Milan

We spent Tuesday in Milan. One perk of having a house guest is I get to have a travel buddy who doesn't require finger puppets to entertain her, knows that it's not okay to scream in churches and can man the map, rather than just ripe it into tiny shreds.

We followed a simple day-trip itinerary (thanks Brianna!) and visited Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie to see da Vinci's Last Supper, Castello Sforzesco, Parco Sempione, Milan's spire-studded Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuale. We took a peek at the statue of Leonardo da Vinci in front of the Teatro alla Scala, went inside the "Church of Bones," ate delicious panzerotti at Luini's, and found a few other little places to rest along the way. All in all a great day with two of my favorite people in the whole world.

I think it's an easy day trip from Bologna. We even took the slow train home and were back in time to fit in an episode of Lost before heading to bed.

Now it's back to reality; the laundry that has been accumulating since Saturday, the dishes that are stacked high next to the sink, the dingsbums that love to find new homes under tables, on chairs and in my shoes. My daughter already has the workings of a hoarder. And she is slowly curing me of OCD. We're a great pair.

In other news: we leave in three weeks. What the?

The new "Cheesy Cheesy Smile"

In Parco Sempione in front of Milan's Arch of Peace

In a small garden memorial in honor of Milan's fallen during times of peace.

And still, no pictures of Melissa and I together. What is wrong with us?!