Going back to work is always shock after a relaxing summer holiday.

And this summer's holiday was REALLY relaxing! We finished it by spending nearly a week in Italy celebrating my Sister-in-Law's 50th birthday. It was quite a big occasion. About 60 guests, a band, some painting activities and lots of food and drink.

I could get used to life in Italy. On the Sunday morning, 11 of us had breakfast at a restaurant overlooking Lake Lugano. Breakfast took a long time. In fact, it took until 12.30 at which time it was announced that we'd have to walk about 25 metres to another restaurant where we would have lunch!

This was something of a novelty and I'm sure that, were we to go and live there, I would, until the novelty wore off, enjoy Sundays spent like this!

Fortunately there are many other ways to spend Sundays.

Gianluca and I spent a morning walking through the beautiful hills and woodland behind his house.

It's been tough at work!