I have started a countdown. It is 100 days until I see Robyn in person. She is the reason I can do all the adventures. She has supported me in every way imaginable. She goes "all-in" when I come up with all these crazy plans. She was there for every step of my trek around Colorado, she pounded nails, solder pipes, hauled wood, put down flooring, and put up a roof in 90 degree days when we built our house. Her organizational skills are what keeps us going. Nothing falls through the cracks, everything is ready when we need it. She does not like to be center stage, but nothing on stage would happen if she was not back there making it all look easy. Even now her support and encouragement have kept me going.
We have not been apart more than a couple weeks in the last 35 years. Even in the first year of my PhD, when I had the apartment down in Denver to take classes at the medical school at 8:00am everyday, we still would meet on the weekends. I feel like part of me is missing. Our lives revolve around each other. I wont feel complete until we are together again. If it wasn't for instant messaging and video conferencing via the internet, I don't think I would make it.
She has been holding down the fort (no pun intended) while I go off to be educated. She is supporting me in the real sense, she has a real job and pays the bills. She has not taken a real vacation in the four years I have been in school.
She is coming over in May. We have a trip planned to allow her to visit both France and Italy. After spending a few days with her in Lyon, we will fly to Rome. Visiting all the sites in a whirlwind four days that will leave us breathless. From there we take the train up to Florence. I loved this city when I visited it over 35 years ago. I wonder if it will feel the same? How much can a centuries old city change in such a short time?
We have rented a small cottage on the hills across the river from the center of the city. There are fewer sites to see, so it will only be a mild breeze for the three days there. We are behind a large park and gardens that overlook the city.
We will fly to Paris to spend our 33rd wedding anniversary in a city we love to visit. We will stay in a hotel that we stayed in 25 years ago. It is a 1600's building that is directly across the river from Notre Dame. There are no elevators and the stairwell is barely over five feet tall. The whole place has character and either you love it or you hate it. We will be able to stroll the streets of Paris at leisure, with no place particular to go. We have our favorite places and museums to visit as well as walks around the city or along the river. We will also try to see the catacombs and a couple landmarks we never seem to have time to visit. Robyn will return to Colorado from there and I will head back to Lyon to finish up my research and pack my bags. I return to Colorado two weeks later.
It is now after midnight here in Lyon, only 99 more days.
No comments:
Post a Comment