Love in Italy

-32-

-Tuesday Febuary 21st-

Today is the last day of Carnevale! Carnevale in Italy is the week leading up to Ash Wednesday. Today is Shrove Tuesday aka the last day before lent. In our town, we have a little festival to celebrate Carnevale. Aunt Stella and I make traditional food and desserts. Ms. Lori has a gelato stand. Usually, a few local musicians play, we have games set up, and face painting. Sometimes they set up a Ferris wheel, but it depends. It's not as grand as Carnevale is in the cities, but it's still fun. The Carnevale usually starts around 4:00 since that's when everyone is out of school.

Right now it's 3:30 and Aunt Stella and I are finishing up the plates of food before we bring them over to the center of town.

"Matteo, can you go pick up your sister?" Aunt Stella asks.

"Sure Mom." Matteo says and leaves to pick up Bella

I have finished the crostoli (ribbons of fried dough with sugar on them), ricotta pancakes, and castagnole (sugar dough balls filled with custard and chocolate). All I have left now is to fill the cannolis.

Aunt Stella and I finish making the food around 3:45 and pack it all up.

"I think that's everything." Aunt Stella says wiping her hands on her apron. "We should go get ready. I don't think sweatpants and tee shirts are proper Carnevale attire."

"Alright. I'll be back."

I go up to my room and change into ripped light blue jean shorts and a black blouse.

"I'm ready." I say, coming downstairs.

"Good. Matteo texted me and said he would meet us at the Carnevale with Bella."

"Okay."

Aunt Stella and I grab all the food and start walking over to where everything was set up. We get to our table and start laying out the food on plates and putting up little cards saying what everything was. We also set up napkins for people to take food with and a stack of paper plates.

We finish setting up at 4:05 as everyone is arriving.

Someone taps me on the shoulder and I turn around to look at who it is.

"Oh, hey Bella! How was school?' I ask.

"Good! Can I have some crostoli?" She asks, using her puppy dog eyes.

"You got to ask mom."

She sighs and walks over to where Aunt Stella is standing.

A little while later, I see Amara and Gabby walking over.

"Hey Nat." They say in unison.

"Hey girls."

"Guess what! They got a Ferris wheel this year!" Gabby exclaim taking some cannolis with a napkin.

"Really?"

"Yeah. But it's one of the small ones, so only 2 people per basket." Gabby says, smirking. I know exactly what she's thinking. We get Matteo and Amara to ride it together.

"What are you guys talking about? Also, can I have a cannoli please?" Rafael asks, coming up to the table.

"The Ferris wheel." I answer, handing him a cannoli.

"Oh. Well, I wanna go with Nat."

Gabby rolls her eyes. "Obviously, you idiot. You're dating. I think I'm going to go on with Bella."

"Hmm? Did someone call my name?" Bella asks from where she is standing by her mom.

"Yeah. Do you wanna go on the Ferris wheel with me?" Gabby asks.