Italian Dinner Extravaganza - May 8, 2025

There is a lot in life to be thankful for, and our trip to Italy (and any travel, frankly) was a huge blessing for my family and dear friends last month. I keep finding stories to celebrate in my head to share, as well as celebrating our 38th Wedding Anniversary today! That's contento in Italian! I am.

My last post was my 800th one since I began with my Manufacturing Sunshine Blog. Another reason to be thankful as I roll out the 801st one now.

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I suspect most folks have had at least one large family and/or friends gathering through the years. Holidays in every form come to mind, and so do birthdays from one year old to one hundred years old or more. Dining with others brings a kind of closeness with each other, a deeper bond of breaking bread or cutting a cake to share that kind of love. Smiles and laughter were our table talk.

The uniqueness was never lost on me while gathering a baker’s dozen to celebrate our time in Italy 2025. It’s challenging to plan with three groups of people scattered across the U.S. A. to descend simultaneously in Poggibonsi, Italy. With a catered homemade Italian feast in process, filling the villa with incredibly tantalizing smells complete with tiramisu and a birthday cake for Jodie Smith, the Conclave selected a new pope, and an American at that, we were together - all of us that day. As anyone watching, we were all surprised at the announcement of the American Pope Leo as the newest pope. Spellbound, we gathered around the large salon’s TV, watching Rome’s festivities at St. Peter’s Square, where we had just been a day or two before.

You know, there’s something undeniably special about coming together in a place where history whispers through every corner of the former Roman Empire, especially when surrounded by people you hold dear. The moments we shared at that villa will stay with me, not just for the unbelievable and delicious food, but also the joy in the air. I believe we all experienced the surprise of witnessing history unfold on a screen just a couple of days after being in its midst. Still, it was an unforgettable evening, with a dozen excited people singing Happy Birthday to Jodie in every key. The bond of friends and family—across miles and years—made it so meaningful, or at least for me. The laughter, the shared stories about our time spent in Italy, the side trips taken as far as that day, and the magic of our dining all in one amazing place were just as much a part of Italy’s charm as the breathtaking landscapes surrounding us.

Our special planned dinner and Jodie’s 64th birthday (tee up the Beatles song, "When I'm 64), in all its simplicity and grandeur, reminded me that the best things in life are the ones that make us feel truly connected. I am forever grateful to keep this memory close to my heart and never underestimate the “secret of life!”

Ciao!

Terri

Photo help by: Don Tomoff, Olivia Tomoff Hudson, Bill Tomoff, and Linda Misencik! Thank you!