We're baaaackkk

Just got up from a powerful nap. Our trip back to Australia was 27.5 hrs from door to door. While I was very sorry to have our whirlwind tour of friends and family end, I was also relieved to have my life sssllloooowwww down. Finally, I can limit my guilt to only being too far away from home instead of being in the US with only a few short hours to spend with any one person... and, really, no hours with other equally important people. And, I can get back to a regular schedule with 8 hours of sleep in my own bed and maybe even some exercise each morning.

Before I get any further, it is important that I announce publicly what a pleasure it was flying United out of JFK! I was totally shocked. We were met at the door by United's version of the Walmart greeter- who found an attendant to help us at the self check kiosk. (Not that we had lost so many brain cells we can't do self check-in anymore- it was just that we had bought our tickets separately and needed to work things out so we could sit together on the flight.) Attendant One took over and type, type, type we had 2 boarding passes and then Attendant Two checked out our passports and tagged our bags and suggested we cross the hall to the Qantas desk to get our seat assignment for the LA leg NOW! JFK was bright and clean. The security screening went quickly with hardly a line and no pat-downs or body cavity searches. Wow. Thumbs up to Wolfgang Puck's four cheese pizza.

Our flight was as easy as any with only one difficulty. Kevin's earphone jack didn't work on the NY to LA flight. Fortunately, I had decided to re-read "Slaughterhouse Five" so he just plugged into my arm. VwaaLaa. I didn't mind missing the movie. I had drama in real life happening in the seats in front of us. Three total strangers (Bono age 40, Our Lady age 39, and Mr Heartbreak age 24)animatedly exchanging life stories and sorting out opinions on love, sex, dating, marriage, eating meat, exercise and masturbation. They were so fascinating they pulled in the young man who was seated in the row ahead of them, too. Eventually I finished reading Vonnegut and the movie ended and Kevin let me have the head phones back. I watched an episode of House- which isn't something I've watched more than once or twice before. I had to laugh- the plane started it's descent and cut off the entertainment service JUST AS House was announcing the solution to his patient's condition. I might have figured it out from the conversation he was having with his boss (I assume) just before he ordered whatever that necessary test was if the pilot wasn't announcing our impending arrival and the necessity to turn off all electrical devices including the video - which was still playing soundlessly. Arghhh.

LAX is always dismal. But that was only a small dip in the pleasure meter. I did have an empty seat beside me to sprawl if not lie into. Kevin was able to watch four COMPLETE films (Help!, The Savages, Cassandra's Dream, and The Man from Snowy River.) The meals were fine and I slept for several hours- just not contiguously.

I only watched 2 complete films- The Savages and Cassandra's Dream- both were OK, but only just. I also caught up on my prior in flight early terminations and watched the ends of both Sleuth and 10 Things I Hate About You. Yay.

Then, happy ending- we landed safely, flew through customs where, despite listing food on both of our landing tickets and telling 3 custom officials we were carrying Reese Peanut Butter Cups, we were chastised to declare our food next time. WE DID this time!!!!!!!!, and picked up Ms. Z. She obviously had had a good time- looking now like a very fluffy tootsie roll. We brought home her kong, her bed, her bag of food- but not her waist. Still, I'm so proud every time I see her in a run with another dog who is not missing body parts. Good girl, Zelda. Good girl.

Groceries, unpacking, laundry, napping. Tomorrow we are both back to work. I hope in the next days to update the blog with a sketch of our travels in America. Now, I should start supper so we can get back to sleep.