30 days and 30 nights

It has been 30 days and 30 nights since I have seen my husband and son. Although I talk to them a few times a day, I still miss them terribly.

I landed in the U.S. on Sept 24, 2007 shortly before midnight at Port Huron, MI. My husband and I drove our trusty Jetta (God, I love that car!) and all my worldly possessions (including a dog) , from Toronto, Ontario to Phoenix, Arizona. We left late on Monday (had bank and other administrative last minute dramas to clean up before we left) and arrived in Phoenix, AZ on Thursday morning. The drive was peaceful and only encountered some thunderstorms in southern Missouri, but it was a beautiful light show on the horizon watching the storms roll in over the farm fields through the car window. I enjoyed all the time alone I had with my husband, singing along to the radio, talking about our future or just talking about some strange person we saw at our last fuel stop.

We arrived on Thursday and ran around to get a lease on an apartment for me (easy but seriously time consuming). By the time we finished signing the lease and this that and the other thing, it was late. We were tired, hungry and 'srung out from the road,' as the song goes. We got a hotel (pretty tired of hotels by this time, but I certainly appreciated the king size bed), ate some pizza and fell into a crazy sleep. Friday found us calling utilities to get service turned on and shopping to buy a couple basics: a floor mattress, linens, towels, desk, hangers for the clothes, more dog food, towels, shampoo and stuff, a few dishes, pots & pans, and all that other stuff you generally take forgranted that make modern life possible at the minimal levels.

My husband flew off back to Toronto on Saturday (he had work pending and was already past his original return date). I was very sad. But at least when he left, it didn't feel like it was going to be a long term thing. I know, deep in my heart of hearts, that he will be back and living with me permanently soon and this seperation time needs to be used efficiently in order for us to have the life we want. We both have things we need to accomplish in our home countries to make the next, and hopefully final, transition smooth and peaceful.

I dropped him off at Sky Harbor just 30 minutes before his scheduled take off time (Walmart hung us up for a bit and he was focused on getting all my electroncis hooked up and ready for connection before he left and we were missing a cable connection for the TV). I needed to call him desperately to make sure he got on a flight without problems, but having no cell phone or home phone or even internet to text his cell with, I was forced to buy a calling card and use a pay phone. I left the airport and exited on the first exit to find a convenience store and get to a public phone. Naturally, I exited in some office park region and I couldn't find one store. All I found was many curving roads around office buildings. After driving around (no idea where I was as I am new to this town) I find a 7-11. I run in and buy a calling card off the rack and go back outside to use the phone. I look at the card I just purchased a bit closer and it's a card to recharge a cell phone's minutes! I can't use it. I go back into the store and check out their assortment of calling cards and that is all they have on display, various kinds of cell phone recharge cards. I ask the clerk and she informs me that is all they have. I ask where I can buy a 'normal' calling card and she directs me to a Circle K up the street about 3 blocks.

I find the Circle K without problem and purchase a calling card. Go outside and don't see a phone anywhere in my field of vision. I go back inside and ask if they have one. The clerk is busy with a line up of about 5 other people, so when she finally answers me, she informs me that they do not have a pay phone and the closest one is down the street about 3 blocks at the 7-11. You can imagine what I am thinking at this point!

I get back to the 7-11 and use the calling card and get a hold of my husband's cell. He tells me that he didn't make it on his flight but that he got a ticket for the next flight (with a stop in North Carolina) which leaves in about an hour, so he is all good. I am just thankful to hear his voice again as I can't talk to him until the following day when my home phone is connected.

He arrived safely back in Toronto and was back at work Monday as was I. I started my new job and felt so liberated. After having sat around frustrated for 2 years, with a government that refused to allow me to work or do anything for that matter, I felt like a new person. I am very happy and grateful to be 'home' again and to be able to join the ranks of 'real' humans again. I am grateful to my husband and his family for putting up a small amount of funds so that I could buy some basics and eat food while I get my own feet under me again. (A special thank you to mi swagra toxica.)