With her gentle ways, she has been able to infuse in me - as well as in all the family members - the rules of right and correct behaviour with yourself and with the others.
Simple rules, that have a solid base of honesty and respect.
Something we don't know where they are any more.
Some rules start at table, but they are valid in any other circumstance of life.
Never un-polite, never loutish nor vulgar, with the heart always full of anxiety for the health and the welfare of everybody, my nonna was the sweetest person I have met.
At table, my place was in a corner between the "ottomano", a coach with the ironwork armrests, and the wooden cupboard, with the carved roses in the angles. My sister and I took the place of one person as there was not enough space for everybody.
We had to sit nicely straight, without bending the body and without putting the elbows on the table.
We were served after the old ones. My nonna would have said that first come the old ones, then the women, then the men. But she loved to serve us first, as children yearn for.
We could not start eating before everyone was served.
We could not talk while eating: because it is not education, as the chewed food would be in sight and becasue talking while eating could send the food to the wrong way and be dangerous.
We could not put the feet on the chair, nor stay on our knees.
We all wished "Buon Appetito" at the beginning of every meal and toast with our glasses to the health of everybody.
Before the lunch, we had to welcome the people entering home - my nonno, my old great-uncle - with "Buongiorno", as it is duty of the younger to greet the older as first.
Nothing difficult to learn.
Do you think it is boaring?
What do you think about yelling in the few minutes with the eyes off from the smart-phone; wearing pants that fall to the feet, groaning instead of conversating, eating a sandwich with open mouth while listening to music by head-phones...?
.............put your comments.....
At table, my place was in a corner between the "ottomano", a coach with the ironwork armrests, and the wooden cupboard, with the carved roses in the angles. My sister and I took the place of one person as there was not enough space for everybody.
We had to sit nicely straight, without bending the body and without putting the elbows on the table.
We were served after the old ones. My nonna would have said that first come the old ones, then the women, then the men. But she loved to serve us first, as children yearn for.
We could not start eating before everyone was served.
We could not talk while eating: because it is not education, as the chewed food would be in sight and becasue talking while eating could send the food to the wrong way and be dangerous.
We could not put the feet on the chair, nor stay on our knees.
We all wished "Buon Appetito" at the beginning of every meal and toast with our glasses to the health of everybody.
Before the lunch, we had to welcome the people entering home - my nonno, my old great-uncle - with "Buongiorno", as it is duty of the younger to greet the older as first.
Nothing difficult to learn.
Do you think it is boaring?
What do you think about yelling in the few minutes with the eyes off from the smart-phone; wearing pants that fall to the feet, groaning instead of conversating, eating a sandwich with open mouth while listening to music by head-phones...?
.............put your comments.....
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