All the anticipation of Christmas has come and gone, another birthday gone by, and here we are in Amsterdam airport working our way back to Tanzania. It seems practically impossible after all the chaos of November and December. There were work deadlines, some made, some missed. There was World AIDS Day, a rousing success but anxiety to the last moment. There was Patient Appreciation Week in the Clinic, which, thanks to our Community Health Provider Kathy, was terrific.
Despite a fast moving GI bug that struck down 4 family members from the 23rd-26th, we managed to bake cookies, attend Jim’s concert at the cave, have Christmas day marathon, and much celebration. Tradition, it seems insane sometimes, and then just as I think that I cannot get through another minute, tears trickle down as I think how lucky I am, and how I had another holiday with my family.
Cigar Smoking? A new tradition-- (Doubt it)
Cats are funny animals and Chrissy's and mine were no different. The pranced around each other carefully, Chui not realizing that she has front claws and Squeaker none, Chui two years old and Squeaker 13. I think they really enjoy it a lot!
John and I raced to Boone for a few days of respite in the cabin, both of us spent most of our time pouring over some aspect of work, and did our best to stay warm as temperatures plunged and snow poured. I love our wood stove and cranked it up-just to the point where John pondered opening all the windows and stripping to shorts and a T-shirt. I was thrilled, snuggling down with a light blanket and counting survey answers. The theory of the wood stove is that the heat from downstairs will flow through vents upwards. The vents are warm I will grant, but if heat flows upstairs, it is met with stiff opposition; thus, my days were primarily spent cuddled up with my kitty and the wood stove. On this trip home from the mountains, snow poured down, and we had to ask our neighbor Larry to plow down the mountain as we followed him. Made it…..gulp.
It was hard to plan for this trip. The new Medical Education Partnership Grant requires that we haul lots of equipment for KCMC, and also restock our house. The challenge is to do this within the required baggage allowance. 6 big bags later, incredibly heavy carry ons and a wing and a prayer later, we are nearly ready to fly when the predicted ice storm for Atlanta comes to fruition and our flight is changed to JFK. The good news was a rare upgrade, and a much more comfortable ride. Now the hard part begins. 8.5 hours in a middle seat, and staying awake.
The road at the end however is Kilimanjaro, and as always once we make it through customs, we see Carol on the other side waiting, and the smell of Africa is back in our bones. Shored up by seeing family, children and grandchildren, and friends over the holidays, we begin a new chapter.
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