Tomorrow I begin The Weary Way. The retracing of my steps. The flights and fatigue that shadow dogs international travel. I love to travel. I even love being lost in airports and alone in crowded planes. But each hurried step I take pushes me further from my family in New Zealand and Australia. Each step I take in my booted stride takes me closer to my American family. Shedding summer and donning winter. Modern life means separation.
And not just me. (Yes that is me). Siblings are separated too. See The Header: (way above and then below) – my daughter and son live in different countries. Two more of my sons live in different countries from each other. Like many many modern families we deal wth separation. In my family we have devised express goodbyes. No wastage of words. We break from each other with the speed of a ripping band aid, so we do not have time to see each other cry. We hug strongly, then “see ya!” and walk fast in opposite directions.
I leave you with this image of our newly married couple. (with their permission of course). I took this 30 minutes after they were married. 
Good Bye New Zealand. I begin to fly tomorrow in New Zealand’s Wednesday and reach Chicago at midnight on an American Wednesday. After overnighting there I will leave as early as possible and drive back down country to my own farm. Hopefully reaching home in time for chores, with considerable relief I might add.
I am not finished with my travels though. In a month I go to California for a few days to meet a new arrival in our family. But that is not until next month. For now I am looking forward to getting back to work.
See you on the other side.
Your friend in the air
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
58 responses to “The Weary Way”
I can feel it all. I know those footsteps. I know those goodbyes. I am not at all good at them. Travel safely. (The two pictures of the newly married couple are spectacular. The two of them standing timelessly in that landscape…makes me feel optimistic about the future.) Lots of love.
The first picture is my son and daughter.. aren’t they lovely.. c
p.s. you look beautiful.
That first pic threw me … I thought “Gosh Celi’s daughter looks like her” haha 🙂
ha ha .. bless your heart.. c
I thought the exact same exact thing.
Bon voyage to all of you traveling 🙂
Those goodbyes are all to familiar to me. Thanks for sharing the precious family moments and I wish I still had the figure for that wedding dress these days. I can always dream! Safe journey home and I hope you have the thermals ready for when you touch American soil!
Beautiful couple captured by your lens. Safe travel.
Chin up for the goodbyes and bon courage for the travel, leading to a happy arrival. You will have had your fill of airports and planes after LA.
Love,
ViV
Beautiful photos as always. I lived overseas many years ago and remember how difficult this leaving is, from both directions. Even more difficult for you with children so far away.
And yes! You look wonderful! Great photo!
Safe travels – always! Love the wedding couple in their shades!
C, what a beautiful photo of you.
I know the pains you speak of with family living everywhere. I suffer the same with my family. I am completely useless and fall apart at the seams each time we have to say goodbye.
Love, hugs and safe travels home.
🙂 Mandy xo
Congratulations to the newlyweds! Those are some lovely photos you shared. You must be a proud mama! How fantastic is it that we also get to see a glimpse of you, too. Just beautiful. We need more of these, please 🙂 And happy trails on your journey back to your American family, Celi!
Cute as a button, you are! Safe journey, and hold tight those happy memories. Love and hugs, M. xx
Travel safely, come home in health. Look out for soul lag, the feeling that the core of your being is left behind on another continent, trying madly to catch up with your flying body. Thank you so much for the lovely photos and the glimpses of your family. See you when you get back… K xx
I know exactly what you mean! When we first lived abroad and I went back to see daughters and kids, it was always youngest daughter who took me to airport..then I cried..I did not want to be parted but at the same time I wanted to get back to my new life in the sun…after 12 years it is a little better but not much. Parting is such sweet sorrow!
See ya soon…you got Lady Astor to meet when you get home…S M I L E
You express the sentiments so clearly and the photo of you matches exactly my mind’s eye image of you!