Jennifer in Luxembourg

I’m sitting at my desk, the air mattress deflating to my left. The house is quiet, save for the clack of my keyboard. My body is TIRED. It’s been a full two days. But amazing. I picked M up from the train station yesterday morning, and dropped her back this afternoon. Two-ish days here in Lux. Two days that she took vacation time for. Two days that she fought to pay for meals and snacks. M was part of the Academy. We didn’t work a ton together, as her role had her in a different building than me. But as my time was coming to a close, we ended up first at a Jonas Brothers concert, and then on a few projects, working more closely together. And found out our birthdays was a literal day apart. As kind as she was, the pinnacle was when she shared her office birthday celebrations, on her actual birthday, with me, whose birthday was the next day. As my time in Boston drew to an end, we got to interact much more, and I was sorry to move away from such an incredible human. So I wasn’t overl...

I’ve had a rather unexpected spot of homesickness recently. I’m not sure if it’s the post-family post-event blues, the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays, or just missing the stunning New England fall and crips weather and walking around in jeans and flannels and tall boots. Regardless, I’ve found myself unlocking my mailbox daily before I enter my building. I’m the type that is typically lucky to unlock it once a week, as I normally get nothing but bills and junk mail. So every day, it’s been a roller coaster of emotion as I unlock it, see the existing junk mail I can’t be bothered to throw away yet, and lock it back, as I prepare to sadly enter my quiet apartment alone. Today, I got home earlier than usual, but also in a bit of a different mind-set. I’d just said goodbye to a friend/colleague (separate post), and I always get the post-visitor sadness after. I almost didn’t unlock the mail box, but as I had to put my heavy bags down to unlock the door anyhow, I went for it. And to my h...

I sat for a moment on a stone too small for my butt, but a moment of respite regardless, and breathed a sigh of pride. Stage 4 cancer. twice. Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes. Borderline cardiac function. Diminished pulmonary function. Beginning fibromyalgia. Beginning arthritis. So. many. freaking. health issues.  And yet.  I did it.  I hiked the top of the cliffs of Tulove Grede, part of the Velebit mountain range. Granted, I didn't hike from all the way at the bottom... but still. It was over 250m/800 ft almost straight up, with loose rocks and barely a path at all. More than 2.5 km to be hiked in less than 2-hours as we had a timed cave entry next. Add to that steep elevation the Bora winds, which flow over the top of the mountains, often reaching hurricane speeds. We clocked the wind at 87 kmh for most of the hike; it absolutely sucked the air right out of my lungs. Paired with that, the fact that the temperatures were way colder than predicted when I packed my...

It’s hard living alone. Much less moving to a foreign country all by yourself. There’s no one to help in the day-to-day life. Whether carrying groceries, or picking up pharmacy meds, or just making sure I’m ok. Let’s not even think about the having fun parts of life. So it’s always a joy to have visitors that care for me. In December, my siblings. They insisted on me buying “extra” things- the drinks or pantry staples I don’t buy because I don’t have the strength to carry home. Instead they split carrying all the extra products between themselves and ensured they left me with a well stocked pantry. They refused to let me carry most of the groceries on that trip, citing that I had to carry it alone every other time they weren’t there. John took it upon himself daily to do the dishes, and generally tidy the house. He knew the others were coming off exhausting college schedules, so he made sure to spend the extra time to do the dishes and clean.  Ruth took care to take a pile of .5 ...

Boston birthdays sucked. So I’ve stacked my Europe birthdays. Last year, I welcomed 30 with one of my best friends, in Hungary, on an absolutely spectacular and memorable trip. This year, I had the privilege of hosting 4 young friends from Cleveland in Europe. I arranged our trip to be sure to be in Lux on my birthday, and had a few friends join for dinner. I stood in the living room after the birthday dinner, hugging my one friend here. We were discussing my visiting friends, and is often the case when we find ourselves side-hugging at an event, debriefing the event. It was a moment of immense gratitude for me. For Jack bringing me flowers, and he and Ben carrying a table quite a distance up a hill for dinner. For Stasi doing my make-up. For N bringing a cake and candles, and the most darling earrings. For A bringing a lovely bracelet and a ring I’m simply in love with. For the Ws gifting me a thoughtful game that I’ve been looking to purchase for myself. For G having put my birthday ...

Last week I had friends’ visiting, and they graciously parted me with a cold. Which also could be the result of just running myself a tinge ragged. But I left work early Friday, as I had a splitting headache and felt myself on the brink. And given my health history, it’s always better to try to nip it in the bud, and not let myself get actual sick, or I’ll be mostly at death’s door. It’s hard getting sick in a foreign country. At my disposal are no longer the car or 24hr pharmacy of the USA. I’m armed with the supply od Dayquil I carry back from the USA every trip, and whatever home remedies I can scrounge, while waiting for a doctor to open at a reasonable hour that I also have strength to leave the house. I called Daniel as I walked home. I mentioned the beginnings of a cold, and his instant reaction was terrified worry. I got a stern warning to rest and be ok, as he was worried the beginnings of a cold would turn into something much severe. It was kind to see his reaction and...