airflown from Brighton

Yesterday it was goodbye Brighton, hello Illinois. Woke at 6, got on the National Express to Heathrow at 710, used those silly self-service kiosks to check in, only to go to another counter to check-in my bags (how is this supposed to speed things up?). I got bumped to Economy Plus (more legroom!) and made full use of it by dozing my way through the eight hours in the air (and only catching bits of Notes on a Scandal and Miss Potter, which both seemed like good shows, on the personal screen). Turbulence in the last 1.5 hours before landing made sure my migraine got worse but we finally landed in Chicago. And it was cold and dreary. R said I brought the English weather with me - the sun's been hiding and the dark clouds stewing. What a change from the many days of bright sunshine in Brighton (except for that very dreary and cold Monday).

I write this in the living room, almost having forgotten what a living room is after eight months of not having been in one. How quiet it is. No sirens (I live on one of the main streets in Brighton), and what quiet nights - no crazed drunks or screamers, no thumping bass beats from the many clubs, no squawking seagulls and unfortunately, no waves crashing on the shores (the best thing about living in Brighton is waking up to a glorious sunrise and the sound of the waves). The quiet makes this a far better place to work on the dissertation and work I must as there are books that I need to get from here that the Sussex library does not have. But of course, the main reason for being here is to be with R and today we celebrate a year of being together, although most of it has been apart. And what a year it has been!