Spring cleaning in December

Coming home from a GRAND EUROPEAN adventure gives one lots to think about and lots of energy.

Thus, I've decided to go through all of my earthly possessions today. Sort, sift, toss, keep! Lots of things are useless except as keys to old, forgotten memories! I'm hesitant to throw out the key and lose my treasure! But really, how much do I need my old spelling lists, calendars, sketches, animals, notes, cds, pictures? When I don't look at them, I don't even know they exist. Perhaps I've placed too much value in stuff! Time to reassess.

Hello December

I'm home-sick finally, which here means that I have landed in the good ol' USA- back to the arid AZ desert where skin turns to paper and flakes off.....back to green backs and burritos! The saguaros are all lit up for Christmas, but I'm having a hard time getting into the festive mood. Jet lag has produced a continual sore throat and now narcolepsy? or at least the reversal of my sleep patterns. So: I am home and I am also sick, making me homesick.

(Indeed, I am homesick for Paris!!!!!!)

It is hard to begin to process all that I have done and seen. Especially hard when I feel stuck in my suburb house, away from everything I've grown to love- the pigeons, the chocolate, the french, the fashion, the shutters, the old monuments, the museums every day, even the smelly metro!

Is this really home now? I'm afraid I'm suffering some reverse culture shock!

But .....

It's not that bad....

My parents have really tried to hard to welcome me home and make everything transition smoothly. Last night, my dad and I went to the downtown art museum. I saw Picasso and Monet again and almost felt normal. I described the techniques, the periods, the concepts to my dad proudly and lost myself in the art work.... it felt good.

I also find that I enjoy the wide open sky here. I forgot how vast it is, stretching on forever!!

AND I ate mexican again! Yay for a beef burrito (as alluded to earlier!) and sour cream.