Back in the USA

Can't say it is great to be back home.   The Divine Mrs. M and I had a great time in Italy.   While we enjoyed the tourist venues we visited in  Venice, Florence and Rome, we particularly treasured the 2 days we spent in the ancestral Monzeglio home in Vignale Monferrato in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.   There is very little tourism in that part of the country, but the people we encountered were warm and helpful despite the fact they spoke little or no English and we reciprocated with our butchered Italian.  One of our namesakes took an entire day to show us around town and help us understand how a small town in the country survives over time.  I told him we will try to get back sometime in the near future to visit again.  Taken altogether it was the trip of a lifetime and worth every penny.  My souvenir was an additional 5 pounds I'll have to work off in the next couple of weeks.