Traveling Home

I wrote this blog after I arrived back in the states. I am now back in Italy – but wanted to share the post lo stesso!

Ciao!

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25.5 hours, 3 airports, 2 talkative seating companions, 8,000 frequent flyer miles, 2 passport stamps, 3 bottles of water, 2 lipstick applications, one cappuccino, 5 pieces of gum, 2 sore shoulders, one sore neck, and $1.00 in change for the pay phone later, I am HOME! And when I say HOME, I mean Texas. Add to this fine total another 84 driving miles, 8 traffic lights, and a stop at Sonic Drink Stop, and NOW I am HOME. Well, actually, I am at my friend Angela’s home, 35 minutes from my parents. But I will see them tomorrow and call it a day, or two! Now, I remember why my parents don’t want to make this trip, and why Peppe is worried his friends won’t be here for the wedding. W-O-W!

It wouldn’t be like this if I didn’t live in Timbuck-Two, Texas or if Peppe didn’t live in Hole-in-the-Wall-in-the-Sole-of-the-Boot, Italy. It is a HARD trip. And, the older I get, the harder it is. I am not worried at all, though, about feeling the trip was worth the effort. With that $1.00 in coins I used at the pay phone, I bought 5 minutes domestic long distance and called my mother to tell her I was in Philadelphia. (I know…I used a PAY PHONE! How archaic is that? But, WIND doesn’t get really good service here in Philly, so….) She said Cole, my 5-year-old Angel of a Nephew, couldn’t wait to see me, and as we were talking (to get our full $1.00’s worth) Cole ran to get the cards so we could play a game of Crazy 8’s as soon as I arrived at their house tomorrow. You might think Cole loves to play card games with me because, being the great Aunt Cici I am, I always let him win. Contraire! It is important for children to learn at a young age that they will not always win! Cole has learned this lesson well.

Now that I am home I have a few things on my agenda:
1) Get a haircut with Gena, the best stylist in the Kountze/Honey Island metropolis, where I can speak and be understood!
2) Eat Mexican Food – and a lot of it!
3) Book a location for our wedding reception.
4) Get another haircut before I head back to Italy!

I gotta go now and get started on that Mexican food thing. If I eat like I think I will, I will have to add in a few trips to the gym to that agenda. In closing, I will leave you with this thought borrowed from a popular American advertiser.

Roundtrip ticket from Houston to Lamezia – $1,084.00

First dish of American, ok, well Chinese food on American soil – $9.00

Back and neck chair message in Philadelphia International Airport – $40.00

Beating Baby Cole at that first game of Crazy 8’s back in the states – Priceless!

There are some things money can buy, for everything else – there is family!