TIME IS NOT MY FRIEND!

THE TIME ZONE DIFFERENCE OFFICIALLY DRIVES ME NUTS! THIS LITTLE PROBLEM BEGAN A BIT OVER A WEEK AGO! I MISS HANK (AND OTHERS) SO MUCH, AND THE FACT THAT OUR WAKING HOURS ARE ALMOST EXACTLY OPPOSITE DOES NOT HELP WITH STAYING IN TOUCH. ALTHOUGH I’VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO CALL PEOPLE BACK HOME PRETTY FREQUENTLY – HECK, PROBABLY ALL I CAN AFFORD! – I WISH I COULD TALK TO THEM MORE. I GET SOME BREAKS DURING THE DAY WHERE I WOULD LOVE TO CHAT WITH HANK ONLINE OR CALL HIM ON THE PHONE, BUT SINCE IT IS USUALLY AROUND 3AM U.S. TIME, I TRY TO RESTRAIN MYSELF. (“TRY” BEING THE KEY WORD IN THAT SENTENCE.) I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HIM AGAIN! AT LEAST IN THAT RESPECT, THIS HAS BEEN THE LONGEST FEW WEEKS OF MY LIFE! ALTHOUGH I LOVE IT HERE AND AM 100% GLAD I CAME – IT WOULD BE A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER IF I HAD HANK HERE WITH ME. (AND OF COURSE JACK D. TOO – ALTHOUGH FROM THE LOOKS OF THE STARVED AND BROKEN STREET DOGS, MOST PLACES PROBABLY WOULDN’T ALLOW A SPOILED INDOOR PUP LIKE OURS ANYWAY!)

ON A POSITIVE NOTE – HANKO WILL BE BY MY SIDE IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS – 11 DAYS TO BE EXACT! THAT IS ABOUT A WEEK EARLIER THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED. WE HAD ALWAYS PLANNED FOR HIM TO RETURN TO INDIA AT THE END OF MY TRIP TO TRAVEL WITH ME AND THEN BRING ME HOME SAFELY, BUT SINCE IT HAS BEEN REALLY HARD TO BE APART, WE DECIDED TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO ABOUT GETTING HIM BACK HERE SOONER. LUCKILY FOR US, HANK’S BOSS ROCKS AND SAID THAT HANK COULD WORK ADDITIONAL HOURS IN ADVANCE AND “BANK” THEM FOR THE FUTURE. BASICALLY, HE’S WORKING EXTRA TIME NOW, AND THEN HE CAN TAKE MORE “VACATION” DAYS (WHICH HE DOESN’T REALLY HAVE) LATER. SO, HANK WILL BE COMING BACK TO INDIA EARLY, AND THAT WILL GIVE US ALMOST 2 FULL WEEKS TOGETHER TO SEE THINGS IN DELHI AND THEN TRAVEL TO THE TAJ MAHAL AND THE HIMALAYAS. I AM SOOOO EXCITED!

THE ONLY THING IS – I’M HAVING A HARD TIME WANTING TO GET OUT AND DO THINGS THESE DAYS. I’M BASICALLY JUST CHECKING OFF THE DAYS UNTIL HE GETS HERE – WANTING THE TIME TO PASS QUICKLY. BUT THAT IS NOT HOW I WANT THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO BE – I MEAN, THEY ARE STILL A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF MY TRIP (ALMOST 1/3) AND I DO WANT TO GET OUT AND DO NEW THINGS. IT WILL JUST TAKE A BIT MORE DISCIPLINE ON MY PART – REALLY FORCING MYSELF TO GET OUT WHEN ALL I WANT TO DO IS STAY IN, GO TO SLEEP, AND CHECK OFF ONE MORE DAY ON MY “COUNTDOWN TO HANK’S RETURN” CALENDAR.