Cold Feet

Literally. The whole time I’ve been back in the US, my feet have been cold. Especially at night time. I’ve had to wear two pairs of socks and slippers just to make it bearable. I think I could really get used to tropical life and no winters if I had to.

Aside from the cold feet (and a never ending sinus headache), being back in the US has been very comfortable. After Christmas, Rob and I headed out east for a few days to visit my sister and her husband in Pittsburgh. Exciting times for them are ahead: they are having a baby at the end of this month, and soon after they are moving to the Midwest. They’ll be much closer to my parents, who are thrilled at the prospect of being able to frequently visit their first ever (and likely only ever!) grandchild. Seeing my very pregnant sister and her husband was great; Pittsburgh itself seemed gray and gloomy, but maybe that was because I was car sick couldn’t get rid of a ridiculously powerful sinus headache. The next time I see my sister, she will be a mom, which is mind-boggling to me. They have some names picked out for the baby, but it’s a secret, so I’ll have to wait for the blessed event to see what they decide on.

On the road to Pittsburgh: Would a "carved meat buffet" sound appealing if I was not a vegetarian?


Pittsburgh skyline


We spent New Year’s with our friends Aimee and Brett and their two kids, Little Miss C and Little Mr. E. Miss C was so excited that Rob and ‘Lissa were staying for a sleepover! We all had fun playing with some of the new toys the kids got for Christmas, but Rob and I were so exhausted and head-achy that for us, the new year rang in without much fanfare. The next morning, Aimee and Brett made the most delicious pancakes ever, and I kept popping ibuprofin and vitamin C to try to feel like a normal person.

For the rest of the week, we stayed with Cara and John, our friends who bought our old house. I can’t come up with words to describe the surreal-ness of being house guests in the house we lived in for 5 years. It was so comfortable and comforting, but I had to keep reminding myself that this is their house now; I don’t live there anymore. Bit by bit my enduring headache subsided, and I braved the cold to go out and run my beloved 3-mile Loop a couple of times. In the 5 years we lived there, I must have run that route on hundreds of occasions in every conceivable form of weather. Before we moved out of the house, I always had planned to have one ceremonious last run along that beloved route, but everything got so hectic and busy at the end that I sort of lost track of when my last run was. So this time I tried to savor it despite the cold and rain. Many months of Nicaraguan rice and beans plus the ensuing deluge of Christmas goodies have made me doughy and out of marathon form, but I managed to hold my own and run the route at a respectable pace.

The whole trip back to the US has really made me aware of the ties that bind. I have the most amazing friends and family in the world. Everybody went over and above the call of duty. They provided us with food, shelter, clothing, transportation, vitamins and cold medicine, soymilk, and veggie burgers without complaint.

Some of my favorite memories of the trip, in no particular order:
• All our family Christmases: at both of Rob’s grandparents’ houses, my parents’ house, and my aunt’s house.
• Going running early in the morning at my parents’ house, then coming back for a lovely breakfast and coffee with my mom and dad.
• Little Miss C requesting (and eating) a ham and chocolate sandwich on a croissant for lunch.
• My sister’s dog Dixie: such a quiet dog except for the 30 seconds preceding her nightly milkbone treat.
• Seeing a pure white goose on the lake with Cara and wondering if it was a Ghost Goose, an Albino Goose, or a swan.
• Hanging out with Aimee and the kids while Rob and Brett rode their bikes.
• Driving the Purple Car.
• Sex and the City
• Coffee with Martin.
• Chatting with S.L. in his new office.
• Both Little Miss C and Little Mr. E on my lap, reading stories.
• Staying up late with Cara and John, catching up on TV shows I’ve missed, and having gin and tonics. And of course sharing the lap duvet.
• Hot chocolate
• Hot showers

I could go on forever. The trip was chock full of happy, warm and comfy moments. At the moment I’m torn between worlds. I wish I could have my cake and eat it too: going back to the monkeys in Nicaragua, but having my friends and family close by too. Like, if I could spend the day out in the forest watching Uno and Wrinkle Belly, but then come back and night and watch Sex and the City with Cara or read a bedtime story to Little Mr. E and Little Miss C. But I guess I’ll have to be content to just wait a few more months for all of that again. For the time being, I’ve got to shift gears back to Nicaragua mode and focus all my energies on the monkeys. I’m just hoping that I don’t have to go through a period of re-adjustment again: the Vortex and being all swollen up from bug bites is not an experience I’m eager to relive.

I’m not sure when I’ll get a chance to post this; at the moment I am writing while on the plane back to Nicaragua. Stay tuned; I’ll post more from Mérida when I get a chance.

Thanks for reading.