Member Blogs

Here I am in Vancouver

Yesterday, I drove to the airport, and parked in the parking garage,

because I was flying internationally, and my flight was leaving in 45

minutes, and I didn't want to mess around with the economy parking or

the shuttle. I parked, went and checked in, and learned my flight was

delayed. Forty-five minutes.

So, I went and got a small, pumpkin spice frappucino and fretted

around a bit, called Dereck, told him I wasn't going to move the van,

hung up the phone, fretted more, and then went and moved the car to the

economy lot. Oh, so glad I did, too.

My flight got delayed more. Then, we finally got onto the aircraft,

and we learned that there was a hydraulic leak. More delays. I called

United and told them I didn't think I would make my connecting flight

in Chicago, so they got me onto a later flight. Which was then, also,

delayed.

The flight from Chicago to Vancouver is LONG. I had no idea it would

be that long. We had two drink services, plus they ran through with

water-- next time, I'll bring a large bottle of water with me on the

plane. We were shown Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the

season finale of The Office (one hour) and most of an episode of Cold

Case. I tried to dose, but my legs were twitchy from ordering a coffee

with Bailey's. I had headphones in my seat that didn't work, but I was

very nice about it (and then I found some in my bag), so they didn't

charge me for my Bailey's. At least I think there is an ipso facto

relationship there.

I got to Vancouver at midnight. The airport is beautiful, all

catwalks and windows, with light-fixtures hanging from the ceiling like

dragonfly wings or great mosquitoes. I was walking over head on the

catwalks, racing to customs with the passengers that got emptied from

six different flights from the U.S.

Fortunately, customs didn't take long. I got to the baggage carousel

and my luggage never came out. So, I went over to the desk and the man

asked me to go check the carousel. I told him I had just come, and then

he smiled and told me that many people had checked with him without

bothering to go look first. He scanned my baggage tickets (I never

realized before how important those are!) and told me that my slutty

bags had hooked up for drinks and illicit sex in Chicago for the night.

They would be delivered to my hotel the next day at 3:00 p.m.

I took a cab to my hotel, checked in, asked for toothpaste,

toothbrush, deodorant, and received tooth paste, toothbrush, shaving

gel, razor, lint brush, and a tampon. Oh well, I suppose a good