Trip #4

I can't believe I'm in the US for my fourth visit since moving. It's almost too much! I have had a big reality check though in being grateful for my situation. I mean, what are the chances of finding another job in a location like London that includes work trips to 10miles away from my mom's house?

This time I flew to Atlanta to see my great aunt and uncle before coming to NC. London-Atlanta is about 2hours longer a flight than London-DC, and almost that much further than London-Raleigh...so I'm not sure I'll make that particular trip again. 9 hours is a long time to keep yourself entertained - especially when it's the all-day flight so you're not really tired enough to sleep a lot! And I have started this terrible habit of falling asleep for the last 30 minutes of the flight - they turn off the in-flight entertainment, and it's too late to start reading a book or anything else, so I end up nodding off until the 'ding' sounds that I can take off my seat-belt. It's really not a good thing to do, because when I wake up I'm disoriented and people are jostling about and I have to rush and find all my items strewn about my seat and re-pack my carry-on bag!

I made it through customs and to baggage claim, and then took the Marta (nothing at all like the Underground...Atlanta is not known for its public transportation!!) to the north side of the city and a taxi from there. It was so good to see my "substitute grandparents" - and be forced to move really, really slow for two days. :) Spending time with an 88 and 83 year old is a good way to remember how to not have an agenda and just do what you can when you can.

I flew on to Raleigh Saturday night, had a great dinner with Mom and Alan. Sunday I went to church with them, which I really enjoyed, actually. Mom's started singing in the choir, and it was a trip down memory lane to when I was a little girl and she sang in the choir at our old church. She stopped doing that when my brother was born, I think, and it was the first time since then I was sitting in the pew looking up at her sing, instead of her watching me perform. The appreciation of that moment, the hymns we sung, and just the service itself were a great bonus to an already good weekend.

Then we went shopping :D Got stuff for my mom's svelte new figure and some things (like good workout clothes!) that I have trouble finding in the UK. Then I got to help cook dinner with all the fresh ingredients in my mom's kitchen, eat a yummy meal, and plop down in front of the big TV and channel surf. Great to have these few days preceding what will probably be an insanely busy work week.