Good-bye

On Sunday, my family received the sad news that my Nonno (Italian for Grandfather) passed away. He was 87 years old. He was so very loved, and we will miss him so much. We are trying to dwell on the priceless memories we have altogether, and there are many.

Here are some of my favorite memories with my Nonno......

• When I was a child he would sit me on his lap and sing me a little Italian Nursery Rhyme while swaying me back and forth. It is called Ba-ding, Ba-dong, and at the end, he would fling me back and I would giggle with glee. My brothers remember this as great fun too.
• The many summers we spent at the cabin in Pinecrest together, hiking around the lake, jumping into Cleo's Baths, getting an ice cream at Strawberry, and playing cribbage on the porch at Pogo's Lodge.
• Picking green beans, apricots, and lemons in his backyard with him.
• Having Nanna and him take us all to Hawaii when I was in the fourth grade. What a gift!
  
• Enjoying big Italian dinners together homemade by Nanna or from the delicatessen they frequented.
• Talking with Nonno about his many travels around the world and looking at the photos in his picture albums.
• Helping me through my Master's program with a generous loan. I wouldn't have been able to do it without their help, and they were so gracious about the timing with me paying them back.
  
• Visiting them when I was at a teacher conference and having them treat me to dinner out and the musical Urinetown together in San Francisco.
  
• Introducing Nonno to my children, his great grandchildren, what a smile they brought to his face.
  
• Visiting him last year with my Dad and the kids while I was pregnant with Luci. He helped us take the kids to Fairyland even. They sat on his lap throughout the weekend and cuddled him while they watched movies together.
  
• Having him at my brother Andrew's wedding last year is so memorable. The first time the whole side of the family had been together in 18 years! I was so proud of Nonno for flying for the first time since his stroke. What a fighter he was.
  

He will be sorely missed. We all love you Nonno!