It’s the weekend!

We’re looking forward to dinner with friends this weekend and we’re going to a town dance party! It’s been a good long while since we danced.

Have a great weekend!

We returned from our Italian adventure two weeks ago and we haven’t stopped since we got home. It’s really nice to be back to our cozy home and familiar routines.

I’m trying to keep in my memory the Sardinian and Sicilian towns we visited, words I learned, and the names of foods that we ate. It was a packed trip and places tend to blur together. Was that Nuoro or Nora? Trapani or Taormina? I’m filled with pleasure when I think of the beautiful mosaics, bell towers, statues, and paintings. The pastas, sauces, olives, pastries. Sunsets. Sunrises. Hill towns, mountains, beaches, farmland. Palaces, ancient ruins, and cathedrals. The sound of Italian being spoken in the background, for days on end. I feel so fortunate to have had such a wonderful experience.

I’m easing back into the blog, but a bit distracted by end of fall activities and upcoming holiday events. I’ll probably post sporadically through the holiday season.

Here’s what I have to share this weekend.

• Thanksgiving Menu and Guide: The Make Ahead Menu — If you’re looking for holiday meal ideas, you might find something here. (Half-Baked Harvest)
• Boston’s Official Holiday Tree Arrival — Boston’s Christmas tree arrived this week! It’s a symbol of lasting friendship between Boston and Nova Scotia, the home of my ancestors. (boston.gov)
• What to Do With All Those Tote Bags — These tips could be useful if you’re like me and have too many tote bags. (New York Times)
• This Hotel Has a ‘Goodnight Moon’ Suite — What a wonderful room for a special vacation. Is Where the Wild Things Are up next? (Travel + Leisure)
• Goodness: Speaking Two Languages Seems to Slow Aging, Speaking Three or More Augments the Effect — It’s time to work on language skills! (Good News Network)

About the photo: Flower pots line steps in the Sicilian town of Cefalù.