Up, Up and Away

 

Trip one is almost behind. I’m writing this on the flight back from Portland. Arrival at the airport was uneventful. We all like uneventful trips. It’s much easier to get through security now than it was even a couple months ago.

 Security requirements are changing again. There were no TSA agents yelling about liquids in the quart-sized plastic bags or removal of shoes or laptops.  Even the necessity to shut off all electronic devices prior to take-off has changed.  Yippee!!

The closest I came to SNOW!

The trip was uneventful but didn’t go exactly as planned.  When I showed up at the gate ready to put my name on the standby list, I discovered the flight was full!! I could hang around and chance it …. Or, I could opt to take a flight that went through San Jose. That’s what I did.  That was just a little hiccup.

This was my first trip taking my new little tablet instead of my laptop. I was beaming from ear to ear when I pulled my tablet and keyboard out to show Tammi and Robert. I knew they had two iPads but I like my Windows 8 tablet much better than the iPad. I was bragging but shouldn’t have been because I also know both my kids and their families are addicted to electronic gadgets. Our son even has a water filled radiator component for his computer. My little tablet was certainly beat because Robert pulled out Tammi’s Microsoft Surface Pro. With an Intel i5 processor and 4 GB of ram  in a tablet, I can really see where my laptop may become history.

It’s always nice being with family. I like that best and I got a chance to spend a little time with everyone. Our family always shows out in force for special family events. With Sandi’s induction into National Honor Society we were all there for her. Well, all of us that could be there that is. We were the biggest group of all in the very small library.

Pictures and more pictures were taken.  I haven’t had time to fiddle with many yet.  However, I’m always amazed with the pictures that are taken by others. It seems there is usually an old lady
in some of them. I wondered who the old lady was for a while. Then, I realized it was me. When did I get old? I don’t feel old inside.

See what I mean?  Who is the old lady?

Desserts were provided so we opted to eat dessert before we headed off to the local Mexican restaurant. With lots of conversation and very full bellies we eventually called it an evening and went our separate ways. The next morning was to come early and early it did. By 4:30 AM Tammi and I were at the airport in Portland. She travels on her job about three days a week so these early departures aren’t really unusual for her. It certainly was for me though.  Portland is a rough airport to go standby at.  Flights are usually full.  I needed an early morning one and then needed to hope some folks didn't get up early enough to catch their flight.  It worked.

I even had time to check on the cabin.

There were no lines getting through security. I was flying American this time instead of Southwest and had a little TSA pre-checked printed right on my security document! What a breeze it was!  Obviously, I’d much rather fly on American than any other airline. Things were looking good especially when I arrived at the gate and discovered I had been given a first class seat. Things were good until …. I also discovered I had forgotten my headphones!! I had loaded movies on my tablet but now had no way to listen to them.  . 

I even took a picture of the lake.  Can you see it?  Neither could I.  It was pretty foggy there.

It’s interesting watching fellow travelers. I’m always amazed when I fly first class at the number of people who start drinking early in the morning before take-off because it’s free and stop only when it’s time to land. It just amazes me … I’m thinking coffee and they’re thinking booze.

With all this time to write I wrote so much I had to edit out most. I had gone way beyond my self-imposed word count.  Well, the flight is almost over. I’ve pretty well entertained myself without the headphones. I wrote the blog, took pictures, drank coffee, ate breakfast and played a couple games of Spades. I even got a chance to charge my phone and tablet since I was sitting in a seat with an outlet. I have an hour layover in Dallas and I’m hoping to walk by a little store on the way to the next gate where they sell headphones.

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Flight 2 .. Dallas to Vegas -- I got an excellent aisle seat.  Thank goodness I didn't have to stuff myself into the middle. With my new headphones it was movie watching time ... well, in addition to conversing with the flight attendants and getting all the freebies that were offered.  Life is Good!  Oops ... it won't be so much when I get back to the Vegas airport.  I lost my ticket to the Jeep I parked at the terminal.  Now that won't be fun!

The rest of Thursday will be spent unpacking, doing laundry and re-packing as we get ready for Trip 2 the next day and on to Norfolk.

Tomorrow will be like Groundhog Day ... I'll be doing this all over again except different airports..

‘Tis life in the air.

Drive into your future looking at the open road ahead
rather than into the rear-view mirror of your past.