Welcome Home

“California, here I come
Right back where I started from
Where bowers are flowers bloom in the spring
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing and everything
A sun kissed miss said “Don’t be late!”
That’s why I can hardly wait,
Open up that Golden Gate!
California, here I come!”


Well, actually, I’m already here.

Funny how one moment you can be so sad to leave a place you love (like Australia for example) and yet the next moment you can be so over joyed to be in a place you love (like the Central Coast for example).


I forgot that Fiji is in the Southern Hemisphere, which means I didn’t get to see a Fijian sunset. I did however get one final glimpse of the Southern Cross from the airplane during takeoff from Fiji. Then I got to LAX almost a half hour before I was supposed to and practically flew through customs, which, would have been awesome had I had someone waiting for me. Instead though… I got to wait two and a half hours until my shuttle came.

I’m not sure how long I made it… but I fell asleep in the shuttle pretty quick. Ended up waking up just awhile from Santa Barbara. Made a switch in Goleta.

Only an hour more!!!

Then, it happened, we pulled off the freeway at Main St.

Pulled up to the curb, from the window I could see Phil’s truck and Deanna’s Honda with her and Val inside talking to Phil.

Home

I stepped off the shuttle, grabbed my sea bags, and walked over to Deanna’s Honda, dropping my bag and hugging Val.

This is the first time they have seen me in nearly a half year. Val nearly pissed himself. He was in amazement. So much so, he picked me up, something he hasn’t been able to do in awhile. My bag’s went into the Deanna’s car, I got into Phil’s truck, and we went back to my house where my Madre had some enchiladas waiting for us.

Home

My mother nearly choked me while giving me a hug. Phil kept commenting on the fact that his hands met in my back when we hugged. Val made me get on the scale and tell me how much I was when I left before I got on. Then Luke (who is on occasion called “Donny”) showed up, and a good time was had by all.

Home

Everyone went to sleep. I couldn’t. I stayed up.

I drove around town for a little bit (on the American side of the road) then, having concluded my tour of Santa Maria with a bit of a pit stop, I turn the wheel to return back to base. The moment I get on to the freeway, a new (to me) song came on the radio that ended as I pulled up to the house.

The end of the day felt like the end of an episode of House, where they montage what is going on with all the cast and specifically with House himself while they play a song that fits the situation perfectly to really bring emotion to what is going on with the characters…

…I found this song very fitting to the current situation: