24 more days...another kind of Advent

The other day I was doing something ordinary, like commuting to work, and all of a sudden my tummy did a flip flop. It made me pause, just like years ago, when little babies would swim around in there and would completely make me lose my concentration.  But this time, I just stopped and wondered... "What was that?"  Indigestion? Bladder? Hunger?
....Then it hit me... Happiness! Excitement..... Joy.....

The flip-flop was just like when I was a little girl. I would be walking home from school up steep Wollaston Avenue, scarf wrapped around my mouth, making my puffs of breath condense into water, then quickly into ice drops. I held my books in my arms (this was before gargantuan back packs hit the scene for even fragile first graders.)  So, I'd be trudging along in my red boots with the one hooked-button and my tummy would do the same flip-flop. Only then I knew what it meant... Christmas!! Presents... wonder and Santa.... That truly must be one of the purest joys in the world.

Well, it's been many years since my tummy bounced when I thought of Christmas (except maybe in panic... How many days left!! Oh no!!) But the other day, it happened. Sad that it took me a few minutes to locate the emotion in my history archives, but it was there. Even though it's been awhile, I figured it out nonetheless... We are going to Europe!....24 more days...

I can't believe I am so lucky. Looking forward to this European Adventure is just as good as the actual trip itself! (well... almost) We've read guides and watched Rick Steves videos, shopped for clothes and travel paraphernalia, booked rentals and hotel rooms, studied up on our Italian phrases, signed up for a Parisian baking class and virtually visited the Eiffel Tower. And now there's only 24 more days....

Travel is still magical, even with the internet, and Skype and virtual panoramas. You can't get smells from patisseries and bits of language wafting over from a young Italian family....  from an internet site....

So... 24 more days...
I think it's better than Santa.
...I can't wait...