Quiet Day in Catania

LAURIE IN ROMA: 7 days and REALLY counting

I have decided that Davide Giuliano’s best roll is not as our Head Coach or as an excellent lineman on days that only four linemen show up for practice. His greatest asset to the Elefanti is as the team’s General Manager. He continues to bring in good players to our team as our needs become apparent. His latest addition is a linebacker from Bolzano called Pino, no last names necessary here in Sicilia. Pino is 40, looks like he is 30 and plays like he is 20! He told me that this is his 27^th season playing football! He plays with a great motor, GOOD JOB Davide.

Italian Haircuts: Yesterday I went into Aci Castello to make an appointment with Giorgio my hairstylist. Last month I saw him for the first time and as near as I could tell he told me that over the next six months he would sculpt and shape my head into some kind of award winning topiary bush/head. I thought, why not! After all, Italy is noted for a great art scene. He asked when I would like to come in and I said today in the morning. Giorgio said he would have to check his appointment book so we went to the desk and after checking it said 9:30 a.m. would be fine. I was looking over his shoulder and noted that there was no one else listed on his busy Thursday calendar! When I got there this morning there was no Giorgio. He was in Catania and would be 45 minutes late for the appointment. His boss, Luigi, would take over. Luigi is flying to Chicago next week to enter the World Hairstyling Championships. What better way to hone his craft than to work on my duomo. After seeing his work on me, he is a sure fire winner in America, bet the farm on him.

Sicilian Markets: I stopped in a small downtown market today and had the usual issue. Here in Sicilia it never fails that at least one person in front of you will get to the front of the line and then decide that they need to go back and get something else. No one bats an eye, we just flow on.