Interlude in the States (part 1)

On July 15th we flew from Barcelona to New York City. Well, actually we left Barcelona, and about 20 minutes later had to turn back due to a medical emergency. So we returned to BCN for some quality time on the runway. May that never be me. Seizures alone are bad enough but doing it in public on a plane? Oy. We were worried about our connection in Dublin, but we made it. I would personally like to thank the fantastic staff of Aer Lingus in the Dublin airport who sorted out the utter disaster the Barcelona staff had made of our luggage and tickets. Next flight Dublin to New York. All was well until immigration, whereupon Sean was hauled off for a nice long questioning session to make sure he wasn't the Sean Kelly with warrants out for his arrest in New York State. There are many times where having a unique name seems like a major blessing, and this was one of the them. I did not like being separated from Sean by uniformed bureaucrats. It all ended well, but we left the airport much later than anticipated.

We grabbed a cab, madly texted with our friends, checked into our bizarre and cheap hotel near La Guardia, rinsed our faces, and hopped back into a cab to meet our pals in the east village for beers and hopefully food. It was turning into a very long day(s). But! It was so lovely to see everyone! My hands were all shaky and I wasn't doing a very good job of taking photos. I did a much better job of drinking cider and eating the Belgian Fries Lori magically produced. Viva Scott & Lori!
Mr. Duncan Watts in the house!
Melissa Dana and her beau!

We eventually piled back into a cab and headed for the hotel as we both had early morning flights headed back to visit family before landing in CA. Showers and a two hour nap and we were off to the airport again.

Sean flew to upstate New York and had a great visit with his folks at their new house before rolling to SF to work on the staging of his latest play, Ares, as part of the SF Olympians Festival.
I flew to Detroit Metro, picked up a rental car, and miraculously drove my jet-lagged and exhausted butt north to Higgins Lake where my family awaited my arrival. Nieces and Nephews are the bomb. The home my grandparents built on the shore of Higgins Lake is truly a sanctuary.
I have never been so happy for nice cold glass of well water, a shower, and good company. I forced myself to stay awake until 9pm. Lily and I made a deal that she would help keep me awake till then, but she would have to go to bed too. It worked! We did some fishing, some birthday celebrating, and swimming. I had a wonderful week 'up North'.


Eventually it was time (too soon!) to drive downstate behind my sister to her new home in Williamston. We had a lovely dinner with the kids at their favorite Japanese restaurant, and a good visit with my brother-in-law as he rolled home. It was just as the fireflies were coming out in the front yard that I had to kiss the babes goodbye and roll my rental car towards my hotel in Ann Arbor.

I had a nice, restful quiet night in A2. The next morning I got up and rolled to the Cook Household to meet the newest member and get to QT with my best pal Amy. It was a glorious day. Complete with a (very worrisome to Finn) tornado warning and rainstorm!


The mister cooks and their giant sunflower!

Next Stop: California! A reunion with Sean, theater!, and our friends wedding in the Sierra.