I don't want no part of this crazy love

[sienamystic]

So I'm back from my work trip which had a lot of leisure time built in, except there was also some stuff that didn't go very smoothly. But it's all been worked out at this point, so hurrah. I got a little obsessive about collecting beach glass on the beach my bed and breakfast looked out onto, and I'll give some to some co-workers who love the stuff, but I should take a photo of the pile before I do. I also ate a lot of cannoli and other Italian pastries - there's a strong Portuguese and Sicilian heritage in the town and I spent a morning sitting at a cafe that could have been in Palermo - great coffee, pastries, and a clutch of gesticulating old men chatting in Italian, Sicilian, and occasionally English, with a lot of enthusiasm.

It's only since I've been going on work trips that I've gotten to know the northeast part of the US a little more, and I really sort of love it. Although I've never seen it in the winter, so. But I've really loved some of the bits of it I've seen recently.

Drivers in Massachusetts are terrible. Saw a lot of texting while driving, driving either way too fast or way too slow, an inability to merge, a misunderstanding of the physics of a semi that would otherwise maybe prevent you from slewing in front of one and immediately slamming on your brakes...

Despite doing well the previous trip, Bemo didn't handle this one as well. He said he cried a lot, didn't leave the house much despite a list of stuff he could do (he likes having the lists, and we used them successfully before) and on the whole seems to have gritted his teeth and endured. It makes it a little difficult for me as well. Hopefully the next time travel comes up for me, he'll be able to deal with it a bit better.

The cats are happy that my suitcase is sitting in the living room, and they have taken turns sleeping on top of it. It's the prize spot at the moment.

Meanwhile, my sister seems to be getting a lot out of her trip to the Philippines, though it does seem to be pretty exhausting. She's currently in Davao at the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute. She got to visit with a couple of the titas, and will have more time with family on the other side of her trip.

Comments

[swooop.livejournal.com]

Overall, I find NH drivers much worse than MA drivers--although I finding *driving* in MA to be unbearable. That said, the next time you're going anywhere in New England, let me know--you were actually closer to me this time than you were when you were in Hanover, Pie, and for you, I'd brave the driving ;-)

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

Arrgh!

This trip did have some fires to put out, so I really would have had only one evening to socialize, but I should have sent a note your way. How far from Gloucester are you?

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

Actually, I probably could have met up with you one of the mornings, come to think of it - I'm not sure why I was so tied in to the idea of only getting to see friends in the evening.

[swooop.livejournal.com]

Oh, an hour, maybe a little more. Maybe an hour and ten minutes? I know that doesn't seem possible, but I have to drive through the *tiny* part of NH to get to Gloucester, not the fat part.

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

Geez, New England geography is a perpetual mystery to me.

[swooop.livejournal.com]

Don't feel bad. It is to me too :)