first day back in Northfield, Minnesota

So we're back, at "home." I say "home" because, while we've been homesick for the US and our house for quite a while now, and the first thing I say when we land on American soil yesterday (in Chicago) is how much I prefer arriving here, in the US, as opposed to in Norway, where we had a layover the night before (everybody was so ungalant, unfriendly, and unhelpful; at the end of a very long day, none of the business men offered to help me, as I took the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, all by myself (while Leighton took the bus downtown to pick up a suitcase we'd stored for the summer to take along over here), with Lilly in my arms, a stroller packed up, two big backpacks, and three carry-ons). And what more? In Chicago we're detained by the INS. Because I'm "only" a permanent resident (still an "alien," even if "legal"), with a green card. Apparently I can't be out of the country for more than a year, without having obtained a special "reentry permit" from the local INS office before departure. I had not, so I had to pay a $ 545 fee. Now, this all sounds neat and fine, too bad for me (the fine), but not a big deal. But of course they had to make it into one. Strutting their guns in a huge theatrical power play performance that lasted a good three hours, back and forth, an eternal while intermittent interrogation, nurturing the suspense... So not only do we miss our connecting flight to Minneapolis, we ended up with a very tired baby, being very tired ourselves.

But of course, Lilly is a trooper traveler and was only happy exploring during the entire ordeal. She fell asleep as soon as we got on the plane again, and continued sleeping when we got into the car at the airport, all the way down here, and into bed, slept all night, just a few feedings.

And good friends help. My friend Nancy did not only provide us with the car we've now bought (a Volvo 850 fom 1997), but had also got us some milk, bread, coffee and fruit. Heaven for tired people. And then my friend and amazing neighbor Dee had put flowers and more fruit on our kitchen counter with a friendly note greeing us as we got into the house.

Which does not look quite the way we remember it. Not only has stuff been moved around, it's filthy. A cleaning company has been through, but ignoring the micro, stove, and fridge, apparently, as well as drawers and cabinets. And vents and corners and tub and sinks and .... So we haven't unpacked quite yet. But have been busy all day, getting settled, reclaiming the space, our home. Getting organized and stocked up today, attacking the cleaning and laundry tomorrow.

Lilly seems quite happy with it all, she had a lovely walk downtown with me this morning to do some errands, running into people we know, friends and colleagues (always, in a small town like this), then later again with Leighton while I went to Target for lots of stuff, from the essential diapers and toilet paper to the things we've been wanting but not feeling we can afford, like a bouncer seat and baby monitor set ("calling system"). Leighton picked up, oh, about 16 boxes and some from my office at St. Olaf College. Now that I've quit, they seem quite eager to get me out of there and had given me till end of today to pick up all my stuff. I don't know quite what to make of this. Wounded feelings? Jealousy? Pettiness? Or just plain eagerness to get all clean and good to go for fall semester?

In any case. I do look forward to walking up to campus with Lilly, visiting with friends and colleagues, mainly, I realize, outside of my "home" department. But then they are also the ones who express the most sincere sentiment of regret that I'm leaving.

I am glad that we get to have all of fall here, a full three months. This is home. If one of many homes. It's an important home. For me, for Leighton, and for Lilly.

Then we got some of our favorite food for dinner that we've been craving: mixed field greens with strawberries, walnuts and blue cheese, local corn on the cob, chicken in bbq sauce, blue corn chips with flax seeds and salsa. And margaritas.