Day #1…January 11, 2022

I am now back in Arizona from Wisconsin. Back from the cold, wind, snow and cloudy days ( with an occasional Sunny one 🌞 ) . Since I was there for a month, it was more of an adjustment than I have had to do in the last 4 years.
I do love the sunny days when the Sun shines on the snow. It really is beautiful then… I do like hearing the distinct crunch my feet make on the ice cold snow during a walk… And if it isn’t windy, I enjoy the crisp air – it is refreshing and exhilarating.
But I forgot how to hunch up when you get out of the car to go into a building and the wind gets down your collar! 🤦 I forgot how many layers it takes to keep me warm! I was chilled for the first two weeks! I forgot how your face will freeze in the cold wind! (Those face masks were very helpful!! 😷 ) I forgot how much preparation it took to just go outside for a walk or to do anything.

I also found out how my appetite increased! I ate more heavy meats, pastas, potatoes, sweet rolls and chocolate then I have in the last 4 months! Where formally a wrapped piece of chocolate would just be too sweet for me, I was eating two at a time with my coffee! And having coffee at least three times a day! 😬 Needless to say, I did have a weight gain. 🙄

I think it was a combination of less Sun and the cold weather. You really do have to eat differently to stay warm. Now I am back to lighter meals, my slice of key lime pie for dessert and those wrapped pieces of chocolate are just too sweet again. ( But I am not giving them up!! 😅 ) It was an interesting experience. (Right now we have 60 to 70° days consistently, and we have a full hour more of sun each day than Wisconsin does.) It was much harder to exercise as well, because sometimes the weather was just too cold to go outside and walk in. I think that is what I missed the most.

BUT !! IT WAS SO WORTH IT!

I so enjoyed being part of the kids and grandkids Christmas celebrations! 🎄 Priceless! They are growing so fast! It was nice to have evenings talking with my family. At one house we enjoyed a roaring fireplace, three dogs, 16 (?) Rabbits, four guinea pigs, and two goldfish! At my other son’s house we had two cats and a hot tub. At one house I woke up with a dog gently sniffing me awake and at the other, kids quietly playing and sometimes a cat on my bed. What a treat! What a good time. And the best of all for me, were the hugs! And who gives the best hugs? The grandkids! But my sons came in a close second 💞 🤗

Flying

I am writing this on Sunday, January 16th. I cannot believe that my plane just touched down this past Tuesday in Phoenix! So much has taken place since then. As for the flight, everything was on time. Thanks to my friend Neil, I even arrived at the Appleton airport an hour and a half ahead of schedule. I had my one suitcase checked and I was feeling pretty good about getting through security without being patted down this time. But it was not to be! 🤦There was something to pat down on my left bicep, left neck, and both ankles!! 😂 And I was wearing leggings 🙄 I noticed almost everybody had some spots show up when they went through. So it must be pretty sensitive. And Appleton is actually ahead of the game when it comes to the X-ray security bins that you push through. They ask you to keep EVERYTHING inside your bag. They don’t want to see your bag of three fluid ounce containers, your bags of food or your bags of medicines. Nope. Everything stays inside! And of course I’m just standing there thinking I’m all good, 👍 everything’s in the bin, I got this ! …. and I get asked to take my phone out of my legging’s pocket and my hat off. 😂 I have a love hate relationship with airport security! 🤣

As I said, I got to the airport an hour and a half early and I’m through security and I’m sitting by my gate. Now Appleton’s not a huge airport so there’s another gate next to mine and next to that is the airport bar. Well… I CANNOT go back to Arizona without having one more Wisconsin old fashioned! 🍹 No one out of the state knows how to make them! So I’m sitting at this nice casual bar and I strike up a conversation with another lady. She also flew back for a week or so from Florida and is now going back to Florida. So we’re chit-chatting and then she leaves to get on her plane and I look over at my gate and it is empty of people!!! 😮 Can you say panic?! 😲 I didn’t even finish my drink!! 🤔 I just ran to the gate and ran up the aisle and they were still waiting.( If they close the door to the plane you’re out of luck). They told me they knew someone had to come yet because they had already checked the bag. 👍Thank goodness!!! I did get a text message, but I missed it. Good news, I was not the last one to come on board. 😃 And it was a good 10 minutes before the doors shut. The flight was not full. Whew!! Not a good start! The flight was uneventful, but I will tell you… when I got to O’Hare, I stayed right by the gate!! I got the message!

The suitcase I checked was a carry-on size and that really wasn’t big enough for a whole month home. I also had a backpack that I could carry on board and stow and a bag with food, my purse and extra things I could put under my seat. So it was my backpack and the bag that I was carrying as I went from gate to gate at O’Hare. Where you land with a smaller plane is miles away from where your gate is for the big planes to Phoenix. And the more you walk the heavier your bags get! Not fun! After about 10 miles I finally got to my gate! But I did have a long enough layover that I could stop at a Chinese restaurant near my gate, and have a decent meal !

New decorations up at O’Hare

When I landed at Phoenix, and walked like 20 more miles to where my bags were, 🙄 I called my hotel. They have a shuttle service they use that would pick me up and take me to the hotel. I would have to go to door North #7 for the shuttle. I was at North #1. Are you freaking kidding me!! Between each door was a good city block. I was already running on fumes and it was 7:30 at night and I was not a happy camper.

So I am outside, slugging up the sidewalk, when I see that same shuttle at door North #4!! 😃 I was there as they were loading and yes he could stop at my motel as well.👍 So I informed my motel, in case there would be another bus waiting for me there. Hallelujah! Time to sit again, and ride to the motel. The shuttle driver was quite the chatterbox. And helpful with everyone.

And was I through walking for the night? Oh no. Now I had to lug my suitcase, my backpack and my bag to the very far reaches of the motel where my room was! Am I whining? You bet I am. I was so sick of walking and carrying crap around with me,!!! 😂🤣

I was back in Arizona safely. Tomorrow, the fun begins.