BOOKENDS

Old friends, old friends/Sat on their park bench like bookends…Can you imagine us years from today – sharing a park bench quietly – how terribly strange to be 70…OLD FRIENDS…Paul Simon of course. I’ve always loved that song and having just turned 70 last month, it has even more meaning. Visiting “old” friends was certainly part of the reason for my trip to North Carolina.

Like “bookends” my 2 nervously anticipated flights, my first since Covid, and 2 long delayed, long awaited visits with my granddaughter bracketed the beginning and the end of this journey.

Flying during Covid. Not enjoyable. Many people were without masks or wore them pulled below their noses even though mandates were clear. The flight to NC was packed and it was impossible to keep any distance in the Guadalajara airport. Rules were announced but not enforced. A woman beside me (where Ben would’ve been had he not had to cancel) wore a mask but coughed and sneezed throughout the flight. I wore 2 masks but held a scarf up to the side of my face for extra protection. I was glad to land in Charlotte where there was more space to distance myself. I’m glad to say that my taxi and Uber drivers throughout the trip were compliant with masking.

After 2 years away…I wondered if my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter, last seen in person at 6 months of age, would know my face from weekly FaceTime calls (thanks Toni!)?. “Look Hazel. It’s Abuela,” my son spoke softly. After a moment of consideration her smile cracked open as she reached for me with open arms. “Bela!” she called out. I melted…Ah, the wonders of modern technology.

Hazel is amazing of course so watching her, hearing her speak sentences, holding her, was a delight. Super active and high spirited, keeping up with her in the midst of jet lag and 95+ temperatures was challenging. Holding her while we watched Disney movies Frozen, Moana and The Good Dinosaur, even for a few minutes at a time, was the highlight of my visit with her. (Lovely messages and incredible visuals.) We also managed a few minutes of outdoor water play and some indoor watercolors, 2 of her favorite activities. Along with eating. Apple crisps & “peticots” – apricots. This child can eat! And loves most everything.

As I mentioned before I’d just turned 70 and my son turned 45 while I was there. Thanks, Son, for the little celebration! So happy to be with family!

The cost of a rental car for 2 weeks has doubled in 2 years so I opted for Uber to take me to (and from) the Charlotte Amtrak station to travel to Durham. I’ve loved train travel since I was a little girl and in these times find it safer. Masks are mandated and trains are filled to less than 50%. Seats are comfortable with plenty of leg room.

Once in Hillsborough I was blessed to have a loaner car the whole time from our dear friend Christine, who also gave me her apartment for the first week while she was away. In between lunches with “old friends” I soaked up the quiet time that respite afforded me. My acupuncturist and friend Robin brought me essential oils and took me to Ixtapa, the Mexican restaurant where our friend Gladis first started coaching me in Spanish. My friend Judy picked me up in her husband’s new Tesla and took me to lunch and then to her fabric studio in the old River Mill. I met my friend Mary at Timberlyne in Chapel Hill for lunch and caught up on all the news from Carol Woods, the retirement community I had worked in. My dear friend Shelton from Boone traveled down from the mountains to visit me for the day after 4 years of not seeing each other. Neighbor Blair gave me snacks and an old suitcase to carry my purchases back in as we talked about life in Hillsborough. Blessed!

Next I drove to Durham to spend the rest of my time in central NC with our friend Onja. Along with our friend Bill we enjoyed breakfast in a French restaurant followed the next day by a necessary shopping trip with friend and former coworker Cherry who graciously drove me anywhere I needed to go. A trip to the Apple store did NOT result in the new phone I’d hoped for. The high price and uninterested sales clerk took care of that. Somehow it has ceased to matter for now.

Onja and I spent hours talking and laughing. It’s been years since I’ve watched JEOPARDY. So much to learn! I got a lot of reading done while she worked during the day, as well as running some errands in the loaner car. Talked to my friend Charlene who was being cautious about Covid (thank you!). (It hit me full force during these 2 weeks that I am no longer tolerant of closed doors and windows, air conditioning and spending most hours indoors. I missed the breezes coming off Lake Chapala.)

As a belated birthday gift Onja took me to Durham Salt Cave, a room built of Himalayan salt bricks standing on a floor of pink salt. While you lie in specially designed loungers (“sound chairs”) music tuned to the chakras plays as a fine mist of salt diffuses through the air. Incredibly relaxing and detoxifying. Abrey and Bruce have obviously put a lot of loving thought into creating a special experience for their customers. Durham has surely changed in the last 10+ years. So much going on.

Amtrak took me back to Charlotte after my time with Onja, where I spent 24 hours with my son and granddaughter before heading home. I shared old photos and my baby cards I’d rescued from Ben’s studio with Hazie. Though I’d told her only the names and relationships of relatives in the photos, she gathered them up and spread them on the windowsill announcing “This is my family!” Unprompted. Smart cookie. Of course. How very hard to step away. When will I see her again?

Heading home rendered numerous delays related to severe storms. The line to reschedule was unbelievably long. Saturday morning Ben called to see if I’d check my email. (I was too busy enjoying Hazie!) “Your flight’s been canceled!” Surely not. A new and undesirable experience. But 2 lines down was another email asking me to confirm rebooking on a nonstop flight (yeah!) arriving in Guadalajara by 9:36PM, 2 hours earlier than the original flight. My son ordered an SUV limo driven by his friend Mina from Egypt to take me to the airport (Thanks Son). Charlotte airport is huge and there was plenty of room for distancing as I waited.

Luckily my flight was not canceled though it was delayed several times. This time the plane was only half full and I was allowed to take a seat by myself. What a relief! Eventually we landed in Guadalajara around 11:30PM. I managed to hit the green light button on exiting which meant they would NOT go through my bags and delay my time getting home. How happy I was to see my friendly driver Salvador waiting outside the door to help me with my bags – 4 is too much for 1 person to handle! By 1AM I was home. Thankful to arrive safely. And torn between 2 countries…I miss my friends and family in the States more than I can say. And being back with Ben, Tumi, and friends here is good.