It is cold and grey and somewhat rainy today, nothing like the beautiful hot summer weather we enjoyed on the island of Elba. We walked to sandy beaches in our flip flops, smothered ourselves in sunblock and ran squealing into cold water. My daughter spent so much time in it her lips were blue and her teeth were chattering. She struck up conversations in knee-deep water with anybody who would listen and even with those who didn't, while my son suspiciously eyed the cold waves the first day only to fall head over heel in love with the turquoise, crystal clear sea on the following one. The sand and water were such endless sources of entertainment for our children that we were momentarily forgotten. Dare I say that for the first time in five years, my husband and I actually lay on the beach chatting, watching them and almost relaxing? Is this the shape of things to come? Will the word vacation actually regain its original meaning?
 |
| Yes, that is lemon. I was out of lime |
Anyhow it was so nice to just hang out and bask in the sun and be spoiled by the company of my inlaws and their great food and wine that the 18+ hours of bumper to bumper traffic and missed ferry boats to get there and back easily melted away. Thankfully we have never experienced the horror stories of children screaming and crying the whole trip or getting sick in the car, we are extremely lucky that way so the two full days of travelling were totally worth the other two days spent in a summer idyll.
I will post some pictures as soon as I get my act together but in the meantime here is the most classic of summer snacks. Most of you have your special recipe for guacamole or salsa, I am sure, so what I am really aiming to post about are these tortilla chips. I got so excited when I red Andrea's tip on how to make your own at home, greatly reducing your fat and salt intake. And you can't post about tortilla chips and not mention the Mexican triumvirate, or holy trinity if I may, can you?
