Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day! (And Welcome Back, Me)

This is for Mr. and Mrs. Sekerak, who clearly do not have enough to do at work except send me bratty emails. But it really has been a long time, hasn't it. And my goodness so much has happened.

So yeah. I went to Vienna for work, and that got done as well as it could have. I hurt the same ankle I've been hurting on and off since November. I really need to buy more flats if I'm going to be able to run a 5K (RIGHT, ERIN?) this fall. But then I got free of boss and client and suits, spent an evening with my foot in a sinkful of ice cubes, and had myself a holiday.

I spent a day in Vienna after the work people left. It's an imposing sort of place, but in a good way - very elegant and waltz-y, really. But simultaneously, I'd been at the hotel so long that the staff knew me and it got to feeling homey, which was nice.

Then I spent a couple of days in Prague, which was both larger and shabbier than I'd imagined, but still very interesting and full of pretty bits, just not the unreal fairytale I'd envisioned. My hotel was amazing - this ultra-modern outpost of unnerving chic, but full of the sweetest people. (Also, ridiculously inexpensive.) If you go, stay at the Icon and tell Nadja I said hi.

Then I flew to Paris, saying goodbye to Matt from the airport as he left for Newport - and took the train to Montpellier, which was just lovely. It's quite literally a thousand-year-old college town. So if you can imagine all the wonderful things about being a college town, and a medieval town, and in the south of France on the Mediterranean, it was all of those. Just a sun-drenched laid-back paradise of young people in cotton sundresses clutching baguettes and meandering around past pret-a-porter shops and below open French windows looking out of cool tan stone houses. Really, truly, all the time, every day. With - most importantly - the lovely Severine, who was an absolutely perfect guide and host and friend!

And then I came home with just enough time to unpack, re-pack, and go to Maine for Erin and Mike's wedding. It's wonderful enough to be with my family, who are all crazy and silly and fun and full up to the top with total love - but it was an amazing wedding, where every detail spoke of their relaxed, elegant, fun attitudes toward life and their families and each other - and it was just in the most breathtakingly beautiful place on Earth. As much as I adore Europe, Maine may be one of my favorite places.

I packed egregiously badly at all times, spent a whole lot of money on presents and jewelry and accessories, had a few lonesome moments where I realized I want my next holiday to be with somebody, and at one point apparently missed running into Tracy by all of 20 minutes. But it was an absolutely wonderful time and I am so, so lucky to have been able to have it, and to be safe and happy and full of so many great things.

I have to get my photos up on Flickr, which will be much more interesting and tell lots more specific stories - like the one about the Kazakhstan athletic team! - but I do have to do a little bit of work now. Especially since I came back yesterday to a promotion, thank you very much. Yes, you may now refer to me as Miss Director. And why yes, if you're keeping track, this is the second promotion in four months. How good of you to notice!

Hee. All done bragging now. Time for some specifics.

Jon will be pleased to know that I've continued to practice my whistle. However, it continues to be much more of a wheezy splutter than anything resembling a whistle.

Happy birthday to Ria the stunning chef, who was right about Maine as she is about everything; to Kristi the lovely maker of jewelry, who lives too far away; and to Tommy, who I can't wait to treat to dinner tomorrow!

Now. Everybody go look at stunning Jilly at 365Portraits. (And check it again next Saturday, maybe.)