I had a wonderful time at home. As I stated in my last entry I said that I was flying home Thanksgiving. Well, I did!
My flight departed in the late morning on Thanksgiving. What a perfect time to fly! There’s no crowd of people buzzing through the airports. I didn’t have to wait in any lines too very long. The planes weren’t all that crowded, which is great!
I was due into Madison at 6:47 P.M. and the flight was right on time. I know it’s been talked about and talked about, but I must just say one thing about the security at the airports. I’m used to getting frisked and searched. I don’t like it, but whatever it takes, I guess, to maintain safety. What I do miss, though, is having someone waiting for me after I walk off the plane. Now there’s no one waiting for me. I have to leave the plane and jetway, walk the lonely halls of the gates, and go however far to the baggage claim before I see the people who wait for me. It can be very sad.
It’s even sadder when the people who are supposed to pick you up at the airport are late! Heh.
Since it was Thanksgiving, my parents picked me up from the airport and we went directly to my sister’s house for dinner. We usually have Thanksgiving lunch around 2:00 P.M., but since I was arriving late, we were having a late dinner. What was even better is that I’d not have to do any preparation! Isn’t that awful of me? Actually, I usually enjoy the time in the kitchen with my mom preparing dinner. This is the first time that she and I weren’t the two main preparers. (I know, that’s not a word!)
As always, my entire family was thrilled to see me. That’s a very nice thing about living so far away; I’m fawned over when I’m home. I’m treated like a little celebrity. I must be very selfish in a way to enjoy that kind of treatment. I’m always a little worried about how things are going to be when I’m home, but it’s looking like I have less and less to worry about. At one time my family would have been skeptical of anything that I wanted to do away from them – visiting friends, etc. But it seems more and more like they are accepting the choices that I’ve made for my life. Or maybe I just don’t give them anything for which to be disappointed. Who knows? Regardless, visits home are more enjoyable than they have been in a long time.
Most of my time was really filled with doing things with my parents and/or sisters. I had very little me time, but that’s okay. I have lots of my own time when I’m back in my own home.
On Saturday I went to visit my friend Theresa. She and I were roommates when I was attending college at a University of Wisconsin. She was the least likely person with whom I’d have a lasting friendship, but sometimes that makes the most interesting and best friendships! Little was expected, so the surprise was so pleasant. Although I didn’t meet her until she moved in (she was a friend of a year-long roommate), we became good buddies. She didn’t like me at first. Can you imagine? She thought I was an uptight snob or something. Imagine that! She realized, though, that I wasn’t. I realized that she wasn’t so bad either. After awhile, we both realized (Gosh, I should look “realize” up in the thesaurus and use and alternative word. Heh!) we were really the only sane and responsible people living in our apartment!
But I digress . . .
She and her mom had plans in the morning, so I drove up and met her in the afternoon. We didn’t really make any plans to do anything but meet at her parents’ house. She, too, was home for the holiday. She lives in Minnesota, you see. Anyway, when I got there we just sat around and chatted a little while. It was nice to catch up on things. The last time we had seen each other was when she came out to visit me over Spring break almost two years ago. After lounging around for a bit, we decided to just hit the mall and window shop. One never knows when they might find a good window on sale! We braved the Fox River Mall . . . just two days after Thanksgiving. We are brave. She and I walked up one side and down the other. It provided ample opportunity for us to talk, laugh, give each other a hard time, and just visit. She’s so much fun! Her friends in Minnesota are lucky to have her. I hope they know!
She is evil! I just remembered, as I’m writing this, that she just may have gotten me addicted to Godiva chocolate. They have a little shop in that mall, and we went in. At that time, one of the sales people was handing out free samples—cordial cherries. Mmmm… Theresa bought a few truffle-type things. She gave me one and I wolfed it down. Well, it actually took me four or five bites, so I didn’t inhale it completely. I did savor it. Sort of. Enough to know that it was delish!
See? She’s evil!
After the mall, we visited a craft store. I can’t remember the name. Linen and Things maybe? Then we headed back to her parents’ house and picked up her mom to go out to dinner. We decided to go to this place that one of my ex-boyfriends used to take me. I just remembered it so fondly, and it had been a long time since I had been to that restaurant. I didn’t even know if it was still open. It was, of course! It’s called Mongo’s. It’s a Mongolian restaurant where the customer gathers all the ingredients of their stir-fry in a bowl and then gives it to the stir-fry cooks who fry it on a big ol’ thing inside a little room. You watch them. It’s quite fun. It’s very good for someone as picky as I am. There was nothing in that stir-fry that I didn’t like! Yay! Once we were finished with dinner we drove back to their place and I left to make the two-hour drive home. It was an extremely nice visit.
The next few days were filled with family-type stuff. We went shopping, ate out, gathered at one house or another, and of course we girls went to a movie. It’s a tradition. We went to see The Santa Clause II; the Misses Clause. It was very cute. Pure, white, and sweet fluff! We took my nephews, too. It was a family affair.
Sunday night I spent it with my sweet friend Stacey. She had been out of town for Thanksgiving and didn’t return until Sunday. When she found out I was flying home, she made me promise that no matter what, Sunday night would be “our time”. She had to work on Monday, and left on Tuesday, so it was really our only time. Our friend Kris would also be able to get away from her kids and husband to visit with us. She loves her family, but she doesn’t have much opportunity to leave the kids at home with her hubby, so we take hold of each opportunity as they arise. (We love her hubby and children, but it’s nice to have her alone!) We did a little craft shopping and then got some sub sandwiches and went back to Stacey’s to play some table games. We love games, so it’s a perfect way to spend some time together. Later Kris went home and Stacey and I watched “Alias” together before I went home. Stace had to work early early early in the morning, so I couldn’t stay too late. I left around 9:00 P.M. She is so darn cute! She’s lost some weight and has a new hairstyle. Oh my gosh. I just don’t understand why it is the men in her life don’t realize the gem that they have right in front of them. Dorks! Heh.
Monday was a here-and-there day. It was here, and then it was gone. To be perfectly honest, I don’t remember what we did! Heh. I know that I was with my parents and/or sisters at all times, so it had something to do with them. On Tuesday, the day I would be leaving, Mom, Rosyln, and I met an old church friend for breakfast. After that we went shopping. After shopping Mom had to work. Ros and I went to her house. Her in-laws were there and Dad picked me up shortly after arriving there. We went home, he went to take a nap (he had a gig that night), and Tonya and I took my grandma, who barely remembers who I am (very sad!), out to Subway for lunch. When we got back home it was time to make sure I was packed and ready to go.
Mom left work early to go with Dad and me to the airport. We ran a little late, as always, and when we got to the tiny Madison airport, there was a HUGE line! I panicked. It didn’t seem that I’d get through the line in the half-hour that I had. After standing in line for about fifteen to twenty minutes, someone said that the line to Denver was “over there”. Hello! That’s what I wanted, so we switched lines. After I checked in and was given my seat, I said goodbye to Mom and Dad at the checkpoint (another sad thing about the whole airport security—no one can go with you to the gate to see you off), and headed through without too much trouble. With one last wave goodbye, I was off. When I arrived at the gate, they were already boarding. Whew. Heh. That was close.
The flight home was full, so it was tight quarters, but it went without a hitch. I arrived home late that night—around 11:30 P.M.—petted my Lucky-boy, and went to bed.
No matter how much fun you have away, it’s always good to be home.
previous |
current | next
|
