Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Five States in 5 hours
Seriously, we did. Such is the state of air travel in the US these days. US Airways called to let me know there was a two hour delay on the flight home from Newark to Las Vegas. We would have missed our connecting flight back into Portland that was scheduled to arrive at 2:00 am. Yes I meant to type am.
Ellie's flight was to arrive at 7:00 am that same morning.
What came next was a mix of taut TV style suspense, car chases and a little Keystone Kops thrown in for good measure. I can tell you now, with great authority, that Marc has cojones the size of planetoids and that they are steel reinforced.
The original flight was supposed to leave at 8:44 pm from Newark. We were already on Manhattan when the call came about noon. This was not a case of poor planning on our part. I contacted the airline to find out what my options were. When I explained my problem to the operator she told me twice, or was it three times that my flight would get into Las Vegas at 1:30 am. I already knew that part. I asked her for a last time how that affected my connecting flight to Portland. She transferred me to a specialist, but could not give me a phone number to try if I was disconnected.
You can probably see where I am going with this. I was disconnected.
I called again and was given the chance to fly out of Newark at 2:33 pm. We should have had plenty of time to make it. Plenty of time except for the Free Tibet protest. Marc was so expert, so nimble at weaving between taxis and buses and clueless non native drivers, that he and Blackbird (his Prius has a name) seemed joined at the steering wheel. He cajoled, waved, cursed and railed for a few extra inches. It was a sight to behold. And then there was the Free Tibet protest. An immovable object came up against my darling unstoppable force. We conceded. It wasn't likely to happen.
I called US Airways again. So sorry to report that we can't get out of Manhattan this way right now. Any other flights you can find? La Guardia at 3:00. Hmm probably not given it's a Friday and we would have to drive the length of the island again. Who knows who else might be protesting.
Marc mentions Philadelphia. Bingo, there is a flight from Philly to Portland at 6:00 pm. Never mind that it's almost a hundred miles away. We'll take it.
That my friends, was my first introduction to the New Jersey turnpike. Marc expertly weaves his way out of Manhattan through a wide open Lincoln tunnel and we say good bye to the island of Danielle's dreams. We find ourselves amidst the hellish reality of toll roads. What sadist thought these up I'll never know, but soon enough we are rolling down the road at lot's o' miles per hour along a stretch of Turnpike that has a minimum of 9 lanes on each side. OK, I'm exaggerating a little, but it was huge. Periodically it squeezes into the toll booth and all traffic comes to a standstill. We press on.
Near the end of the trip along the NJ turnpike I begin to see airplanes - several of them. It reminds me of seeing hawks lazily, but attentively, wheeling above looking for a meal. It's a good sign, we are not far now. I start to relax but feel a little wary of what other traffic nonsense might be out there. Before too long though, we can see the city of Philadelphia across the river and I know we will make our flight.
Better still, it's a direct flight that gets us into Portland at 8:30 pm without a single stop. Not 2:00 am the next morning after a Dawn of the Dead zombie shuffle through the Las Vegas airport. We shuttle to the hotel in Portland and drop where we lay. Ellie's flight is delayed two hours till 9:00 am, but it's ok, because we will pick her up and take good care with her after we rest.
It's been a great trip. A chance for Danielle and I to reconnect in a positive fashion that allows for the adult she is becoming. But more on that later. It's good to be home.
Ellie's flight was to arrive at 7:00 am that same morning.
What came next was a mix of taut TV style suspense, car chases and a little Keystone Kops thrown in for good measure. I can tell you now, with great authority, that Marc has cojones the size of planetoids and that they are steel reinforced.
The original flight was supposed to leave at 8:44 pm from Newark. We were already on Manhattan when the call came about noon. This was not a case of poor planning on our part. I contacted the airline to find out what my options were. When I explained my problem to the operator she told me twice, or was it three times that my flight would get into Las Vegas at 1:30 am. I already knew that part. I asked her for a last time how that affected my connecting flight to Portland. She transferred me to a specialist, but could not give me a phone number to try if I was disconnected.
You can probably see where I am going with this. I was disconnected.
I called again and was given the chance to fly out of Newark at 2:33 pm. We should have had plenty of time to make it. Plenty of time except for the Free Tibet protest. Marc was so expert, so nimble at weaving between taxis and buses and clueless non native drivers, that he and Blackbird (his Prius has a name) seemed joined at the steering wheel. He cajoled, waved, cursed and railed for a few extra inches. It was a sight to behold. And then there was the Free Tibet protest. An immovable object came up against my darling unstoppable force. We conceded. It wasn't likely to happen.
I called US Airways again. So sorry to report that we can't get out of Manhattan this way right now. Any other flights you can find? La Guardia at 3:00. Hmm probably not given it's a Friday and we would have to drive the length of the island again. Who knows who else might be protesting.
Marc mentions Philadelphia. Bingo, there is a flight from Philly to Portland at 6:00 pm. Never mind that it's almost a hundred miles away. We'll take it.
That my friends, was my first introduction to the New Jersey turnpike. Marc expertly weaves his way out of Manhattan through a wide open Lincoln tunnel and we say good bye to the island of Danielle's dreams. We find ourselves amidst the hellish reality of toll roads. What sadist thought these up I'll never know, but soon enough we are rolling down the road at lot's o' miles per hour along a stretch of Turnpike that has a minimum of 9 lanes on each side. OK, I'm exaggerating a little, but it was huge. Periodically it squeezes into the toll booth and all traffic comes to a standstill. We press on.
Near the end of the trip along the NJ turnpike I begin to see airplanes - several of them. It reminds me of seeing hawks lazily, but attentively, wheeling above looking for a meal. It's a good sign, we are not far now. I start to relax but feel a little wary of what other traffic nonsense might be out there. Before too long though, we can see the city of Philadelphia across the river and I know we will make our flight.
Better still, it's a direct flight that gets us into Portland at 8:30 pm without a single stop. Not 2:00 am the next morning after a Dawn of the Dead zombie shuffle through the Las Vegas airport. We shuttle to the hotel in Portland and drop where we lay. Ellie's flight is delayed two hours till 9:00 am, but it's ok, because we will pick her up and take good care with her after we rest.
It's been a great trip. A chance for Danielle and I to reconnect in a positive fashion that allows for the adult she is becoming. But more on that later. It's good to be home.
Friday, August 1, 2008
New Yawk Here We Come
Getting ready to leave for New York, it's scary and wonderful all at the same time. I'm looking at what I'm going to take for knitting and reading. I think it will be the Wing o' the Moth shawl and the book Atonement. A good knit and a good read.
My daughter was home today from Hawai'i and it was so fun to listen to her talk about everything in her life. She is ready to fly. I just need to work on giving her the space to stretch and exercise her wings.
I might be taking a spindle and some fiber to spin too. Haven't decided if that's a good idea or a waste of precious space in the suitcase.
I have too many thoughts and feelings to put them in the blog in less than the space of a week. I'm hoping that I can relax during this trip and let Danielle take the lead. I'll also be seeing a little of Boston and that's a new place for me.
I'll be off the air for a bit, unless I can snag the computer for a bit. Be well, be safe, be happy!
My daughter was home today from Hawai'i and it was so fun to listen to her talk about everything in her life. She is ready to fly. I just need to work on giving her the space to stretch and exercise her wings.
I might be taking a spindle and some fiber to spin too. Haven't decided if that's a good idea or a waste of precious space in the suitcase.
I have too many thoughts and feelings to put them in the blog in less than the space of a week. I'm hoping that I can relax during this trip and let Danielle take the lead. I'll also be seeing a little of Boston and that's a new place for me.
I'll be off the air for a bit, unless I can snag the computer for a bit. Be well, be safe, be happy!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Tour de Fleece
At under an ounce total it's not a huge amount of yarn, but it was a blast.
The red is my nearly ten year old Romney dyed with cherry Kool-Aid in the microwave. The white is bamboo and is underplied :( The Cafe con leche is tussah silk and cotton. All spun and plied on hand spindles.
I have to say that this was a successful challenge for me. It re-introduced me to spinning and also got me going on my hand spindles and plying on them for the first time.
I have selected the tussah and cotton yarn for a sweater project. I'm going to knit it up and see what it says to me about what it wants to be. The Romney may have to wait for another little bit, the bamboo I'm still not sure what it wants to be.
I did bake a pie - basically reduced a flat of berries to a pie, marionberry biscuits and anyberry jam. It's been a great weekend.
The red is my nearly ten year old Romney dyed with cherry Kool-Aid in the microwave. The white is bamboo and is underplied :( The Cafe con leche is tussah silk and cotton. All spun and plied on hand spindles.
I have to say that this was a successful challenge for me. It re-introduced me to spinning and also got me going on my hand spindles and plying on them for the first time.
I have selected the tussah and cotton yarn for a sweater project. I'm going to knit it up and see what it says to me about what it wants to be. The Romney may have to wait for another little bit, the bamboo I'm still not sure what it wants to be.
I did bake a pie - basically reduced a flat of berries to a pie, marionberry biscuits and anyberry jam. It's been a great weekend.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Doing what comes naturally
That's going to be me. I successfully created wool and bamboo yarn and I hope to bake a pie and dye the yarn this weekend. It's supposed to be cooler that usual so I won't heat up the house.
Not sure what I will use to dye the yarn, but we'll see. I'm also hoping for some out and about time. May all your dreams come true
Not sure what I will use to dye the yarn, but we'll see. I'm also hoping for some out and about time. May all your dreams come true
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Bearable Lighntess of Being
I don't know if you saw that movie, the Unbearable Lightness of Being. They made a rough approximation of the book starring Daniel day Lewis. It's only now in my 50's that I have an understanding of all of the themes of the book. The book was wonderful, rich and nourishing to the soul.
My days are lighter than usual, and the weather is soft and welcoming. Berries are in season, and I haven't even picked any yet. I think I need to make a pie and freeze it for my kids to enjoy.
I haven't been baking - or cooking - much. But now with the kids gone, and my Sweetie back in Baltimore I am finally relaxing into a non-schedule of floating where I will.
It's good stuff. I'm going to try and do much more of it this weekend.
My days are lighter than usual, and the weather is soft and welcoming. Berries are in season, and I haven't even picked any yet. I think I need to make a pie and freeze it for my kids to enjoy.
I haven't been baking - or cooking - much. But now with the kids gone, and my Sweetie back in Baltimore I am finally relaxing into a non-schedule of floating where I will.
It's good stuff. I'm going to try and do much more of it this weekend.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
My world resumes spinning on it's axis
It's been a rough week or two. I think I've finally come out of my funk about Andi and so I've resumed being a human instead of someone hiding from the rest of the world and surreptitiously weeping.
And.....drum roll......Andi the bird has an interested party. Someone has noticed Andi and taken a shine to them down at the Avian Medical center. I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from me. Of course we'll have to see how it goes. This process is different from human adoptions in someways (less cost and paperwork) but similar in others (falling in love with your oh-so-hoped-for-to-be-new-addition-to-your-family). I pray that all things go well and that Andi will soon be in a home with another budgie so they can hang out and be pals together. It's not too much to ask.
Spinning is going well, I've committed to spindling enough yarn for a sweater - Buahahahahah! Yeah I know. I'm going to enjoy these next two weeks of relative peace and quiet. Then the world really does resume spinning madly. Soon - New York and Boston. My daughter will search for colleges, I will search for yarn.
And.....drum roll......Andi the bird has an interested party. Someone has noticed Andi and taken a shine to them down at the Avian Medical center. I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from me. Of course we'll have to see how it goes. This process is different from human adoptions in someways (less cost and paperwork) but similar in others (falling in love with your oh-so-hoped-for-to-be-new-addition-to-your-family). I pray that all things go well and that Andi will soon be in a home with another budgie so they can hang out and be pals together. It's not too much to ask.
Spinning is going well, I've committed to spindling enough yarn for a sweater - Buahahahahah! Yeah I know. I'm going to enjoy these next two weeks of relative peace and quiet. Then the world really does resume spinning madly. Soon - New York and Boston. My daughter will search for colleges, I will search for yarn.
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