Happy, healthy, hearty 2022!

And let the black cat dream happily instead of crossing any road.

For the last day of the year, here are some recent photos from our Christmas trip to Rome, the first after almost two years. I saw some fruit trees in bloom, and yesterday a mosquito bit me. I saw zero Christmas lights in the streets. I saw a trash situation. This is nothing new.

We are back home already, eyeing newly arrived neighbours in worry over their pyrotechnic stash. We don’t want any of that. Rome has forbidden all outdoor celebrations and pyrotechnics so they came out to the country.

The photos are a bit crappy because most were taken with my phone. It was raining.

First, we almost crashed into the automatic highway gate on the way to Rome because it almost didn’t lift in time. I already closed my eyes, screamed a little and braced for impact and then – nothing. It did lift in the last moment.

Then yesterday I made a new cake, called Devil’s Food Cake by Nigella. The devil must be in the details, in these guys, in disguise. The cake is still in the fridge, untouched, unphotographed, unrisen, unloved. What it will be is eaten. I promise you that.

And today I made my regular seasonal biscuits from Siracusa. It had to be the fourth time I made them after coming upon the recipe on the Almost Italian blog five years ago. This time instead of little balls I made pancakes. The dough was so liquid that I had to use the ice-cream scoop to apply it to the tray. They taste the same though. Amore just ate six. Nuff said.

I wish you a lovely celebration with no fuss over the details, and sending over a toast and three kisses on midnight. Cin cin! Bring in the new!

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  The look out at home.

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  On the way to Rome before the highway gate scare.

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  Awaiting in Rome.

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  The only new door I spotted in the hood of amore’s father. We didn’t make it to the centre.

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  Streets were fully without illumination. This car seemed out of the future.

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  Fruit trees in bloom. Really.

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  Black cat asleep. She was good and didn’t bother bestia, much.

This day in my blogging history

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  2014: Piran, Antarctica, almost

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  2014: Tadaaaam! Pandoro farcito and the man with the plan

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  2015: Thursday Doors with a cat

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  2016: Happy new year with the highest and the deepest in Slovenia

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  2018: A film post with 67 flash reviews