My Rita

I was planning on showing you our senior citizen friends, and some of their cute costumes.(see yesterdays' blog)..and then I thought maybe I shouldn't show their pictures without their permission; but, I can show you my Rita. She (along with a few others) didn't want to dress in a costume, and that was just fine.

Rita (who is a widow) grew up in Italy and married an American serviceman right after World War II. I try to get stories out of her about what it was like living through World War II....and the Mussolini years..and sometimes she shares . One of her stories is about when air raid sirens would go off.  She was to gather apples in her apron, her sister potatoes, and meet he family in the caves. When people would hear how they hid in those caves with only potatoes and apples to eat for days on end, they were horrified. Rita's response was always. that they were very fortunate compared to others. . There are times, I feel like she doesn't want to remember those days.

I thought when I signed up for this program that I would be making someones life happier. To my surprise it has  worked both ways. She fills a void in me. I miss both my Mom and my Grandmother and I cherish my visits with Rita.

click on picture to enlarge

So if you are thinking about volunteering to do something. Don't hide under the rug. Get out there! :)

and come back tomorrow....Janey