Back in Juneau

A big day of travel today. By 3am in Portland, Dan was already 13.5 hours closer. I jumped on a plane a few hours later and made my way north, ending up back in Juneau by 3:30p local time.

I love airports. I love traveling. This time was no exception. Of the four times I was sitting next to people on the plane, three times I was by someone I knew somehow. Going south, I was sitting by Tom and his wife (a short term driver with me who was going back to San Diego after a short stint of being a stop-gap pastor), and then the next flight my nose was in a book. Then on way back, I met more people.

I was sitting in the Portland airport anxiously bobbing my feet, watching my flight get pushed back in 30 minute incriments, and reading Coop by Michael Perry (you should read Truck: A Love Story). This is where I meet Phillip, a college boy who is beyond excited to go on his first solo week trip to Rome. As the time keeps getting pushed back, he is understandably nervous about making his connecting flight. He doesn't know what to do. I take him up to the podium to see what can be done. We end up having seats across the aisle from each other.

Then on the last leg, I shared a row with Bunti, the mother of one of the boys on the wash crew for the company I drive for. She used to be in the restaurant business, and she promised to pass along her famous apple muffin recipe so I can explore its possibilities in my future coffee shop. It was nice to meet another person here in Juneau.

I picked up my car from Lauren's house and went back to the house. Both Carrie and Jacque are staying at Carrie's mom's house while she's in Boston, so the space was empty - not even a Kodak. Waiting for me in my room was a wonderful welcome home present - a pile of mail! It felt like Christmas!

Nothing in the pile was sent because of the things that happened in the past week, and that's what was so great. All of these treasures would have come if Ciara became sick or not, and it felt good to have such visible evidence of being loved and missed by friends in Illinois. With Dan getting back to Chicago today, I wanted to be there so much! Getting things from there, even if they were envelopes, big and small, made everyone feel that much closer.

So then I was lonely, so I went and picked up my cat.

Kodak has been sitting at my feet, or on my lap, or next to my head since we walked in the door. There is a lot of meowing (usual for Kodak) and the occasional head butt for attention. I love it.

Also, somewhere in there I cut my hair again and immediately regretted it. The things I do to myself.