FREEEEEEA. KING. OUT.
I leave this morning and I can't even begin to tell you how I feel. I mean, I am excited beyond all reason, but I also won't be able to relax until I physically lay eyes on Kelly. See, I arrive in Madrid Saturday morning, she arrives late Saturday night, then we leave by train for Leon the next day (she has our train tickets). My biggest doom and gloom fear up now has been, "Omigod, what do I do if Kelly doesn't show up??"
Crazy, right? Ha ha, silly girl.
Just got an email from her. She is currently in Scotland, on Iona, and will be leaving Iona today IF the seas are calm, because the ferry doesn't sail in rough weather. So, umm, there is this teeny tiny iminiscule not worth talking about chance that she could end up stuck in the land of Kilts. Which is not the same thing as "not showing up", I would just wait for her in Madrid until she got there....but it's enough uncertainty to put me in a tail spin.
My SECOND doom and gloom fear up to now has been, "What if I get hurt right before I leave??"
Crazy, right??
Yeah, yesterday I fell arse over tea kettle when I tripped over a bag of garbage outside (long story). We were rushing out of the house and next thing you know I am flying through the air. Husbandly One let out a shout that probably woke the neighbours, but I was okay. It took an hour for my hands to stop shaking, mind you, but I was okay.
My THIRD doom and glom fear has been, "What if I packed too much and it's too heavy??" But I knew that couldn't be true, I have been crazy diligent about what goes in my pack. I have two lightweight pairs of pants and that's it..... until I decided to splurge and bring a pair of jeans. Jeans are NOT practical in any way, but I am most comfotable in them and I figure I deserve one teeny tiny splurge, right?
And now I'm eyeing my bottle of face moisturizer, which I did NOT plan to take and wondering exactly how cool I am with the idea of coming back as Leather Face. Hmmm, might squeeze that in. And hell, surely taking a third pair of panties won't make a difference....
I have to stop doing this or I'll end up taking ten extra pounds of crap I really don't need.
Well, that's it for now. My flight leaves in six hours and I have no idea when I'll have internet again, but I can't wait to tell you all about it!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Packed!
I am 100% ready for my trip to Spain on Friday. Seriously, I am READY, I could literally get on the plane tomorrow by simply grabbing my fully packed bakpack and travel purse.
Except that I haven't called my bank and credit card company yet, to let them know I will be using those cards overseas. Must do that.
And I forgot to pack my first aid kit. Must get to that.
And then I realized I don't have "after walking" shoes for the evenings. Must buy those.
And this bird's nest on my head? Really must get a haircut.
Hmm. My gray will show more. Must dye hair.
Oh, and I haven't photocopied all my ID, in case there's an emergency / theft. Must take care of that.
Oh, and my Mum gave me a vial of my father's ashes for me to scatter in Spain when the spirit moves me...I CAN'T FIND IT. Must, must, must, must, must, MUST find that.
Today at work, so many well wishers were excited for me. Seriously, these men and women are THRILLED that I am doing something so crazy, so exciting and different. And I want to feel like they do, I want to be on cloud nine TOO.
So I suppose I better take care of these dumb details tomorrow, so I can be excited, too!
Except that I haven't called my bank and credit card company yet, to let them know I will be using those cards overseas. Must do that.
And I forgot to pack my first aid kit. Must get to that.
And then I realized I don't have "after walking" shoes for the evenings. Must buy those.
And this bird's nest on my head? Really must get a haircut.
Hmm. My gray will show more. Must dye hair.
Oh, and I haven't photocopied all my ID, in case there's an emergency / theft. Must take care of that.
Oh, and my Mum gave me a vial of my father's ashes for me to scatter in Spain when the spirit moves me...I CAN'T FIND IT. Must, must, must, must, must, MUST find that.
Today at work, so many well wishers were excited for me. Seriously, these men and women are THRILLED that I am doing something so crazy, so exciting and different. And I want to feel like they do, I want to be on cloud nine TOO.
So I suppose I better take care of these dumb details tomorrow, so I can be excited, too!
Friday, October 16, 2009
I'm still here!
Gah, have been so busy. Plus, going through a bit of a rough patch with Husbandly One (nothing major, calm down, just normal couple stuff) so have not been near the laptop in days.
Am still walking evey day, and I leave for Spain in six freaking days. SIX DAYS. The stress is unbelievable but as I said before, the stress somehow seems right. There is this side of me that thinks that the MORE emotional baggage I can take on this trip? The more I will leave behind when it's over.
I will of course update the blog when I can overseas, but in the mean time, you may want to check out what Kelly is up to.... Kelly and I are meeting in Madrid on Oct 24 to start the Camino, but she has already started on her European hiking tour, currently in Scotland. Once we are together, it will be interesting to me how she sees (very differently, I'm sure) what I see.
http://butterscotchpalace.blogspot.com/
I am on a grand adventure.
I'm not very happy about it right now, but I DO know it will be grand and it will change me.
Am still walking evey day, and I leave for Spain in six freaking days. SIX DAYS. The stress is unbelievable but as I said before, the stress somehow seems right. There is this side of me that thinks that the MORE emotional baggage I can take on this trip? The more I will leave behind when it's over.
I will of course update the blog when I can overseas, but in the mean time, you may want to check out what Kelly is up to.... Kelly and I are meeting in Madrid on Oct 24 to start the Camino, but she has already started on her European hiking tour, currently in Scotland. Once we are together, it will be interesting to me how she sees (very differently, I'm sure) what I see.
http://butterscotchpalace.blogspot.com/
I am on a grand adventure.
I'm not very happy about it right now, but I DO know it will be grand and it will change me.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Always me
In case you ever have to decide whether or not to invite me out in public? For the love of all that is good, holy, and sweetened naturally, DON'T. I am bad, bad news.
Six years ago, I had to attend this big ballet gala. Very, VERY heavy. I told my staff exactly where I was going: "I have to go to the ballet so don't call me between 7 and 10 pm."
And, silly me, thinking that the WARNING was strong enough, went to the ballet without turning off my phone.
During the most passionate pas de deux I have ever seen, my purse went BRIING!! BRIIIIING! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIING! I dove on top of my purse, but the damage was done. Entire rows of ballet afficianados whipped around in their seats to make sure I was aware that I had broken the ONLY rule of live theatre.
I was the Official Ballet Loser of 2003.
It is six years later, it is 2009. I have changed careers and no longer have thirty staff members who want to reach me 24 - 7. Surely NOW it's safe to go to the ballet, right?
Did I mention we have this pedometer challenge at work? We record our steps and I am passionate about it. Only problem is that I wore a dress to the ballet, and so had no real waist band to which I could attach the pedometer, so I attached it to my nylons under the dress.
While I was making nice-nice with other ballet goers, it came off my nylons. And plopped to the floor from under my dress. I hissed to my friend Ron, "Pick it up, PICK IT UP."
This poor man, stooping on to the theatre floor, to retrieve some object that ten other people HEARD fall out of my dress.....
Really, we'll all be much happier if you don't let me outside. And ESPECIALLY don't let me go to the ballet.
Six years ago, I had to attend this big ballet gala. Very, VERY heavy. I told my staff exactly where I was going: "I have to go to the ballet so don't call me between 7 and 10 pm."
And, silly me, thinking that the WARNING was strong enough, went to the ballet without turning off my phone.
During the most passionate pas de deux I have ever seen, my purse went BRIING!! BRIIIIING! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIING! I dove on top of my purse, but the damage was done. Entire rows of ballet afficianados whipped around in their seats to make sure I was aware that I had broken the ONLY rule of live theatre.
I was the Official Ballet Loser of 2003.
It is six years later, it is 2009. I have changed careers and no longer have thirty staff members who want to reach me 24 - 7. Surely NOW it's safe to go to the ballet, right?
Did I mention we have this pedometer challenge at work? We record our steps and I am passionate about it. Only problem is that I wore a dress to the ballet, and so had no real waist band to which I could attach the pedometer, so I attached it to my nylons under the dress.
While I was making nice-nice with other ballet goers, it came off my nylons. And plopped to the floor from under my dress. I hissed to my friend Ron, "Pick it up, PICK IT UP."
This poor man, stooping on to the theatre floor, to retrieve some object that ten other people HEARD fall out of my dress.....
Really, we'll all be much happier if you don't let me outside. And ESPECIALLY don't let me go to the ballet.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The question of attire
Yesterday I picked up a sports bra and some wool hiking socks, the last two items I need for my trip.
Have never worn a sports bra in my life (because, hello, they're for sports) so I wasn't 100% on what to expect and therefore only bought one for the moment. I wore it on my walk home tonight and I lurves it, it is so unbelievably comfortable, even though I do have this weird flat uni-boob action going on. I will definitely be going back to buy a second one.
The socks, on the other hand....still not sure. I bought two totally different pairs yesterday -- both LADIES, I might add, and couldn't wait to try them on at home. (Why can't you try on socks before you buy them?? Why are they always sewn shut to the packaging?)
The first pair, the ones I thought would be the sure winner, were freaking huge. I mean, I don't think I have ever met a woman these socks would fit in my entire life. I tossed them at Husbandly One, he at lest will be able to use them. The second pair fit me perfectly, but on my walk home tonight I found them to be quite hot. I may try a third kind before I make my final dcecision... but the potential wasting of more money makes me cranky.
Ehn, whatever. Go big or stay home.
Have never worn a sports bra in my life (because, hello, they're for sports) so I wasn't 100% on what to expect and therefore only bought one for the moment. I wore it on my walk home tonight and I lurves it, it is so unbelievably comfortable, even though I do have this weird flat uni-boob action going on. I will definitely be going back to buy a second one.
The socks, on the other hand....still not sure. I bought two totally different pairs yesterday -- both LADIES, I might add, and couldn't wait to try them on at home. (Why can't you try on socks before you buy them?? Why are they always sewn shut to the packaging?)
The first pair, the ones I thought would be the sure winner, were freaking huge. I mean, I don't think I have ever met a woman these socks would fit in my entire life. I tossed them at Husbandly One, he at lest will be able to use them. The second pair fit me perfectly, but on my walk home tonight I found them to be quite hot. I may try a third kind before I make my final dcecision... but the potential wasting of more money makes me cranky.
Ehn, whatever. Go big or stay home.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Quiet
I leave on my trip to Spain in just over two weeks, and how I feel about it seems to change daily.
A few days ago I was in freaking out mode, and sent a panicky email to my best friend: "Omigod, are we NUTS? Whose brilliant idea was this, anyway? We're going to diiiiiiiiiiiiiie! Die of blister related injuries!"
By the time she received the email the next day and wrote back to try to calm me down, my mood had changed. "Screw it. We are going to OWN this thing. Bring it on!"
Sigh. New day, new mood. I'm just....quiet. Granted, I am currently more scared of this journey than I have ever been, but still, it's quiet. I know I am doing this, there's no turning back, but I am scared scared scared. What if I fail? What if I get hurt? What if I don't have the spiritual epiphany I am hoping for? What if Husbandly One doesn't miss me? What if....
These questions, and about a million more, keep running through my head. But, you know what? I think this is part of it. I think doubting myself in a calm way (as opposed to frantic freaking out) is something I'm supposed to do, something that will ultimately make the end result sweeter. It isn't pleasant, but it also feels right.
A few days ago I was in freaking out mode, and sent a panicky email to my best friend: "Omigod, are we NUTS? Whose brilliant idea was this, anyway? We're going to diiiiiiiiiiiiiie! Die of blister related injuries!"
By the time she received the email the next day and wrote back to try to calm me down, my mood had changed. "Screw it. We are going to OWN this thing. Bring it on!"
Sigh. New day, new mood. I'm just....quiet. Granted, I am currently more scared of this journey than I have ever been, but still, it's quiet. I know I am doing this, there's no turning back, but I am scared scared scared. What if I fail? What if I get hurt? What if I don't have the spiritual epiphany I am hoping for? What if Husbandly One doesn't miss me? What if....
These questions, and about a million more, keep running through my head. But, you know what? I think this is part of it. I think doubting myself in a calm way (as opposed to frantic freaking out) is something I'm supposed to do, something that will ultimately make the end result sweeter. It isn't pleasant, but it also feels right.
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