Putting out Fires

Well, here I am in Jolly Ole England. And I’m feeling, well, not so jolly.  I swear to you I’m just a homebody.  I do enjoy traveling, but even when I’m on vacation I miss my home, my bed, my dogs…  But now that I’m all the way over here I just miss Ryan.  Ryan.  Every time I think about watching him walk away from me in the airport I get teary again.  And then him coming back for one more kiss…  D*mn it, there I go.

So the plane ride was, well, typical for my clutzy self.  I managed to get the one seat on the plane  where the video screen wouldn’t stay up on its own.  So, as I’m talking to the man from my company who was sitting next to me, I managed to knock the screen, which in turn knocked my FULL glass of red wine all over me.   Ruined:  one book, one pair of kaki capris which had formerly been my favorite.  (picture doesn’t do the pants justice…)

Now I’m here at the hotel.  I was in the bar for dinner w/ the rest of my team and one of the guys said he was all done and that he was flying back tomorrow.  As soon as he said that I felt panic in that tiny bar with the low ceilings, which seemed to be getting lower by the second.  Tomorrow HE is getting on a flight and going home to his family.  I haven’t even been here a full day and I have no idea how long I’m here for.  I immediately started to feel claustrophobic. 

After dinner about 5 of us went walking on the public paths through some fields, back to town, through an old cemetary, then to the grocery store.  Do you know that in stores here the only think in the snack isle is chips and candy?  No crackers.  No pretzels.  Nothing.  Then I saw a jar of ’salsa’ and I felt homesick all over again.  And by the way, by chips I mean “lamb and mint sauce”.  I kid you not, that was one of the flavors.

Tomorrow I start work.  I’m nervous about my role and where I’ll fit in.  I’m nervous about finding my way around the plant.  I’m nervous about getting up the guts to actually try driving.  But, here’s to one day down.  Tomorrow can only be better.