flashman181

So the apartments are booked and the flights confirmed so its full steam ahead for Hands Solo Part Deux in Feb 2015. 10 days in NYC and a week in the City of Brotherly Love – San Francisco. Oops wrong kind of love. Philadelphia ! Thats better. No way a Polar Vortex can occur two years in a row right but am starting to accumulate the appropriate weather apparel in case. Will it be a magical winter wonderland or a pain in the ass (#notgoingtoSanFranluckilythough). Probably a bit of both. Just looking for that one magical shot of snow on the ground in Central Park with crystal blue skies above. And Tina Fey eating a hot dog. Have been lucky enough to visit NYC in autumn with the CLP so have seen the iconic structures and have photos to prove it.

As one gets older and the income dips the expectations tend to rise and a certain level of comfort, once experienced, is hard to forego. Like elasticised pants – but that is another story. So the apartments are in the slightly better part of town and on the slightly higher floor and have the slightly bigger shower nozzle. The latter is significant when still graced with luxurious, slightly tinted, growth on top. Then we get to the flights. There was a good sale on Premium Economy Qantas. I did a search of forums and generally gets good reviews although there is always that one horror story that sends shivers down your spine. “I was downgraded to Economy at the airport and had to sit next to a woman and a screaming baby for 13 hrs. And she was a Blues supporter!”. Money of course is relative when it comes to travel. After you travel you have relatively less money then before. So then I just had to convince myself and it was a tough sell for about 3 nanoseconds. In a timely segue I argued with myself that why not use the extra money I made doing on call for Easter and Anzac Day back in 2012? Luckily for myself I was not smart enough to argue that same money was spent about a week later. Onset of dementia is not all bad folks

So the dates are set and it will be a birthday in NYC just for something different. With the number of candles I need these days I may just get to see another one of those hottie NYFD guys. Tina for me, Rocco for CLP. Sounds fair to moi.

Of course part of the fun with holidays is the planning stage. Then the downer of the paying stage. Then the fun of the holiday. Then the downer of the return home. Then the joy of seeing loved ones again. And the thrill on their faces as their Snowglobe collection increases by 1.

Life is a rollercoaster baby.