Departures and arrivals and all of that

[raven]

It's time for me to go. I realise I've been tellng all and sundry that I won't be contactable after December 29th, but I don't think I ever explained exactly why not. I'm disappearing for about ten days for a family reunion that has, I believe, been in the planning a very long time. (I seem to remember having it explained to me about ten years ago, on New Year's Day, in fact, and listening to the discussion all about how we must, we absolutely must, take the entire extended family off on holiday at once and have a sort of quasi-extended reunion.)

Anyway, earlier this year, Crazy Aunt #1 ran this past me again, and said we absolutely must do it this year. In December, to celebrate Christmas.

"We don't celebrate Christmas," I objected. "We're all Hindus."

"Not Joshua and Abner," she said.

"They're Jewish!"

This did not daunt her. Single-handed, she shouted and planned and organised and more or less forced us all into it. So it's done, and we're going, and I hadn't mentioned it before but it's just sort of sneaked up on me. I'm flying out tonight to Miami, via Heathrow, and I'm going to be various places - Jamaica and Grand Cayman among others - over the next few days, and I get back on January 8th, and go back to Oxford on the ninth. My apologies to anyone whom I didn't get to see in the short time I was up here - I meant to see hathy_col today, but circumstances intervened and all we got was a brief but squeeful conversation about the joyousness of "The Runaway Bride" - and also, for the many things I didn't get done. (On the trivial side of things, I did want to do the 2006-in-recap memes floating about. Maybe later.)

This week has not been a good one. There was the usual seasonal cultural angst, on top of my not-very-secure mental state, and something else happened which upset my equilibrium quite a bit, but unfortunately I can't tell you about because of the need to respect someone's privacy. But I was talking to Claire just now, who said, sensibly, to leave it all behind me in England tonight. "We can talk about England when you get back."

It's good advice. So I'm leaving my life behind tonight, and hopefully I'll have a nice time with my family, and have a good New Year. And I hope all of you do too.

Comments

[elyim.livejournal.com]

Have fun!

[cedara]

Good luck and safe trip!

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year, in advance! And enjoy Miami. It must be nice to spend December/January somewhere warm. :)

[thistlerose.livejournal.com]

Have a wonderful trip! :)

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

You know, my office is about 3 miles from the port. Can you escape for 30-45 minutes of hanging out before your cruise leaves? Are you going to be here overnight on either end of the ship-part?

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Safe journeys, and have a great time.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'll be there a day on each end! That would be immensely cool! My email address is iona.raven[at]gmail.com - get in touch? :)

[the-acrobat.livejournal.com]

Have a fantastic time!

[thecapitalc.livejournal.com]

*hugs* We should have a picnic when we get back to Oxford, you know. I haven't seen you in months!

Have a nice time on the family reunion; although eek, large extended family travelling, always a tricky thing. Fun when it goes well though- I still have good memories of driving around Indonesian islands with my cousins and brothers in the back!

Happy New Year :)

[steerpikelet.livejournal.com]

Good luck, my darling. I hope you enjoy it.
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