Little bite of the Big Apple

 So we were finally on the plane ... Delta ... nicely dressed staff with snacks less so.

Squeezing into our seats - all next to each other, all on the same plane! What a treat! Only a few hours before we'd been booked on different flights. Although dignity was squashed into the overhead, thanks to zealous Delta security staff, all was well in the world. The sky was dark, the stars were sparkly and we were practically in New York!

Excitement was pounding away as we nipped through the night sky, faster than Santa. When the pilot announced we were approaching landing, I expected everyone to spring into song ... New York, New York ... the obvious choice but anything from a Broadway show would've been accepted with grace. Looking around, the faces were bored and just wanting the trip be over. There were yawns and stretches, putting away of books and snapping laptops shut. Disappointment sat squarely on my face, how could anybody not be excited?

I suspect it being about 4 in the morning may have crushed some of the excitement. Party poopers!

So we struggled down the aisle with our pillows and coats, out of the plane, to the a fantastic array of accents and polite-tities. I could've done without the "Mam" but the "thank yous" all hit the right spot.

Dragging ourselves out of the airport, the fresh, cool air hit us like a refrigerated pillow. The yellow taxis ... the accents ... the lateness, or more to the point early-ness ... but then out of the belly of a people mover ... Rick! We couldn't believe our luck ... Rick had staggered out of his lovely warm home, on a drizzly, cool night and come to JFK to pick us up.

Soon we were bundled into the car, and hurtling down an empty highway to the bosum of his sleepy family.


And as Hula Girl nodded and strummed on the dash, we were in wonder as we bumped along through the rainy night towards Long Island.

Our eyes widened at each signpost, each piece of the jigsaw that told us we were in New York. Long Island ... Brooklyn ... Queens ... Bronx ...

In a car, in New York ... the boys and me ... zipping along to a sleepy family in New York ... pinch ... pinch ... pinch!