Traveling to New England for the holidays was a challenge, to say the least. I'm also accustomed to flying solo so living in multiple people's lives was a feat in itself. And, of course, too much eating and drinking occurred. I should be arrested for the sheer quantity of shrimp I consumed in a two-week period. But, there were 28 of us for Christmas dinner, nearly all three generations of the family, and it was a delightful, too-quickly-over day. There was also singing on Christmas Eve (with and without cocktails), stockings hung by the chimney, a few memorable visits with friends, much avoidance of politics, and just a few spats.
The greatest occurrence of all, of course, was the longest stretch of the coldest weather I can recall in my life, capped with 4:30 darkness. In 15 days, I did not go out once to move my body; not a simple walk. This is an inhumane life, yet my travel karma had me out of New England the day before the "bomb cyclone" hit! Still, I'm taking LL Bean's motto (above) to heart for 2018. While it has nothing to do with brand loyalty, it has everything to do with how, where and when I choose to travel in the still-to-come new year. At the moment, I'm enjoying moving in the warm sun of South Florida.