Ancient Italian ways...

Usually I just laugh at how archaically daily tasks are carried out in Italy. I think their strange opinions on health and food are ridiculous, but I usually just let it roll of my shoulder. Today, I couldn't do any of these things. I can't believe I'm saying this but... I'm actually annoyed with Maria Pia.

Incident #1: Two days ago, I asked for some tea in the afternoon because I wanted to relax a little. I volunteered to make it myself, but I guess that wasn't the problem. As soon as I had asked, Maria Pia got all worked up and said, "You really shouldn't be drinking that much tea. It's not good for your health." I got a little ticked and answered back that it's fine for my health. I only use sugar and milk in the morning. Any time after that, I take it as is. It helps my digestion and I know that it's not "bad" for my health. I tried to tell her these things, but she didn't care to waver.

Incident # 2: This morning, Maria Pia scolded me for having given her too much laundry to wash. Allow me to remind everyone that when I gave her the laundry, I apologized for having a lot from our vacation to Amsterdam. She told me that it didn't matter because it would all fit in one load anyway. Well, I guess it mattered today because as she folded everything up for us, she counted how many things I had in comparison to Andrea. Do I have to keep watch on my laundry now to avoid frustrating her? Let's assume that she was having a bad morning or something. I don't want to blame her too much.

Incident #3: Also this morning, I came to the breakfast table in an outfit that I felt awesome in. I was wearing a sweater with my new skirt, stockings, high socks, and high boots. The second I came into Maria Pia's sight, she actually started to YELL at me. She told me that my legs were going to be cold and that I was too "nuda" and that it was below freezing outside. It most certainly wasn't, because I checked the weather before getting dressed this morning and it said 45 degrees. (The Italians are pretty retarded when it comes to temperature. They tell you that it's the coldest day of the year when there have clearly been colder days. They wear layer after layer when it's 50 degrees out. They are crazy and don't understand that America is muchhhh colder in the winter than Italy.) She heard me cough only one time and started moaning and groaning saying, "O Dio mio! (Oh my God) You are still getting over your cold and you are going out like that so you can get sick again and blah blah blah." Anyway, I argued with her for a while and told her about my layers that I would be putting on under my coat, just to make her happy. She still went on about how I was under-dressed for 10 minutes after I had sat down. For the record, I was perfectly comfortable all day, if not even a little on the warm side for wearing all the layers that I had promised to Maria Pia. When I got home, she asked me if I had been freezing all day in an "I told you so" way. I told her that I had actually felt very comfortable. She thought that I was lying, so she put her hands on my legs. Suprise-- they were a NORMAL temperature. She has to stop bugging me about this stuff. I KNOW that it's winter.

Incident # 4: Maria Pia made pizza for dinner tonight. One included veggies, and the other was a 3 cheese pizza. The pizza in question is the 3 cheese one, consisting of gorgonzola, brie, and mozzarella. When she served this particular pizza to me, I did the usual; I sprinkled a little pepper on it. No big deal. Well, apparently I was a HUGE deal because Maria Pia got all worked up and told me that pepper was terrible for my health. She claimed that it clogged people's arteries while I sat there eating the 3 CHEESE pizza that SHE made! I assured her that I was fine and that I disagreed with her theory. I told her that my Dad was in the medical industry and that there has never been a problem with a person consuming too much pepper. She told me, "That's right, because you Americans are special so you don't have these problems. Well, obviously there is something wrong because there is such a problem with obesity." I am full aware that there is a problem with obesity, but what does that have to do with pepper!!?? That really pissed me off. I just feel like I'm being watched with every bite I take. She makes fun of me for eating too little and doesn't understand why more won't fit in my stomach. She makes fun of me for PEPPER! Whatever, she can eat as little pepper as she wants, and she'll be fine too.


Love her to death, but sometimes I want to bring her into this century and let her know that we're all ok with the way we choose to live.

Okay, I feel better now. We're going out tonight to celebrate Andrea's birthday so I'm looking forward to that.

A dopo!