Tough to Leave New York

Life became so complicated so quickly.

The other day I was saying, "...if we go..." Now, we're looking at less than three weeks. Eighteen days, but who's counting?

I know that all the nonsense preventing us from going, then finally clearing the 'poison' to begin the adventure, made the real countdown very short. Suddenly it's less than three weeks to lift off and I'm trying not to crumble.

C and I wanted to go to NY to see family since November. We missed Thanksgiving, spending two weeks in bed staring at re-runs, too fried by flu to be disappointed. When we became human again, we wanted our time back. This long weekend was our first chance. Unfortunately, it's also our see-you-in-six-months (or more) visit.

We aree having fun, no doubt, but it's also leaving me weepy when I least expect it. 

I'm eager to install phones at 25, but can't get them in a hurry. Jane tells me stories with names that I desperately want to check in archival databases, but when will I have time? There are so many books and articles that I should have read by now, but I won't get to. The house is a wreck.  I want to do so much for N & S before I leave. Steve should not have to dig himself out from the disaster we leave behind... AND, I have to file the taxes.

Not to mention packing!

But wait. Certain things are coming together unexpectedly. 

Sandals: I've searched high and low, ordered from the net and failed. Then, Bea takes us to Tip Top and ... "No. We don't get those until late February." Yet,  when the nice man is convinced we are serious he searches the basement and... Yup. Sandals.

Orissa: Things are not coming together so easily for our adventures in Orissa. Disappointing and a little scary, since we haven't even arrived yet. Then Paul arrives. He's here to cut hair, not to work travel miracles. Or is he? Turns out he's got contacts in Tamil Nadu. (An early plan had us there for over a month, but those contacts didn't pan out.) Perhaps we'll go there instead?! Or - if we are really blessed - both.

Skirts: After many tries, Bea found a long, light-weight skirt for C. But nothing for M. Then, tonight, Jane mentions that she has not one, but two, long skirts, large enough for me. 

I try to be up-beat. There is so much to be positive about. Still, I hate thinking I will be away from my people. Oddly, they are the ones making this all work. Contradictory and way too complicated. No, complicated isn't the right word. I'm struggling with missing those I love (even before leaving) while they are helping me go... proving, again and again, why I love them and why I'm missing them... now... and for real, later.