I’m home from CT. Last I posted I was at the airport, anxiously awaiting my “on-time” 45 minute flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa. It was a beautiful bright sunny hot day there. We boarded the plane, which was full. Not an empty seat, in fact there were standbys hoping they’d be able to snatch a seat.

Once we were boarded the pilot announced we’d been held for an hour because of severe thunderstorms in Tampa. No one could come or go, and the gates were all full. They allowed us to deplane if we wanted. I chose not to, I’d walked around that airport enough. About 40 minutes later, as passengers were re-boarding, they announced we’d leave in about 10 minutes. Then, 10 minutes later he came on and said, “I have the worst possible news. This flight has been canceled.”

WTF? So, we all gathered our stuff. Luckily, I had a seat close to the front, thanks to buying the early bird check-in on Southwest. I got to the kiosk on the concourse quickly and with 200 other people waited my turn to change my reservation. Turned out the next flight out was at 9:20. I had 5 hours to kill.

Talk about getting the wind blown out of my sails. I found a seat with a phone charger by it, and called Dan to let him know the new plans. Then I turned on my kindle, and read. But really, sitting in an airport chair for hours was enough to put me to sleep. And, while I will sleep in a plane, I would not sleep with a bag next to me which held a visible laptop and kindle and my meds. So as soon as my phone recharged, I got up and began looking for something to drink.

Starbucks, at every airport, but I didn’t want coffee. I asked for a peach citrus tea, which I chose from their sign. They were out of it, of course. So I got some other fruity tea, which I think was something about passion, but I couldn’t really understand the girl waiting on me. She asked someone else if it was fruity and they said yes. So….There I was with my $5.30 tea. I wasn’t hungry, but I was craving a salad. I had been wanting a salad for 2 days.

I found one. A pre-made kale salad, that looked at least fairly fresh. I went to the register to pay for it, $10. For a small container of kale with a few carrots and radishes, and 5 cubes of feta cheese. But it was greens, and I was happy to eat it. Most of it, anyway.

The plane finally left on time, at 9:20. When we got to Tampa we sat on the runway for a half hour, waiting for a gate. But I got off the plane, Dan met me at the shuttle gate, and we went to baggage claim for my suitcase. Except that after waiting 40 minutes, and a notice that the plane was unloaded, realized my bag did not make it with me. We went to the baggage claim office to make a report, and there were 100’, literally 100’s of bags laying on the floor there, and a line of about 30 people. By now it was 11:30 and I was beat and not about to wait in a line for another hour. We left and figured we’d call them in the morning. As we left, and walked by other airlines baggage claims we saw not 100’s but 1000’s of bags, unclaimed, just piled up on the floor. What a mess.

We called them Monday morning, and waited for someone to call me back. Monday night when I went to bed I was thoroughly exhausted, and still had not heard from Southwest. They finally called, at 11:30 that night, waking me from a deep deep sleep. They had found the bag at 6:15 in the morning, and I had to go back to the airport to get it. Apparently if the delay is caused by weather, you have to pay to have it delivered. Even though, there was no weather in Ft. Lauderdale, and the plan I was on was 2 gates from the original flight that was canceled and they had 5 hours to move it that 100 yards. So later Tuesday we went and got the bag.

Whatever. I got the bag, I got home safely. We have been working non-stop on the boat for 2 days, except in the afternoons when it’s just too friggin hot. It should be ready for the water in a few days. I’ve caught up on my sleep, and am so happy to be back to my real life here.

Up in CT, everyone kept telling me how good I looked, like I was glowing was a word I heard a lot. I’m sure most of it was just to be nice, but I told them, “Hey, I have an awesome guy in my life, absolutely no drama, AND I don’t have to go to work every morning! I SHOULD glow!” LOL.

And it’s true. I’m one lucky girl.

Love and light to all.