What's up with the title?

"Al dente" is an Italian culinary term meaning "to the bite," or literally "to the tooth."  It's used to describe the correct degree of doneness for pasta and vegetables.  "Bambine" is the Italian for girl (pl.)

Why Italian, you ask?  Because the Irish don't have a culinary term for "the correct degree of doneness."  Actually, I don't think we have any culinary terms at all.  In any case, since I speak no Italian, I've probably screwed up the number and gender.  Ha!

How does this blog work?

The subject line is a question you've asked (or, in this case, haven't asked).  The body will be the answer.  The dates are made up; I've backdated some posts so they fit the narrative of the important part of the story.

The blogging software I'm using tends to place posts in reverse chronological order, with the idea that blog readers will check in regularly.

I recommend using an RSS feed (I strongly recommend Google Reader) if you want to get the updates.  With an RSS feed, you'll get the updates as they're published without the need to check this particular site.  Google Reader has changed the way I read on the Internet, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Why a blog?

Because we've been trying to keep in touch with too many people by less efficient means, like phone and text messages.

Because a lot of you are asking the same questions, and sometimes we come up with the answers after we've already talked or texted with you once.

Because maybe someday, Anna and Evelyn will be 14 year old girls who decide to ego-surf the Internet archives, and I want them to come across the story of how their mother is an amazingly strong woman.