I got this book for Christmas and finally finished reading it today. Unusual for me because I get through most books in three or four days.  Even Tileman commented last week, you're still reading that book.  I told him, yep it takes me awhile when I can't get into a book.  The only reason I kept coming back to the book is because Gilbert has a great descriptive voice.

Yesterday was Tileman's birthday.  Upon coming home, he opened the birthday card my mother sent.  There were prints from our family photo shoot back in December.  Tileman looked at the one of just him, me, and our girls.  The Little One has this look; she was not cooperating on picture day.  Tileman said, "Oh a look great grandma would be proud."  Tileman's maternal grandmother was as Italian as they come, I've been told.

What got me laughing about the comment was I had just finished reading Gilbert's description of the old medicine man's wife she visited in Bali; "She's got that fierce old lady vibe you see sometimes in Italian widows..."  Apparently one does not have to be old or a widow to have that vibe.

Tileman said his grandmother was good at it and one of his friends' mother.  He said, his friend would get in trouble and his mom would look at him, and the stare went right through and made Tileman feel guilty for something he didn't do.  And now it seems our little one can channel great grandma's Italian vibe too.  I could use some of that vibe.  The look I gave Tileman when he made the comment about my sister's email wouldn't even melt butter.  Alas there is too much German in this woman.