My Winter Vacation Plans

This winter vacation, or Christmas Holiday, as I like to put it, will find me flying over the Pacific Ocean once again in route to the USA for the holidays. I will leave on December 23rd actually, just 2 days away. Am I nervous? Not really. I've flown back and forth so many times that it's no big deal. The length and direction of the flights are slightly different for me, though. Being from Pennsylvania my course used to take me from Fukuoka to Narita to Chicago to Pittsburgh, where I would get picked up by fam.  But alas, time changes. Mom now lives in Florida (warm, so I'm not complaining) so this time I will fly from Fukuoka to Narita as usual. Then I will get on the great winged big silver bird in Narita to America's capital, Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. Once there I have to jump on another flight to Orlando, Florida, the home of, yes, Disney World, where I'll be picked up by Mom, Henry (Mom's BF), possibly sister Heather, and maybe, Mom's dog tootsie. Once in Florida, I'll settle down for a rest, and then will celebrate Christmas Eve (cheese and crackers, wine, and opening just one present), Christmas Day (opening ALL the other presents), and a big holiday dinner of filet of beef (my family's X-mas traditional dinner), mashed potatoes, gravy, etc., etc. Then we'll chill Dec. 26-30 shopping, going to the beach, playing in the sun, eating raw oysters and hanging round. I'll actually be there for New Year's Eve and Day for the first time in about 12 years! So I'll make it a point to go out somewhere for a countdown paaaaaarty! I'm kind of sorry I won't be around Kumamoto for the holidays cause it's my second home. This is the first year I won't be here in ages, but Mom's get older, and it's time I went for the holidays to be with her and the rest of the family. I'm sure it won't be the last time, but you never know, and that's exactly the point. See you all in lovely Kumamoto when I arrive back safely with plenty of souvenirs from "the states" on January 6th!