Sitting on the runway. Sam to my left, Colby to my right. Pilot just announced that our flight time will be 2 hours, 11 minutes. Snowing and zero degrees in Mpls. Here at RDU, 60-some degrees. Drastic climate change. Must turn off electronics now. see ya!! :-)
Funny moment before the taxi arrived… 11-y.o. Sam, upon being asked to stuff her winter coat into her checked bag instead of lugging it through the airport: “but then i have to go through the HARSHNESS of having to zip it up again.” ahh, love her choice of words. and, knowing that she’s inherited her mom’s style of packing, yes, it would be harsh. ;-)
HIgh in the sky now, electronics buzzing again. Trays slapped down in eager anticipation of .00025 oz. bag of cookies and 1 oz. soda in plastic cup.
yes, folks, this here everyday blog is my online diary of daily mundane details. not the deep thoughtful stuff. Though these clouds rushing by the window are putting me in a thoughtful mode here… wish i were traveling someplace exotic...where they don’t speak english, but sells mangoes on street corners and stray dogs go trotting into grocery stores. don’t think i’ll find that in minnesota, wisconsin.. just some overweight packer fans drinking beer and eating deep-fried cheese curds.
waiting for my food. ears popping. turbulence. need that food now please.
cute pug in seat kitty corner from me. that’s ironic. a dog sitting kitty corner. i need a dog. random thoughts.
airline attendants wheel by with the big bulky cart, repeating their mantra, “watch your elbows, watch your knees…” ok, i’m watching them. will they do tricks? sure wish my daughter’s bony elbows would share the arm rest a bit more compassionately. planning passive-aggressive move of pretending to fall asleep and taking over her space, mwa-ha-haaaa….oops, now she’s reading this, my bad… she’s frowning at me and elbowing me quite harshly. sorry. now she’s writing her own blog on her tablet, and calling me a jubilant monkey. that’s ok. i love monkeys. especially the white-faced cappuchin and spider monkeys i’ve seen in the blogs about costa rica. just dreaming, one day… But beware: monkeys will throw their poop at you. so don’t get them mad.
poor sam. dude in front of her is a pilot resting up for a later flight, and he’s using his entitlement to lean his chair back into Sam’s lap, practically. So we can inspect his freckled greying scalp. ew.
ok. more observations of this flight. oh dear. i think i will have to use the loo. (i’m loving that word now. loo loo loo loo loo loo….) I do not enjoy using airplane loos. just saying. will say no more.
ok, i’m back. that was, ummm, interesting. a real high-in-the-sky experience. oh wait. was going to say no more. err, just one thing, note to self: always remove phone from back pocket before squatting (good for your gluts) on plane loo. you don’t wanna go down there..
ah, snack time. sounds of soda tabs popping, cookie wrappers crinkling. higher levels of happiness among passengers. sleep-inducing snacks consumed, lazy heads lolling back and forth on reclined headrests. mouths hanging open, oh gross. don’t look. babies crying. pug behaving perfectly. i need a dog.
sitting in rental car. in frozen rental parking lot. mpls. 2 degrees fahrenheit. can see our breath. made it this far. found a starbucks in the airport, got our frappucinos and dark roast, ahhh. Baggage claim. 5 hefty bags flung onto a cart we rented for $5. Well worth every penny as we schlepped our bandwagon across miles of MSP airport, bumbled it onto the tram for a high-speed, careening ride on the rails, and to the budget rental place. Dealbreaker came when I rolled it out into the parking lot, cringing at the onslaught of zero degree winds, and was faced with the daunting task of spotting the little “C3” sign on the parking space with our awaiting vehicle, above the perilously balanced mound of suitcases on the cart. speed bumps. what? did you say speed bumps? WHOOOOOOAAAA---CRASH!!! Over they go, suitcase after suitcase, clunking down off the pile and onto the frozen slush. I bust out laughing, and as I’m shot with a disapproving look, I lean over to pick them up and SPLOOOOSH there goes my dark roast, out of my cup and down the side of my jeans. I stop and stare in awe at the steam rising from my jeans. wow. i mean,i knew i was hot, but wow....oh never mind. it’s just the coffee in the cold air. I rebuild the king of the mountain of suitcases and continue sludging along. When my struggles become apparent, my job is taken over by another who, unknowingly hits another lovely speed bump, sending our 300 pounds of cargo once again sprawling across the ice. HA!!! I’m hooting uncontrollably this time, but unfortunately I am laughing alone. oh well. i find delight in the simple silly things…sometimes at the expense of others. sorry.
sitting in mcdonalds drive-thru. battling our spot in line along the snow-covered parking lot. tiny flecks of snow in the air, not sure if they’re flurries or just blowing. sunny blue skies.
that's all for now... the journey continues at Grandma & Grandpa's house.
Merry Christmas!!!!
89i
