PORTAL 52
Week 12 – ‘San Lorenzo Portal 3’
Three families shared the living space at 6 Via Blata when my mother-in-law lived there. It was a common custom for multiple generations of Italian relatives and extended family members to live under one roof, especially during tough economic times. It just made sense to share the workload and costs of living. The labour was divided, with all able bodies taking turns to work the land, milk the cows, make the meals, and care for the donkeys, pigs and other animals. My mother-in-law’s father was a butcher, so he offered his services to the other village residents when it came time to make the salami and sausage.
This is the ‘portal’ or passageway to their courtyard. Through these doors would pass the wooden cart carrying the harvested grains, mostly corn, and other necessities, to the back of the house. Since the grain required a dry storage place, it was hoisted up into the attic of the house directly above the bedrooms. This, of course, attracted a lot of mice, and was one reason almost everyone owned cats.
Next portal, we’ll take a peek through that hole in the door….