Italia: Day 3

I feel profoundly happy to not be covered in pet hair right now. This is a surprising aspect of my happiness right now, and one of which I'm enormously aware. I have not had to lint-roll myself since Monday morning! Tremendous. Happy Thanksgiving, American family and friends. Elia loves Thanksgiving so we are having a small one here. This morning, we went back to Mercado Centrale to pick up a few remaining items for tonight's meal, including our turkey from the turkey guy. Look at the sign they have hanging over the stall.

I inquired about the somewhat odd placement of the Stella di Davide, and the guy said, "I don't know. I'm Palestinian so it's not mine." His colleague said, "I think an American girl made this for us. It's about 15 years old now."

The whole thing tickled my funny bone.

Artichokes and porcini mushrooms are in season now- can you even get over the size of these mushrooms?? And the artichokes could not be fresher or more stunning, yes?

For lunch we decided on lemon and ricotta ravioli and a kale salad with apples, Parmesan and walnuts. These ravioli render you certain of dying of bliss. Dressed with a simple lemon butter sauce, each bite is a cloud of perfection.

Our apple pie is cooked, the veggies are roasted, the turkey is in. I made a cipollini confit, and we're making a cornbread dressing too. Hope you are all happy, healthy and well. Warmest wishes from across the pond.

Full of...

Love: for my husband, sons, extended family, dear friends, home, pets, blog, readers, health and good fortune. Gratitude: for all the help I kindly received today, my family, great babysitters, amazing books, having an empty seat next to me on this overnight flight, J.Brand jeans.

The warmest of wishes to you all!

Fantastic

People, the State Department's 19th St, NW, passport agency should be knighted. It is a shining example of just how beautifully and efficiently a government agency can and should run. I arrived at 8:15, and I was home before noon, new passport in hand. To a person, not one single employee -via phone or in person- could have been nicer or more professional. Smiles, kindness, help. It's everything the post offices and DMVs are not. Thank you!!! Because of all this, I was able to run home, walk Percy, visit with a friend (who'd come to walk Percy for me), eat lunch and tidy the house for my sweet family. I made the boys' beds and left them and T love notes. The dishwasher is purring, the bird feeder is full and my teeth are newly clean.

I am ready to head out and then sleep my way to Italy by way of Germany. Last night was rough. Poor J was up all but two hours or so. His tummy ached, he was crying. "Please don't go, Mom." I think the anticipation was infinitely worse than my absence will actually be. I've heard from carpool this morning that he was fine and from his teachers that though he teared up slightly, he then resumed being his regular chipper self.

Whew! Will write from Italy! Ciao!