IT DON’T MATTER 26 New Beginnings

The farm in the Valley
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We sent our belongings to our vineyard in the valley to be stored in the warehouse that was already completed.  

The house was nearing completion but not ready to move into.  We had packed our clothes and went straight to the city on a hill to our home there.  

For three nights we stayed in a hotel because we had no furniture.

I hoped that having Nan pick out all the household furnishings would keep her busy and not be thinking about me buying the house without consulting her.  

The merchants were anxious to sell the things we needed and started moving items into the new house as soon as we bought them.  By the fourth day the place was fully furnished.  

After Nan and Lucia cooked a couple of meals things began to settle down.

Adamo and Lucia had been married before leaving the home place so they only needed one bedroom which was helpful.

After one more day Adamo and I headed to the valley to try to expedite finishing the new houses at the vineyard.  As the rooms were finished we moved the furnishings from the old home place in and it was almost like we were still at our old home.

I had trouble keeping Adamo working on the house for he wanted to get started on the vineyard.  It took a couple more weeks but at last it was time to bring the family to our valley.

When the family arrived they were thrilled to be there.  Nan said, “You can keep the house in town for here is where I want to be.”  

I’m not sure but I think it had something to do with our familiar old furnishings and household goods that made her so comfortable.

There was an apartment added on for Lucia and Adamo so at last they had some privacy.

Bessie hung out with Adamo and helped him with starting the vineyard.

The boys, Mark and Matt couldn’t decide what they wanted to do so I had to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn’t get into trouble.

One day it was horses and the next day it was hunting in the woods behind our house. The vineyard complex was a long way from being completely finished but was far enough along to live in.  In fact it would be three or four years before we stopped adding on to it.

The city house was very comfortable and I thought it was time to let Nan express her feelings about what I had done without consulting with her, for we only discussed it briefly.

Surprisingly she wasn’t that upset by the whole thing.  She indicated she would like to spend a good portion of the time in the city where the children could attend a proper school.  

At the same time she was excited about the vineyard we were putting in.

Adamo wanted to talk to me about his younger brother Aldo and bringing him over to help him build the vineyard.  He concluded that Aldo was better educated than he was and had worked with the grapes since he was a small child.

I said I would need to think it over for along with him coming I would be assuming the responsibility of caring for him.

Finally needing experienced help won out and he sent for him.

A month later Aldo arrived with very little baggage except for his young bride Alcee.

Adamo was as surprised as I was.  Lucia pulled Aldo aside and asked, “How old is your bride?  

He said, “As far as customs knows she is nineteen but she is actually sixteen. She wanted to come to America and I wanted an Italian wife so we got married.  She wrote her folks and mailed it just before we boarded the ship.

They know by now she is married though not to their satisfaction for we were not married by the priest of our parish.”

Nan had a few clothes from before we got married that would fit Alcee for she had very little in the way of clothes.

Adamo wanted to have a little party for the newlyweds and Nan and I agreed it would be okay.  It was a small party but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  

A month ago I had started building a small house for the newlyweds and it was finished enough for them to move in and start their life together.

Starting the Vineyard
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Adamo had hired a few hands to help get the vines planted and after another month it was beginning to look like the beginning of a large vineyard.  

We were looking to the future by setting up drying racks for drying grapes into raisins and the shell of the building for making wine was done.

There was no hurry to finish it for it would a couple of years before we had enough grapes to deal with.

Nan took the girls, Lucia, and Alcee to the city for a shopping spree.

Lucia had difficulty keeping Alcee from buying everything she saw and things she couldn’t afford.  She thought since they were in America they were going to be rich and could buy anything they wanted.

After Lucia told her that one of the dresses she picked out cost more than Aldo made in a month she was shocked.  

Alcee shouted, “I didn’t come to America to be poor; I was already poor in Italy.”

Lucia tried to settle her down but she was out of control.

Nan told Lucia to watch the girls and she shook Alcee until she quieted down.  All the people in the store were watching and the store owner came and told them to leave without purchasing anything.

Nan was humiliated and she picked baby Martha up and took Bessie’s hand and said, "Let's go!"

She told Lucia, "Let’s get something to eat and then you take this child bride to the railroad station and take her home."  

Nan and the girls finished their shopping and stayed in their house in town. Bessie objected and said “I would rather stay at our real home instead of here.”

Nan said there is still more shopping to do tomorrow and also some business I need to take care of for your father.

The next morning the girls readied themselves for the day’s activities.  Nan had hired a maid to care for the place in town and Martha was to stay with her while Nan and Bessie went out.

They arrived at the railroad station and Bessie said, “Are we going home without Martha?”

Nan said, “No we have to meet some old friends, someone you might know.”

They could hear the whistle blowing announcing the arrival of the train as it approached the station.  They had to step back as it let off steam on it’s final approach.  

 

After seeing several people get off the coaches Bessie shouted “I see them, its grandpa, and grandma.”  

After the hugging and kissing subsided Nan said I have a coach to take your goods to our home.  The ride to their home was filled with questions and happy hugs by Bessie for she couldn’t get over her surprise.  

 

Nan said tomorrow we will shop and then the next day we will go to the vineyard.

Then it occurred to Nan, “They are moving here not just visiting.”

She then thought “It don’t matter” for they are welcome to stay.