Fw: Wed. July 25th

                                                                           SOPHIA

TODAY IS SOPHIA'S 3RD BIRTHDAY.  SHE IS FLUENT IN ITALIAN AND GERMAN.  Miriam is from Germany so speaks to her mostly in German.  Sophia's father, Roberto also speaks fluent German.  They are not married.  But they do have Sophia and Sara together.  Sophia is classic hot head I want to do everything myself little girl.  She hasn't really accepted me and prefers if I do not talk to her.  If I try to say anything, she shakes her head no and says NIEN (German for no).  It's quite amusing.  I just laugh.  It's the only way to deal with her.  She has to pick her clothes out herself every day and loves clothes that are bright and that sparkle.  She will be one of the flower girls in this weeks' wedding.  Her dress is so lovely-white with many hand sewn pearls on the waist band.  Really beautiful.

                                                                          UNCLE MARIO

Today Sophia's grandparents, Robby's parents, are here for the day.  No one works.  Robby is right now sleeping in the hammock.  We just finished lunch that I made so it's nap time!  Robby's parents,  Carla and Luigi (GiGi) do not speak one word of English.  Carla is one of the Baroness' 4 children.  Mario is another (uncle Mario to everyone) and I will be staying in his apartment for a couple of days so guests to the wedding can stay in my room.  Uncle Mario just built what i've learned to be quite a beautiful new house on the mountaintop outside Tortorella where Miriam and I went today to the market .  Uncle Mario got married just 2 years ago and he and his wife stay together only on weekends in their mountaintop home.  He does the shopping for the Baroness so we saw him at the market today.  I've learned that the family does not like the fact that he uses family money to buy groceries for the Baroness and himself and has Dora make him all his meals with her food.  Dora is the Baroness' home helper.

                                                                          DORA

Dora takes care of the Baroness (Maria Gallotti).  She is from Romania and what money she makes, sends back home for her family.  She was able to purchase a home for them with the money made here.  She is about 40 yrs. old, wear the same black dress every day and doesn't smell like she ever takes a shower.  Once she took a vacation from her work here to go back home to Romania and the Baroness was so mean and nasty to her fill-in caregivers, they could not keep anyone for more than a couple of days.