In keeping with the week’s rhythm—even though GC45 had officially wrapped up—I rose early to enjoy the promised final breakfast. Unfortunately, when I reached the second floor, I was greeted by a polite but disappointing sign: No Breakfast.

After a few moments of mental recalibration, I headed to the A&W on 8th Avenue for toast and coffee. As you may recall, I’d spent each of the last four breakfasts visiting with Shannon and Tabitha. Unexpectedly, when I stepped into the A&W, there was Shannon—waiting to get their breakfast. A lovely surprise.
Packing Up and Saying Goodbye

Back in my room, I packed up all my belongings, completed my morning rituals one last time, and headed down to the lobby to check out.

My niece, Elizabeth Seale (Liz), had kindly arranged to pick me up from the Marriott, take me to her place, and then drive me to the airport for my red-eye flight. While waiting for her arrival, I spent time chatting with fellow conference participants as they filtered through the lobby en route to their next destinations. I was genuinely overwhelmed by the number of meaningful connections I’d made over the past five days.
A Warm Visit with Family

Once Liz arrived, we made a stop at a deli for a delicious lunch before heading to her house. Liz and Dale now live in a relatively new location, having relocated after their previous home was expropriated. I was impressed—not only by the functionality of their new residence but also by the thoughtful touches that made it truly their own.

Later in the afternoon, Peggy, Hugh, and their family arrived. We spent the time visiting and eventually enjoyed supper on the back deck: turkey and beef burgers with all the proper trimmings, plus fresh corn on the cob. I even demonstrated my microwave method for preparing corn, which earned me the role of “corn chef” for the evening. Thankfully, it worked spectacularly!

Around 9:00 p.m., Liz drove me to the airport. Everything went smoothly—check-in, security, and boarding. I settled into my window seat (22F), only to discover that the middle seat was occupied by a rather ample young woman traveling with her spouse in the aisle seat. When she turned sideways to cuddle with him, I was grateful not to be claustrophobic. With my head resting against the cabin wall, I managed to get some sleep during the four-hour red-eye flight.
Back to Routine

Bill greeted me at 5:15 a.m., drove me home, helped with my luggage, and left as I crawled back into bed. By noon, I was up again—drove to Brullotte’s, brought home corn on the cob for lunch,

cooked and ate it, created my weekly Invitation to Worship, sent it off for proofreading, napped in front of the TV, went to the Fat Olive for supper, stopped at the Frozen Cow for my daily kiddie cone, and finally returned to the apartment for the evening.

It was great to go.

It’s fantastic to be home.