Abroad

I'm thankful that I know what Venice smells like and what cold, wet jeans feel like above water-logged wellies. I'm thankful for warm espresso in November.

I'm thankful that I had warm wool coats with hoods and knitted toboggan hats when I lived in New York. I'm thankful that our apartment was always warm and inviting. I'm thankful that the smell of hot chocolate and the sounds of friends were not strangers to us there.

I'm thankful to know what the Isle of Skye looks like on a sunny November day -- the kind of day that lets you take off your jacket and feel the freedom of just a t-shirt and a cardigan. I'm thankful that I have seen miles of beauty in the lochs and glens.

I'm thankful that I have eaten gelato on a cold December day in Siena, Italy. I'm thankful that I have walked its hills and alleys, if only for one day.

I'm thankful for travel. The smells, the tastes, the cold and the warmth. And the friends. I'm so, so thankful for the friends that accompany these travel memories.