a gnocchi by any other name

Pretty much the entire world calls these little dumplings gnocchi. Except for my family, Big Grandma called these cuyetta. I'm starting to believe it might have been a regional thing to call them cuyetta, there is one other person on the internet whose family also calls these cuyetta. His Italian grandfather was from a small village in the Alps in the Piedmont region of Italy. Big Grandma's parents are both from a village about 25 miles south of that one. I don't believe this is a coincidence.  

These babies are resting before I toss them in some knock off olive garden chucken gnocchi soup. 

ashes

Lent has begun

my dad

As a family, we have been sitting by his bed in the nursing home since about 6pm last night. It is 4 am. Some have arrived later, some have left. 

He is still here.

But he is tired. And small.  And frail.

He's ready to go home.