Hark Upon the Gale

I promised a blog on homecoming and, a week after the fact, here it is!  There's so much that can be said and (to be perfectly honest) so much that can't be said about that weekend, but I will do my best to crystallize most of the former here.

I left Steubie well before the sun arose, parked at the airport, and left my suitcase in my car.  I realized this promptly upon getting onto the airport shuttle.  The very kind shuttle driver backed up to my car, I hopped off, grabbed my suitcase, and hopped back on, thoroughly embarrassed.

My first plane ride was gorgeous.  We took off in dark, cloudy Pittsburgh... and rose above the clouds into the most stunning sunrise I have ever seen.  The sky shone in shades of pink, red, and salmon to the east and pink and blue-grey to the west.  Below us, the clouds formed an expanse of unending grey and white, shot through with reflections of light.  It reminded me of descriptions of creation, just after the fiat lux: the earth was without form and empty, but pure light shone over it.  Then the sun rose -- at first the tiniest silver of piercing salmon light, then too bright to look at, gleaming off cloud waves.  Right before we began descent, the sheet of clouds ended, so it looked as if we were about to fly off the edge of the world.

We stopped at BWI; my layover and second flight were uneventful.  Percy met me at Norfolk and we headed toward the 'burg.  There began my whirlwind tour of people and places I sorely miss.

Some highlights include:
 * Brigit's daughter marched in the colonial fife and drum!  I saw her in training all last year, so it was wonderful to watch her march!  We followed the fife and drum down DoG street like crazed colonial paparazzi.
* Hot cider in free-cider mugs.  I gave mine away to a dear friend when I left (seeing her was a highlight too!) so I stole Percy's for the day.
* Visiting the ladies' Lodge (seven-person on-campus house).  I colored a picture for their coloring wall to leave my mark on the place.  People kept dropping by, so I got to see amazing people and get lots of hugs.
* Seeing a group of friends I've known since freshmen year.  I love those people and don't see them enough!
* The CCM Alumni Wine and Cheese.  I got to see Marianne again as well as a ton of alum and current students.
* Staying with Julia.  I miss that girl like madness and it makes me sad that she is not constantly on my couch this year.
* Dinner at Sal's, breakfast and coffee at Aroma's, dinner at the Baker's Crust, and an afternoon at the Green Leafe.  All with awesome people of course.
*Chatting with Ariel, the current YACM.  It's good to know my desk is in good hands.
*Mass with CCM.  I can't begin to describe it, but I think it was (literally) a foretaste of heaven.  The Folk Group was approximately 8 times its normal size and complete with trumpet, violins, mandolin, and a ton of guitars.  And it was followed by a delicious reception.

These are only some highlights -- if I describe the whole weekend this post will be so long that no one will read it.  Leaving Julia's apartment to hop into Percy's car at an hour that was more late night than early morning was so hard.

I had a bonding moment with the TSA on my way through security in Norfolk.  He recognized my NoVA town on my license and commented that not many people from there fly through Norkfolk.  After I explained homecoming, he told me that his sister teaches at a school right up the road from me.

I arrived back in Steubie, safe and sound, and mysteriously unable to nap.