20 December, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Here is the second-annual Anglofille Birthday Self-Portrait in Mirror Obscured by Camera. Yes, I know it’s an orange and over-processed photo and I look slightly crazy and my hair is wet, but I like to shake things up. It’s also a day early, but after this post I’m signing off for a week. I think at this point in 2007 we’re all sick of hearing from me and I’m kinda sick of myself too, so a break is in order.
Yesterday I landed in the wondrous city of Philadelphia, of which I saw the airport, bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-95, the Ben Franklin Bridge and that’s it. I was promptly whisked away to the wilds of New Jersey by my dear friend and boy toy William. I’m relaxing at his place today and we’re going out for Mexican food. Ahhhhhh. I also get to sleep in his guest room, which has more books in it than the British Library.
Tomorrow we head to NYC to celebrate my birth, that glorious event. I’m actually very excited about New York. Normally the thought of it just stresses me out, but not this time. While there I need to visit my old stomping grounds in Brooklyn to do some research for my novel and then we’ll hang out in Manhattan and paint the town red and stay in a mid-town hotel that got reviews on Trip Advisor with headlines like “Never Again!”, “My Trip Was Ruined!”, “Not Bad If You Have No Standards.” I can’t wait.
On Saturday I get on Amtrak and head to DC. My parents will have flown in from The Place That Cannot Be Named to meet their long-lost daughter. They have promised that the birthday celebrations will be continued. While in DC (for less than 24 hours) I will also get to visit with a friend and fellow Virginia Woolf fanatic who lives there.
On Sunday I’ll leave DC with my parents and we’ll head for North Carolina. My parents still reside in The Place That Cannot Be Named, but now they have a second residence outside Asheville. This is ideal for me because a) I don’t have to travel to the Place, which I hate not only for its hideousness but because it requires about 5 hours of extra air travel; and b) being in NC means I get to make jokes about having to use an outhouse and stuff like that.
I’ll spend the rest of my time in North Carolina, just hanging out and being spoiled and probably eating way too much. This is a short trip and I have to return to London late next week. I’ll be able to fly straight home to London from Charlotte — how great is that?! I miss London, actually, even though I’ve only been gone 24 hours. Still, I’m thrilled to be back in the States for a visit after so long to see my family and friends. I don’t feel like I’ll be “home” for Christmas, since NC isn’t my home. But for someone like me with a rootless lifestyle, I’ve learned that “home” is wherever you make it.
Merry Christmas everyone! Or if you prefer, the more politically correct and generic Happy Holidays! xoxo
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Lillie Says:
December 20th, 2007 at 6:05 pmWelcome “Home”…
And Happy Birthday!
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Cav Says:
December 21st, 2007 at 11:43 amHappy Birthday!
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s. Says:
December 21st, 2007 at 1:05 pmHappy Birthday!!!
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Have a great birthday and seasons greetings to you too!!
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I miss you already!
It was so nice to see you these last few days! Have a Merry Christmas!
