Sunday Continued

We get home and there is still no hot water so I call Maria. She doesn't believe we don't have hot water and asks if I've turned it on (there's a button to push to get hot water) Yes I turned it on. She agrees to come. Okay I'm stupid. I'm supposed to keep the hot water button on all the time, not just when we use the water. I thought I was conserving electricity by turning it off, but then it takes two hours after you switch the button on. She’s not happy about being dragged down again. Oh well. Now I know how to keep the water hot.

Time for laundry. Just around the corner 1 block is a lavenderia. I'm a little concerned about the fact I have no change. Nobody wants big bills and it's all I have. As I walk in I note that it's very light and clean, unlike most laundry mats in the US. I stare stupidly at the machine that wants money. The attendant says, "Yes--you need help?" "I have no change" I say. "Eez no problem" he assures me. "I have change. You have soap?" "I forgot it" I feel like a 4 year old. "Eez no problem, I have soap" He opens 4 machines for me. I have a lot of laundry and it needs to be sorted. That's all I do, he does the rest. He wants to wash my bright colors in warm but I'm pretty insistent on coldwater. Eez no problem. Very easy when he takes care of it. He puts the soap in for me. Half way through he puts in what looks like softener. "To smell good- you understand?" Yes I understand that I've lucked out and this is much easier because you are doing it for me. An Australian couple comes in and he wants to help them, but no, they just want change. They can do it themselves. This is a mistake. They don't know what they are doing and put too much money in the machine. He’s annoyed with them, "I told you I have change! Why you do this?" Because they are stupid like me, but at least I’m smart enough to let him do it for me. By the time I'm done it's 24 E to wash and dry 4 loads, including soap. Not bad. When I left the Australian girl was still trying to get her 14E back from the machine.

So I get back after washing clothes for an hour and Isaac says "Did you bring back anything to eat, mom?" Yea, I went to the supermarket with my suitcase full of laundry. I decide he'd better come with me and pick out what he wants for dinner. We are going to dine in tonight.

The Super Mercato is only a block form the lavanderia. I don't have any monete (coins) so we can't get a cart. The three of us will have to carry want what want. We wander around, figuring out what stuff is. Sarah and I agree on a refrigerated bag of spinach and ricotta tortellini and a jar of sauce to go with it. Isaac picks out 2 breaded chicken patties and bread for a sandwich. Then he wants mayonnaise. Oh that's easy. It’s called mayonnaise. A bag of chocolate chip cookies. Oh look --some succo de mela. And ananas-pineapple juice and some blood orange juice for Mom. And a bottle of Merlot for Mom. That should do it. The bill is 22 E and I only have a 50 and no monete. The cashier is not pleased. Where am I supposed to get small bills and monete?

The apartment comes with dishes and pans and olive oil. I fry the chicken patties in a little oleo di oliva. I heat the sauce up, add a little Merlot to it and dump in the tortellini. Dinner is ready in about 10 minutes. The tortellini with the jarred sauce is probably the best pasta I've had so far (though I did like the pasta with peppers in Sorrento) Isaac's chicken is better than the pre made patties you get in the US. My 4 E Merlot is better than some $10 bottles in the US. What a good idea to eat in.

But then of course, we must go out for gelato. Sarah has the chocolate I had last night. Isaac sticks with lemon. I try tiramisu. I like it better than the cake.