Yes, we have exited February and find ourselves, on this first Thursday in March, contemplating future holidays; something that occurs more frequently now that we are both closer to becoming Gentlemen of Leisure (as opposed to Verona...).
(Actually, the idea of a ‘Gentleman of Leisure’ is a complete misnomer for it seems the more ‘free time’ one has, the busier one becomes - I don’t know how that happens, but it does.)
As always, because we are not clairvoyants and cannot see what future time constraints may arise, our thoughts on travel over the next while are rather fluid; still, we’ve been trying of late, to firm things up and get a better picture of what we can and cannot do within the next 12 months - or so - but ‘sketchy’ or ‘penciled in’ is how I would best describe it.
That being said, even a pencil leaves a trace - and this trace allows us to either confirm (in ink) or erase/adjust the envisioned holiday plans at some future time.
And so! As it stands! The shape of ‘holiday’ is beginning to emerge from that primordial origin of a New Year (not so very long ago) and reveal its contents.
(I should have prefaced this whole thing with a tiny bit of information to make it more comprehensible - we understand that there are a finite number of holidays one can take (yes, it’s true - can you believe it!? You’ve probably not even thought about that.) and there are an infinite number of places that one may wish to visit; a winnowing, of some harsh degree, must occur - and what remains are the places that appear highest on one’s own scale of personal importance - what matters to you in the end is all that really matters.)
Tentatively, but with enough conviction to at least rate a #4 lead pencil, if not yet a pen, we have on the horizon: A fabulous trip to NYC, my previous home (and that one is in pen), a trip (for one) to Vancouver, a family reunion in California, come August, and (this is where the trumpets sound) finally, a trip to Istanbul/Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium - isn’t that epic!? But Wait! There’s More! Following that, in December, our usual visit (well, it’s become somewhat ‘usual’) to Chicago will occur - oh, frabjous day! And, may I be the first to announce? An extended stay in Hawaii may cap it all as February rolls into view. Excellent! That’s what I call it; excellent.
As you can see, I’m slightly buoyed by the prospects of the coming year - and believe me, these thoughts cannot come too soon - the weather, the distraction by it, the lack of light, are all conspiring to sap me of the will to live (okay - slight exaggeration - but you know what I mean - it’s pretty dreadful right now - even if we haven’t had all the snow and cold that a usual Winter here would bring - there is still not enough light!).
Anyway - we always keep our eyes lifted to the horizon for we know that the sun will soon be rising above it once again to provide what is necessary - a feeling as old as time itself - the pure joy of light - and it’s Thursday - and plans are being made. This is good.
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