“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking.”
-Earl Wilson
Just think, it seems like yesterday, I was just dreaming of a trip to Arizona. Now just two hours separate me from my vacation, and I’ll arrive in Phoenix in just a mere 22 hours.
The itineraries have been printed. The hotel reservations have been confirmed. The last minute items have been bought. The weather forecast has been checked. The bills have been paid. The cash has been withdrawn. The suitcases are packed. The camera batteries have been charged. And the fish has been dropped off with the fish-sitter.
See you next week!
“A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise. Because that is how life is-full of surprises.”
-Isaac Bashevis Singer
Yesterday I called my mom on the way phone from work. I was going home to an empty house, where I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to all night long. So I wanted to squeeze in as much human contact as possible. I also ran to Target to pick up last minute supplies for our trip—one and a half days!! I was taking my time browsing, knowing that I had the whole night ahead of me.
When I got home, I grumbled that there was no mail—that I had walked to the mailbox for nothing. As I walked through the living room, I realized that Rob’s khakis were laid out in the middle of the floor—I don’t think I left them there.
Then there was his suitcase. He was home! He surprised me and came home early!! [He had even hidden his car so I wouldn’t see it when I pulled into the parking lot.] Apparently he had already attended this particular training session, and it took him until Wednesday morning to realize it.
“Today is going to be a...less bad day. I can feel it. Sometimes I wake up and know everything is going to be...less bad”
-Ally McBeal
I’ve noticed lately that it’s often easier to write posts to complain and vent than it is to write about happy things. I never want you to get the impression that I’m pessimistic, ungrateful, and just plain mean (because I’m not), so I’ve set a new goal for myself to limit those nasty posts and increase the cheerful posts.
However, I’ve got to make an exception to tell you about my day yesterday.
My fuel gauge was sitting on empty, and I didn’t have enough gas to make it to Bible Study and back home, so I made a mad dash to the gas station after work. Rob and I are trying to use a consistent brand of gasoline to monitor our fuel consumption, so I raced halfway home to a station that was considerably cheaper than the stations in town. Of course I can’t ever remember what side my gas tank is on, so it took my a few tries before I found a working pump on the correct side of my vehicle. And then, the darn pump didn’t print my receipt, and I had to walk inside to get it from the attendant.
I try not to eat a full dinner on Monday nights, but yesterday I was starving and had burritos on the brain. So I raced over to Qdoba to grab a bite to eat. When I got there it dawned on me that I had left my Bible Study book back at the office. Bummer, I was going to have to drive back across town to get it.
Then I realized I had locked my keys in the car. Sitting right there on the passenger seat. Luckily I have Roadside Assistance, so I called them right away. I ran inside to grab dinner, got it “to go,” and headed back outside to wait. It was hot, and an ant bit me while I was waiting.
Eventually the pop-a-lock guy showed up and let me in to my car with his remarkably simple method of opening locked car doors. Then I ran back to the office to pick up the book I had discarded on my desk. And then I hurried to the church for our meeting.
All of this happened between 5:30 and 7:00 pm. I’m still amazed.
“The greatest reward is to know that one can speak and emit articulate sounds and utter words that describe things, events and emotions.”
-Camilo Jose Cela
Wonderful sounds that I heard this weekend:
- The many sounds of the Olympics, including...
- “…by one-one hundredth of a second!”
- “He has made me glad, He has made me glad, I will rejoice for He has made me gla-a-ad.”
- “I’m not going to be able to sleep without you this next week.”
- The Braves’ “Tomahawk Chop” chant
“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” -A. A. Milne
My cousin Camille moves into her dorm at Georgia Tech today. She is beginning as a freshman in just a few days, and Rob and I are just thrilled that she is attending our alma mater. My aunt has said several times (and even Camille admits) that I was one of her biggest reasons for choosing Tech. Camille was a bridesmaid in our wedding, and she reminds me a lot of myself when I was her age.
I was so worried about moving away and finding friends, 546 miles from home. I remember debating about whether to rush or not (a decision that Camille is grappling with as well)—was that the only way to make friends at a big school? But that’s not really my style. My mom (oh wise mom!) gave me advice that I have never forgotten. She said that ultimately I should go with my gut, but that if a sorority was not for me, perhaps I should nurture another devotion, big or small. One example she gave was to become really close friends with Camille and her younger brother. She said a commitment like that was just as admirable.
This week, six years after I move into a dorm at Georgia Tech, I’m proud to say that I think I accomplished that goal. And even better than this realization... knowing that our friendship and love continues to grow.
See you next week!
