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Gia-Gina Across the Pond

So I've decided to follow my husband to his native Italy. Follow our adventures as we eat, drink, travel, adapt to and explore this remarkable country. Part food blog, part photo blog but mostly my rants and raves. After our two years in Italy, we relocated across the Atlantic "pond" and are back in the States.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Mother and Mother-in-Law

With my mom headed to Italy for the first time in 6 weeks, we have been getting the house and our heads ready for her visit. She is arriving 3-4 weeks before the birth of the baby and might stay a month after. I am thrilled, Deme is a bit in shock I think, as he has never met my mother and in some way, and I think he does not believe that I am really Chinese. I warned him that my old ways will pop up as soon as my mom gets here and he might not see a stitch of pasta for up to 2 months.

As I go through my kitchen and inventory all my Chinese and American supplies it occurs to me that my mom will have to make do with things, she is not used to here and things that she might miss from Guam aka the States.

A laundry list came to mind but her are my top 5:

1. The lack of good plastic wrap, the plastic wrap in Italy is NOT Reynolds Wrap.

2. No canned or boxed chicken broth or beef broth for that matter, just over salty bouillon cubes.

3. No doubly thick, super strength aluminum foil, for broiling her famous Chinese BBQ pork on the oven.

4. No low sodium soy sauce

5. Gallons of milk, here they some in liter, almost the same the quarts and only last us 2 days or so.

I took Deme to the market to have a look at all the Asian stores I frequent so he will be able to take my mom. In addition, I spoke to my neighborhood shopkeeper and told him that I might be sending my mom over with a short list of items, as she does not speak any Italian. He then gave me a card and said I could call with my list and he could have it ready or he could even walk the groceries over to my house for me. Wow! Now that is great customer service. I hope with all my preparations we will be ready to have my mom stay at least a month and maybe up to two. I miss her cooking and her laugh; it has been almost 4 years since I have seen her and I am looking forward to her trip almost as much as the actual baby itself.


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11 Comments:

At 5:59 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

How exciting. Baby. Mom. All at once too.

 
At 12:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are such a good daughter, wife and mother-to-be.

lilybakescookies

 
At 8:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Gia-Gina and greetings from Athens Greece!

Nice to read about you, you are so lucky to live in Italy!

I have travelled a lot in Italy but never was in Torino-well, as far as I can see from the photos it must be wonderful, especially the Caltagirone..

You are welcome to visit my blog too, its about italian music which I really love.

Take care
Evie

 
At 8:56 PM, Blogger Piccola said...

Wow~ your mother is really sweet. Coming all the way from Guam to Italy to help with your confinement and baby. :) Loads of nutritious chinese food made with motherly love for you. Nothing beats food made out of love.

 
At 10:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness,four years without seeing your mom..You must be so excited!!I'm sure that everything will fall right into place once she gets there.There is nothing like having your mother with you for these precious moments.I love your blog.We are reading from california's central coast.My daughters and I have cooked some of your recipes.YUM!(OR yummm-OH as Rachel Ray puts it;)Anyways,I love your writing and good, good luck with your delivery! :)

 
At 11:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

SOOO true about the italian plastic wrap, it just doesn't stick!!! i thought it was just my imagination, i usually bring back a couple of rolls from USA and my italian friends used to mock me UNTIL they actually used my serious american plastic wrap and saw how it worked!

 
At 1:23 AM, Blogger Gia-Gina said...

Yes Yes, Italian plastic wrap is the pits. Also thank goodness that a friend of mine brought me 5 boxes of various sizes of Ziplock bags too.

 
At 10:26 AM, Blogger Cynthia Rae said...

I am soooo happy for you! That is great that your mom will be here! Hope you have as much fun with her as I did when mine was here. Im not sure you if you will be up to sight seeing, but you are all welcome here if you make it to our neck of the woods!
Cyn

 
At 5:36 PM, Blogger miss tango said...

We have terrible plastic wrap here in Buenos Aires too! Also, there are no twist ties!

 
At 7:37 AM, Blogger Sara said...

You'll have a good time for sure and Mom is really excited. Be sure to post photos!

 
At 7:54 AM, Blogger Gia said...

Good lord woman! Plastic wrap and aluminum foil aren't rareities...you need only ask for them. I left the industrial sized ones back at home with mom. I'm sure if you ask, she will bring them/pick up consumer sized plastic wrap / tin foil for you. You do know she's headed for Vietnam now...I hope you gave her a list of ingredients to pick up.

 

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