Dentist in Sapri

After riding around in trailers all day gathering stones and pulling bramble, Sebastiano took me into Sapri to get my tooth checked out by a dentist. Part of my cap fell off...gross. I mentioned it at dinner and everyone said ''you have real teeth?!?!'' Each person then pulled back their cheeks to show off all of their capped and/or fake teeth while Rick and I sat like the two kids at school without a Jeep/Ferrari Powerwheel.

The dentist was like any other routine visit except...I didn't pay a dime. I walked in, sat patiently in the waiting room...Dentist Teresa came out and welcomed me into room number one...she checked my out, filed the cap down, checked for infection and told me not to worry. No insurance...no money exchange...just some free peace of mind. Sebastiano stopped a pasticerria on the way back to celebrate...and to meet with the owner (the head of 'Slow Foods' for the region) about the farm becoming chief supplier of ricotta for his bakery. We sat and talked about some of his new ideas that he has yet to trademark...if my italian is correct, he is attempting a lavender flavored ice cream. I smiled and said ''wow, genius! That will taste amazing'' but I'll stick with nocciola.

Yesterday was our day off and we all walked to the beach together and picked up some things at the supermarket to have a picnic on the rocks by the sea. We are positioned at the bottom of the boot...right where the front of the ankle would meet the foot. So, when you look out at the sea, you can see the whole front tip of the boot curling up. It almost defines Italy. Like the witch in the Wizard of Oz, when her toes curl up...that's what you are looking at...and on a clear day, you can see it kicking Sicily like a soccer ball. It's brilliant. Small waves come in and, although its overcast with a few showers now and again, we sit on the rocks and enjoy the view. We talked briefly about ''My Super Sweet 16'' that stupid show on MTV about lavish birthday parties that the rich and famous throw their children. ''No white tiger mom...this is bullshit!'' We really had a good laugh about it and we all agreed that we were spoiled enough NOT having a life like that...Thank God my parents never bought me a Powerwheel (I broke the girls around the corner instead) and thank God my parents dragged me to church, fed me fried bologna and tucked me in every night. Whenever I'm away, I talk about my family and friends more and more to define myself...and I must say...Rick and I are pretty friggin' cool.

Tonight, over our seafood pasta dinner, we talked about the extinction of honey bees and Einsteins theory that the world will end with the absence of bees...I talked about my family as usual...recipes...music (Sebastiano loves southern rock and blasts the Allman Brothers while he cooks).