Only somewhat related to Big Night, the 1990’s
Italian-American movie set on the Jersey shore,

Last night was the end of an era for all of us
at L’Osteria del Trivio. Every trip from the start

The place has been like a second home almost
with insider jokes, medical scares, and prolific

displays of affection. This morning we return,
intent on holding back tears, to celebrate their

retirement: una bellissima sciarpa for Mirella,
a thoughtful (and yet funny) card for Umberto.

“Dove mangeria domenica prossima?” jokester asks.
“Non lo so,” the only good Italian student answers.

Even though we have not made plans, still there are
memories—misty colored ones—of the way we were.

>: Just a random sampling of those wonderful times, since
words falter and fail (as often as not) to express our hearts:

02 Tuesday Sept 2014: La Cucina

08 Monday Sept 2014: You Know You’re in Italy When

28 Sunday Sept 2014: A Real Anniversary Feast

My wife says she wants “a Harley.”
I don’t think she means a chopper.

On last Monday (the 23rd), we hit the road to Rieti,
a city and comune in Lazio, the province best known
since all their highways lead to Rome. A morning sun
turned on us after lunch. Two cats and a dog caught in
a downpour, awaiting our hero with his electric chariot.

Before the deluge, there has been lots of sites to see:
1a) Cathedral from a distance; from the crypt
2a) Cathedral close up; in a long shot
3a) Remains of old Roman bridge; along the Velino River
4a) This Old Church: a shrine to books; important sign ahead
5a) Inside La Trattoria
6a) Gardens of Palazzo Vicentini; our hero heading off for the car

Close up

Longshot

Statue of St Francis in front of the Cathedral of St Mary of Assumption

The statue of Lira, erected in memory of old Italian currency

Remains of the central arch of the Roman bridge

A glance down the Velino River

This Old Church: A Shrine to Books

This Old Bike Holds a Sign to the Holy

Cartoon you can’t see

Punch line you can’t read

Gardens of Palazzo Vicentini: scene here before the skies closed in

Our Hero About to Head Off in the Downpour

Too tired (and too broke) to forage:
Yet the wife and I somehow manage

To hobble a short way down the Corso
& cobble together Euros for each torso.

Trevi, tempting despite its absent fountain,
sits high on a hill this side of the mountain.

One of the closest towns on the train line,
it’s unreachable: too far from the station!

So the choice for our 1st road trip’s a natural.
Perhaps some of the pics may prove archival.