Last Call

Have started thinking about everything in terms of "lasts." Last 4th of July on the beach. Last time I might see that friend. Was that the last time I'm going to see my nieces and nephews? They had better not grow for the 22 months I'll be gone. Will this be the last time I get a My Pie at Katie Downs Pizza?

I'm having a strange sort of paralysis. I have less than four weeks to execute a to-do list that, when I look it over, makes me want to go back to bed. All I really want to do is wrap on a sarong, sit on my deck slathered in spf 42, and listen to the waves. I am trying to figure out how to bottle the scent of home: salty brine, cocoa butter tanning lotion, evergreens and wood smoke.

I have diagnosed myself with Premature Homesickness.

The calendar is certainly filling up. Lunches, coffees, dinners with friends. I feel like a rock band on a farewell tour! I'll have to squeeze in the packing and organizing in between these events. It doesn't help that I'm jetting off to the east coast on Monday. A quick trip to New York to see a friend, then down to Pittsburgh to attend a pre-registration thing. I'm pretty excited to get a preview of what will become my life for the next 2 years.

I dug my way through a pile of paperwork for the school yesterday. I am gratified to know how closely they look at anyone who wants to work in healthcare. Can't just swan in. They want to know if you are a felon. Or a druggie. Today I need to head to the police station to submit my prints for an FBI background check.

Great. Now I'll never be able to go on the lam!

Other than the necessary action items to make sure I actually qualify to do nursing school, I'm not really thinking much about my upcoming east coast life. I figure I'll have about 3000 miles to go over all of that in my trek across the fruited plain.

I'm going to soak up the sun and the fellowship with friends first.