Oh Thank Heavens

Well, 2 weeks have passed and I leave today for Scotland to see Lauren.   It's been an interesting 2 weeks -- one can learn a lot about other humans when you tell them you are taking a trip.... :) 

Anyway, I'm Way Excited for several reasons:

1.  I get about 15 hours all to myself

2.  I get to see Edinburgh again after a previous very brief visit - lovely town and I'll see where Lauren has been sleeping and drinking....

3.  I get to go to Prague -- never one of the top cities on my hit list for no particular reason but now that I've done some reading, I'm way excited to explore

4.  I get to bring Lauren back home so we can all be together for a bit.  

One thing I have learned is that I struggle with my children growing up and them finding me and Gregg less appealing.  We truly didn't experience that very much other than the normal fight for independence that traditionally happens about every 2-3 years from the time they are born.  But when they get to be mid-teens to mid-twenties, you have hopes that they will actually want to spend time with you voluntarily.  I now know that that is quite a dream.  I liked it when we would be together, have a fun meal, kick back, and laugh.  All of us.  Together.  And no one had to go anywhere with someone else.  Or wanted to.  

It saddens me simply because I didn't see it coming and I didn't know it would bother me so much.  Now don't get me wrong.  I Do Not Want Everyone Here All The Time.  And they don't want me with them all the time.  I can accept that.  I simply wish the desire would hit once in a while.  Oh well, some have told me that will change and they will return.  I hope it won't simply be for a bed and full refrigerator.  

But anyways, I get to skip over the pond to the other side of the world for a bit to renew my spirit and perspective.  I'm ready.  Anyone reading this that is still going to be stateside, DO NOT GO TO MY HOUSE WHILE I AM GONE.  I know how the male family members work.  I return on Saturday the 6th -- they will be frantically cleaning up the house on Friday the 5th.  Until that time, heaven only knows what you would find besides a week's worth of doggie bags in the refrigerators and about 50 lbs worth of fur on the furniture.  You would be taking a risk.  Trust me. 

Finally, at age 54, I've declared myself a bit nuts

And my guess is that I may be the last person to do so.  I suspect others declared me crazy long before this, but today I did something totally non-me.

2 weeks from today, right about now, I'll be standing in O'Hare getting ready to board an American airlines flight to Manchester England to connect to Edinburgh to see Lauren.  She has 2 weeks left after 4 long months, made much more bearable for her mom thanks to cell phones and Skype, even with the erratic movements and disconnects.  So a week or so ago she offered I should come meet her in Prague.  I kind of laughed, but then the regret of not having been to see her and see where she lived and drank :) set in and I figured, WHY NOT?

After hours trying to compare OHare-Prague-Edinburgh-OHare

   or  OHare - Edinburgh-Prague-OHare

   or OHare - Edinburgh - Prague - Edinburgh - OHare

for me.....

and then trying to find corresponding flights for Edinburgh - Prague-OHare

   or Edinburgh - Prague - Edinburgh - OHare

for Lauren....

where we both lost our minds trying to look at 22 pages of flight options (no joke), I finally found one that works.  It allows me to see Edinburgh and Lauren's haunts for a brief time, head to Prague for us to explore together and leave stuff in Edinburgh because she doesn't have to vacate her room until the 16th, and then return to Edinburgh to pack a few things (after 4 months who am I kidding?), we can hopefully get them all home with the least amount of excess baggage fees.  She thinks most of her friends are headed home pretty quick after finals, but if a few hang around for a few days, when we return she can still party for a night or 2 before we head back home.

I'm looking forward to it for many reasons -- first because it's crazy and exciting.  Second because I miss spending time with L on a regular basis -- a 6 hour time difference and video pictures are NOT always our best friends.  Third, I've never been to Prague and since I'm 100% Czech I can learn a few things perhaps.  And, it will be a nice break from the past few very busy months at work.

And so, I hope Lauren doesn't regret the offer for me to visit -- the tickets are pretty locked in so I'm hoping that all her schedules didn't get too messed up with me suddenly appearing.  But it will be fun, of that I am sure!

I hate these kinds of days...

...when you have to tell someone that their leadership skills may not be as strong as they think

...when you return an email and include the wrong people

...when the work load far exceeds the time allotted

...when you realize you were supposed to send someone a check last week

...when you have to make a phone call you know will be unpleasant

...when you are way behind in buying cards and gifts for friends and family

...when you lose your perspective on what's truly important

...when you realize that time is going way too quickly

...when you know what you should be doing but can't get motivated to get it done

...when you clean the house and it magically destroys itself immediately following

...when your family is going 14 different directions at any one time

...when you go to the grocery store and STILL forget to buy trash stickers

...when others simply don't seem to understand the loads of thoughts on your mind

...when you can't make a decision to save your life

...when you have to defend your every decision 

...when your trust in someone is tested

...when your contacts can't focus

...when you want to put on PJs and sit infront of the TV but know you have 1,324 pieces of paper to sort through, including that check that needs to be sent

...when you know it won't be much different tomorrow.