NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Onions"

"Onions"

© Nora Kasten

Oil painting on linen on board  (5" x 7")  From the archives

"It's hard to believe my good fortune yesterday to spend Thanksgiving, Italian style, with my friend, Louise Toresco and some of her family.  We arrived at her son, Ben and his wife, Valerie Toresco's beautiful home on Marco Island at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.  Hors d'oeuvres were served as we gathered together on the large lanai and visited .  .  .  .there were 10 of us.  At 3 o'clock what I thought was dinner was only the first seated course.  We all ate heartily of Italian fare . .  . I've started to list all the dishes we were served but there were just too many to count.

I should have started this with how beautiful Valerie's dinner table was set.  After the first course ended around 4:30pm and a quick pick up of dirty dishes, we visited some more on the lanai.  A Skype call to more of the Toresco family in New Jersey was a joy to behold.

We were seated again at 7 o'clock pm for the main course of turkey and a zillion side dishes, each one a delicious work of art on it's own.  By 9 o'clock pm we are all smiling, well fed and happy.  But that wasn't the end by any means.  Dessert was fine Italian pastries, apple pie, key lime pie, two ice creams, Louise's homemade cookies and on and on.  I haven't mentioned the drinks but it was anything you could possibly want including espresso with dessert.  

I am most thankful to all the Torescos' for including me with open arms and the warm hospitality each one extended to me."

Jett

The doctor continues to keep Jett in the hospital but the INR is gradually coming up.  It was 1.78 today.  Now, he has developed a good size cyst at the beginning of the first surgery incision that was a week ago last Tuesday.  The doctor said this sometimes happens and it may dissolve on it's own or he may have to use a needle to extract the fluid.  The good thing is that it is fluid and not blood.

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