Yes, I am a dag....

This time next week I will be in Denver, Colorado. That's just huge, sometimes I can't believe it.

But then I've been saying goodbye to all of my beloved friends over the past few days, and it's bringing it all close and making it so real. I'm actually a little melancholy this morning, just knowing I'm going to miss people while I'm away. I'm sure while I'm on the road I'll be fine, so busy that it will pass quickly, but 3 months is a long time to be away from people you care about when you've not done that before.

Mostly I am excited of course. I keep thinking of little things I want to see and do, most of them embarrassingly cheesy! But that's what America is about to me, all the things I've seen on telly and in movies, read in books, seen in the media.

Of course I know it's not really like that everywhere, but there are little stereotyped things that I want to do. Like...

• Drink coffee and eat pie a la mode in a diner, served by a woman in a pastel uniform with big hair.
• Ice skate in Central Park in NYC and land on my arse (guaranteed). Have breakfast at Tiffanys for that matter.
• Walk down that hilly street in San Francisco that you see in 70's cop shows (and definitely NOT walk back up it).
• Listen to Nirvana and Pearl Jam CD's in Seattle (among others).
• Have some hunky bloke in a uniform (fireman, police, military, I'm not fussy) call me Ma'am.
• Eat Ben and Jerry's ice-cream in my pj's while watching an old black and white American movie that makes me cry, preferably something with Judy Garland in it.
• Buy a flower from a street florist in a big city and wear it in my hair.
• Make snow angels and throw snowballs at someone.
• Eat Cow Pies in Wisconsin, fresh from the source! (No, not the cow, but the Baraboo factory).
• Post a letter in one of those blue mailboxes like Homer Simpson tried to flood his letter to Mr Burns out of. Actually come to think of it, there are a gazillion Simpsons moments I want to have, and I'll probably drive everyone batty quoting episodes all over the place. I know I already do here!

There are a million other little things I want to experience, just for a laugh, or because I'm a sloppy romantic. And I'm sure I'll think of more on the road!

Six more sleeps people!