Back to the Desert

We left our hotel on the morning of the seventh, loading up all of our heavy suitcases. The cab driver was efficient and courteous as he commandeered the unwieldy luggage into his shiny black van.

Travel is definitely NOT for the faint of heart. We checked our bags and serpentined our way around the airport, standing in security lines, check-in lines and the X-ray-you-and everything-you-own line.

We were boarded onto the plane nearly an hour early. It seemed the whole morning was”hurry up to wait.” From the time we entered Heathrow Airport, until we left Phoenix SkyHarbor we wore masks. That is so unpleasant.

It seemed the day lasted forever. British Airways is very good at customer service. And they were good today. I sat on an aisle seat, the better to stand every so often. SK and I sat in the middle section about  halfway back. I was so grateful for seats with plenty of legroom!

I watched three movies!!!

I felt pretty lazy…I should have been reading something more informative but chose to be a variation of a couch potato.

We landed in LA after some eleven hours in the air. We had two hours to huff and puff our way through a couple of the terminals, to catch an American Airline flight to Phoenix.

More lines, more security checks, more time with the masks. How do people do this all day (wear a mask?) when their job requires it?

I tried not to think of 104 degree heat in the desert of my home, tried not to think of the verdant rolling hills of England, tried not to think of walking in Gilbert versus walking anywhere in the UK.

As luck would have it, we were on the back row of the airplane and thus almost the last ones to get off. We tugged our lumbersome carry-ons up the aisle, out into the terminal, up one long last corridor and were met with this beautiful group of people, cheering and waving the UK flag.

I hugged every one of them..couldn’t stop! We all trooped down to the luggage claim area, where every single one of our mammoth suitcases was claimed by strong young people and whisked away to a car.

I was overcome by joy…I was so very happy to see each member of our family. I hope I will always remember that walk as they came into view. They made us feel positively heroic.

Although it was still light, the sun was beginning to set. It looked magnificent against the desert. The entire day, I had been cold as we hurtled through the air. I had my sweater on, and an airline-issue blanket wrapped around me. But I was cold.

As we stepped out into the familiar heat, I was grateful for it, and for that red-orange orb in the sky. In something of a haze (at that point, we’d all been up 21 or 22 hours) I watched the clean sun-baked landscape pass by. I drank up the sights of Gilbert. The route through The city, the streets I’ve traveled for over forty years, the neatly tended yards, the turn onto our street, and then into our driveway. A giant UK flag draped our front door. Banners of the flag and welcome-home signs hung across the garage door and front entryway. We were greeted by green and growing plants in the front planter and blossoming happy little flowers at the door - and then it opened to those beautiful happy faces I love so very much.

I was swept in through the living room, into the bright cheery family room. On the island was a very tall cake with the British flag in icing across the side and welcome-home signs gaily sitting atop. 

The cake was cut, and a scoop of ice cream was placed on each slice before it was served. The heavy suitcases were spirited up the stairs, the dishes magically found their way into the dishwasher, the counters were washed and shined bright, the happy voices and smiling faces left one by one and there we were, SK and I - alone.

I wandered through each room. It looked like it had looked when we left. Pictures were back on the walls, the bed was made with our familiar linens, furniture restored to its original rooms, towels and soaps and linens lovingly set out, our clothes which had been stored in bins and bags hung neatly in the closet (even an old pair of pjs hung there, which I immediately put on!). Dishes were in the cupboards the way I had once had them, the pantry was stocked with a beautiful array of food and goodies. The refrigerator and freezer were full of delectable things.

Everything looked so clean, everything so very familiar in its place, everything so comfortable….so beautiful.

I was home. And it has never before felt so good. We said a prayer of thanks for our family, for our home - and for the deserts of this great land. And then gratefully retired to bed and to sleep.