Home Again - No Jig
It’s over. It’s really over. It has been nearly a month since I arrived back in the hamlet of Mankato, Minnesota. Don’t ask me why it has taken me so long to update the website. It has something to do with not wanting to admit that I’m home. But admitting it is the first step to recovery right? So…..I’m home.
Transitioning back in to school went smoothly - mostly. There were a few tearful nights when eighth grade math seemed an insurmountable challenge; when the tantrums and wailing, and the stomping around got to be very unpleasant. But my kids told me to I needed to snap out of it, and that if I just stopped the crying and complaining, did the reading and applied myself I would again be able to help with homework….just like before…..which is to say, not very well.
Mike was home for only one week and then had to jet off to Melbourne for the month of November to finish his MBA. I know that he is stressed and truly hard at work. But it is hard for me too. Hard not to dress up in his tie and jacket, look in the mirror and talk to my reflection, my voice a high, squeaky, sniveling-mockery. “Oooooohh, look at meeee! My name is Mike Nolan and I an in Melbourne… in the spring… going to dinners…and concerts…and parties…I don’t have to do eighth grade math.”
It has been fun to catch up with friends. I am astounded at the number of people who followed my blog and seemed to enjoy it. Thank you everyone who read it, enjoyed it, and commented. It inspired me.
I have many more stories to tell. Some were too “blue” for the blog – my kid’s teachers read it for goodness sake. Some are about the people we met on our journey, some are a little embarassing for us or others, and some are bourne out of not knowing enough about the history or customs of a place. I need to do some more research before I tell these stories. But they'll all be in the book - whose working title is "Big Family on a Small Planet"
I am going to continue to post as I believe that so much of the learning that travel stimulates, occurs after you return home. So keep on checking, and comment when you can.
I have to go brine a turkey, chop some onions, do some laundry and clean all of the bathrooms in this house. I wonder what Mike is doing…..
Transitioning back in to school went smoothly - mostly. There were a few tearful nights when eighth grade math seemed an insurmountable challenge; when the tantrums and wailing, and the stomping around got to be very unpleasant. But my kids told me to I needed to snap out of it, and that if I just stopped the crying and complaining, did the reading and applied myself I would again be able to help with homework….just like before…..which is to say, not very well.
Mike was home for only one week and then had to jet off to Melbourne for the month of November to finish his MBA. I know that he is stressed and truly hard at work. But it is hard for me too. Hard not to dress up in his tie and jacket, look in the mirror and talk to my reflection, my voice a high, squeaky, sniveling-mockery. “Oooooohh, look at meeee! My name is Mike Nolan and I an in Melbourne… in the spring… going to dinners…and concerts…and parties…I don’t have to do eighth grade math.”
It has been fun to catch up with friends. I am astounded at the number of people who followed my blog and seemed to enjoy it. Thank you everyone who read it, enjoyed it, and commented. It inspired me.
I have many more stories to tell. Some were too “blue” for the blog – my kid’s teachers read it for goodness sake. Some are about the people we met on our journey, some are a little embarassing for us or others, and some are bourne out of not knowing enough about the history or customs of a place. I need to do some more research before I tell these stories. But they'll all be in the book - whose working title is "Big Family on a Small Planet"
I am going to continue to post as I believe that so much of the learning that travel stimulates, occurs after you return home. So keep on checking, and comment when you can.
I have to go brine a turkey, chop some onions, do some laundry and clean all of the bathrooms in this house. I wonder what Mike is doing…..
posted by Mike Nolan at
2:42 PM
1 Comments:
Jules, it is now January & no new posts! I just stumbled across your blog site when googling travel with kids in Slovenia! That is where we are on our own around the world trip with our two kids. We started our journey back in September, and have 5.5 months left. We make it home to Atlanta on July 3, just in time for the 4th. Our websites are http://kwbo@web.mac.com and familywalkabout.blogspot.com. Take a look, we covered alot of the same places. We now have all of Europe and a bit of South America to cover.
Loved your stories, alot of good humor. It looks as though you guys had a fantastic life changing journey! And we are in the midst of doing that right now! Thanks for your blog, it is encouraging me to continue on. Hi Ho Hi Ho, it's off to Croatia we go.....bye! Katherine Ohlhausen
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