Our family comes from Rauscedo, a village in Friuli, the most northeastern region in Italy, bordered by gorgeous beaches, the Alps and Venice. During my lifetime, it has transformed itself from a poor village of emigrants to Argentina, Australia, England and Canada, to an affluent cooperative that sells its grape vines around the world.

Lately, they have been producing and sellling more of their own wines. Prosecco has become my go-to wine for special occasions. I wish the one from Cantina Rauscedo were available here. My daughter and I had some when we visited Rauscedo two years ago and it was delicious! – Maria

This is one of the guides in my life. I know it’s a cliche, you see this everywhere, but for me, it’s the key to a good life. Keep your heart open, laugh at life, have a strong work ethic, and be a nice person. It’s not always possible and often I trip up, but it’s how I strive to live. I have this motto in a small frame on one of my walls as a reminder, especially when things go sideways, to pick myself up and try again. – Cris

I love jigsaw puzzles, specifically the 1000 pieces ones. Often after completing them, I frame them. For example, I gave my father one of a mountain setting and I have one of Shakespeare. However, I am the kind of person who has a hard time stepping away from the puzzle once I have begun, so I have not started one in several years.

Then, recently someone brought one in to work and it is available for everyone during our breaks. I generally add a piece or two and then head back upstairs before I get too hooked. I am enjoying seeing it come together through our shared effort. it is also interesting to see the strategies used; some people, including my father when he worked on puzzles during the last few years of his life, group the pieces by colour. I always complete the border first.

Does anyone have suggestions for what to do with puzzles after they’ve been completed? Framed puzzles are kind of tacky . . . – Maria

If I had a house I would paint it yellow or turquoise, like the houses I saw in St. John’s. When I was a kid my mother bought me a book “Mr. Pine’s Purple House”. I passed it down to my kids and it’s still somewhere in a box. Mr. Pine got so tired of his house being exactly like all the others on his street. He added a bush, they all added a bush. He added a tree, they all added a tree. Finally he painted his house purple, and they painted their houses too, but not purple. White, yellow, blue, red, green. I want a yellow house. My sister wants a red door.

What colour would you choose for your house? – Cris

Does anyone still have one of these CD towers? or any CDs to fill one? We are a family that loves music so, along with books, I also have lots of CDs, including Frank Sinatra, of course. Yes, I do have a CD player, but I am so busy when I am home that I never think to put on any music.

In order to minimize the feeling that the CDs are just taking up sentimental space, I would rotate them as my companions on my drives to my mother’s house. The problem is that my current vehicle does not have a CD player. Either I make more of an effort to listen to them at home or they will have to leave the premises.

What did you do with your CDs and tapes? – Maria

Author