England Bound

Greetings from Delta Flight 12, Seat 31C.

It feels weird and yet uber technologically advanced (for me, anyhow; it's like I'm on the Enterprise or something!) to be updating my blog from an airplane. If I was more creative, I'd take my camera into the very nearby bathroom to recreate these super hilarious self-portraits in the Flemish style: http://www.ninakatchadourian.com/photography/sa-flemish.php
For a couple of years, I've been looking at them and cracking up each time. I insist you look. Really! Do it! You will not be disappointed.

Anyhow, I'm punchy as I embark on a 10-day vacation to jolly olde England. I'm flying solo, meeting my sister (who is simultaneously flying from San Fran) for a week in London, Oxford, and Cambridge, and then headed down, sans hermana, to visit some of my favorite people - Claire, Paul, and kids - in the southern part of the country for a too-short (in my mind, probably not theirs) weekend before heading home.

Our time in London will be limited, but I'm hoping to tool around Oxford and Cambridge a bit via bike, despite the forecasted rain.

The last time I went to Europe, I also flew solo. It feels a little different at age 42 than at age 19. For one thing, the offer of free alcohol doesn't matter. I'm also not on my way to visit a boyfriend that I knew was not a long-term prospect (which is an interesting story, sort of, since we traveled around Europe together while breaking up). And my passport photo has filled out a bit, too, as well as lost a nose ring.

I am so lucky that I am able to go. I think this trip also was a win for my husband, who saw less budgetary opposition to his purchase of a new bike, because it's hard to say we can't swing it when I'm traveling across the ocean, no? Maybe my husband and sister are in cahoots on this?

I was talking to my friend Jen yesterday and she used the phrase, "embarrassment of virtues" to describe me. My mind auto-filled the blank as embarrassment of riches (financial security, health, great family and friends), to which I'd agree, although I was pretty amused once I processed what she said.

What was she referring to, dear friends? Trivia! Mark your calendars for the night of 3/20 at Ol' Mexico. I'm organizing another trivia night to raise money for the MS Society. It will be fun. Although now I have my work cut out for me when I return to the states...

Oh, hey, want to donate to the MS Society? Here's the link to support my fundraising efforts. It is that time again.
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2015

(In the interest of not getting sued, the bike image was found via Google at http://hannah-evelyn.blogspot.com; I'm not quite sure why I feel obligated to credit my source this one time. Also, the photo on the plane is aligned correctly on my phone and the draft blog, but isn't right on the final blog. I guess I'm not on the Enterprise after all.)