Shirley is home..............

Hi...It's me..............Annie Grace........

Sto molto bene, grazie. (I am well. Thank you).

So I sat with Shirley for a while as she is just home from Italy and I am now fluent in Italian. She seems very unfazed by her time constrains and urgency in acquiring The Crown back. Perhaps she is still on Italian time. I feel that if she read all the blog she would be far more concerned about The Pigeon looming....but it is not my concern. I tried to explain the severity of the situation and how she should be shopping for an ornament. The Crown could be in jeopardy and what is so scary is The Tomato Picker has made no indication to the safety of The Crown. Perhaps she is still out in her garden picking the last of her 9,253 tomatoes. It is an honor and privilege to guard The Crown and if one shows up on that blessed evening with a crown that smells of mildew, has dust, cobwebs or tomato vines............well let's just say.........it will be scary! I feel the electricity in the air......... we are only about 8 weeks from The Annual Ornament Exchange (aka The Blessed Event) . It is highly secretive, competitive and violent. First of all they worry that the magical invite won't arrive...these women take their mission very seriously, they lurk around in stores looking for The Perfect Ornament to win, they skulk behind displays if they see another competitor also in the store, they wrap their offering in over sized boxes as a decoy, they steal wrapping paper from other stores to confuse people. They even hide it from each other before The Blessed Event no matter how much wine they drink....the secret remains until that night. Oh, they boast about it once The Perfect Ornament has been obtained. Most even have "a back up ornament" as there is panic on the morning of. Thoughts of ....Is mine worthy? Will I win? It is up to standards? Will I be humiliated? run rampant through their heads along with giddiness that tonight is The Night! They are excited yet relieved that once the night is over they have 1 year before they have to re-live it. At this point I have made a mental note to HIDE on that evening....if not for the entire day of.
As I sat in my chair at the kitchen table visiting with them I did note that Shirley and I do have big hair and we both speak Italian. I have 6 months to convince her to take me.
Ciao!