The Final Entry

So we're home. It's Saturday morning, and I am working to recreate a sense of order in my life. I got home after being road ravaged for 36+ hours, exhausted, hungry and fatigued. It was truly a reality check - the furnace was out, the fridge was stinky (I forgot to clean it before we left), my bed was broken, I had to unpack the truck all alone, and Charlie was a wild man. It dawned on me that I was...and am all alone. No more cushy Florida existence - this was the hard, cold reality of Michigan winter. In the past two days I have gotten re-acclimated to driving in the snow, and remembered how to layer clothes and button up before going outside.

I plan to spend this weekend putting away our things and cleaning up. I didn't realize how much junk I have around here! There are books, clothes, magazines and other stuff that we can do without. I also want to print some pictures and get my digital photo frame loaded up with vacation pictures! Work on Monday - and I need to take a little piece of happiness with me.

In looking through pictures this morning, I came across this little gem. This is the early morning view of the beach - right outside our door at the condo. How gorgeous is that? I took early morning walks, collected shells and dipped my feet in the ocean almost daily while we were away. Know what the view out my front door looks like now? Yeah. Quite a difference, I must say. And yes, it is snowing.

I go back to work on Monday, and I plan to take a bunch of Florida sunshine (in the form of pictures, souvenirs and shells) with me to keep me happy.

My chores for the rest of the weekend are to clean up the condo, unpack my stuff, reconnect electronics, fix the bed, streamline my life (i.e., throw away a bunch of junk) and get ready for work on Monday. It's been about six weeks since I've had that type of responsibility, you know. Party's over!

Thanks to everyone we encountered during our trip - all of my friends in Atlanta, Manny, Theresa and Mike, Daddy and Aunt Peggy, our neighbors and friends in the condo, Kamal and family, Big Daddy Smoov and Tristan and even Walter, the countless people we encountered on the beach and the various other people we met along the way. Charlie and I had an amazing time on our vacation. Absolutely amazing! I'm working on an online photo album of "the best" of our vaca.

Big Love!

Cris and Charlie