A Different Life II

[Decembergal]

Hello Maggie,
Thank you so much for sharing your life with all of us. I actually have been following along for a very long time. I have always wanted to go to Greece, it was great to go there through you.
I love the way you express yourself, it is a gift.
Thank you again, and welcome back.
Kathy.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you, Kathy.

I so appreciate my Forums friends, and sharing the ordinary and not-so-ordinary here.....y'all have expanded and enriched my life to such an extent. It is a gift, to me, and I am grateful for all of you.

It was a long, arduous and seemingly endless trip yesterday....the connecting flight in Philadelphia to Chicago requiring a couple mile (it seemed) trek from one terminal to the next, then the flight to Chicago....that had a 4 hour wait time, anyway....delayed 1 hr 45 minutes because the crew for this flight were in Charlotte, NC.

I'm sitting there, exhausted, up for more than 24 hours, and all I want to do is find a corner and go to sleep. Finally got to my hotel in Chicago about midnight....7AM in Athens.

Would like to have slept til at least 10, but the sun is up so therefore so am I.

Tonight, however, I will sleep in my own bed with my sweet Lily nearby.

Sipping my coffee and answering emails.....going to indulge in a hotel breakfast before heading to Union Station for my early pm train home.

I ate a very odd diet yesterday....my body deserves a real meal.


xo. Maggie

[DIR1]

hi Maggie.. you are probably on the train now.. heading back to all the comforts of home and Lily, the biggest comfort!!! sure enjoyed all of this... sooo glad you're back safe.. hugs and love from here, gail

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, Gail....at Union Station, actually......my train doesn't board for about an hour.

Fed, washed, fully caffeinated and hydrated ....I am good.

Watching the safety videos on the tv's here in the waiting room.....what a world we live in these days. Unattended bags, flight/hide/fight in the event of a shooter/other overt danger, what to do in event of an earthquake or evacuation due to bomb threat. Yikes.

Getting ready to research a small train trip with the kiddos perhaps next year.....maybe to the Isaac Walton Inn and back.

They would love it....... if I can convince their parents to let me take them that far away by myself.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Had a nice visit on the train home with a local woman about my age.....we had one of those conductors who insisted that solo passengers buddy up with others to free up seats.....which was fine, even tho we then took on very few other passengers. Others don't ask that until the train starts to fill up. Ahh, well.

It was okay, nice to visit with someone.....always that first, quick pang of jealousy that another's husband is still alive.

Home late yesterday afternoon, reunited with an exuberant Lily, and out to supper with my son/his before down to bed fairly early. It had been a long couple of days.

Nice this morning to push a button and have a couple of mugs full of coffee ready for my leisurely consumption.....no packets to tear open, and real cream in the frig.

Lily slept at my feet all night, never getting down til nature called about 6am...at which time she sat very close to me and issued that plaintive whine that means....I need to go...now. She missed her mama, and her mama missed her.

I took her for a couple of blocks walk first thing, Bud, talking to her about Grandma being home, now, and she will be at Lily's house with me.....her tal wagging non stop.....will report back as to her re-entry.

Nice to be gone, always good to be home.


Maggie

[mimiandrews]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with all of us. Glad you're home, safe and sound.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I decided I can't afford a train trip with four grands to the Izaak Walton inn and back.....looking at to Mpls/St. Paul and the Mall of America.

We can get there in one day...stay a couple of nights, back in one day.

We'll see.


Maggie

[DIR1]

Home and safe and planning another trip!!!! I love it!!! hahaha!!! Well, good for you... us too, really.. hugs and love and welcome back

[Rocinante]

As they say in Greek, ευχαριστω παρα πολυ for sharing your trip with us! Glad you had a wonderful trip. We love Greece and can't wait to go back again someday.

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, folks.

I look for this to be the one and only trip to Greece.....there are other places I would like to see,


Maggie

[paiceman]

Welcome home. Nice to voyeur your trip to Greece, it's good to challenge ones self now and then.

Bud

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, Bud.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Laundry is done up, things put away, and the little house more or less in order.

I worked yesterday on some requested tasks having to do with the person in my life....the one who has acted very badly and in clear contradiction with his professional responsibilities...and who must now answer for his deeds.

Rather exhausting for me to deal with that right now, but if I hadn't I just would have obsessed on it til I did....because, that's what I do.

Get things pulled together and down on paper.....its done, and I can stop thinking about it.

I was in bed ridiculously early last night, am still feeling a bit sluggish today, but I think the worst of re-entry to the Central Time zone is over. Another good nights sleep should do it.

Have gotten some groceries in.....at the store shortly after 6am ....and most importantly, dog food .....so intend to take it easy the rest of the day....crochet, go thru the mail, etc., drink tea, etc., and try to resume a normal level of activities tomorrow.

I am tired, and if I don't want to do too much right now, I don't have to.

Our Moraine View group is getting together this weekend for a fall rally, so am looking forward to that and to seeing all of them.

Supposed to be perfect weather...it will be good.


Maggie

[paiceman]

How did Lily do with you being away and your return to your home?

Bud

[Lily&Me]

I'm still assessing her re-entry to our home, as we are at less than 48 hours......she didn't eat yesterday, has eaten today, otherwise seems good.

She doesn't have that kind of sad and bewildered look on her face that she did last time, I have noticed.....so that is an improvement and may reflect an improved re entry, overall.

My son said she didn't eat as well as she usually does, this 12 days they had her. Not at all for a couple of days, then not her entire 2 1/4 cups on any day. Has to be a bit confusing for her, although she loves them and they her.

She has slept all night at my feet in my bed these past two nights....not her usual back and forth between the couch or under the bed.

I'm sure she is less comfortable at the foot of the bed, as not as much room for her to stretch out....I know that I certainly am less comfortable. ....but she needs to be close, and that is okay.

I would have to say, at this point, that she seems to be doing better, Bud, so the pack walk has likely helped. . I will do that each time, now.


Maggie

[paiceman]

Good, I'll send you a message on something.

Bud

[Lily&Me]

Lily's re-entry seems to be going better than mine.

It is 7 hours later in Athens than here, and my sleep cycle has not yet switched over. Booooo.

I couldn't stay awake thru the evening news last night, now have been wide awake since 3am. I had something I needed to do, so I just got up and did it.

Grabbed the big flashlight that Doug always kept by his side of the bed....where it still sits....to look for something in a closet early this morning.....my first, instantaneous, thought being this still has the last batteries in it that he put in there.

It's been a year and a half, and he is still with me almost all of the time.

Good in many ways, not so good in others.....those gut wrenching pangs of sadness and loss come very quickly and without warning. I miss him, and miss sharing life with him.

Life.


Maggie

[TinCrumpet]

Originally Posted by DIR1

Yeah!!! that was great fun!!! thanks for taking us along.... I can now add Greece to my imaginary travel list.... hugs and love and welcome home... Lily will be soooo glad to see you!!!

England is on your non imaginary
If this thread is not on the front page i have difficulty locating ..
perhaps I'm just a bit dim ..

[Lily&Me]

I can imagine England, Lili.

If you click on the "new posts" tab, Lili, that will take you thru any posts since you were last on the Forums.

Fatigue got the best of me yesterday, tears and all, but today is another day.

Going to ready to rally today....mix some cookie dough to bake in the am, gather clothing and supplies, tidy the Interstate, etc....so that tomorrow we can go.


Maggie