals). The family craft began here in Venice in 1926, with this location opening in 1969. Today the whole operation is run by Marino Menegazzo, his wife (Mario Berta's daughter), their two daughters and 4 other staff. 

There is no machinery here. Every step is done exactly as it has for hundreds of years. Every bit of pounding of the gold until it is feather light and only microns thin is done completely by hand.  

 A series of heavy mallets are used to beat the gold, over and over and over again, until finally, Marino deems it perfect.

It is a fascinating process to watch, especially because nothing is automated. The gold, silver and other types of leaf produced here have been used all over Venice, and around the world on building projects, works of art, and even edible gold and now cosmetic products.

For me, being able to watch the work here at Mario Berta Battiloro was indeed like taking a step back in time. It's not often you meet an entire family so dedicated to preserving their craft. There's a bit of icing on the cake as well if you visit the Battiloro, because #5182 Cannaregio is also the home of another famous Venetian, Tiziano Vecellio, also known as Titian, one of Italy's most famous painters of the 1400's.  Walking in Titian's house gave me goosebumps. Seriously. 

For more information see the website www.berta-battiloro.com.  

Visits to the workshop are by appointment, for a small admission fee.

As Venice's population dwindles, artisans are forced to close their shops. Those that are left are a dying breed, unfortunately for all of us. I hope you will seek out these special doors next time you are in Venice, and treat yourself to a bit of the "other" Venice, the real Venice. 

I haven't forgotten the bonus -Link to Day 4 -Countdown to Christmas 2014. It's Babbo Natale !! 

Today's advent calendar is  from 2gypsygirls.com

Countdown to Christmas, Venice Style - Day 3

Ciao tutti!

I'm so excited about my choice for day #3 of the Venice Countdown to Christmas because there really and truly is some magic behind this door today, just as there is magic when you open the door to Roberto Comin's studio in Cannaregio.  Step inside and  you are in a fantasy world, a world full of whimsy and delight.  Roberto, a master craftsman, designs and creates puppets. 

Every part of the process, from the initial sketches to the final product, is done by Roberto and his family. They've been in business for 80 years, selling marionettes not only in Venice but worldwide.

Roberto invents a personality for each puppet which is reflected in the facial features and costume details. 

 If you visit Roberto's workshop, you'll find him bringing each of his characters to life for you as he demonstrates the mechanics of puppetry and introduces his cast of characters to you.

 

Yes, there are even Pinocchio's in Roberto's studio. He is, after all, quite a bit like the original Geppetto. 

You can find Roberto Comin's puppets in shops around Venice as well as on his website www.MarionettesinVenice.com. Roberto's studio is located at L'Isola di Pinocchio, Cannaregio 2417. It is possible to arrange visits to his workshop, details on the website. 

Most visitors to Venice see St. Mark's square, Rialto bridge, and the Grand Canal. If you take the time to  look behind closed doors, you will find some real treasures.  I hope my Countdown to Christmas Advent calendar will entice you to go seek out some of those doors. 


Last but not least - here's the link to Day 3 of my 2014 Countdown to Christmas. Chestnuts!  And I just saw some roasting over on Strada Nova in Cannaregio tonight!

Ciao tutti. A domani   (until tomorrow)


today's advent calendar from julegleder.blogspot.com

Countdown to Christmas, Venice Style - Day 2

from randomtuesdays.com

Ciao tutti!

Welcome back for another day of my Countdown to Christmas. Did you enjoy my Venice version of the 12 Days of Christmas?  Were you singing it all day today like we were? 

I love the Advent calendar idea I selected for today.  When I first looked at it, I thought you removed a cotton ball each day. Duh!  You put a new one in place each day.  Perfect. I loved it so much I had to put it here on Day 2 instead of later, so there are plenty of days left in the month in case any of you wanted to create one for the little ones in your lives to use. Have fun sticking cotton balls on Santa's face! 

Ok, so, on to what I have in store today. Instead of highlighting things or places around Venice that say Christmas to me,I've decided to give this years December Advent blog posts a different spin.  I'm shining a light  on people instead.  I've been incredibly fortunate to have met so many wonderful local people over the years. Time to share them with you. I hope you enjoy meeting these talented Venetians.

So without further ado, here's my pick for behind door #2.

I met Paolo Brandolisio the first year I ever visited Venice, on one of those days we were exploring (maybe it was more like wandering aimlessly lost) in the Castello district. Every time I stop by his shop, I am transported to another time, a very old Venice when artisans handcrafted everything, including the oars and forcole needed to row the gondolas. Inside Paolo's studio you will find him carving beautiful works of art, with tools handed down over the years from maestro Giuseppi Carli.  Now Paolo is the maestro himself.

To me, Paolo is artist, craftsman and magician, all rolled into one. 

The smells of freshly hewn wood and shavings all over the floor spell one thing only - Paolo's studio.
You can find him at Castello 4725,  where you can purchase one of his replica forcole, feri (the front piece on the gondola of iron, although Paolo's are wood), oars for kayaks, and now gorgeous handcarved bracelets. 

Link to the 2014 Countdown to Christmas Day 2 blog post.  Hope you also enjoy this one too, featuring the Pandoro, a traditional holiday dolce. 

Buona sera, tutti!

Countdown to Christmas - Venice Style, Day 1

Ciao tutti!

It's December 1 (well, it was about an hour ago still), and I decided at the last minute to do another round of my holiday advent calendars.  In 2014, I had great fun every day of December on my blog opening a new door each day, sharing something "Venetian" that reminded me of Christmas. 

This year I have something similar up my sleeves. I hope you'll flip open a new door with me every day as I countdown to Christmas.  I'll have a different photo of an advent calendar that peaks my fancy to share, as well. 

For December 1, I'm sharing my version of the 12 Days of Christmas with you. Remember that old favorite Christmas song?  Here it is, Venice style. 

On the 1st day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

A gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 2nd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

Two Murano chandeliers

and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

Three Carnevale masks

Two Murano chandeliers

and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 4th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

Four Vaporettos

Three Carnevale masks

Two Murano chandeliers

and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 5th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

Five more brid-ges

Four Vaporettos

Three Carnevale masks

Two Murano chandeliers

and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

Six Spritzes spritzing

Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 7th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Seven gondoliers-a-rowing
Six Spritzes spritzing
Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Eight Panettone from Colussi
Seven gondoliers-a-rowing
Six Spritzes spritzing
Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 9th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Nine Vivaldi concerts
Eight Panettone from Colussi
Seven gondoliers-a-rowing
Six Spritzes spritzing
Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Ten Canals-a-rising
Nine Vivaldi concerts
Eight Panettone from Colussi
Seven gondoliers-a-rowing
Six Spritzes spritzing
Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 11 th  day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Eleven Fritelle frying
Ten Canals-a-rising
Nine Vivaldi concerts
Eight Panettone from Colussi
Seven gondoliers-a-rowing
Six Spritzes spritzing
Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Twelve cicchetti platters
Eleven Fritelle frying
Ten Canals-a-rising
Nine Vivaldi concerts
Eight Panettone from Colussi
Seven gondoliers-a-rowing
Six Spritzes spritzing
Five more brid-ges
Four Vaporettos
Three Carnevale masks
Two Murano chandeliers
and a gondola on the Grand Canal.

(Venice version words by Karen Henderson, 2016)

Make sure you practice so you are all ready for Christmas caroling at the end of the month!

See you all tomorrow when we'll open door #2 together. 

Ciao!

As an extra little bonus, I'll post the link to each day's advent calendar from my 2014 blog so you can get a double whammy. I promise, all of this year's posts will be different from those. Enjoy!
2014 Day 1 Countdown to Christmas post

Celebrating the Festa de San Martino

Today is the Festa di San Martino - St. Martin's Day. In Venice this festa is a big, big deal, and over the years it has become one of my favorite celebrations every November.  I am very fortunate that I live not far from Campo San Martino and the Chiesa di San Martino, and get a constant reminder of this saint whenever I'm passing by.

St. Martin's story goes something like this: In the 4th century, Saint Martin met a starving, freezing beggar at the gates of the city of Amiens. He cut his cloak in two with his sword and gave half to the man. For that reason, Martin is a saint associated with the poor. It is also said that at the moment he tore his cloak, the sun came out and that is why an Indian summer here is known as an estate di san Martino.The 11th November is the festa of this favorite saint and traditionally the day when the novello [new] wine is opened.

San Martino bas relief on the wall of the Church of San Martino, Castello

Every November 11 the children of Venice re-enact St. Martin by dressing up in red cloaks and "Burger King" style crowns, banging on their mother's pots and pans while parading through their neighborhoods. Stops are made at the local shops canvassing for goodies. Sort of like Halloween but everyone dresses the same. 

San Martino cookies line the windows of every bakery in town starting a couple of weeks before the holiday. How could you not love San Martino day, when you knew there would be some fabulous cookie waiting for you at home? 

Have you picked the one going home with you this year? 

I noticed my local hardware store was selling cookie molds for every size San Martino day horse cookie you could imagine, from a grand one over a foot tall to very tiny individual ones. Perfect if you love making cookies. 

Should you find yourself in the neighborhood of Campo San Martino this weekend, here's the list of activities going on during the festa. Tomorrow between 4pm-8:30 there will be food and wine served in the campo. Look for me there!

Happy Festa de San Martino!

Arnold- the Aftermath

Arnold and Mike in Venice

It certainly has been an emotional week!  You already know the results of the Presidential Election in the US so I won't have to get into that topic.  While that was going on, we had the big "Arnold in Venice" reunion happening in full force, which on many levels was a much happier event, so I'll talk about that. 

As I'd mentioned in my previous post, we hadn't seen Arnold in 16 years. I was apprehensive for this Venice meet up, to say the least! The original idea was for Arnold to stay at our place, however he was also bringing his girlfriend/partner. Given our apartment most likely wouldn't provide the privacy they'd want for a romantic holiday in Venice, coupled with the fact he'd have a long haul from our place early in the morning to catch a shuttle to the airport, he decided to stay in a hotel. He chose something close to the train station, wouldn't you know it? Couldn't get any farther away from our apartment than that! So, on arrival day the plan was he would check in to his hotel in Cannaregio, hop on a vaporetto and meet us at the San Pietro vaporetto dock. From there we were going to walk, see Venice, and eat. 

He spotted me first as he came off the boat, I heard him exclaim loudly, "Karen!". Our eyes met. A huge smile broke out across his face. On mine too.  He grabbed me for two kisses on the cheek and a hug. We both just clung to each other, longer than the normal hug-time, so happy to be reconnecting. After finally untangling our arms, Arnold reached over and did the same with Mike. We all just gave each other a long examining look, beaming like silly kids. Then he introduced Sondra, his girlfriend, and the hugs began anew.  He looks the same as I remembered him, except there's a bit of grey hair now. 

Of course we had to get through the requisite "How are you?"s.  Once past that, Arnold wanted to know how in the world we ever got to Venice to live. Interesting question!  My response was "It all started with you."  I had to explain, because the last time we saw him was on our trip to Germany, the one that was a thank you gift for putting up with him for a summer.  He didn't know that we had followed that trip with numerous vacations to Italy, as we'd gotten out of touch for several years. Since moving to Venice we've heard from him more often. 

Throughout the short 2 day visit, there was lots of reminiscing. Mike and I were completely amazed at the little details Arnold recalled that we had forgotten, or never expected him to have memories of from so long ago. Little things like the name of Mike's dog (that Mike only had for a brief visitation )- long story- while Arnold was with us, or the strange old man Leroy, who did yard work for us.  I didn't even remember that at all!  He asked about all the people he'd met while with us in Baltimore - my daughters, our neighbors, Mike's law partner, the secretary who worked at Mike's office. The stories just flowed, as did the laughter, followed by tears of joy because the three of us just couldn't stop laughing. I felt so sorry for poor Sondra, and for the people around us at cafes and restaurants. 

I was curious what Arnold had thought about his  US experiences, if he had any fears about going to a foreign country to be with strangers for 3 months. He explained that he wasn't afraid. He was excited. And he knew it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When would he get an extended block of time to do something like that ever again? He described his expectation of staying with a "normal" American family, one that ate "Wonder Bread and fried chicken" (his words).   Poor guy!  I was sorry  he didn't get what he had wanted, but he just beamed and said "But I got so much more!  And you ate French bread! "

I could go on and on, relating details of the stories we shared but those are only special to us, so I won't. I didn't want to see him leave. I wanted him to stay for another 3 months! I'm still smiling today thinking about the last few days together.

Arnold and Sondra saw LOTS of Venice, all the must sees and much more of our favorite local places. We ate well, drank lots and shared moments we'll not forget. We all vowed to do this again, and not wait 16 years for it.  I was touched to know that Arnold's memories matched ours, that all three of us felt a special connection back then, and still today. That warmed my heart. Now we can add another special Venice experience to our collective memories. Can't ask for more than that.

Note- the hotel Arnold stayed at : Eurostar Residenza Cannaregio.  He and Sondra raved about it. They got some pretty fabulous rates, and the hotel even has a bar. Passing this tidbit on in case anyone is ever looking for a good Venice hotel recommendation. 

The Return of Arnold

Not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask me to explain what prompted our move to Venice. My response is always that we'd vacationed here for several years, fell in love with the city, and decided life is too short to stay on the corporate hamster wheel we felt trapped on in the US. This slow life suited where we wanted to be for the remainder of our days, so we chose to jump off that wheel. And here we are.

Ah, Venice!

However, truth be told, that explanation is the Readers Digest condensed version.  The real story involves a young 22 yr old German law student we met about 18 years ago.  So, for the first time ever, I'm exposing a bit more of our past, and the truth is being shared here with the entire blogosphere. (Heaven help me!)

Turn back the calendar to 1999......

My husband agreed to sponsor a 3-month internship for a German exchange student  at his law office near Baltimore, at the request of one of his clients. The client's mother's best friend's son (how's that for a mouth full) wanted to do his required internship somewhere in the United States, and Mike's client's mother put a little pressure on him to find something for this boy. Naturally, he asked his lawyer, Mike, who happens to be fluent in German, to help bail him out of a tough spot with his mother. You know all about mother's guilt trips. 

While there would be nothing this German student could do to assist with any legal matters during his stay, he could be put to use delivering documents to the court or miscellaneous tasks around the office. And, as this was to be funded by the German government as a required part of every law student's schooling, there would be no expense on Mike's part. Everyone agreed to the plan, and the deal was sealed. For the summer months of 1999, Arnold would be interning in the US. And all the German mothers were smiling.

What I haven't mentioned is the deal included Mike and I hosting this young man in our house for the first few days to help him get acclimated, arrange a short term apartment nearby and a rental car. Arnold, however, had other plans in mind, which he shared after his arrival.  You see, Arnold wanted to use the stipend he would be receiving for living expenses to travel all over the USA instead. He had his mini-bucket list prepared-Los Angeles, Boston, New York City, New Orleans, Chicago, Dallas, Miami.  The problem was he didn't have much in the way of funds other than his stipend, and that was needed to pay for an apartment and car. Arnold proposed that he extend his living with us beyond the few initial days instead of renting an apartment, and he could commute to work with Mike every day. Voila.  He could use the stipend money to travel while living rent free with us.  And, he really didn't expect to work very much, as that would interfere with his "Arnold Does America" grand tour plans. Such a plan!

Mike was all in favor of it. I, on the other hand, was less receptive, for two reasons. One, this was a total stranger staying in our home for 3 months, and I'm not immediately trusting of anyone. And two, perhaps even more of a showstopper might be that said Arnold was a moose. Seriously. I'm talking a big boy. A really big boy, who obviously consumed A LOT of food. I could not fathom what my grocery bill would be for the next 3 months. The only saving grace might be that he intended to be on the road traveling now and then. My counter proposal to Arnold was that he kick in a small amount each week for groceries. We struck a bargain.  Arnold was going to see the USA and Karen got some milk money. Win-Win. 

While I began the summer of 1999 with great trepidation, in actuality it turned out to be one of the best experiences of our lives. Arnold wasn't always a peach to live with, but who doesn't have their days? During the long summer evenings on the upper deck over dinners, wine, shared stories and lots of laughs, we forged lifelong friendships. I wouldn't have changed a thing. Little did I know then that EVERYTHING would change. Bigly (yes, that is a tongue-in-cheek borrow from You-Know-Who). 

About six months after Arnold returned to the motherland, a courier delivered an envelope to our front door addressed to Mike.  Inside the envelope, to our great surprise, was a voucher from a travel agent for round trip air for two and some additional dollars to be used for a trip to Germany-a thank you gift from that client who had instigated the whole Arnold internship, for all we had done for Arnold and for him. Karma, he said.  He knew Mike, of German ancestry, is a Beethoven fanatic who dreamed of visiting Bonn, the birthplace of the musical genius.  He was sending us there. 

I had never been to Europe before but had always dreamed of visiting Italy where my family is from, so naturally, I begged to split the trip between Germany and Italy. I was overruled, however, a compromise was struck.  We'd go to Germany, and then save money for a trip to Italy sometime in the near future. 

In March 2000 we did that Germany trip to not only Bonn but to numerous cities, including a couple of days with Arnold and his family. Upon our return home the Italy fund jar took up residence on our kitchen counter.  Promises kept, not long after our first Italian holiday began with a flight into Venice from JFK and our first (too short) visit in this magical city. 


 Everything really began with Arnold. If it weren't for him and our summer of 1999, we wouldn't have gone to Germany and I wouldn't have made that bargain for a subsequent trip to Italy. I know us.  Europe wasn't on our horizons at the time. We were not only mired in "this Old House" renovations but I was still making monthly payments to my divorce lawyer.  If we did take any vacations it was to the beach. Experiencing Europe for the first time adjusted our priority list dramatically, moving travel in general and Italy more specifically way up on that list.   As if this is any surprise, Venice stole both our hearts and our souls.  You know the rest of that story. 

 Bringing this back full circle, fast forward to tomorrow....

 Tomorrow morning, HE will be arriving for a couple of days. We haven't seen Arnold in 16 years!  I'm excited, anxious, and frankly over-the-moon to be having this very long overdue reunion, in Venice no less,  with the person who unbeknownst to him was a game changer in my life.  

And that's really how the Venice experience began. 

Remembering November 4, 1966

Fifty years ago, Venice experienced the highest acqua alta (high water) in history.  Today the city remembers.  Throughout the day today on Facebook and other social media, numerous old photos were posted, calling attention to a day no living Venetian will ever forget. 

I took a walk through St. Mark's square this morning, specifically to hunt for high water markings. 

The blue line added to the shop window marks the water level on November 4, 1966. Shockingly high, isn't it?  I have witnessed unusually high water during my time here in the city, but nothing quite this height.

This mark, on the side of the bell tower in the square, permanently records the water level on that date. I have no idea why I didn't frame this shot better, so you could see how high off the ground this actually is. I was intent on getting a good view of the marker. Next time you are in St. Mark's square, try to locate it so you see the height for yourself. 

Fifty years ago today, water changed the course of Venetians lives. And ever since then, the city struggles with how to cope with the increasing levels of water it experiences as global warming adds to both the height of the tides and also the number of occurrences of acqua alta every season.

As someone who fell under Venice's seductive spell, I have always found acqua alta to be an integral part of everything this city is. It just wouldn't be Venice without water- and that includes the rising tides.  I fell in love and have been having this crazy ongoing love affair with Venice.  Just like having any lover, you accept the good with the bad. High water is both fascinating and frustrating, mysterious and maddening.  




This is the vaporetto dock at Sant'Elena on November 4, 1966 

A gondola ride - in St. Mark's square? 


At Campo San Salvador

The Half Way Point

Ciao, tutti!

Many, many thanks for the lovely comments I've received here on the blog, via emails and FB comments regarding this 10 day Blog Challenge.  I know it's a bit different, not Venice related, and I truly appreciate you hanging in here with me.  I need to get refocused, back on track, and this is going to help me get there, to get me back into the habit of writing regularly and making more frequent posts on the blog as well.

This blog post is in response to Natalie Sisson's 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 5. The task for the day is to come up with a daily plan that I will put into place and use every day to help move me towards meeting my goals.

I need to work every day to complete tasks to get our new blog ready to launch and also write content to post on the new blog, and then keep it up regularly going forward. You all know from experience with me on this blog that I get into periods where I am not writing at all, even though I may be doing cool things that are worthy of writing about. I let life get in my way and have gotten out of the habit of writing every day.

Natalie describes a time management activity called the Pomodoro technique (after the timer used to keep track of time which is in the shape of a bright red tomato- thus Pomodoro) which is useful to keep you focused and on task.  You break your work up into small manageable chunks of time, 25 minute increments. You work for 25 minutes straight with no distractions, then give yourself a short break. After the break, you return for another 25 minute block of work. You can continue this several times in succession. I like the way this works. It seems like a workable plan for me, so I've decided to put the Pomodoro plan into action.

My plan to implement this strategy has to begin on Monday, as I already have plans to be out of town for a long weekend beginning early Friday morning. I'm taking the 3 days off- no work for me. The new plan commences Monday. I'm going to commit to three 25 minute work segments each day. I tend to write better in the evenings than in the mornings, so I'll set aside time between 8-10 pm. If I'm diligent about keeping to this work schedule, I should meet my initial goal of launching the blog , and help me stick to to a schedule to add content regularly.

I know I've been talking a lot about this new blog I'm focusing on. While I've been putting my energies in that direction, I have also spent time planning content for The Venice Experience. I've given up the thought of giving this space a visual overhaul, that's just too much on my plate for now, however there is always lots to write about going on here in Venice, and I will be doing that. Definitely NOT abandoning this. It's been my baby since July of 2007.  The Venice Experience will be 10 years old in 2017.  I feel a big birthday bash coming on!

Ok, Blog Challenge #5 is officially completed. And I'm halfway through the 10 days. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. Taking the rest of the night off!


                                            

Buon compleanno, Mom

Today we're celebrating my mother's 89th birthday. She lives at the New Jersey shore, and she (knock  on wood) is healthy as a horse. We're hoping we're still doing birthday celebrations for her when she turns 100.  Happy Birthday, Mom!!

This blog post is in response to Natalie Sisson's 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 4.  My challenge today is to identify 2-3 things I am good at, things Natalie calls my "Super Powers".  She says not to be humble about it.

I had to really struggle with this one. My first thought was to just chuck the whole thing. I don't have super powers. I don't even have any sort-of powers, let alone super ones.  I got the challenge email this morning, while I was at the beach, enjoying my last day of the season.  As I mulled over today's assignment, I was reminded of one of my Cabana-mates, Luca.  (Everyone rents a cabana for the season. I share one with about 18 other people). I promise this is all going somewhere. Just give me a minute.

 Luca is the 4 yr old son of one of the 18.  One morning as I was just arriving at our cabana, Luca and his family had already arrived. We said our hellos, and I went inside to change and gather up my stuff.  On my way out of the cabana, Luca stopped me. He opened his little mouth and started singing a song at the top of his lungs. His mother explained he was singing me a favorite song he had learned at his nursery school. She went on to further explain that he went to a Catholic school, thus all the references to God in the song, just in case I needed that information.  At the end of his song, he stood there with the biggest smile on his face.  Squeaky little 4 yr old voice and all, he stood and belted out that song for me, and then asked me to please wait one minute, he had something to show me. He ran into the cabana. One minute later he reappeared, dressed from head to toe in a Spiderman suit. It isn't Halloween. It's August. And Luca has transformed into "Speeder-Maan" (the correct pronunciation if you are speaking Italian).

These little huts are cabanas

Now back to my task for today's Blog Challenge.  Luca actually believed he was Spiderman. Once in that costume, he wasn't just little Luca anymore. He was a superhero.

I'm thinking I need a costume. If it works for Luca, maybe it will work for me.

I've tossed this around all day. Honestly, I don't possess any super powers. I have a couple of things I'm pretty good at, but I'm not setting the world on fire over here.

So here's what I'm good at. 1) I'm a good teacher, and 2) I'm not a quitter.

Now I better go make myself a costume.