Under the Tuscan sun

Lastnight I was out till all hours, something that hasn't happened that much in the past couple of years since I got married and my wings have been clipped.

I was out on Hertel with my friend Jane and in the middle of the night when you would think we would be heading home, these big Sicilian guys showed up with this bottle of the best Tuscan red wine you could dream up. And they began pouring it for themselves and us, into these big globe wine glasses. Who could resist? Not I!

I can never resist Sicilian guys which is how I wound up writing this book about Leonard Pennario.

Anyway, whenever it was I finally got home, I tried to creep about quietly so I would not awaken Howard. I closed the bathroom door carefully and was brushing my teeth. Then my cell phone rang. And I saw Howard's name on the screen.

He must not be asleep, I thought. He must still be downtown. Howard has been known to spend eons at Big Blue, practicing the piano, puttering around, etc.

"Howard," I said into the phone.

"Where are you?" he said.

"I'm home. Where are you?"

"I'm home."

"Oh. I'm in the bathroom."

"I'm in the bedroom."

What idiocy is this?? After that I went to bed. This morning I awoke with a migraine. It must have been that wine. I did not drink that much of it but it was late -- usually I am in bed at that hour -- and I hadn't eaten much either. You have to eat huge meals while you're drinking wine. That is the secret.

I get an unusual kind of migraine. I don't get head pain, but my vision is screwed up. This is a bad day to have this problem because tonight is the night I have to go to the Italian Festival -- yep, back to Hertel -- and defend my title in the Cheese Building Competition. You have to stack Sorrento Cheese Sticks on top of each other and build a tower. I am the reigning champion from two years ago and this year if I win I stand to win a thousand bucks for St. Anthony's Church.

Leonard Pennario and I realized we had in common that we both got migraines. We liked that about each other. Pennario once had to play a concert while he had one. I can't remember at the moment what concerto it was but this morning I was thinking, if he could play Mozart's "Coronation" Concerto, or whatever it was, with a migraine, I can sure as heck build a tower of cheese.

Wish me luck!