Time to Reflect

I can still taste it in the back of my throat. It's a kind of warm, slow burn.... the burn of a good scotch. It's a tradition for me to bring a bottle of scotch back from Calgary, and this time is no different. The scotch in question is a 21 year old Glenfiddich - the Havana Reserve, which finishes the aging process in a Cuban rum barrel. Delicious. It - and a Cuaba cigar - are marking my return to Kingston, and marking it in fine style.

My mother's birthday went very well. In the back of her mind, I think she was expecting me to be there. My sister Jess and her husband Peter had flown out the day before, and all of us had flown out for my father's 60th late last year, so it made sense for me to be there. But she certainly didn't expect to see Andrea, nor did she have any idea that we were throwing her a surprise party. She was absolutely thrilled.

My sister is huge. She's 8 1/2 months pregnant with my niece, Sophia. I still can't believe that I'm going to be an uncle. I was so flustered when she told me she was pregnant that all I could think of to say as a reply was, "I'm going to be a relative!" Brilliant. She's just finished defending her master's-level thesis, and now she can relax for the week-or-so that's left before she gives birth.

I've been waiting to hear from work these past few days, but they still haven't any details as to when they'll want me to come in to train my replacement. I imagine it'll happen soon enough, but I have no idea when "soon enough" might be. In the mean time, I'm going to do some reading and enjoy my time out at the cottage. I hope tomorrow is sunny, and that I can spend some time on the porch. I've yet to get the chance, on those few warm days we've had.

It looks as though I may be getting a crew together to go down to Costa Rica for a week of partying and assorted other mayhem. If there are enough of us, we'll be able to rent a villa or a nice condo for a week. If we do that, accommodation will be reasonable.

I think we'd like to go to Tamarindo again, so surfing, jungle zip-lining, and white water rafting will be on the docket. I'd estimate the price at roughly $1300 for the week, and the date to be sometime between mid-late May (ie. either the 14th or the 21st as the departure date).

If you're interested, post a comment. Thus far, myself, Andrea, and assorted friends from out West are thinking of going.