Home Sweet Home ....

Picking up where I left off in my last post. I am thoroughly amazed that I am in Brisbane. Gary and the apartment are just a taxi drive away. Well, after immigrations and customs but they were a breeze after 31 hours.

Plopped myself in a taxi and could barely keep my eyes open. But, as we whisked past the mural of the birds ... a big painted wall on the freeway that is dedicated to birds - an eagle, a cockatoo, some in flight, some in nests ... I realize that this might be the last time I see these things - so I try to keep my eyes open - soaking up now familiar sights that stand as beacons ... pointing the way towards home.

We turn a corner and I realize that Gary and the apartment are just minutes away! He was staying since the security fobs for the building were being swapped out or something the first of July and he was going to explain that mine was not available but see if it could be reset. If not - he would be there to let me in the building.

Pay the taxi driver, get out my fob, swipe it along the sensor ... and it works! I am in the building. Swipe it again in the elevator and it is still working - apparently Gary's request for it to be reset without it being available worked. Get off the elevator, unlock the door and yell:

"I'm Home!!!"

Nothing.

"Gary?"

Nothing

Look through all the rooms and he is not there. Since he was working such long hours in PNG, he said it was no biggie to take off the morning, so even though I was 3 hours late - it was only 10:00 and I wondered what had become of the man ...

Spotted my Australian phone and a note:

8:45

Lori

Waited for awhile but latest predictions show arrival at 8:55 which puts you here around 10:00.

- Phone charged
- appa juice in fridge
- love you
- call when you get in

*************

Was JUST going to type 'apparently my husband has ADD' when the phone rang - it was Gary wondering why I had not posted. Eery! But asked him about this. I thought he was taking off the morning, he said no - he had been gone for 2 weeks and really needed to get into the office - so NOT ADD and an inability to sit still for a morning - just me not understanding Gary when he says 'I'll just stay at the apartment and work on the computer in the morning'.

*************

So ... back to my post ... turned around and seriously did an 'Awwwww'. HE GOT ME FLOWERS! OK, and if you read this blog at all - you will know that he ALWAYS gets me flowers when I come - but THIS TIME he had just arrived from the jungles the night before - thus the 'Awwwwww'.

Called him and told him I was in, was fairly sane, and thanks for the flowers.

Appa juice? You are wondering? Yes - I have an addiction over here I believe I have mentioned before - their Berry brand Apple Juice. It is THE BEST APPLE JUICE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. Swear. Pinkie swear. It's about all I drink when I am here and I go through a ton. Apparently when we first had it we had run out, or Gary asked me what I wanted to drink or something and I was referring to it. For reasons known only to me at that moment in time - I referred to it as 'appa juice' - as in how a three year old would say it. I believe I was yelling "I want appa juice" and just trying to sound like a spoilt 3 year old - which is about what I am in reality - so it works. And thus, it has been referred to ever since as appa juice ... go figure.

Opened the pantry later and burst out laughing:

Stuff Gary had purchased from Papua New Guinea:

Wandered over to the table and saw my container (the item above) - picked it up admired it, set it back down (I collect wooden containers) and wondered where the rest of the stuff he bought was.

Knew I was very sleep deprived and in trouble when I found the stuff: RIGHT NEXT TO THE CONTAINER on the table. I did not notice this for AN HOUR. Not that I was actively looking, but ... still. Decided I needed a nap - so off to bed ...

... and wonder of wonders ....




... I FELL ASLEEP!!!