Monday July 20, 11.00pm, Aunt G's bedroom

Today it poured with rain. Aunt G made me eggplant parmigiana and Uncle J absolutely creamed Dad at gin. Mom, Dad and I went to see Aunt L at the retirement home she lives in. We took her to Chipotle Mexican Grill (a chain) for lunch and to see Harry Potter and the Dark Prince. She wasn't too annoying, despite the reputation that precedes her, though by the end of the afternoon she had begun to stink of pee.

Mom didn't come to the movie with us and when it was time for us to all meet up again it was raining about as hard as it can rain. There was the briefest lull in which Mom decided to run across the street in her white blouse, with a plastic baggie over her head. She was an odd sight with the makeshift headgear and got soaked through anyway. We had to buy her a new shirt since Aunt L didn't want us to leave yet. Dad and I convinced her to buy a fitted scoop-necked shirt with stripes in beautiful shades of roses and blues. She looks great in it but probably won't ever wear it again because it fits her.

When we arrived home, Aunt G had not only made me macaroni with roasted tomato and chick-peas but also another eggplant parmagiana. This is because, last night, when I was not hungry exactly, but wanting to eat a few hours after a dinner of salad, pasta salad, string beans and bread. Mom and I were going to hard boil an egg and mix it with chickpeas and mustard, but Aunt G insisted on frying zucchini slices and onion. When my Italian aunts sautee vegetables it tastes much better than when I do, so the zucchini, chickpeas and egg tasted wonderful.

When I was pacing around in the kitchen trying to decide what it was I wanted to eat I kept saying what I really wanted was eggplant parmiagana. And, wallah, the next day, there it was. She doesn't take thank yous very gracefully.