NONO AND NONA

22 September 2017





Boys, N.. M. and Z.

At this time, you are still children  .   Papa and Mamma' presence  , your   soccer,  your  games ,
your days at  school ,   this is your  daily life.  You have no time to think about anything  else. It seems so natural to you  to have a Nono and Nona  to care for you and  bestow you  all the love you need. You are now enjoying a beautiful childhood and are unable to think that one day they will disappear , because  this is  the way of life itself and  it has a hidden meaning that you cannot understand now. The ties of love in your heart  have to grow  strong, without any obstacle,
so that one day  you  remember  and  are able to give love also .
This is the law of unconditional
love which makes this world a better world.

So many  youngsters, do not have these blessings.  You are privileged , reminder  this.

WHO IS YOUR NONA ?......

The years have left  no  wrinkles on her face because   she has  such a beautiful heart and mind.
Her beauty is natural , unaltered ,  it reflects what she is indeed.

Nona  has a fine chiseled face, heart shape, high cheek bones, a little nose, a thin mouth, long slanting grey  eyes  which she always keep  low as if she is following some inner thought or
some action she has to do. Her hair  is pale  blonde , thick  for her age ,  and  she  has it always
short  , of the same style.  Elegant and prude , humble but proud,  that is how I define her.

Very young,  at 18 years old, she stole the heart of  Nono, a handsome Sicilian, migrant himself.
A  photography of her on her wedding day  is hanging on the wall of   the living room..She was then  stunningly beautiful . I can understand why Nono refused to go back to his island with his family . Till now, you can see the love of Nono whenever  he looks at her.


              At this,   Nona just lowers her eyes as if nothing matters. She  then  had no words to
express herself.

Australia had just opened its borders to migrants . Both  were poor .  It was  too late  for them to attend any high school, so they could not afford any white collar job.   They had to acccept
whatever was offered to them.   Nono  obtained work  in  the market.  It was very hard for him, as every day, he rose at four o'clock  and  had to be there. But  for the love of his family, he did it.

What about Nona ?...  The salary of Nono was insufficient. With  other women in the same
situation , they joined together and start to sew drapers for babies in a garage. They did it for a few years, but  soon   pampers  came into  the market and they had to look for alternatives.

Now, with their savings,  Nono and Nona opened a  vegetable shop. They worked very hard,  and were  successful . They  could afford  to buy  their little  house , and were at ease for some time.

Around them, others did the same.  The Italian migrants started to do their  cheese, ham, sausages
and sell them . Every where,  little shops  opened  :   the butcher' shop,  the baker's shop,  the fish shop,  the grocery, the cake shop, the barber's shop..  As economy flourished, so fashion found its way. The seamstresses had lot of work and  import their magazines from Italy, Paris .

The road was busy  with all these people around, and  those were happy days when every body had an easier life., and started to relax.   Alas  !.. , it was too good to last, the big Sharks, found there an opportunity  to increase their riches, and wanted their shares of the boom.  They  opened everywhere big supermarkets.

This was a blow to the street  and the shop of Nono and Nona was next to one. They  had to close their shop and   to start over again.. Nona was pregnant of her third  child, time was pressing.

Nona  was a good cook.   She knows how to make  delicious pastries, cakes, stuffed  rolls .  So
they tried a snack bar.  Children after school, workmen  would come . She was very busy attending
to every body. Their situation improved,  but she was too tired.  She could no more.  Early in the morning, she had to wake up,  prepare  every thing, and  remain standing   for long hours.

During the day, her son and daughter stayed in a room downstairs. So  she had to do the stairs
every half hour  to see if they were ok.   It was very demanding.   Now  her legs were swollen.
As her time   to give birth approached, because of a larger family,  Nono and Nona had to take a difficult decision , they had to close the snack bar.

Luckily a parent of Nono who possessed a factory, offered him a job.  He  worked there up to his pension time. Nona  remained home to take care  of her children . Later, when those  were responsible enough,,  she went back to work in a vegetable shop  and had a trustworthy position.
There  she stayed until she was of age to be pensioned off.

Family is sacred for Nona, and up to now she is always  ready to give a helpful hand, whenever
asked for.  She would come to take the toddlers to the kindergarten and back. Every Friday,  Nona
would  prepare  schnilzels for  all the  family , she would go and  leave them at their place together with whatever  good  stuff she had in store. Her soups  and pastas are delicious with the meat balls which she herself  made , and there is always a big plate in the fridge at your place.  Her little children are never forgotten.

 She would suddenly appear with a cake, some pastry,  chocolates., all for your joy.   Though their meagre income ,  fruits are always available  on the table.  Nona knows how to choose them fresh.  You ,  boys  enjoyed.

Nono  himself knows  where to buy the best  meat, the best local wine and the latter is never missing on the table. Your grand parents   are warm people who
welcome   visitors   and make  them  feel at ease.   Nona  has always  some cheese  at her place, biscuits   for the hungry ones.

The time of coffee is sacred, and  Nona knows  the secret from her mother how to make  the
perfect one. The good  smell used to  pervade   the whole house and its environment.  I
myself could never refuse a second cup.

You boys, you know well, that there was never a day, you would not see your Nona.,
You were very demanding and spoiled , but   Nona  knew how to deal with you.
Dinner was ready , you had your juice and your little stomachs  could not complain.

 Remenber the days of " Thomas the Train.". For several years , Nono and Nona , had the custody
of the three  of you  after school and  they had their full ,  hearing   continuously   all the episodes
of the little train  and its songs. Yet they showed great patience, it was the price to pay for their
peace of mind.

 Poor Nono  had  to  let go his  beloved armchair to Noah, the little prince,  as well as his  best Italian chain on TV..   He had to  take refuge in the garage where he would  while away  time and give himself to his hobby : carpentry.   There he made benches,  small tables and other  little things for you.

Nono is not the talkative type, never intrusive, but is always ready to help. You can always count upon him .  There is none like him to take care of the little garden behind the house.  There he grows
green peas , brocholis,  tomatoes and  kitchen herbs. He knows  when to cut roses and how to treat
them.  Early in the morning, my daughter would see him  occupied in her garden,  removing  wild herbs, and taking  care of the plants, he himself had grown.

Nono and Nona were kind enough to give all of you  a place in their  home, while  alterations were being made to  your  house. This took much more time than expected. It was not easy for
them to give  up their room and bed for such a long time.  Sometime  two of you  would want  to sleep with your grandmother,   Nono would  then allow you to take his place near his beloved wife and he went to sleep in the godown.  He let you enjoy your grandmother 's presence.

Now, Nono and Nona have to sell heir house and they bought a smaller one so as to enjoy a
better income for  their old days. This last day at their place must have been very  hard for them,
to leave their home full of good memories .  But your papa and mama  were very touched ,
when you,  N.  and  M. took your bedcamp and  went to sleep at their place,  in their  bedroom
for the last time.  Surely,  you chatted a lot  before sleeping , so they did not have time to  be too
sad.

They  had resolved  to start anew their life in this  new place.   So they  had  new  furniture
around them and gave away what was not needed . They were  like  a  young couple.. We wish
them a happy retreat, as they  deserve it.

Before ending,  I wish to say something about the italian balls which  are  held regularly.
The old migrants have their club where they would regularly meet, and have society games.
Nono and Nona make it a must to attend to the balls , so as to meet their old friends. I once had
the priviledge of attending  one  and was very happy to be so welcomed.

 I like the tunes played by the  italian band .   They were romantic songs, waltz,  tangos ,  beautiful music that reminded them  of their  former youths.  Two  seniors  animated  the night with their violin.  It was a pleasure to watch all the ladies in their  elegant dresses and the men in their costumes gliding gravely on the floor.

I imagined what it cost them to be  in a new country,  to speak a new language,  to meet another culture, and adapt themselves. But they managed it and this ball  gathered every one of them, and
for a few hours they were allowed to live a dream , to remind  themselves of  their roots, and of  the members of their  family they  left  behind.  They  were able to share news about  them,  to speak about their villages,  and  new events  happening . It was  like a big family  gathering.

I was so happy to share these moments with them, but also was sad about the new generation who enjoys every thing their parents allow  them but are  unable to appreciate and share these pleasures
in their company.  These are precious moments, because they are the  last moments , last breaths
of a generation who sustained much hardship  to give them a better life. They ought  to give
them more time, to show compassion,  to listen to what they have to tell  , because they  have so much to share with  you , this   before it is too late.

A book was being closed, and  a new one  has been  opened.

You, boys will be able to think about every thing good you lived with Nono and Nona.
They are golden threads of your life and they show you the way. .  Nona always attends  her
Sunday mass.  She loves her Jesus dearly. Both your grandparents have been faithful to their
values.  They are examples for you.  Never forget them and pray for them.

Little grandmother
ARLETTE

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Dear BOYS

I never intended to write something about your Nono and Nona, but it came to me suddenly
that I could try.  I  regret not to be able to have  more stuff for my text because I am so far
and do not know if I shall be able to see them again. But, you one day, can add whatever you
have in your heart. make it more beautiful..

I myself  am just a passer by who want you to remember important things of your  little life.
I am so far from you. Although I spent the first six months caring for you,  I could not catch
up or were unable  to make myself more known and loved. I am  surely still a stranger to you.

I just hoped that later in life , you would wish to know more about   your family,
and will  take pleasure  in  reading  my writings.

Then  you will ask yourself one day  :  WHO WERE YOU, GRANDMOTHER ?....


ARLETTE.

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