I am sad that it is over.

[billyskank]

About 11pm BST (British Summer Time) last night I returned safely back at my mum's house after flying back from Newark, NJ. It has been an up and down roller coaster of emotions and now I cannot believe that life has to return to normal.

I have had a wonderful time. I have fallen in love. I have had my heart broken because my beloved is unable to love me back. I have cooked two feasts in AirmensMom's house. I have met a load of wonderful people, not all of whom realise how wonderful they are but they all are nonetheless. In order:

Joan_Alpern
BarenakedLady
progmom, progspawn & Misunderestimator
MrsGrumpy, WannaBeGrumpy & BabyG
lizziegrace, lelapin, VenusRising & VenusRising's husband (whose DU name I forget, please forgive me)
AirmensMom & harleydad and their beautiful daughter Erin
bicentennial_baby & sniffa (and the kitteh)

I have visited or passed through 14 different states and provinces:

New Jersey, New York, Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

I have travelled over 2,500 miles by car (and Joani even let me drive a few hundred of those myself) and another 600 or so by train.

I have many other thoughts, but this will do for now. Special thanks must go to Joani who took me so far, as well as picking me up from the airport and taking me back there at a ridiculous time in the morning. She did so much for me and I will never be able to repay her.

Pictures will follow when I have uploaded them all from my camera.

[fizzgig]

1. hey

:hug:

missed you, but i'm glad you had a wonderful time

[MissHoneychurch]

2. Welcome back to Europe

You met some wonderful people. It will stay with you forever. :hug:

I know how you feel. When I left the U.S. last September after 3 weeks I felt the same. And Joani even let me borrow her car for a week :D She is such a sweetheart. Like you I can never repay her for what she did for me.


:loveya:



Edit: you forgot the kittehs in MissAirmens house :P

[Midlodemocrat]

3. Oh, I wish I'd known you would be in Virginia!

Would have loved to meet you!!!

Glad you had fun. :loveya:

[Lyric]

4. You were in West Virginia?

:cry:

Wish I'd have known. Oh well. We can catch you next time. :hi:

[SPKrazy]

5. me too

[sniffa]

6. we miss you

and we and a great time. we'LL have to return the favor and visit you. :hug:

[bicentennial_baby]

7. Miss yoooooou!

x(

:loveya:

[lost-in-nj]

8. welcome home Billy

glad your home safe and sound..


can't wait for the pictures
and to hear how you liked our country....
(not the driving though!!!)

:rofl: :rofl:


:hug: :hi:


lost

[MissMillie]

9. well, I'm very sorry that I didn't get to meet you while you were in town

but I'm glad you had such a wonderful trip.

I'll bet that despite the glorious generosity of your host DUers, you're happy to be back in your own bed again.

[lizziegrace]

10. Glad you're home safe

:hug:

It was an honor to meet you and Joani. I'm saving my pennies to make a trip over to see you, my sister and her family. I miss them so much and miss you too!

(BTW, his screen name is Zodiac Ironfist)

:loveya:

:*

:pals:

[AirmensMom]

11. I'm glad you got home safely.

It was so much fun having you. :hug:

Thanks, Joani, for all you did! :hug:

[flvegan]

12. When you coming back?

billyskank US Tour '08 is waiting, baby. You gotta come to Florida, too.

[Callalily]

13. There was no

doubt in my mind that you'd have a wonderful time, seeing the list of DU'ers that would be hosting you. Glad you're home safe and sound.

Will patiently (ahem) look forward to pictures and documentation of your trip.

:hug: :hi: :loveya:

[billyskank]

14. Ack! I missed wildhorses from the list.

I remembered this while I was driving down to my home. Unfortunately the editing period had expired by the time I could get to my computer again. x(

[VenusRising]

15. Welcome Home, billyskank!

We had a wonderful time with you while you were here. I hope it was an adventure you'll never forget! :bounce:

Any time you are around these parts, you are always welcome.

Now get to uploading pictures. :P

:hug:

[Inchworm]

16. Yay! Sounds like a real trip!

Plus you ate good, met kitties and loverly wimmins!

:hi:

PS: I saw that you missed WH- you caught it by the time I got done reading

[DS1]

17. (and the kitteh)

:rofl:

[bigwillq]

18. You passed through Connecticut

and didn't come visit me!?!?!?! :mad: :( :cry:



:) :hug: :hi: So glad you had a wonderful time!

[Fire Walk With Me]

19. Glad you had a great trip!

Visit the West Coast next time!

[auntAgonist]

20. Glad you had a good trip.

[Writer]

21. I'm so glad you had a nice trip!

Wish we had a chance to meet. :hug:

~Writer~

[graywarrior]

22. I missed you and I am jealous of those people who now own your heart.

[Parche]

23. Trip

You never made it to Oregon :cry: :cry: :cry:

:hi:

[billyskank]

24. I also met 1gobluedem and auntAgonist in Ann Arbor.

Now I am remembering everything that happened. :crazy:

[billyskank]

25. And PassingFair at MrsGrumpy's house.

Jeez, what is wrong with my memory?

[AirmensMom]

27. Lack of sleep?

Jet lag? A lot crammed into one vacation? All of the above?

We all have brain farts at one time or another. :hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

26. My dear billy!

You had a most phenomenal trip, sweetie!

I'm so happy that you had a great time, meeting all those wonderful DU'ers...

And of course, our meeting you in London was one of the high points of our trip...

I do hope that one sweet day you will make it to the Left Coast, so we can treat you to our hospitality!

I'm looking forward to the pics, sweetie...

Whenever you get to them!

:loveya: :hug: :loveya:

[In_The_Wind]

28. Y'all come back real soon!

You did a great job of driving without scaring me.
Remember what I said about Jersey drivers ~ www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7070555&mesg_id=7070555 Thursday morning wasn't the first time I've witnessed this sort of accident at the Turnpike entrance at interchange 14.

[rug]

29. How did you like Newark?