Saturday, November 28, 2009

Home Again

After 26-1/2 hours of travel, I am safely home in Iowa again. I left Sydney at 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday, November 27. I arrived at home in Des Moines, Iowa at 6:05 p.m. the same day. I know it's all about the international date line and 16 hours time difference, but it's still tough to get one's mind around it.

This is my last photo of Sydney, taken at the airport.
I desperately miss Sydney, my family (Jill, Maher, Celina, and baby Tay), my friends (Di and Di, in particular), and the climate!

When I arrived at the Des Moines International Airport, I was met by these...
...being offered to me by my handsome husband. He'd dressed up and had a big smile on his face. How much warmer of a welcome can a wife of 37 years expect than that!? He was looking very fine and trim, having lost 12 pounds (5.5 kg) while I was away. I too lost 5 pounds (nearly 3 kg). It seems we were pining away for one another!

Since returning to Iowa, I've made these observations:
  1. A person can cry off and on for 26-1/2 hours.
  2. I prefer Sydney's 85 degrees (29C) to Des Moines' 45 degrees (7C)
  3. It's dark in Des Moines at 6:00 p.m!
  4. Sydney has lush greenery and palm trees; Des Moines' trees are bare.
  5. Americans are really into glitz when it comes to decorating for Christmas. From the air, Des Moines fairly glows with holiday lights.
  6. Washing and drying a load of laundry in Des Moines takes half the time it did in Sydney.
  7. I miss my Sydney family. I miss my Sydney friends.
  8. I'm glad to be back in Des Moines with husband Dan, and dog Hogan. I'm looking forward to seeing my Des Moines friends.
I thank God for the blessing of getting to visit Australia once again, and for a safe journey back home. God is so good! Praise Him!

6 comments:

  1. Hi Linda, Glad to hear you have arrived home safely. It was wonderful to meet you and I will be reading about your activities through your blogs. I'm so pleased we have the technology to stay in touch!

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  2. Safely home, it must feel wonderful! Although I can certainly understand you feeling torn. It is nice to know you enjoyed the Australian hospitality and especially our weather, although it has it's moments ere too!

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  3. So glad to hear that you made it home safe. How sweet of your hubby to bring you roses.
    I know your family down under is missing you too.

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  4. Welcome home, Linda. Hopefully that husband and those lovely roses help to catch some of the tears...

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  5. I understand about the tears, my flight here to the US took 31 hours, with many stop overs and changing of planes. Hmm the Sydney weather would be rather nice now as I sit here in Oklahoma with a -1c temp. How super sweet of your husband to bring such beautiful roses to greet you.

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  6. Hi Linda, glad to hear you're safely home. I've never been greeting with red roses when I came back home (maybe I wasn't long enough away from home? ;-))
    Edith

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