Born in the USA

BORN IN THE USA

January 24, 2006

The Blog Returns

We have now been home for about 10 days.  I thought when we landed that I would want to kiss the ground but after a 12-hour ride we were just happy to get off the Lufthansa bus.  Packed to the gills, we were lucky enough to be together in window/aisle tourist seats toward the front of the plane.  The most emotional moment happened when we went to Sonoma to pick-up the dogs.  We both cried and the dogs were very excited to see us and clearly remembered who we were.  Peanut is blind and slow, but Cashew is quite the same happy and friendly older dog.  My best moment was Sunday night when I took them on our normal walk from our house and around the square.  They were very peppy and jaunty.  Kim clearly was suffering culture shock and I was in heaven at being back.  Of course, she has recovered and happy to be home.  Our trip was so spectacular and productive, but home is home and I for one won’t be leaving for extended trips anytime soon. 

You always wonder how it can take so long to reenter your normal life at home.  It has been tough trying to get all the ducks back in a row.  My wonderful and trusted assistant Nancy, was pleased that I would take over my old role up on the balcony of our office yelling down the stairs for a phone number or an address. She has always told me that I am not retired, but I am resisting the thought that I will really go to work again.  But, I do. Answering many E-mails, calling friends and associates, getting back into life, as we knew it before Roma. 

I went out to the Sonoma Golf Club.  It is an expensive and pretentious place but the membership is warm and welcoming.  I had yet to see the 20 million dollar clubhouse and my own locker with brass nameplate.  The cost of this place is crazy, but my brother helped me by telling me that his club in Cleveland was also very dear.  The Men’s locker room is plush with all the amenities including a hot tub/Jacuzzi, bar, television lounge and smoking porch.  What else do we need?  We went from changing our shoes in the parking lot to this overdone Mission style monstrosity.  I really don’t care what it looks like; the golf course is great and my golfing friends are there. Unfortunately, my golf so far sucks, but what’s new? 

We have been sort of excited by the fact that we didn’t gain a lot of weight.  This does not take into account the loss of muscle and tone that I endured by not being able to work out. It is however, an ad for walking miles everyday in Rome.  I am back in my strange old gym in San Francisco.  It is called World Gym and it is a big body builder place.  My trainer, Achim, weighs 279 pounds, 6 feet tall with not an ounce of fat on his body.  He is a tough guy and I love training with him.  He is making me take it easy in the early stages of training but will ramp it up as we move on.  Even at the easy levels it is painful to restart the process and I am sore and tired. 

We finally got to the Dr. who told me that I had a sinus infection and am now taking the full course of antibiotics.  What did we ever do before them?  So far I still feel lousy, but I am hoping this course will make me better. 

So, we are home and I am relatively happy.  It is great to be back, it was great to go.  I am the same guy, a lot more savvy about life abroad and delighted to be on our shores.