Trombetti: To all the women who act like mothers, a big thank-you hug
The earliest memories I can recall of missing my mother happened repeatedly on Saturday nights, when I was about three years old. Saturday was when she and my father attended dinner and dance celebrations organized by the Italian community in Ottawa. They would both get all dolled up. My sisters and I would stay home with a sitter.
Article content
Article content
At that tender age, I decided that Saturday was the worst day of the week. Sure, my older sisters were off school and could play with me; we had time for a leisurely breakfast; and we visited Nonna and Nonno who were so delighted to see us. But Saturday was the day of abandonment, and my mother would take off dancing with my father and friends.
Article content
Article content
'What are you doing?' I would ask, as she deftly sat down in the bathroom parlour chair and examined her face in the mirror. 'Nothing, Bella,' she would respond quickly as she lined her lips and brushed her shiny bouffant hairstyle. She was nonchalant, but I was not going to be had. The traitorous spray of perfume was the last straw. 'I know you're going out!' I would yell at the top of my lungs. 'You're leaving us!'
Article content
She would turn gently and smile at me, as good mothers do everywhere, and hug me. 'I'll be back before you know it, Bella. And Mrs. Carson is coming tonight. You'll be able to colour with her and have some special treats.'
Article content
Article content
As we celebrate wonderful moms everywhere, my mother and I laugh at those infantile outbursts and reflect on the many women who have had a hand in growing her three daughters into what we are today.
Article content
The reality is that for those few hours my mother was out with my father, Mrs. Carson was indeed a pretty good replacement. She was huggable, forgiving, kind and jolly, always smiling, and she had an inventory of creative activities up her sleeve to keep my mind off the obvious.
Article content
Article content
When my sisters and I went to Italy to visit relatives, our Aunt Lia was a doppelganger for our mother. Without children of her own, she had a fun, playful side to her, and became our Italian mother and grandmother in one person. We loved visiting her. She listened to all our dreams and fears without judgment, soaked up our worries and was supportive of the young, curious and disciplined women that we would become.
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Messi back with Argentina and Ancelotti debuts with Brazil in South American World Cup qualifying
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's new coach Carlo Ancelotti is getting a little help from his old friend Casemiro as he prepares for his debut in South American World Cup qualifying at Ecuador. Meanwhile star Lionel Messi is expected to play Thursday for Argentina at Chile after a seven-month absence. Veteran midfielder Casemiro, who has had success with the Italian coach at Real Madrid, is likely to be a starter in a match Thursday that could ease the pressure on Brazil, currently in fourth position in the standings. A home win could also put Ecuador close to its berth in the World Cup. The 37-year Messi seems to be in shape to return for Argentina. His most recent game for the World Cup champions was in November 2024. A muscle injury prevented him from playing in the March doubleheader, in which Lionel Scaloni's team secured its spot to defend its title. Argentina leads the round-robin competition with 31 points in 14 matches. Ecuador (23), Uruguay (21), Brazil (21), Paraguay (21), and Colombia (20) could secure direct births this month. The seventh-place team, which will advance to an international playoff, could be Venezuela (15 points), Bolivia (14) or even Peru (10) and Chile (10). Also on Thursday, Paraguay will host Uruguay. Friday's matches are Colombia vs. Peru and Venezuela against Bolivia. Ancelotti keys on returning players Ancelotti has been very communicative with returning players Casemiro and striker Richarlison. Both players were in Brazil's starting lineup in the 15 minutes allowed for journalists to watch practice at the Corinthians training ground in Sao Paulo. Next week, Brazil will prepare at the same venue for the match against Paraguay. Raphinha, who is suspended for the game in Guayaquil, will return to the team next week. Defender Alexsandro, who also hopes to have his national team debut this month, said he was excited about Ancelotti's interest in long conversations with his players. The Italian is still learning Portuguese, but managed to get his message across in Spanish, the Lille player added. 'I saw after our trainings he is very communicative, always asking questions, willing to know more, giving tips. That's important for us to grow, get all the experience and the achievements he has,' Alexsandro said Tuesday. 'We need to take this to the next few matches, qualify and get to the World Cup.' Defender Marquinhos, who had his first training with Ancelotti on Tuesday after lifting the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, said Ancelotti's arrival will boost Brazil's chances to add a sixth star to its crest. 'You can see that the arrival of our coach brings this energy for the start, it is about something new coming. This short run until the World Cup, having this energy, it will be very important,' Marquinhos said. Messi returns among other new faces Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Messi's return will add to three new faces Argentina is expected to feature against Chile, if their first training session was an indication. Defenders Kevin Lomónaco (Independiente) and Mariano Troilo (Belgrano), and striker Franco Mastantuono, the 17-year-old River Plate targeted by major European clubs, are likely to get tested. Scaloni will have to decide who will replace defender Nicolás Otamendi, who is suspended for the match at the National Stadium in Santiago. His main options are Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina. Suspensions and injuries will also force Argentina to change its midfield. Alexis Mac Allister was ruled out, while Enzo Fernández and Leandro Paredes are suspended. Frequent starter Rodrigo De Paul is expected to be joined by Giovanni Lo Celso and Exequiel Palacios. ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
French Open: Lorenzo Musetti beats Frances Tiafoe to reach the French Open semifinals
PARIS (AP) — Lorenzo Musetti used his sleek one-handed backhand and sprint-then-slide court coverage to reach his first semifinal at the French Open, and second at a Grand Slam tournament, by beating Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 Tuesday in the same stadium where he won a bronze medal at last year's Olympics. The eighth-seeded Musetti, a 23-year-old Italian, improved to 19-3 this season on red clay. When the match ended, he rolled up the right sleeve of his green shirt and flexed his biceps. He'll face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Tommy Paul on Friday for a berth in the championship match. Musetti and No. 1 Jannik Sinner — who faces unseeded Alexander Bublik in the quarterfinals Wednesday — gave Italy two male quarterfinalists at Roland-Garros for the first time since 1973. Tiafoe also was part of a rare duo: He and Paul were the first American men to get to the round of eight in Paris since Andre Agassi in 2003 — and the first duo to do it in the same year since Jim Courier and Pete Sampras in 1996. And the 15th-seeded Tiafoe, a 27-year-old from Maryland, made it all the way to the quarterfinals without dropping a single set. But he was not quite up to the task against Musetti, who was a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2024, and it showed right away. Wearing a chain around his neck with a pendant reading 'Big Foe' in capital letters, Tiafoe missed all eight first serves in his initial service game and sent a backhand wide to give Musetti a break and a 2-0 lead. He looked up at his coach, David Witt — who's worked with Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula in the past — and complained about the wind. The deficit was 3-0 after 13 minutes. By the time that set was over, 21 of Musetti's 30 points had arrived via mistakes by Tiafoe, nine forced and 12 unforced. Two-time U.S. Open semifinalist Tiafoe's first break delivered a 2-1 lead in the second, and when he smacked a forehand winner to even the match at a set apiece, he let out a roar and shouted, 'Let's go! Let's go!' During that set, Musetti was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct for kicking a tennis ball that inadvertently hit a linesperson. Unlike most top-level tennis tournaments, which rely on electronic line-calling, there are still humans on court at Roland-Garros to decide whether shots land in or out. The point of the match came in the third set's sixth game. Musetti stretched wide of the doubles alley near the net to reach a shot at a seemingly impossible angle. Tiafoe then did the same in response, sending his near the baseline. Musetti ran and, with his back to the net, twisted his body to somehow flick a low ball back with a half-swing. It worked, though, and Tiafoe — perhaps startled to see the point wasn't over — netted an awkward, shoulder-high volley. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. That set swung Musetti's way when he broke in its last game. On a 12-stroke exchange, Tiafoe tried an ill-advised and ill-struck drop shot that the speedy Musetti got to, conjuring up a down-the-line backhand winner. Now it was his turn to celebrate, punching the air and yelling. Musetti broke again to lead 2-0 in the fourth, and soon it was over. He is now 13-4 in his French Open career, and three of those losses came against an opponent ranked No. 1 — Novak Djokovic twice, Alcaraz once. The only way he'll need to deal with the top-ranked man again in Paris is if it's his pal Sinner standing across the net on Sunday with the trophy in the offing. ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
This steak salad is a trattoria staple and the perfect summer lunch
Straccetti di manzo, which translates roughly from the Italian to 'little rags of beef,' is a trattoria staple. The cooking is minimal and quick, making this ideal for a weeknight dinner, but the beef must be thinly sliced. In this recipe from our cookbook ' Milk Street Backroads Italy,' we freeze the meat for about 20 minutes to firm it a bit, which allows a knife to glide through the grain. After a quick sear in a hot skillet, the steak slices go directly onto a bed of peppery arugula and sweet-tart tomatoes. We prefer tri-tip steak for this recipe, as it has great flavor and a tender texture. Don't dress the arugula and tomatoes too far in advance or they will wilt and turn soggy. Wait until after the beef is sliced before tossing the veggies with the oil, lemon juice and salt. Also, don't stir the beef during the first three minutes of cooking. Allowing it to cook undisturbed will give the meat a chance to develop flavorful browning. Balsamic vinegar, reduced as it deglazes the pan, acts as tangy-sweet dressing when combined with vegetables. Shaved Parmesan, along with black pepper and a final drizzle of olive oil, are perfect finishing touches. Straccetti di Manzo Start to finish: 45 minutes (25 minutes active) Servings: 4 to 6 Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds beef tri-tip steak Kosher salt and ground black pepper 5-ounce container baby arugula 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar Parmesan cheese, for shaving Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. Directions: Place the steak on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until partially frozen, about 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the beef against the grain on the diagonal no thicker than 1/4 inch. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper; toss to coat. On a deep, wide platter, toss the arugula and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beef in an even layer; cook without stirring until only a little pinkness remains and some liquid has been released, about 3 minutes. Stir, redistribute in an even layer and cook until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Using tongs, place the steak on the vegetables, leaving the garlic in the pan. Add the balsamic to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium-high; cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Discard the garlic; pour the balsamic over the steak. Shave Parmesan over the top, then finish with additional oil and black pepper. EDITOR'S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball's Milk Street at
