Well I made it safe to Florida Sunday night. It is good to visit my Dad and his wife, Sharon. They have an awesome home, with a great view of a golf course and ponds/lakes.
Saturday: I was supposed to leave this day and get into Florida close to midnight. I missed my flight. I thought I had a bit more time then I did, Anthony and I went to get something to eat. By the time I realized, it's getting later it was too late. I was already cutting it close, but thinking I had a little more time then I did, which really wasn't much, it was not a change to get checked in, security, and on the flight. Anyway, I spent another day home.
Sunday: Basically got up, lounged around, got ready, did a couple of things, and Ant took me to the airport to make sure that I got on the rescheduled flight. I forgot to mention that the airline representative was kind, and hooked me up to get on the earliest flight, there were several before the one I took, including a red eye for Saturday, which I am glad was full because I didn't want to take a red eye, all for no fee or cost. I was happy about that because when I had called the airline earlier to see, ironically, if I could go on an earlier flight Saturday as stand by, I was told there wasn't a stand by, but some other program where I would have to pay a fee, or pay even more for a ticket change. I also asked about luggage, and was told there was a fee, but when I checked in online Sunday, saw that for luggage there was NO fee, and that I could in fact check in TWO pieces of luggage for free.
Anyway, I got to the airport on time. Anthony and I were going to initially try and have breakfast before my flight, but time was starting to get late. Then Ant said that he thought that there would be a place before the security check in that we could eat at, there wasn't. So I got my suitcase checked in, and got in a long security line. Ant waited with me until I got to the security place. We said our goodbyes, and I was on my way.
I ended up getting Jamba Juice. I got to the gate as people were already starting to board. It was a full, tight flight. What I liked about it was there was a media center type thing where you could watch t.v. and listen to music for free in front of you, and an option to buy HBO movies. This is something similar to Virgin Airline Entertainment Center. So that kept me occupied the trip, although I had brought magazines, and work with me.
I changed planes in ATL, and didn't have to go too far. My connecting flight was in the same wing/terminal as my previous flight. I had to hustle. I grabbed a pizza, I was hungry even with my Lunchable snack I brought. By the time I got to the gate, people were already starting to board. I ate in line. I would be sitting in an Emergency Exit. This flight didn't have the Entertainment Center, probably because it would be a very short flight. I was sitting to a man and his wife. The man ended up talking to me the WHOLE way to Florida. He was nice, I did chat with him as well, but I was expecting a nice quiet flight. Some of the hightlights of what we talked about:
He volunteers in intercity schools and teaches kids how to play chess.
Him and his wife were coming back from a New Orleans Jazz Festival-I think it was called The French Quarter Jazz Festival. It is every April, free, for the locals, lots of stages, and actually held IN the French Quarter, he recommends that Ant and I go for vacation.
Bare Naked granola is something he eats, that is healthy and tastes good. My Dad had some at the house, I think Sharon eats it, and I tried it, and its good.
He gave some a recommendation on what to do in the place I am visiting.
His wife was reading a manuscript for a children's author who has written about a horse, Barbaro, I think. I need to look that up.
Night shuttle launches are life changing-his wife showed me a photo of one they saw.
That is all that I can recall right now. But for a flight that was maybe an hour, probably less, it was a full conversation.
So I get in, talk to my Dad, who meets me in baggage claim. It is good to see him. We get to the house, I get settled. We eat dinner, greet Sharon-who was resting, and I think we watch some t.v. I stay up late, still on West Coast time, and finally go to bed.
Monday: I sleep in late. My Dad and I go to lunch. We come back and do some sight seeing in the community he lives in. I take a nap, a long one, still jet lagged, wake up, and my Dad cooks. I miss home cooked meals.
Some of the things I learn about my Dad that I want to remember:
He worked on a horse farm when he was in his teens.
He took cooking lessons when he was in the military.
So far I am having a good time. We are planning to go Downtown in a little bit.
If you actually read all that and are still with me, wow! I am writing this out as a suggestion from a small group member, Hi Lisa! Sorry no pictures. I've only taken a couple. Hopefully later. I am also writing as a way to document the trip. I had brought a mini scrapbook, journaling blocks and book, and gluestick in hopes of scrapbooking on the road. I may use some of those things, but I think I am just going to blog it instead, and then maybe cut and paste entries and do a scrapbook when I get home.
Later.
