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Published: March 8th 2011
Most of the people in my sleeping car were also bound for Pittsburgh, so the sleeping-car attendant simply banged on our doors to wake us up, calling, "35 minutes to Pittsburgh!"
I thought it seemed a bit early, and it was; the train was ahead of schedule. That was only appropriate, I suppose, considering how very late it had been when I set out.
I dressed and packed my suitcase quickly enough, and then spent all the rest of the time looking frantically for my CozyWinters scarf. Eventually -- but not before I had searched every inch of the roomette and gone to check the restroom and shower room -- I found it in my jacket pocket.
I stepped off the train into predawn darkness, and there at the station door was Jim. He took my bags, of course, and then we waited downstairs for the checked bag. I was very relieved when I saw it being brought out; it had all my souvenirs in it, including the greenstone and the picture.
We went to our motel. I had breakfast, and then said that I thought we might as well get on the road. But I lay down to rest for a minute first, and the next thing I knew it was after 11. Luckily Jim had requested late check-out.
We were right next door to a casino, so I spent a dollar and fifty cents on penny slots -- specifically, "Enchanted Unicorn;" I love its artwork. Then we had lunch at Applebee's in Morgantown, and went to Kroger's for groceries, and then we turned off I-79 onto Route 250, and presently I was home.
There was snow on the ground, and it was still a little cold for me, but I shall stay inside until it's warm enough for me to breathe the air. The house was a bit cold too; Jim brought me a heater. As I'd expected, my bed seemed huge; I hadn't expected my bedroom to seem large too, but it did, perhaps by comparison with the roomette. And I kept looking out the window at our woods, and expecting to see giant ferns and spiky flax trees.
I went to the other side of the world, "to the parts where people walk about upside-down," as Prince Caspian says in the
Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I don't know what I've learned there, except that there are a lot of nice people in New Zealand -- and, through Nicole and the people who've written me about this blog, that there are nice people in my own country too. But I think it was probably worth it.
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Mary
non-member comment
I'm sad
.....actually happy for you that you're home, you had such interesting experiences, and now your health concerns can be attended to. but sad too as i really enjoyed reading your blogs. i've gone back and read some of the first ones that i missed, but it's just not the same as getting the email link and knowing you've just had those experiences you describe. Thanks a lot for sharing with us --and I'm relieved for you that the train trip wasn't so painful for your collarbone!