It's so quiet here!

As much as I enjoy my time with family and friends in Manitowoc, it feels good to wake up in my own bed. And it's so quiet here compared to my mom's house. It is not the neighbors being noisy as her apartment is on the top floor, but the traffic from the street and other sounds seemed to be more pronounced, especially in the wee hours of the morning or later at night. Fortunately I only lost sleep one night but that was primarily due to a storm making racket. No, it is not “Chicago-style” traffic but Mom's building is between two of the main east/west corridors for the town, and it seems, in the middle of the train tracks! Depending upon the heaviness of the air, the train whistle sounds was as though the tracks came through Mom's parking lot. And the birds! Yikes, can they ever sing outside my mom's house and they get up so early!

Of course, we can hear sirens and train noises here, too, but my sleeping and working room is on the river side of the house, away from the sounds of the streets. When the front doors are opened, however, I can hear the children playing at the pool, and they sound as though they are on the porch! The streets here in OP are incredibly active and noisy, plus I am located only two blocks from the police station and fire department. Fortunately only the occasional helicopter draws my attention instead train whistles or sirens. Whirly bird vs. singing birds....hmmmm.....I used to say that in my next life I wanted to come back as a fire engine dog but in my old age, my enthusiasm for that is waning!

When Justin picked me up from the airport last night, after my problem-free return flights, we were listening to the debate from New Hampshire which he had on podcast from CNN---gulp! We normally do not watch/listen to that network but the local stations are Fox so that was the only option. When I called Mom from the car to report my safe arrival, he reached over to turn it down and lost the station. He was not too upset as he was taping it at his home. Justin suggested if I were not too tired that I could watch the replay of the entire debate at 1:00 a.m. I was asleep just after 11:00 pm eastern time so that was a no-go for me. Most of the highlights will be re-aired on the radio shows today or I can look it up on-line.

Justin loved his piece of rhubarb/raspberry pie that I brought back for him from Manitowoc and I ate one of my smiley faced sugar cookies from Johnston's Bakery in Sheboygan. They survived the trip, arriving intact. There was room for 5 more pounds of stuff in my luggage so I could have brought home my new candle holder purchased at the garden shop. But it will be there when I return to Manitowoc next month!

When Linda J., Mom, and Lynnie dropped me off at the airport, it was a tearful farewell on my part, with a stray tear easing its way down my cheek as I stopped at the kiosk outside to check my bag through and get my ticket. The nice young man came around to get my suitcase and I apologized for the tear, asking him if he was coming for a hug, too. He said, "I'll take a hug if you want to..." so we hugged each other. I told him it was hard to say good-bye at the airport and he agreed, having just returned from a trip himself. What a nice guy! He handled my transaction and such outside the airport rather than my having to deal with that nonsense indoors, and I was on my way!

My escorts were going to the Synod publishing house on their way home but due to the great deal of construction around the airport and roads leading to it, they missed their turn-off, so skipped their visit to NPH. It was too hectic for them to try to circle back. We enjoyed a breakfast/lunch at Perkin's near the airport before they dropped me off, which worked well for my staving off hunger on my trip back to Florida. At the airport in ATL, I did find the Annie's Pretzels shop and got an order of cinnamon sticks there, which I had also enjoyed while being hustled from gate to gate to gate on the ride up to WI. A special treat!

Strangely enough, I am drowsy here this morning. Perhaps after my haircut, my stop at Great Hang Ups, and then Publix, I will have time for a rest this afternoon before heading to Trivia. Already I have been to the mammogram center, Office Max for a card reader, and even grabbed a breakfast sandwich to have at my desk. MUST get some food from Publix as my larder is empty…or at least my fridge is!