Wassailing in the Midwest
Hello.
I’ve dropped off the radar lately, and I’ll tell you why.
The holidays are insane.
Being home is insane.
I thought I was exhausted from South America, but two weeks in the Midwest has knocked me down and basically laughed in my face. In a good way, of course.
I last left off in Mancora, Peru, and I still have to write about our 3 weeks in Ecuador (The Galapagos! The Amazon!), but today’s post is just me checking in. I’ve been away for so long that I forgot what coming home is like.
It’s not all relaxation and hanging out. Apparently, it’s staying up until 4:30 AM on multiple nights because you haven’t seen these people in SO LONG and ohmigod there’s SO MUCH TO SAY and the next thing you know you’ve gone through a crockpot of wassail (it’s a thing), the wine bottles are empty, and you ate 32 cheesecake bites in fifteen minutes.
This is what the holidays are like for everyone, right? RIGHT?
Oh, and Happy New Year, even though I’m not ready to accept that it’s 2013. I toasted with champagne at a mafia-owned bar in Chicago (awesome) and sang Auld Lang Syne, but I don’t actually believe that 2012 ditched us.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about what’s coming up for me in 2013, and the answer is, I don’t really know.
Next week, Jared and I are taking a mini-trip to Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City. In the meantime, we’re getting all of our paperwork together so I can apply for the partner visa for Australia. Although we’ve got return flights to Ecuador on the 30th of January, I’m not sure if we’ll use them.
Also, I don’t have a passport. I sent mine off for renewal and it feels weird. And cost $217, which was painful.
So. 2013. Thanks for smacking me over the head without warning.
I’m ready now.
Being home is amazing, isn’t?!? Glad to see you’ve been enjoying yourself!
Can’t wait to see what y’all decide to do in 2013 🙂
I’m loving it! Nothing makes you appreciate the midwest like being away for too long. Look forward to seeing your 2013 moves too!
Lauren, I LOVE reading your posts – so much funnier than logging blocked toilets and broken light bulbs with miserable builders while sitting in a dingy port-a-cabin!
What? Nothing is funnier than AMEY.
That made me shudder. I can’t believe how ridiculous our job description was.
Thanks & I’m glad you’re still reading!!
I made the blog. 🙂 So happy we got to spend NYE together and we need at least one more weekend before you leave the states. P.S. You and Jared were awesome guests- as soon as you walked out it was like you were never there! Talk soon…
I just had to find a picture that wasn’t too incriminating…I had the best NYE despite the uncooked pizza and knee scab at the end of the night! I think we’ll be back, even if it’s just to watch Netflix documentaries in our pajamas.
That was probably a hard task regarding the picture. Yes let’s make it happen!
Dang, I didn’t realize it cost so much to renew a passport. I also didn’t realize there was such a thing as tater tot nachos, but I’m pretty excited about that one. Happy New Year and good luck with the partner visa.
I was really down on the tachos when I saw them on the menu, but was quickly proven wrong. As for the passport – it was a disappointing price, but then I figured I only have to pay it once every 10 years. Happy New Year to you too!
I am up at 4am after a big travel session but mine is entirely jet lag and old man small bladder issues. Yours seem much more fun.
Mine are fun, but I pay for it the next day…I’d almost rather have it be jet lag…almost!