USA

I arrived in JFK and my bags appeared fairly quickly. I was than looking for a pay phone to call Mike to tell him where I was. I didn’t really believe that he had received the message that I wasn’t coming in with Conti but with Delta. His plane was delayed but he was quickly there from La Guardia to pick me up. We drove home and chatted during the way. Mandy was still awake to my surprise but she said it was only because Aden had decided to wake her up. We were at their place like around 2.30am and I was more than ready to hit the bed.
The stay with them was wonderful as always and time passed very quickly. Maille and Aden are no longer babies but kiddos and are up to a lot of mischief. They are adorable though ... Seeing them making a mess out of themselves especially during “feeding” time can be really funny. Fingers in the food and than the nose itches or lets scratch my ear and than before you know what is happening all the food is all over them. They are very quick and love running around and Maille loves jumping of pretty much anything and has no fear of heights. I think they both recognized me fairly quickly and after a while I was accepted again to bring them to bed and hold them. I was very happy that Mike went out of his way to go to Best Buy so that I could purchase a headset. Now I was able to communicate with Elmer per PC. I think I will be a new frequent user of Skype now and once Mum and Dad also understand how to use it we can have conversations as well. We did some shopping as well and found some really nice stuff for Elmer and Bryan and myself as well. The suitcase that I had bought was so full that I had to sit on it to close it but in the end I had no problem with my weight. I saw Mike a bit as well but he had to go on his next business trip. They were a bit miserable about the fact that daddy wasn't there to play with them and tuck them in. Speaking to him by phone didn’t really make a big difference on that score. The time was flying by as well and although I was almost a week there it seemed less.
I thought it would be clever to reconfirm the flight and ask if everything was okay or if I could expect more problems. They assured me that everything would be fine and that as long as I would go first to Delta and than to Conti I would be fine. Day of leaving came and Mandy and kiddos brought me to the train station. There the loudspeaker blared no train going today to Bridgeport - great! - but a bus service would be running. It was actually even quicker than the train and I had to wait for the Amtrak to get me out to Newark. In the train I was chatting with my neighbor so time passed quickly. In Newark I went straight away to the Delta counter and was in for a nice surprise. I got told that I didn't have a ticket and to be able to fly with Conti I would need 100.000 extra miles since I was flying on air miles. I was like what no one ever told me that and by the way so much for your Sky Alliance. Next I got told was that I could of course go to JFK and try to catch the last flight out with Delta - no guarantees and of course they wouldn’t pay for a cab and it was pouring. By now I was starting to get really ticked off. In the end they wanted to charge me for changing the ticket and airport tax I was like listen I change a flight and if you are to dumb to get it right and inform your passenger right that is not my fault. I only had to pay airport tax in the end since they put me on the Air France flight via Paris. I than stood in line to board and the guy started giving me a hard time about me flying business. By now I was hot and bothered standing there for 1.5 hours and started to get antsy and I wasn't quite as polite as normal. The Air France flight to Paris wasn’t what I had expected. I couldn't sleep on the bloody plane since my feet were somewhere on the floor and cut of the blood circulation, my headset wasn't working and the videos stopped playing during the "night". How I could forget we left of course with delay and landed in Paris in nowhere's land. Bloody nightmare! Everyone was inquiring if we could all still get the connecting flight and the ground crew told us make a dash for it. No luck I arrived at the counter and than got told that the flight had been cancelled. GREAT! My recommendation don’t fly with bloody Air France if you can avoid it the service sucks and that for business so I don’t even want to know what economy with them would be like. I met Maria and we stuck together and chatted for a while and that was good fun at least it wasn't that boring. I got a voucher for a sandwich and she had one for a proper lunch since she was supposed to be stuck there even longer than me. Being businesses class got me a flight out at 1pm she being economy got an offer for 6pm. Fab! Than in Paris the business class lounge refused to let me enter with her saying today not possible blabla … and later on they even closed the lounge down. In the end she changed the airport and got home earlier ... Oh yes, I forgot to mention while in JFK and wanting to inform Mum and Dad that I was going to come in a lot later than expected. No PC station in that lounge at all anymore, no person with laptop to ask a favor to kick an email out, fax out of service ... everything going against me. In the end I called Mandy up and asked her to kick mails out to the whole family so that they would know that I would be home later. By the time I got off that plane in Frankfurt I felt light headed and felt slightly nauseous. I just wanted fresh air, a shower and fresh clothes. Mum was there to pick me up since the rest of the family had to work by than of course. I couldn’t believe it that I had made it and my entire luggage as well.

Kiddos had no afternoon nap at their normal time since Mandy's family came by and in the end they started getting cranky o In the end it was me who tucked Maille in for the last time o;( Bag was quickly packed but this time weight wasn't distributed as good, have to figure out a better way. Time was suddenly flying by quickly ... Mandy made me some chocolate cookies to take along for the train ride. Somehow they seemed to be eaten quicker though than made ... and only once almost everyone had departed the stack of cookies grew o) Mandy brought me to Beacon Falls very own train station; consisting of a tiny platform and a shelter that was it. The conductor saw me and commented on the big bag. He went round to check tickets I had just settled in and was about to read a book and eat a cookie. He saw me, grinned and said "I'll let you finish your cookie and than stop by". I had to change trains in Bridgeport and than on to Grand Central Station.

Mandy, Mike, Aden and Maille: it was such good fun to be with you guys and play with them! Thank you for everything and maybe I'll just have to send Mum over for a visit; I'll come by again in maybe 2 years or before o) By than they will be all grown up and I wonder if they remember me at all o)
I had the time of my life and it made me realize that one day I want to have a family of my own.

At Grand Central Station I went to the meeting point but thought better quick stop for the bathroom. After having a look around decided no way that I'll put my backpack on THAT floor so using the bathroom turned into a new experience!!! Upstairs Robil was already looking for me and we went for a drink and waited for Astrid and her friends who were going to meet us. They were over for the first time in NY and it was their last night out. We went to Queens for proper Indonesian food and it was very tasty and good. The New York Times had written an article about it recently and it is well-known now therefore. The conversation was quite different than what I was used to lately but very interesting. The funny thing was that suddenly I understood bits and pieces of conversation in Indonesian. Seni, keine Ahnung wie ich das auf einmal hinbekommen habe, aber hin und wieder habe ich so flashes und dann versteh ich Sprachen, die ich nie gelernt habe! By the time we left it was very late and I was pretty beat by the time we arrived back at the apartment. Carrying the backpack around though wasn't bad at all once you get used to the weight and learn how to stand best to distribute it.

Today I said to myself you can sleep longer and turned around than to do just that. Shortly before 9am I just couldn't sleep anymore and decided to read my book instead. Astrid and me had a quick chat and than she was off for her Yoga while I was happily checking my email and having a cup of tea. Sweety, feeling good all around right now! Some of you are probably thinking why is she taking it easy and not having a run around NY today. The weather is good so that is not the problem but today I just want to take it easy: sleep, eat, read, watch TV ... be lazy; I can't remember the last CAO day that I had and was able to do that. If I had taken them than it was because I had to go somewhere, arrange something ... this right now is bliss and the fact that for a few hours there is nobody who wants something from me is great! In all the hectic of the last few weeks even still at home in Vleuten there was never proper just-me-time!
I finished my book, took a shower, had a nap ... Robil & Astrid came home and we went out here in the neighbourhood to an Italian place with really good food. Now we are back at their place and I have just managed to upload some pictures, finish a letter (will be on its way shortly, sweety), chat a bit, pack my bag ... and won't be long until I am off to bed!

Once they were given dinner which was really early since they weren't into long naps yesterday we had "free" time already as of 5pm. Mike was back in time to tuck them in so we decided what DVD to watch and what to have for dinner. In the end we watched "Wedding crashers" which was a good laugh. Afterwards we were just sitting around chatting and waiting for the wash to be done. Fresh clothes for me to start the next chapter of traveling o The first day that I had no nap and was ready to go to bed around 11.30pm and could have stayed up longer but though tit would be sensible to close my eyes since the next nights might be a bit short.

Woke up this morning and after having a shower when I came down I had missed Mike by 10 minutes - BUMMER! Kiddos were in the playroom and about ready to have breakfast. Since visitors are coming by later they got a bath and are now off for their nap. Giving me time to write again O) I'll do the last things and than I'll pack my stuff together later...

I'll be leaving here around 3pm and taking the train to NYC. Thank you Robil for already arranging the airport transfer on Wednesday morning; pick-up around 3-3.15am so that will be a short night o Maybe I can at least stay in the lounge at the airport since my ticket has to be good for something, right?

Last night turned out slightly different than expected when we made our dinner around 7pm it felt like 11pm. We watched a DVD and had dinner with it since we both figured that we wouldn't last long. Yeap, got that right when Mike returned from the party the movie was almost over and I went straight off to bed around 10pm.

This morning I allowed myself to stay in bed a bit longer than usual and be lazy. Sweety so good to hear your voice however briefly! Once I went downstairs the kiddos already had their breakfast and where ready to go off for a nap. I found myself on my own and decided to have breakfast and watch a bit of "Sahara" (for those of you who are Clive Cussler fans; not bad but my idea of Dirk & Al were a bit different). In the middle of it they woke up and it was a bit time to play and than to have lunch. Today both napped longer. Now it is play time with them and I'll go join Mandy in the other room o)

Maille was the first to wake up and I played with her and tried to keep her entertained enough so that she wouldn't wake Aden & Mandy up o) they woke maybe 15 minutes later up anyway. More play time and than dinner time for them. Mike kept an eye on them and we went for a movie "Failure to launch" which I thought was very entertaining, hilarious and good laughs (wonder if that would be your cup of tea, carino?). - Unfortunately I found out that my ec-card was broken in two pieces and my credit card was bent, fab!!! - Afterwards we went for dinner at Chili’s and bumped into Mike's cousin there. Also had a very nice chat with the waitress who is a friend of Mandy’s. I must say that I was pretty beat though when we got home around 11.30pm (nap or no nap; still need to catch up on my beauty sleep from weeks past) o) I went straight off to bed.

This morning I still woke up around 6am but turned around again and managed to sleep a bit longer but not much. Maille was not a happy bunny and I went to check on her about the same time as Mike. He apologized for her waking me up but not necessary I mean I heard them during the night but I have no problem turning around than and in the mornings I still wake up way to early anyway. I went for a shower, got dressed and we gave them breakfast since it was Mandy's day to sleep longer. Once they were fed, they went off to play again. We managed to have breakfast o) Mandy and I went to do some shopping today and see if my credit card was still doing it. Thank God that plastic card is still working!!! I got some things for the project like crayons, pencils and for myself books, sun screen and stuff to put on clothes so that hopefully bugs will leave me alone. We did some shopping and looking around in one of the malls, close by as well. When we got home Mike took of to a birthday party from a friend. In the meantime we played again with the twins. Gave them dinner and their bottles and I hope that they drift off to sleep soon since they didn’t nap long and are bit cranky. Once they are taken care off we will fix our dinner and settle in for a relaxing evening with a DVD and popcorn o)

Looking good this time for Robil and me to meet this time in NY (not like last year when we had the watch time set all wrong o;(( and me finally getting to know Astrid a bit better o) We checked out trains for Monday on the web. Since we don’t want to upset the kiddos schedule too much I’ll come by train from Beacon Falls directly and should arrive Monday around 5.45pm in NY.