People will occasionally ask me how I came about being a redhead, given that neither of my parents were blessed with hair color that opened up the possibility of having vegetable-related nicknames. The answer is generally a genetic mystery, although rumor has it that Uncle Richard, Aunt Connie, and Grandma Celia may have been carrot-tops back in the day.
It´s no mystery, however, how I inherited the travel bug. While my father´s love and mastery of the road trip certainly have something to do with it, the true inspirations for my love of travel are my great-aunt Millie and her dear friend, Pearle. Each year at Christmas, I remember the shades being pulled, the drinks being poured (sodas for us, daiquiris for most, something strong and straight up for Millie and Pearle), and the slide projector being powered on. Year after year, I got to travel vicariously through Millie and Pearle, sometimes walking on the Great Wall, other times watching the polar bears frolic, being brought back to her St. Paul apartment only when the occasional slide proved to be inserted upside down and required flipping. I remember sitting in awe of all the places they´d gone and people they´d met, and I also remember thinking how brave and adventurous they were to go to unknown and exotic places. Finally, I remember promising to myself that some day, I would get to these exotic places myself and take my own slides (or digital photos, as the case may be). These days, I'm doing my best to live up to that promise.
Millie turns 92 years young on Thursday. I wish her a very happy birthday, and thank her for the gifts she gave to me long ago, the spirit of travel and adventure and the assurance that it´s alright for girls to go out into the world on their own.
Stay tuned: Octopus ice cream?
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Girls, and their counterparts! I'm so jealous the you are still playing out your adventure while I'm stuck back in the city 'o reality!
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Hey Karen! I have a question for you. I need the details that only someone in Mexico can give about the actual day of Mexican Independence. I have students that say it IS the 15th, but that most calendars recognize it the 16th. I, of course responded that I'd look into it but most likely, there was not one exact day for it's celebration and we should have more holidays that we, too, celebrate for at least a few days! :)
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