so it's christmas eve

i stepped out of the hotel restaurant after my shift this morning into a sunny, windy central edinburgh filled with a bagpipe-belted "god rest ye merry gentlemen." further along it became clear that the pairs of lungs providing that incessantly cheery, almost bullying sound were two santas on a street corner. and so it is in scotland.

i don't have any interesting plans for today before i go back into work this evening (they are namely: shower, wash all of my things of sickness, clean my room/dishes, write emails, maybe nap or read and start planning for copenhagen - in two days, eek) but i am feeling pretty good about today. i am finally starting to climb back toward normal health. i am not having fever-plagued nights of sleep and delirious dreams anymore (though the dehydration, congestion and dizziness do alright for themselves still), and this morning at work i actually ate a cooked breakfast like i normally would if i had an appetite (though i am still waiting for this guy to come back), and so far i'm not feeling unhappy about that.

last night my other boss paul (who is cameron's boss) gave me and all of us working through the christmas holiday a bottle of white wine and a 10 pound gift certificate to marks & spencer's, a fancy uk department store, which was very sweet. all the staff members of the hotel and my scottish flatmates gave me these little cards that just say "merry christmas" from darren or whatever. i feel like we should all be giving out valentines as in grade school or something! maybe i am not thoughtful in silly ways enough, but it wouldn't occur to me to do this for everyone i know, i would instead give them warm wishes and give my actual friends gifts. anyway, a scottish custom to note, it seems.

tomorrow, on christmas, i have to work breakfast, after which i'm sure i'll be on the phone for a good while with my family, and then i'll have to pack and write more emails probably, but my greek friend alex has invited me over his flat to have christmas dinner with him and a friend. i think this sounds positively delightful, and i just hope i am in the mood to consume food at all, because i'd love to experience home-cooked greek food for the first time. anyway i just started falling asleep. maybe that nap should be moved up on the list.

i hope everyone has wonderfully festive experiences tonight. light a candle for me somewhere (i'm not allowed, university housing rules).
much love and many daydreams.