Remo Bertolli tells himself

Last of three brothers, I was born on 23rd Januar 1922 in Olevano 
di Lomellina ( PV ). My parents were farmers, my mother had a sensitive
nature and was really wise, and, even if she was illiterated, she found 
always the right word for us children. I had a wonderful childhood, 
between people, in contact with the nature and the animals of daily farm.
The first fourteen years I lived in Olevano (eight hundred inhabitants) and
they gave me an unforgettavble remember.
If today I love and protect the nature the reason is for those years … in 
spring, after the school and homeworks we were used to play " bandiera"
and " lippa" in the church square, and then running into the grass with
bare-foot.
In summer our sea was "Pora" and "Germanon ", two irrigation canals for
the countryside, or the Agogna torrent sluice where we used to swim; and
when we were eight years old we were already able to dive.
Olso in winter we had our sport centre, the water into the flood field in order
to product the ice for the cheese farm so it begun our skating rink; sliding 
with our wood cloc, it was so funny…
When we were ten yars old in order to ern some money I starter to work first 
as a apprentice in a shoemaker farm, then as a apprentice in a butcher's and
for a little period I took grazing the cows.
Working into the butcher's was not pleasant; I worked there for a shor periode
(I couldn't the animanls died). I starded againd to work with the shoemaker, 
until I was 14 years old; I look at my teacher who from the leather for the soles,
wave by wave, he built a shoe, then tested it, he caressed them as they were
alive, so he smiled happy for his job.
With him I learned to created a sghoe by nothing and filling the leather of the 
shoe with my hand, to sew, to give the finishing touches, and what a pleasure,
when the " Master" told me: Remo, you are really good…