Siblings

"Be prepared to deny your child anything but a brother or sister." -- John Paul II

Silvio Berlusconi at the White House

Silvio Berlusconi a la Casa Bianca

This was my view this morning from a knoll on the south lawn of the White House at the welcome ceremony for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Thanks to JB for the invitation to join her.

Mr. Berlusconi spoke compellingly of his visit when he was young to the American cemetery in Anzio, Italy, where, at his father's urging, he swore to never forget the ultimate sacrifice American servicemen made to free Italy and restore her freedoms and nationhood.

And, later, that same day

And, later that evening, hours east by car between the ocean and the bay...assisting at the celebration of married love between Sam and Becky.

A Father has so many children to be proud of, yet so little time...

Promotion to Lieutenant Commander

On Saturday, 5 October 2008, CAPT Smith administered the oath of office and pinned on the insignia with the assistance of LCDR Buzzetti at the Marine Corps Reserve Center in Anacostia.



Years of labor with Marines and Sailors, at sea aboard carrier USS IKE and ashore at North Carolina, Virginia, Italy and Florida, and dogged determination in the paperwork department have now, officially, paid off.





Oh, and how could I forget Iraq? I guess it's not so hard to do, after all.

Forget the people never.

Napoli da Bici

Naples by bicycle













We often set out on the road with enthusiasm, fresh from the night's rest, thankfully with no thought for the fatigue to come on the course of over 100 km and steep gradients.













We have friends to help us along the way. Michele Ercole, left, is training for the Giro da Sole tour series of southern Italy and has placed this season in one of the races.














Before starting out, a "fuel" stop for a quick caffe with the small group on the way to Vesuvius.













In the city, near the port area, the fruit and vegetable vendor, or fruttivendolo, sets out the offerings for the day.














We stop to discuss the road to take. Our course wended its way along the coast of the bay of Naples, visible at the end of the road ahead in photo, crowded with towns linked by the Vesuviana railway line.















The arc of the bay of Naples visible from the lower slopes of the dormant volcano which reminds the city to never take a day for granted. Naples is the most densely populated and most at risk city in Europe.














The peak of the volcano looks quite different as one approaches. The roads are lined in places with the rock lava formed by earlier eruptions.

















The scugnizzi, or street kids, of Naples find work in different ways. Ciro, seen with his bike, works with his older brother as a "posteggiatore", or parking attendant, at the cemetery along the bay in Torre del Greco.













Danielo D'Ambrosio and his daughter Rosalia, of Angri, craft mosiac items popular with Americans. Here is their rendering of the famous view "Napoli da Posillipo".

Padova e Firenze

Padova is well known for Saint Anthony. Surpisingly, he is actually from Portugal! I previously visited "La Basilica del Santo", the shrine dedicated to this holy preacher, and also Giotto's fresco masterpieces at La Capella Scrovegni.

I stopped here only for pranzo, or lunch, with Tommaso, a friend from Comunita Cenacolo, and his friend Giorgia. There was Swedish tuna, potato patties, mozarella di bufala with olives, raw radicchio, and a sauce of olive oil, garlic and herbs. After lunch and a visit Giorgia helped me to find my way to the tangenziale from whence I continued on toward Bologna, then to Firenze through tight mountain passes, and on to Cortona for the night at Le Celle.

I stopped briefly at La Certosa, the Carthusian monastery visible from the autostrada outside Florence. The church is closed on Mondays. I was able to visit briefly with Padre Roberto in the shop stocked with the Certosan home made liquore, honey and other items.

Poem: "The Gifts of the King's Children Three"

A poem, this, I offer
From the several gifts in my coffer,
With thanks for cookies sent to me
By the Williams children three.


Created and signed, these, cards of greeting
That their sentiments with me might find happy meeting;
And to celebrate the Lord's birth and joy to others bring,
Baked they cookies to mark the birth-feast of the King.

They rolled, cut and decorated with care
And, in a package to Iraq through the air,
These cookies mailed with prayers and glee
To all the folks deployed with Father "C".

Away the sweets went, o'er sea and land they flew,
A sign of love hidden away until revealed anew,
When into the receipt of Father "C" they were given,
A reminder of the care for all in Heaven.


After Mass these delights were shared with the many
Of those who praised the Lord on Epiphany Sunday.
Yet again, the next morn, Father enjoyed them with his latte coffee
And gave one as a gift to a Baghdad Iraqi.



Finally, when none more of these treats remained but a few,
One was conferred, aloft, upon a member of the Osprey crew.


And, too, a Marine would thank these Williams children three
For their Christmas cookies sent far by air, land and sea.




And for sending these signs, from America, of love-
Give we thanks and remember you in our prayers to God above

-- ((((..))))