Jenn Martinelli Blogging in Boston

I got a call around 10pm last night from my mom, which is unusual, as she is typically asleep by that time. It started the way you never want a phone call from family late at night to start: "We have a bit of an emergency situation here..."

Luckily it was an emergency that you can recover from. My brother Dan broke his collarbone falling down "stupidly" on some gravel in the road while visiting my parents for Christmas in Knoxville. He broke his right collarbone so his right arm is basically immobile and he's flying back to Providence today and can't drive himself home.

Rob and I are renting a car and driving down there to get him. I'll drive his car home for him and Rob will follow.

Dan has to make an appointment right away with his orthopedist and find out what he needs to do going forward and how long he will take to heal. We are all hoping that since the ski/snowboarding season has gotten such a late start, it goes nice and long so he can get a lot of sb-ing in! Also we are hoping for a fast recovery.

Oh, Dan! What are you thinking breaking yourself, and not even doing something awesome like snowboarding?

We are all glad you will be OK. Boston is only 20 minutes away if you need anything!

Happy Mother's Day Mom! Here are some fun photos in your honor.

Note: several new pictures added today 5/9/2011!

Mom pregnant with me, sitting in their apartment in Manheim, PA. I don't remember this place, we moved to Maple Street in Lebanon when I was about a year old. Notice the awesome clock on the wall!

Mom showing off apparently her big pregnant belly and also a baby carriage. Please note you can almost see what's on the TV! I wonder what it was? Also, the bookshelf made from bricks and planks of wood - awesome. And that dual framed photo on the shelf still exists, probably still in that frame. From one of my parents' first camping trips. I THINK in Colorado.

And here are my parents with baby me, very soon after I was born. Obviously my mom looks young in all these photos but this one really strikes me - my parents look like kids! Like teenagers! (They weren't.) Crazy. Also, I love the t-shirts.

My mom holding me at Patrick's first birthday. Judy holding Patrick on the left as he attacks his cake. We grew up together and he is 4 weeks older than me.

I'm not sure what this event is, maybe 4th of July or Memorial Day. This is at the Murphys' too, looks like a picnic. I would guess this is about 1979. That's little blond me!

Here is Mom from our "girls only" vacation in 1994. This is at the top of Lily Mountain in Colorado. Years later I took Rob and Heather and our dogs Billy and Cleo on this hike in May but there was too much snow at the top and we lost the trail - never made it to the summit!

This is Mom on our trail ride on the same "girls only" vacation from 1994. We had a fun trip!

And of course here we are in Venice, from September, 2009 when my parents were lucky enough to be living in Italy. I have been dying to go back ever since. So many beautiful places, and delicious food and wine. Food is very important in our family.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!

A very happy fourth birthday to my smart, funny, clever, strong, kind, thoughtful, generous niece, known as Hester Willa here (for her privacy).

I love you Hester Willa! I hope you are having a marvelous birthday!

My dad alleges that New Jersey drivers "regularly" drive the wrong way down one-way streets. Oh, Keyrock.

This was his way of explaining that my cousin Kristin and her mom, my Aunt Judy should not have been at all surprised or alarmed when he drove down a one way street the wrong way in Sienna, Italy, because they live in New Jersey and should be used to this type of behavior.

Here is the ultimate proof.

The story goes that my dad played the accordion as a kid. He even won some competition. When I was little I supposedly walked into a room and startled him and he dropped and broke it. And that was the end of the accordion. At least this is the story I remember.

On a recent trip to Lithuania he was convinced to play again but apparently all he could/would do is use the buttons and open and close it, not play the keyboard, so you can see he is getting some help there.

He has now been instructed to learn to play again while he's in Italy and that I expect a concert upon my parents' permanent return to the US in a few years.

Go Keyrock!

Belatedly, thanks for the birthday flowers Mom and Dad! Here is a photo. They're very bright and lovely! Also, I'm sure you'll notice some other items of interest in this photo.

OK, not really a shore but it's a line from some Christmas song. I'm visiting my parents in Knoxville. I got in yesterday afternoon and my mom picked me up to take me to her office and meet everyone she works with. They're all these sweet southern women (and one lone man) who all call each other "Miss Phyllis" and "Miss Susan" etc. They were very nice and my mom predictably dorked it up. Then we went to a yarn store and she got some yarn for me to make her a scarf and also to make myself a scarf.

For her we got chunky weight baby alpaca by Plymouth Yarns. This stuff is ridiculously soft. We got two colors and I already finished her scarf - held the two strands together and crocheted it with a huge hook I had with me. She says she thinks she might have to get a whole lot of this stuff and have me make something bigger like a blanket.

For me we got this really cool thick/thin hand dyed wool yarn that I'm going to make an awesome scarf with too. I've been wanting something really colorful and funky to make a scarf with, so I'm excited. It's a beautiful blend of bright blues/turquoise and shades of green and purple. I think it will be really awesome.

We had a big dinner out with my dad and then came back to their house and looked at some photos from their vacation earlier in the summer to Europe. I spent a little time holding their kitty Simon against his will but he's warming up to me. He came to see me this morning while I was getting ready all on his own and even let me rub his belly for a second.

That's it for now.

Since I have such a vast readership, you may not all know this yet - my parents are moving early next year.

Here.

Um, yeah.

I will be accepting reservations to visit them beginning in early 2008. Please contact me early as Casa de Martinelli may book up fast. (Preference given to immediate family and pseudo-family.)