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Wow! What an exciting year of travel you have planned! Enjoy!

Wow!!!! What an exciting year of travel you have planned. Your DH is a gem among gems! (But you already know that!)

I am so glad to be retiring. When I read the email about ICE protocols my gut turned. It's wrong on so many levels. Sheesh!

I nope there was pool floating time. That sounds delicious!

I'm having a weird day. Last night I could not sleep, not a wink. As 4:30am rolled around, and my head was now pounding, I finally made the decision to call in sick. I fell asleep around dawn, and slept about 5 hours. It was like some kind of bad trip, random bits of songs and other weird thoughts floating through my brain. Small nervous breakdown? DH says I need to be out in nature and reset brain, but it's not warm enough. He has a good point though, maybe I need to go walk in an indoor park. There are a few around here. I hope tonight goes better. If it continues, I'm going to suspect the new cancer medication. My weight also ticked up a bit. If it takes me for a ride like the Tamoxifen did, I don't think I will continue taking it.

On a completely different topic, I had a delightful surprise last week. Long story. 2 summers ago, my Aunt and her husband took us along on a cruise of Scottish islands. This aunt is truly my fairy Godmother. She has no biological children (she gained 2 adult step children when she remarried after my Uncle died)She took me to Greece when I was 22 for college graduation. She paid for my therapy when I was 30 and suffering depression. She is the one who offered her cottage in Ipswich 3 summers ago, gifts me art and Waterford Crystal, and offers love and support my whole life. She is also one of the most fascinating and charismatic people. I do love traveling with her in the style she can afford :) but I would ride on a city bus just to spend time with her.

On our cruise, we stopped at an Island called Iona. Iona has an Abby that has existed for 1,400 years and was the epicenter of Western Christianity. It is stunningly scenic, and the energy is off the chart. 1,400 years of holy people praying, making pilgrimages. The other place I felt this kind of buzz was a set of Pyramids in Belize. We all felt the same pull, and agreed it would be worth visiting for a longer stay.

Monday, my Aunt asked to zoom with my daughter and she announced that she wanted to pay for a trip to Iona, all expenses paid, to celebrate my daughters graduation for her masters, and my retirement. We were stunned. She originally hoped to make it a girl's trip, but she no longer feels her health is good enough to travel that far.

So in September, when I would typically be starting the new school year, I will be on Iona, hiking, reading and meditating with my daughter. I picture us drinking tea, wearing our Irish sweaters and having great conversations.

It is a bit of a pilgrimage to get there. We fly to Glasgow, then take a 3 hour train ride to the coast, take a ferry to the Isle of Mull, cross Mull on a bus to another ferry port, then a ferry to Iona. An adventure!!!!

The only downside for me is having to leave DH behind, knowing he also wants to return to Iona one day. He is so gracious, telling me, this is the gift your Aunt wants to give you, a girl's trip. You should accept the gift and enjoy it. If we weren't still planning on going to Egypt, he would join me after DD left and we would travel in the UK. But a week or 2 in the UK together and a trip to Egypt, and Brazil is a bit too much adventure and funds. We'll get to the UK together another year.

My dance card is full! Florida in February, Memphis in April, Boston in May for DDs graduation, return to Boston in July to help her move, Scotland in September, Egypt in Oct/Nov, Brazil in January. As DH and I like to say, not too bad for a shopkeep and a teacher. Or our other catch phrase: how did two schmucks from Lakeville end up here? Lucky indeed.

MERRY MONDAY! What a wonderful discussion yesterday about art and alternative proteins! I admit I have never had squirrel. I've had venison, elk, duck, goose, pheasant, grouse, horse, and even bull testicles. I have refused icky water fare like eels and sturgeon, but have tried crawdads (not a huge fan), catfish, and frogs.

I am anything but an art snob. One of my favorite forms of art is quilting! I have several quilts that I cherish. I'm also a big water color fan. Something ethereal abou****er color, plus I am able to paint with water color. I never mastered acrylic or oil paints. I also absolutely love sketching. There is something magical to me about pencil/graphite/charcoal applied to paper to create 2D works of art that appear to be 3D.

Okay, food and weight.... Good meeting with the NUT on Friday. Helped renew some of my commitment to get to goal weight. Weight is down to 212.1. Lowest so far on this particular journey.

I've been somewhat off the last week. Perhaps the reason for being an observer here and not posting much. I'm not depressed, but I am feeling some stress about the state of affairs. I don't like how I am seeing politics become personal. As president of the national Airedale club, I am having to deal with an online social media issue caused by a political post that became personal and breeched AKC's code of behavior for a judge. Not what I want to be doing in my down time. Phone calls and many emails were made Saturday and Sunday trying to deal with this sh*t!

DD, not sure if I shared this, but our Superintendent sent out an email letting us know that the district now has a protocol in place should ICE arrive on any campus. WTF?????

I did get a big chortle out of the Danish President's address to President Trump. It was not appropriate, but I did laugh!

Today I want to concentrate on eating and weight loss and put the rest of the world aside. Easier said than done!

I have never been to the Florida Keys. BUCKET LIST!

So frustrating that OH sometimes eat our deep thoughts. When it seems wonky I type in notepad and copy/paste in.