Visiting the Zia's

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Evy and I let the children sleep in this morning, and went for a walk to find the house of one of her Aunts, Chiara. After a bit of searching, we found the house and rang the bell. Zia Chiara and her late husband had live for some time in Canada before moving back to Italy and opening a grocery store in the village. She was very happy to see us and fixed us coffee. Her daughter, Sandra, is planning a family reunion next week and Zia Chiara showed us the mailing for the event, sent to countless cousins and listing us all the guests. I think we could let this celebrity treatment go to our heads.

After Zia Chiara's, we walked over to one of the towns three small food stores and bought food for breakfast before heading back to Joshua and Benjamin.

Around 12, we headed over to Giovanin's farm for lunch. The family had kindly offered us some spare bicycles that they had so we spent some time cleaning up and preparing these bikes. Joshua in particular was ecstatic at the new sense of freedom that his wheels gave him.

After lunch we stopped yet another of Evy's Aunts, Mine. Zia Mine lives in a wonderful old stone house right in the village. She is in her 80s and has poor eyesight but is as spry and active as someone many years younger. After leaving Zia Mine's, we spent the rest of the afternoon getting caught up on some school work.

We were being more than well fed as Giovanin's family also invited us over for dinner. Before dinner, we went out with Giuditta and watched the evening milking operation. It is very mechanized and the cows seems to know exactly where they are supposed to be and when, lining up cooperatively for their turn in groups on the machines.

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