V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N.

As some of you may have read in previous posts, I have a friend from college that had breast cancer like me, and kicked its ass in similar fashion. I just heard from my West coast source that her hair is growing back and she looks like a "beautiful pixie princess". Thinking about Heather gets me through some hard points in my day, because I know that she did it, beat it, and is now moving on with her life. She is an inspiration to me and the original cancer-slayer, in my mind.

I actually met Heather through my best friend Robyn, and didn't really get to know her until this happened to us both. In fact, Heather is the reason I found the lump in the first place. Remaining true to my obsessive/compulsive instincts, when I found out that Heather had been diagnosed, I became a boob checking machine. I think it was about a week after she was diagnosed that I found my lump. Needless to say, we would have been on the same treatment schedule, but my Doc decided to fall asleep at the wheel... but I digress. It's cool to have someone like Heather in my life, because she knows exactly what I'm going through. So much so, that on the day Seth buzzed my hair, a box of scarves and hats arrived from sunny California, hand-me-downs that meant so much more to me than just some head coverings. But here's the fun part... Heather gave me a piece of advice before I started chemotherapy that I archived, focusing only on the task at hand, and not on the other side of the rainbow. She told me to take a trip when all of this is over. She went to Costa Rica, a destination she had always wanted to visit, and said it was the best thing she did for herself. So here's my dilemma. I really, really want to go on that dream trip... but where do I want to go? Where would you go? This is going to be fun.

Here's what I'm thinking, off the top of my head. Please feel free to weigh in.... my hubby is going to need to weigh in on this one too. Oh and money is no object... not sure how but I'm going to start playing the lottery.

1. I've always wanted to spend some time on a boat. Not like a James Bond yacht, but not a cruise ship with Donald Duck painted on the side. I want to wake up every morning and have breakfast on the side of a ship. I think I would like to do my boat tour in the Keys.
2. Canada. Do not ask me why but I think it would be so amazing to do a tour of all the bitchin' Canadian provinces. I can say bitchin' now because I have a buzz cut, btw.
3. Puerto Rico. Our friends Frasier and Jen (who are the coolest travelers we know) did a city/beach trip in PR and said it rocked. It was also Seth's favorite port during the 2nd city cruise.
4. Maybe we could fly into San Francisco, rent a red convertible and drive until we wanted to stop. I would have to see my home boys/girls in LALA land sometime during our Cally tour.
5. Spain...Madrid. Barcelona. Sangria. Nuf said.

What an awesome way to start a whole new life... and of course to celebrate the accomplishments of your old one. Expedia, dot com, here we come!