Pirates vs Black Madonna

I could smell bacon and pancakes on my morning walk. It is wafting over from the Taquería a block away.  It smells so warm and like home, even though my mother only made pancakes at Christmas and sometimes in rare moments for dinner. Why is that? Why do I think home?

I am out of cat food so that means today I will be making an excursion to Walmart. Should I take my camera in the hopes of capturing a few shots of some Walmartians? Should I dress like one in the hope of having my photo snapped by someone? Hmmmmm

My mother does not do voice mail on her phone so last night she had me clear her voicemail. There were 7, the first one arriving January 17 and two from yesterday, one from her doctor. She was very puzzled as to why she has voicemail when she carries her phone everywhere. I do not know mom it is a mystery… my phone will download voicemails from 4 days ago out of no-where.  

I have really been thinking about Positano Italy.  A small village on the Amalfi Coast in very southern Italy, it was a larger port in medieval times 

and prospered for several 100 years. In the 19^th century nearly half of the population immigrated to Australia when the area fell into hard times. John Steinbeck wrote an article about Positano and tourists started descending on the village.  There is a legend of Pirates and the Black Madonna. (Of course there are pirates involved…hhah)  

As they were stealing away with her a fearful storm came up on the Mediterranean sea just off the coast of Positano and they heard a great voice say “Posa, Posa (put it down, put it down)”. The pirates brought the Black Madonna ashore and left her in Positano. The storm abated and the sea became peaceful.

Limoncello is found in Positano and is sold in a little shop near the harbor. It is lemon liquor found in southern Italy and very delicious. My first taste of this delightful beverage was in an Italian Restaurant in Campbell California. We had just finished our meal and a cannoli when the owner walked over with two small glasses and poured us a portion and explained the tradition of it being served as an after dinner drink in southern Italy where he was from.  He did not charge us for it. It is tradition he said as he went over to chat at another table. That was a wonderful restaurant experience I shall never forget.  It has never happened at any other Italian restaurant. Sad….

I am feeling Italian for dinner….lasagna anyone?