This is essentially the view out my front door -- maybe just a short walk away from the front door. This picture was taken during an extraordinarily high tide. Usually you can actually walk all the way out to that picnic table in the distance -- without getting wet -- and make faces at the swans. I really need to get a kayak next summer.
I have never liked chocolate.
Back.
passports and boarding passes are in hand. minimal clothing is packed. butterflies are lodged in stomach.
There was an article in today's paper about this guy who counsels high school students about which college to go to and how to get into the college of one's choice. I've often thought, off-handedly and with no intention of follow-through, that that would be a scam that I would be good at, so I read the article, and of course gazed at the accompanying pictures.
When we lived in New York, we always joined Matt's family for holiday celebrations, which was pretty great as far as I was concerned. His mother and step-dad are both funny, intelligent, interesting people who travel a lot, collect quirky art, and cook terrific and abundant meals.
Events conspire. This last week has been one of those times when subliminal messages lurk around every corner, in every billboard, every NPR program, even every MASH rerun. I'm continually flogged by hints that it might be for the best if I examine my daily life more closely, compare my habits with habits I used to have, and then look at the results. Compare and contrast.
Now that our trip to the Netherlands looms on the very near horizon (two weeks), I'm officially beginning to panic about packing and logistics. Probably a good thing, since I tend to be very casual about traveling, packing little more than fresh underwear and a contact lens case. That works fine for domestic travel, but I suspect that I should be a bit more formal and thoughtful about spending a week in Amsterdam.
When I was about 7 years old, my family hosted a married couple from Tehran, Iran, in our home for a year.
First off: more passport drama.
