randomness on the eve of my arctic adventure

Shitballs. I just did a huge post and it disappeared and I can't get it back so I have to rewrite it. Time for a bullet post! Tomorrow I go to Svalbard. I'm really excited. But worried about my packing as the weather there changes literally every hour. Go here to see what I mean (pay special attention to cams from Longyearbyen). Heh...tomorrow I'll stand in front of the camera at the harbor, say around between 2 and 4pm?? and you can check if you can see me. If you do, screen shot it and send it to me, ok? On Monday I got a birthday present in a HUGE box from my friend Julia. I've known Julia since I was 5. She knows me better than just about anyone. Certainly has got all my dirt. (And she won't tell.) (Right, Julia?) Though she sure does like to tell embarrassing Karla stories at any gathering we go to. (Luckily I can get her back with my own Julia stories.) Anyhow..... She banded together with my parents and my two other oldest friends, Anne (since 7th grade) and Bookhart (freshman year college, though we made up for lost time damned fast) and created and printed this amazing photo book for me, entitled "40th Anniversary Edition". It's gorgeous. Black cover with fleurs de lis (my symbol, it's also my first tattoo) A poem Julia wrote is on the first page Pictures of my life (me, friends, family, godkids) from my birth til my recent trip to Tunisia. See there's a part of a page on the left, was I a cute kid or what? I opened it, read the poem, and proceeded to cry for an hour. I mean, blubbering, hooting, hollering, sniffling, weeping CRYING. I've never been so moved by a gift EVER. There are pictures in there I have never seen before. Took me hours to get over it and I still am verklempt. I must be getting sentimental in my old age. Seriously, though, I have been totally and completely blessed by the friends and family (and husband) in my life. I can't begin to describe how important they are to me. To have people love you like that, to know you well enough to make you a gift like this one, is, in my opinion, the ultimate of anything I have ever accomplished. I am loved. I am lucky as hell. Anyhow, as I begin an adventurous few days where I will turn 40 and be out of phone and internet contact, just want to say I love y'all too. With all my heart. I'll be out of phone and internet reach for 5 days. (There might be phone access in Longyearbyen and I will try to send some photos here if I can.) But this will be my last substantial post for a bit. See you on the other side of 40. It won't hurt too bad, right? Just say yes.