This morning I spoke with my Nona from L.A. over the phone. She's my beautiful, ornery, kind, funny, wonderful, tiny, 94 year old Italian Grandma. You know, the ones that make the best pasta, ragu and meatballs, and get mad at you if you don't have a 2nd or 3rd helping...complaining that you're skinny as a rail. But yet you shouldn't get too fat either!?
She's also an amazing watercolorist and has a love for flowers, landscapes, and gardening. When I usually call her we talk non-stop about art, flowers, the weather of course, food, stories of my Great Grandparent's Immigration from Italy, and the times on the farm in upstate New York during the depression. I actually have a copy of the hand-written recipe from my Great Grandma on how to make cheese. It goes like this, "first you milk the cow...." Seriously. Anyone have a cow I can borrow?
You see though, my grandma's health has deteriorated, and she decided this morning to stop her dialysis. She will pass away in 3 days. So as I stand outside Paradigm Skate Shop before an exciting art show begins, I weep as I tell her how much I love her, how she was a good mother, wife and Nona. That I will miss her so much, and to not be afraid. That she will see Grandpa again and feel much better. And we'd see each other again too.
I close my eyes and soak up the small voice I hear from the other end saying, "I know you love me. I'll miss you too. Thank you. I love you too".
(LtoR: Nona, Some random neighbor kid, Aunt Jenny RIP)
Watercolor of the farm. Holley, NY '04.
