Wass Up!!! - Dena in the UK

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Greentings friends and neighbors!  I'm sititng at a computer in a lovely old-fashioned hotel in Kiswick (pronounced "Kis-ick") in the Lake District in England. First real chance I've had at a computer. There was one at a hotel in Scotland but it was dial-up and patience is not a virtue of mine.

Having a smashing time over here. Many fun details to blog about when I return. Today is a travel day. We'll grab breakfast here at the hotel, drive the rental car back to Carlisle where we'll catch the express train (3 hours!) to London and then home on Friday. Today is the first day that both of us feel like we're ready to just be home. Part of that is due to minor illness. Blair has been sick this morning and is laying upstairs on the bed as I type this. I had a touch of something a few days ago and pretty much curled in a ball in the passenger seat as we drove through the Highlands of Scotland. Thankfully, my discomfort disappeared in a day. I hope it's the same for Blair.

I miss my cats. I was told England was full of cats but that has not been my experience. I've seen maybe 3 and all from a distance. I'm about ready to climb a fence and start petting sheep, just to get some animal-love time in. (And is there anything cuter than a baby black sheep? I want one!!)

Quick impressions of my time over here is that I thoroughly enjoyed all the parts of England we've seen, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Scotland. Would return in a heartbeat. Something in the land just calls to me there. Loved it.

As I said, many more details when I return. Surprisingly on this trip, I haven't missed e-mail a bit. What I have missed is writing in this blog and keeping up with friends through comments. Looking forward to returning home and getting back on-line.

Until then, love and best wishes from the UK.

Dena

Travel Day

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I'm back! Portland was wonderful. I want to go back for a visit when I have time to hike and explore. But even driving down the highway with Mount Hood in the distance was just stunning.  And I got lucky. From what I heard, it's been raining there non-stop for almost 3 months but I had two full days of sunshine during my visit. It was beautiful.

The trip was quick but productive. I have a much stronger sense of the company and I got to meet with the cartoonist who I'll be working with to come up with material for and he's talented and a lot of fun. (And a former professional Paintball player which I think is kinda cool).  My editor is fun and smart and I'm going to enjoy my assignments for this group.

Yesterday coming home was a loooong day.  I got up at 3:45 AM to arrive for my 6:30 AM flight. But around 5:30 they announced the plane was oversold and they were looking for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for a $400 voucher for future travel. I have a lot of travel coming up this year - Columbus in September for my cousin's wedding, San Francisco in November for Cat Writers conference, I want to go to Cincinnati to visit my best friend...

So I took the voucher and delayed my departure for 5 hours. It wasn't so bad. I stretched out on some chairs and slept (I can fall asleep anywhere) and bought The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell which is an absolutely riveting book and really saved my day.  So I left Portland at 11:30, arrived in Cincy at 6:15 PM and was lucky that Trisha & Max (best friend and her son) could meet me for an hour, then raced to catch my flight at 8:20 which was boarding by the time I got there. In to GSO airport at 9:40 and home by 10:30.

I am SWAMPED today. 111 e-mails to pour through, I'm teaching 2 classes tomorrow which I have yet to prepare for (handouts, etc.) and I'm doing a last-minute book signing tomorrow morning from 10-12. Not to mention actual work that's due.  Lots of that too.

But it's good to be home. I love sleeping in my own bed and being surrounded by my stuff.  I am a homebody at heart. And of course, married to the man of any woman's dreams. Came home once again to a spotless house, gleaming countertops, and when I got up this morning he had carried my suitcase into the bedroom for me to unpack and recharged my phone.  Life is good.