Day 1 (The day before Thanksgiving)
Armed with a three hour early release (darn my ambition, I only used two hours of it), we left Rome on the front cusp of traffic and drove up the A1 into the most beautiful region of the world: Umbria and Tuscany. We stopped at a gas station to do my favorite thing as a diplomat: buy toll passes and cell phone recharges using gas coupons! I love being supplemented for my cell phone bill :). We arrived at our agritourismo - a beautiful restored farmhouse on the Umbria / Tuscany border. It was night, so instead of a hilltop view we enjoyed a plethora of the stars. All our friends had either just arrived, or were fast approaching. Dinner comprised of a shmorgeshbort of apertivos. After a long dinner, it was time to put Reid to bed. Kate (being the more social of the two) went down to mingle with the crowd in the great hall. After putting Reid down, I did what I love to do: sat by the fire in our apartment and just relaxed. I have a lot to be thankful for.
Day 2 (Thanksgiving)
Traditions are traditions. Therefore, after waking to a breathtaking hilltop view of olive groves, colorful fall trees, a lake in the distance, and mist in the air – I tied my shoes and undertook the most solemn of thanksgiving traditions: the Turkey Trot. Not knowing exactly where I was jogging, I took off down a dirt road and wound through olive tree lined paths. Not sure if I ran more or less than the traditional 5k, but the hills made the work out a work out. I came back to a sick child. Reid has just lost his thanksgiving day cookies in the trash can, and was lying on the couch looking as pitiful as a sick child on Thanksgiving. The rest of the day consisted of naps, naps, and more naps. Dinner was at 5:00 – there were 23 adults and 19 children. Each wife wanted to outdo the other wife in culinary skill, resulting in a cornucopia of food. Reid and his friend Isabel said grace in Italian (the prayer said at school before every meal). After grace, Reid didn't have the energy for dinner, so he watched Jungle Book in out apartment while Kate and I stuffed our faces. During dinner I learned that this region was called 'Colle San Paolo'. Translated in English it's called the 'Hills of St. Paul.' Although Italians obviously don't celebrate Thanksgiving, it's fitting that Paul tells us to be thankful. And sitting in such a beautiful setting, I have a lot to be thankful for.
Day 3 (The day after Thanksgiving)
We slept until 11:00. I'll repeat that. We slept until 11:00. It was amazing. Reid woke up a different boy. Although he wasn't yet to 100 percent, he was fast approaching. We awoke in time to take a quick shower, eat some leftover pie, and hop in the car for our second Thanksgiving meal: the Italian one. It was an adult only event. The older kids (high-school age) watched the younger ones. Our biggest fear was a call at lunch saying that Reid threw up all over the monopoly board – but the call never came. We drove to Città della Pieve and ate the traditional Italian feast of antipasti, two primis, two secondis, a dolce, and a cafe'. Afterwards we rolled out and walked down the street to the narrowest alleyway in all of Italy. It was so narrow, in fact, that we missed it the first two times. The alleyway was called “via Baciadonne”. Translated it means “kiss a woman street”. The name resulted in a mass of unflattering and risqué pictures. Of course Kate and I did not partake... The evening was filled with games, cards, more games, and a general air of joviality. Looking at my beautiful wife laugh while playing 'catch phrase', I have a lot to be thankful for.
