Well, just a quick note to let you all know that I’m leaving for Italy tonight and will be back in Florence tomorrow evening (due to a longish layover before boarding my connecting flight to Florence…bummer, that…luckily for me, I don’t mind waiting in airportszzzzzzzzz). 😉

Not much to report, actually, except that Cape Cod is all abuzz over the sighting of a young black bear. No bears have been spotted in southeastern Massachusetts in half a century, you see. So this is BIG news…BIG, in every sense! The bear in question is a 200-pound, 2.5-year-old male who almost certainly swam across the Cape Cod Canal last week (wow) and has been heading east ever since. Here are a few articles, for those interested: http://goo.gl/ogQKR. This one is a local article: http://goo.gl/TuJiz

I really REALLY hope the bear comes to no harm. I wish I could warn him: “Hey Yogi, crossing Cape Cod’s busy highway, Route 6, is not a good idea!!!”

Of course, everyone here is very excited about the bear. And his appearance has been good for local business, too. Bear-motif T-shirts are being printed as I write this post. One of them is titled “Cape Clawed! 2012.” 🙂 See: http://goo.gl/0AFuj

Well, all bear talk aside, I’m really sad at the prospect of leaving my parents, but I’m also happy to be going back to Stefano and the kitties. A mix of conflicting emotions…but that’s how it goes, when you live far away from some of your loved ones. I didn’t have enough time (etc.) to visit my sister and niece in Arizona, e.g. Oh well, perhaps next time!

That’s about it for now. Have a great weekend and take care, everyone, especially my dear beloved Paula…

I hope to be posting something brief on Monday, jet lag permittingzzzzzzz! Ciaooooo!!! 🙂