Thursday, 24 November 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!! And the countdown begins…

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the globe after another GREAT DAY in the Lion City.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!  I cannot BELIEVE that Turkey Day has arrived, thereby ushering in the 2011 holiday season.  This is our third straight Thanksgiving outside the US, but I must admit that this is DEFINITELY the one that feels least like Dia de Caloria.  For starters, it’s a billion degrees outside.  In 2009 and 2010, London was at least cold and freezing.  I distinctly remember 2009, standing outside of the Flyer Bar (before heading to Dollar Grill with J-Wade for Thanksgiving burgers, washed down with Viru – Estonian lager) with Jenny as we called Nanny’s house to chat with everyone.  It was so cold I thought my hands and ears were going to fall off, but at least it felt festive.  Same with last year – we were eating (again with J-Wade, this time at the Tiroler Hut – nothin’ like some Austrian cuisine of Brats and Schnapps to harken back to the days of the pilgrims) with some Americans, enjoying the cold air, and still able to call the family because the time zone difference wasn’t so bad.  This year, however, I’m 13 hours ahead, meaning that, for the first time on Thanksgiving – I won’t speak to my family when they're all together for dinner (or lunch as most folks would say).  Add in the fact that I worked until about 8 PM, lunch was curry and dinner was a turkey sandwich (keeping with the theme at least) with the usual half block of cheese, AND my wife is in the Southern Hemisphere, and you have a Sammy that’s still his chipper self but definitely hankering for a bit of home.  However, I am happy to report that I’ve got company (sorry, I know I haven’t introduced them yet – I need a picture first!), and so I’m definitely getting some American love on this festive Thursday in November.  Plus I did make it to the gym this evening, logging 4 miles on the treadmill at an 8:22 clip.  I started slow, but at the end I was feeling better.  However, hitting mile 5 at that pace would have been a stretch, which is a sign that my cardio has fallen a long way since the glory days.  But Miller, LBRC - much like Ivan Drago, "I will still break you."  And the best news is that I did get to talk to momma my evening/her morning, which was great.  Nothing like hearing family on a big holiday when you're 11,000 miles from home.  Dad - I tried you as well on the cell and the house line - still no answering machines or voicemail, eh?

The other big piece of news is that today marks an official milestone in the lives of Team Taylor – We are officially inside the 30 day countdown.  That’s right, sports fans – Team Taylor will be departing Singapore for good (taxes cleared with immigration and hopefully no fines and/or caning required) on the evening of 23 December, meaning that we’ve only got 29 days left in country.  Well, truth be told, Jenny has like SEVEN days left in country, but regardless – we are gettin’ down to the wire.  So please try to contain your annoyance if you start seeing the “Taylor Ticker” at the start of each blog.  I realize that, between the ticker and recounting my exercise escapades, Hitman might just unsubscribe.  But I can’t resist, as I am SO excited to be headin’ back to the QC.  That being said, there’s definitely plenty on the docket to keep me busy for the next 4 weeks (to say nothing of Muffin Puffin, of course!), and I intend to make every second count between now and then.

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print.  Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and (back in the Jones condo in Sydney, gearing up for open ocean swim #2 – this time in Manly – I LOVE YOU, MUFFIN!!!!!!  SWIM HARD AND BE SAFE!!!!!!!!!!) Jenny

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