Simply put, mia famiglia is amazing

This week has been SO much fun. Dana got here Monday and we had dinner with Zia Eleanora and her family (Giusy, Angelo, etc.) Tuesday we went over there again and had lunch and just chilled out the rest of the day. Went with Antonella to get dinner supplies and hang out with Anna. I got to Skype with my mom and had a good conversation filling her in on what the week has been like up to that point. I can tell how much my mom misses our family here. It's not her family by blood but she loves them all just the same. Gianfranco and my dad lovingly call each other brothers (and if you were none the wiser you would think that was a true fact..not just that they are cousins who look extremely alike), and Antonella and my mom are equally as close now. Anna came in the room and just lit up when she saw my mom.
So we had dinner over there and just hung out. Wednesday was lunch again with Eleanora and then over to Antonella's to babysit Anna for the afternoon so both Gianfranco and Antonella could go to work and Imma could have a break. It was fun. She's a VERY active 7 year old and demands a lot of attention. We played about 4 different board games. Never play Uno against her...she makes up her own rules and doesn't listen to you, besides the fact that we barely speak the same langauge sometimes. It was interesting. Later that night, Dana and I went out to dinner with Giusy and my other cousin Susy to Giusy's cousin's restaurant. My parents went there with Giusy's parents when they were here in April so it was nice to talk to Jacapo and know that he knew my parents.
Thursday was another relaxing day with a late wake up and lunch again with Zia Eleanora (my other great-aunt is at the beach with one of her daughters until Monday...). Zia E asks me everyday if I am going to her house for lunch, but it's more of telling me that I'm eating there. And Giusy and Angelo are always happy to see us. They were sad when Dana said she was only staying one week. The best thing about my family is their absolute sincerity and generostiy. I have the best family in the world. Thursday night, my cousin Michele (don't ask how he's my cousin because frankly I can't remember but he is) took Dana and me and his girlfriend down to Sorrento just to walk around the center and got us gelato. I was so happy to be back in Sorrento. We walked the English Inn and part of me wished that it was a weekend so I would have a chance to run into one of the Florence For Fun people with the group for the weekend. And just like last time I was in Sorrento at night, it started raining just as we were going to the car. It was such a nice night and I got to know another cousin. It's so strange now that I'm older and here. And on my own for the first time with the family. I wish I could return the favor to all of them, but most of my family will never make it out to California or New York.
Friday morning, Dana and I got up early and Gianfranco drove us to Pompei. Originally, we were going to go through the ruins but the morning was hot so we decided against it. Dana wanted to see them but she said she could do without and I have all my pictures from last time. So instead we walked through the streets and went into shops, sat on the grass and talked and had a nice long lunch. A day just the two of us. Such a difference from the last time we spent together, which was in the craziness of the Senior Games last summer. Both of us have been through so much in the last year. Today marks a year from the halfway point of the games. We were both exhausted. Oi vey. When we got back, we went and took a nap (we were so tired..well I was at least. not sure why) and then got ready for the night. My cousin Enzo and his wife Lina, who I met 6 years ago when they were at my parents place as a stop on their honeymoon, took us out for a drive along the coast and a walk around Naples, which is just so pretty then a late night dinner at a restaurant here in San Giuseppe. The restaurants here are so different from home. At home, they're out on the highway and in your face. Here, you have to know where you're going or you'll miss it because it's usually tucked back from the road. And they're always so pretty. It was so much fun.
Well this post is ridiculously long. Going back to Naples now with Dana for her last night in Italy. Just a few more weeks and then I'm back in CA. Weird.