En Route!

I'm writing from the Vancouver airport as I eagerly await my 3rd and last flight of the day to Seattle!  I admit that it took me until now to be excited about the trip.  Last week was a rough one.  Being exhausted from previous travel, learning how to handle a new puppy, a busy work week and being in the middle of moving houses all at once took it's toll on my sanity. But I did what I could while I was home, and I can't do anything more until I get back, which means I can justifiably in full vacation mode without stressing and feeling guilty about everything that needs to be done at home.  Hurrah!

I'm lucky to have such a great support system that brings me back to reality when I'm stressed out, tired and no longer rational. Chris advised me to consider my 3 days in Seattle as a break from life and to just go, have fun and forget about real life for a few days. Which is what I intend to do.  At least what I intend to try to do.  So to get started on my vacation from real life, in my usual style, I'm making a list of things I'm looking forward to in Seattle!

1) Sambo
Sam was my next door neighbour in residence n first year University as well as my roommate for 3rd and 4th year when we lived on Gerald Street in Charlottetown.  She's too nice for her own good and would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it.  She's definitely the type of person you want in your corner because if you ever needed anything, she'd be there in an instant with a lending hand, kind words, encouragement and always with a joke.  We get each other's sense of humour, which in my case is embarrassingly lame, which is one of the reasons we're such good friends.  We've been keeping in touch via Skype and email since we graduated 2.5 years ago (omg, we're getting old! time flies!) but I haven't seen her since then.  To say I'm excited is an understatement!  We spent a lot of time together at the Starbucks in Charlottetown, so meeting up in Seattle, the birthplace of Starbucks, just seemed fitting.

Total Goof balls. LOVE IT!

2) Shopping
Remember that feeling of the first day of school when you pick out your outfit the night before, lay it out in your room, wear your brand new sneakers and have a new backpack full of crisp notebooks and new pencil crayons? I miss that.  We don't exactly have clothing stores in Hay River.  And I haven't really had a reason to go 'back to school' shopping in about 3 years.  Since I'm going straight to Victoria from Seattle for a week of orientation for my Masters of Public Health, I'm looking forward to being in a city with shops and am glad I finally have an excuse to buy a few new 'back to school' outfits and school supplies!

3) Seattle
For some reason, I've always wanted to go to Seattle.  I've heard nothing but good things and everyone who's been seems to love it. I'm excited to explore a new city, check out the space needle and Pike Place Market and be a dorky tourist toting a camera and a map.  We don't have any real plans for while we're there other than the above tourist destinations and a Mariners game.  I was intending to bring my Toronto Blue Jays hat to wear but it was already packed and i had no desire to sift through boxes and duffle bags to figure out where it was.  Is that a faux pas? Wearing a team's swag that's not even playing?

4) Sangria and a Girl's Night
I don't have a ton of girl friends in Hay River and miss having nights out with all the girls like we did in University. I was so fortunate to go to school with such a great bunch of ladies that were able to take courses together, do projects together and still hang out and go out together on weekends without any lame girly drama. I think Sam and I are due for a little Sangria induced night out on the town...een if she doesn't realize it yet!

5) Victoria
I've never been to Victoria, but again, it's one of those cities that everyone seems to love.  I'm excited to officially start school with U Vic, but mostly I'm excited to visit with my Aunt and Uncle who were generous enough to let me crash with them for the week.  Since I grew up on the opposite side of the country form them, I definitely didn't get to see them very often and am excited to get this chance to hang out with them (and their dogs).  National Dragon Boat championships are going on in Victoria that weekend too, which means I've got a few friends from home that will be there at the same time.  I'm hoping we get a chance to cross paths.  It might be a really busy week!

Yesterday I learned how hard it is to leave your dogs behind.  Our dog sitter / house sitter is awesome and I feel confident they will be well taken care of and loved but it still broke my heart a little leaving them.  Luna knew what was going on and just looked at me with her huge brown eyes, and Maverick had no clue but stuck to my leg like glue and cried for a whole hour after I left.  Yep...I'm totally a crazy person.

And there's my boarding call!  I'm hoping to check in from Seattle at least one with pictures of my adventures!