Home From the Holidays

We finally returned home early this week and of course all of the Christmas decorations, including the tree, were still hanging as we left them.  Oh if only the elves had stopped in to help put things away!

 With very little sleep I returned straight to work this week having had the pleasure of nearly 2 weeks off.   Taking consecutive days off for me is a rare happening and I’m so grateful for the vacation days. Please indulge me as I share some of our travels and activities. 

After picking up the grandgirls the day after Christmas we were off to Frankfurt, Germany where I met up with my son and DIL and dropped off the girls before heading to Rome.

View from our hotel room

Believe me, I tossed my coin in the fountain!

We stayed in a wonderful B&B that was right across the street from the Vatican. After two days of sightseeing (and gelato) we were on our way to Pompeii.  I was so hoping we’d be able to manage Herculaneum and Pompeii but it was pouring rain so we didn’t navigate as well as we might have. 

I'm haunted by "The Mule".  Called the mule because he was found beside his mule, positioned as if praying.

Luckily for us the rain stopped and as the sun peeked through the clouds we spotted Positano where my husband and I spent a week, celebrating the New Year and his birthday, taking cooking lessons, relaxing and enjoying Lemoncello, romancing, observing the 12 days of Christmas and EATING!   It was heaven on earth. 

More on the cooking experience later

The view from our room in Positano

We parted ways in Rome and I flew back to Frankfurt.  From there I hopped a train to Trier, Germany.   I must admit it was a little hard to leave the sunny, warm coast to head back to a cold, rainy and dreary looking Germany but the dismal, cold weather made me appreciate the coziness and comfort of German food.  Honestly, it should come as no surprise that I gained six pounds over the holidays.

Sorry Germany.   Dreary looking yes, but I bet it would be beautiful along the Rhine in summer

 My son and his family were visiting relatives in London while I was traveling about but we eventually met up and we enjoyed family days exchanging gifts, holding slumber parties, visiting with friends and doing a little after Christmas shopping before traveling home. 

Jojo the Fortuneteller who made a guest appearance at the slumber party!

 The slumber party with my grandgirls and friends was one of the highlights of the trip to Germany.  It was a night of make-your-own cupcakes, facials, manicures, fortunetelling and movie watching with the sweetest little girls I know.

Don't you love the Positano pottery!!!

 John Steinbeck wrote, “Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you are gone.”    

I’m already daydreaming about going back.