Back in the 860

For the record...

It's my second full day back in the States, and the first glimpse I've seen of the sun from the States! I had pictured that upon landing in Boston the clouds would part and the sun would be shining to welcome us back...but no such luck. It's been more like Foggy Londontown here the past couple days than it has in Foggy Londontown. It's good...and weird to be home. It's sort of different than I thought--not reverse culture shock so much as just having to get used to not living in one of the biggest cities in the world anymore, but being back in a suburb of Hartford, Connecticut. It's a reality check too because now I have to come to terms with selling this house and moving up to Vermont for good for the last year I'll be living at home (God willing I get a job after college) and really get after these internship people...because odds are I'll be starting at the end of May or the beginning of June.

I miss the tube, and the knowledge that I'm a short walk away from Big Ben or going shopping in Oxford Circus. But on the other hand, it's nice to be able to watch the Cubbies, to have access to a car and a bed that not only doesn't practically stab me while I'm sleeping with it's springs, but is big enough to house me, my stuffed Eeyore and a body pillow, and is like sleeping on a cloud. As I was telling one of my friends, I once had a near-death experience in London of jumping into my bed and suffering what felt like a broken butt.

The flight actually went really well--we flew from Heathrow to Boston Logan on Friday, and it only took 6 1/2 hours. Unfortuneately, I was in row 55 so it was loud and bumpy nearly the whole way, and I was sitting next to some middle-aged American guy who had his knees up against the seat in front of him, hogged the armrest, all-around was infringing on my personal space and to top it all off he smelled like Guinness. (You can always spot the people who aren't very good flyers who request a Bloody Mary with a double shot of vodka when the flight attendants are doing the first round where only water and coffee are offered.) The flight seemed longer than it was, probably because I was eager to get home, but I occupied myself by reading Vogue and Into the Wild, and watching No Country for Old Men, Juno and an episode of Californication. And by eating...and drinking the free Virgin Atlantic wine. I was looking out at snowy Nova Scotia for a while too.

Of course we had to get into Boston right before rush hour, ensuring a 2 1/2 to 3 hour trip back to Granby. So far I've been sleeping (or trying to: I was up at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, which is of course 10:30 London time), eating (a lot!) sushi, Panera, Mom's red velvet cupcakes, getting Dunkin Donuts iced coffee (now THAT is something I missed) and fighting the urge to kiss the $20 bill in my wallet, simply for the fact that it is worth exactly that and not double! And of course, getting food ready for the Cinco de Mayo dinner tomorrow!

Unpacking hasn't been much fun. I'm finally about done, but I'm just repacking to go up to Syracuse on Tuesday and for the big move to Vermont in June. AND the trip to Vegas for the 21st! I'm sitting here at my desk, overlooking our woods with the window open and the smell of freshly cut grass and Dad blackening salmon on the grill for dinner wafting through. I'm really going to miss this place--it's been my refuge through everything all the way back through the big move from Illinois. Even back when I was an awkward seventh grader when I dreaded going to school some days, this is the place where I've felt safe. The transition out of this house has been going for sometime now--since I started at Syracuse and with interning in Vermont last summer, I've probably spent more time at the Vermont house during school breaks than I have here. And I feel like I'm constantly packing at this point in my life! Not even just with coming from London, but going between Granby, Syracuse and Vermont for the past 3 years.

I'm going to miss having these friends close by (even if a lot of them do go to UConn.) I'm going to miss the mini-road trips to Canton and Enfield for Panera and some shopping, and being just about halfway between NYC and Boston. But at the same time, Vermont has sort of become home too. In the summer anyway. (I am a fair-weather Vermonter.) I am itching to get out on the boat, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to wait another 2 1/2 weeks to do it!

I probably won't write until I'm back from the 'Cuse on Friday, but I'll be sure to let you know if I see anyone good while I'm there;)