Come dice il titolo sono state delle interviste con tutti i crismi, realizzate davanti al fasciatoio di Babacino con domande che sono state poste diverse volte ogni giorno (quando possibile) al ritmo di una volta nel corso di un cambio di pannolino o appena assolta questa incombenza.
In questo "progetto", la mia parte è stata quella assegnatami - come si conviene ad ogni intervistato-: mi sono limitato cioè a rispondere alle domande che mi venivano poste.
Maureen ha fatto tutto il resto, con autentico piglio giornalistico.
(Maureen L. Simpson) The Babacino Changing mat interviews of Mauri Crispi take place randomly throughout the day when Babacino has his nappy changed (at home that is!). This is typically a time when we have a smiling gurgling wriggling playing and 'talking' little monkey boy, quite an addiction in itself to behold - for us! In our family it's also a kind of a team building time in an off-beat kind of a way. And so I thought it the perfect opportunity to do snippet interviews with Mauri, the Book Eater&Drinker, Blogger, FaceBooker, Photographer, Running Race Guru, and Papi extraordinaire!
MS: Mauri, as we know you have a variety of books of varying themes being devoured at all times and these you broadly 'categorise', often according to the room you are in!
Since we are on the topic of Babacino, you have always been a real support and comrade during Babacino's many hours of eating, and of course, reading books definitely goes hand in hand with these times!
Can you name one or two books that you have been particularly impressed by that you have read so far during Babacinos eating times?
MC: 'Drood' by Dan Simmons is a book I started reading a long time ago, but it was put on hold due to it's complexity and it being difficult to read in small bites. I bought it in Italy after seeing a film of the novel. And so as it happens, I brought it to London and started reading it again from the beginning. I was able to enter the story very well and recently completed reading all 850 pages of the Italian translation.
This was actually alongside another book for the same room, called '.. the undead' by Dacre Stoker, a relative of Braem Stoker who wrote Dracula, but I would say that the book is not very well written.
Another book, a short novel, which I have just completed is 'La Balena e La Bamina' - in English:'The Wale Rider' - a mythical story.
This is a wonderful and fabulous 'fairy story' (but not about fairies of course) about a little girl belonging to a family with an old tradition transmitted via the chief - who is male - to the next in line. In this story, the transmission to the next chief is interrupted, because the little girl, his grand daughter, is not a male. But, the little girl has a gift, and she saves a pod of wales,and does some great things, and in the end the Grandfather believes in her and makes her the next chief.
22 August 18:30-ish
MS: Mauri, what are you most excited about when you think of the future with Babacino?
MC: All these are very complex questions. We will really only now this after a few years when we can respond to all the questions he'll be asking us, such as 'Mami when I grow up I want to be a shepherd / work in the waste services' etc. (haha!)
But I am most excited that when I am very old, perhaps the age of Methusela, I will have a son in his youth, perhaps in his 20's and it will be wonderful to experience in my old age, to be with Babacino. Also I am happy that Babacino won't be alone, he'll have Franci as his big brother and Franci won't be alone because he'll have Gabriel as his little brother. And they'll both be able to keep on with the Crispi name.
MS: Recently we had a lovely week with Franci visiting, and he met Babacino for the first time. What memory stands out for you, or what did you find most surprising or inspiring about the visit?
MC: I liked all the moments we were all together, especially playing with Babacino. I found Franci was really fond of his little brother. I liked all the days, it's hard to say which one is the best. I did like the visit to London Eye and Greenwich Village, because on those days we spent most of the day with Franci and we were all together.
Sat 24 Aug am
MS: Who are you most excited to introduce Babacino to in Italy? ; and this one too: What are you most excited about when Babacino is in Italy?
MC: I am excited to introduce Babacino to my brother Salvatore (Tata!) I would also have said Franci, but now they have already met.
Also to experience everyday life in Italy which will be the same as here but slightly different - different places to go and things to do and lots of people, and to be in the house of books.
MC: We have lots of childrens books already, some I bought myself because I am a big child and I love children's story books, and some are from when franci was little. So we can have books in both places
MS: Anything else Mauri?
MC: Yes, the graciousness of meals all together with Tatarone, and going all together to Altavilla, being in the shade of the Carob tree and the Olive trees, building stone walls together and watering all the plants, experiencing it all together.
When it will be cold, we'll build a fire in the fired place burning dried timber from the trees that had fallen in the summer storms.
Tues 27th Aug 7:30-ish am
MS: Mauri, we've now spent quite a few months together experiencing London, do you have any reflections or comments you'd like to say about London?
MC: Mmm... I like to go walking, taking pictures and discovering parts of London that I never knew about. I've always been in the more touristic parts of London, where as East London has a lot of different sites and places to visit, such as the Docks, and the canals. The thing I liked most was the trip on the London Eye which had a superb overview from a very big height.
MS: And Mauri, how do you find all the crowds of London?
MC: Here in Shadwell, there are not so many crowds, but it's quite an exotic place to be in, as you get so many Asian people, you feel as if you could be in a different city. But being in huge crowds I don't usually love, but you can always learn something from being an anonomous person in the crowd.
MS: As Babacino grows up, what sort of things would you like to introduce him to, other than books, of course!?
MS: What about running?
MC: Running will just be spontaneous, he will be involved with us, because we are already involved in running. I will introduce him, certainly, to bicycle-ing, as I did with Franci, and I'll introduce him to dogs, and he'll meet Frida soon! And to a love of nature and walking. When he is a little bit more grown up, but still a child, I'd love to take him on a long walk, stopping at hotels along the way, perhaps the first will be to walk along Hadrian s Wall!
The last question is via email because for a little time, while we wait for Babacino's passport to arrive, Mauri is in Italy and me and Babacino are in London. We felt as if the interviews needed one more little closing question, even though it is across the seas!
MS: Mauri, now that you are back home in Palermo, in the book house, seeing Tata and Frida and Raul and Franci and Nona Nica and Sophia and Signora Maria and Luciana and Aldo and everyone - and you've had some time to reflect on the last 8 weeks since Babacino came to us, do you have any extra little glimmers of ideas or wishes or thoughts about your new life, that you can share with our readers?
But, in the meantime, I am havong more time to do lots of things, so that when you and Babacino will arrive about the middle of September you will feel more and more confortable... And everyone was so disappointed and so many are asking me why you are not yet in Palermo. It seems that the people i know simply can't wait to meet babacino and you... But it won' take long!
And that's all for today! We hope you enjoyed our first interview. We may do more, watch this space! and here are some pictures, of course!