A white Christmas

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A very white Christmas morning in Nashville. I sniffle and tilt my head upwards a bit searching for relief from this nagging cold. Healthy a week ago -- very not healthy today! It all started with that damn Typhoid vaccine -- why didn't I just get the shot. The nurse at the travel clinic made it seem so easy and harmless! The funny thing about this oral typhoid vaccine is that you have to take only 4 pills, every other day. On my second dose, my stomach was in so much pain from abdominal cramping my jaw actually hurt the next morning from clenching it so tight. I had to miss the Garth Brooks concert so naturally, I was pumped about taking the next 2 doses. I watched a silly little video where they depicted the Typhoid bacteria in your system like a little pink octopus with glasses and a big smile! The little guy would hop around and multiply and eventually the pink octopus would get a frown-y face and the glasses would tilt a bit and then the bacteria would disintegrate (somewhere between 24-48 hrs). The message loud and clear - TAKE ALL FOUR DOSES! Then I woke up (same morning as my sore jaw) with a cold and so I had abdominal cramping and a cold. :-/ I passed through most of Christmas eve in a cloudy stupor as I tried to sleep as often as I could. Finally relief came close to 10:00pm when my brother-in-law suggested a sinus advil in addition to the tylenol stuff I had been taking. Ah, so much better!

After a lovely belated Thanksgiving dinner (that I unfortunately couldn't taste much of) we sat by the fire, everyone enjoyed more wine and we watched the snowflakes fall for the first time on Christmas eve in Nashville. Presents came and as I had helped my mom pick out my new trekking pack, my biggest present was no surprise! Some hair supplies and a bag of intentionally given meaningless shit later and we had pecan pie and tea. Wonton fast asleep on the plush white blanket on the black leather sofa.

Now it's Christmas morning and the snow covered branches outside my window have never looked so beautiful. Despite the heavy sky, it looks serene - pensive.

I leave for Ireland tomorrow and I'm really excited!! I think I'm still in denial about it though! I'm not sure I'm actually going to believe it until I'm standing in a dark dingy pub drinking a Guinness and then I'll realize OMG I'm in IRELAND!!

I still have a few things I need to buy for Asia, and I still need to figure out my health insurance.

You know, I think I'm just in denial about all of this. I am so excited about it and at the same time it just doesn't feel real! A friend said earlier this week that he thinks that I'm a homebody and that I will come home early. Hm. I don't think that could be anymore wrong -- I just don't want to feel lonely and sometimes if I'm in the right space in my heart I couldn't possibly feel lonely.

I'm sending love and gratitude to everyone that has helped me reach the spot I am at now. Lots of love.

I have to go blow my nose...

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