Announcement

Last year on September 11th, we were grinning giddily as the Detroit customs official said, “Welcome back to the USA.” Waiting for our connection, we giggled at the sight of Cinnabon, Taco Bell, and Chili’s, marvelled at the free, clean bathrooms with sit-down toilets, hesitated over the drinking fountain (Is it real? Is it safe?), and waited in line with relief at the civility of humanity, relaxed and with our elbows at our sides. Later, our tan faces smiled at the comfortable temperatures outside the airport in Michigan and greeted family members with true joy.

This year on September 12th, we hope to grin giddily as the Minneapolis customs official welcomes us to the USA. We will be eating cinnamon rolls and tacos, telling each other we’re going to go use the toilet or the loo where I will hesitate to crouch like a little girl to see which stall is open and wonder when the red and green indicator will show up on American bathroom locks and, for that matter, when water-saving two tier flushing will make it over the oceans with more frequency. We will fill our water bottles in real working drinking fountains rather than the bathroom sinks and feel both annoyance and general affection for the loud Americans in our queue. And, when we later greet family members with great joy, our pale faces will no doubt be smiling at the September weather that simply cannot be worse than this, Durham’s past August.

We will be in West Michigan through the 22nd. Please come see us!