Back In The Land Of The Locusts

I'm home!
Yesterday, I said goodbye to my landlady with many thanks, then left for Jackson. We drove to Belmar after breakfast for a fairly short walk, which I was glad to get in. It was pretty cold and windy, so I opted to do the Main Street mile or so. Good thing we did it early, because the rain started a bit after lunch, just as we were getting ready to leave for Philly. It was just as heavy as it had been the day before, which made driving a hazard.
However, we reached there in plenty of time, said goodbye (sob!), and I checked my bag (furious because it was fifty bucks, not forty, because I had neglected to do so on-line) and so on. Got to my gate and went across the way to a Japanese place for teriyaki chicken and a Sapporo (beer).
Plane left on time and, for some reason, seemed to take fifty hours instead of five and a half.  Boy, was it tedious--my fault for not bringing anything to do or read--and, as usual--scary because of some bumpy parts.
However, I survived and caught a break: My plane was due in at 8:07 and the next shuttle didn't leave until 9:45, so I wouldn't have gotten home until close to midnight. However, it was early, so I was able to take the 7:45 shuttle.
I had planned to call Gold Coast Cab to get me home from the Sheraton once we reached Camarillo, but thought I'd ask if anyone on the shuttle might be interested in making fifteen bucks. It turned out, a nice young woman (well, about 40, I guess) said her husband was picking her up, and they would.
They did, and they turned out to be an interesting couple--video/film makers and she's a director. She had been in Amsterdam, of all places, introducing something, and we had a lively discussion after I told them I taught "Acting for Amateurs." They tried to refuse payment, but I insisted (actually, besides some twenties, I had only 13, not 15 dollars), and they finally took it.
I had a good time settling into my nice digs. I hate coming back to a messy place and always clean and tidy up before I go away, and that was good, especially as it wasn't enormously late. Set up the coffee for today, got a few things out of the suitcase, and fell into bed, happily only about 10:30, not one a.m. Now to dress and go to Kimball for my morning walk.
I had a wonderful time in Jersey, but am glad to be back.