landing

It was a little bit strange. I cried when the plane touched down in New York yesterday. I couldn't help it and I certainly didn't fully comprehend it, so I chalked it up to the fact that 18 hours on a plane with a 1 year old will totally screw up even the most level-headed of people. Fortunately, there were two guys sitting across the aisle who were willing to put the carry on up and down as needed in exchange for a share of the cookie supply that Oscar was allocated by the flight attendents which he got just for smiling. Truly, there are worse people to travel with than Oscar...

Eventually, I landed in DC and after the luggage was dealt with, we went straight to Taco Bell. Oscar was not the most responsive to the bites I gave him, but I have decided to chalk it up to disorientation before I write him off completely.

The grocery store was an experience. Aisle after aisle of brands and foods I have dreamt about and had previously decided were probably not real. How can staples like pizza rolls not exist worldwide? And I was carded buying beer at the grocery store. It hadn't even accurred to me to bring my passport with me. And then I was carded trying to buy a lighter. What the hell? I took this phenomenon as normal when I lived here, but yesterday, I finally understood the confusion of every previous international visitor.

Last night it was Papa John's with Pete's Wicked Ale. Lovely. And this morning I saw a squirrel. The heat is overpowering, and I've forgotten the way airconditioning "smells", but everytime I look at Julie, I'm not sure I've ever been away. But for now... off to show Oscar the capitol...