Holiday Nuisances

Do you know what nine hours of my time is worth? A twenty-minute calling card and an $11 meal voucher. I spent a joyous nine hours in the Kansas City airport on the 21st. I was barely in the air by the time I thought I would be. My plane took off an hour and fifteen minutes late due to people sending too much last-minute holiday mail. We sat at the gate that long to get within a proper weight range, which made me miss my connecting flight. Despite having reserve seating, I was not put on the first flight out to Omaha. I wasn't even chosen for standby seating that came available. I waited� and waited� and waited� and waited� and then waited some more. Three flights went before mine. All those flights were on time. The flight after mine was on time. My flight was two and a half hours late. Yeah. Blew my whole day.

This is my first botched airline adventure. I haven't flown that much, so I haven't had much opportunity to have my travel plans hosed. Of course, it has to happen on a trip where I only have two days to spend with my family. It has to happen on the flight out, which cut down on my visit rather than on the flight back, which would only make me late getting home. I have lots to complain about and nothing to show for it. Others walked away with a free round trip ticket. I didn't get picked as a volunteer, so no free ticket for the nine hour queen. I was in that airport longer than people who worked there.

What's worse is Kansas City airport blows. There is nothing to do there, not even a damn pinball machine. And it's cold. I wore my coat the whole time, as did everyone. The staff has a space heater behind their desk. One wore a scarf. It was that cold. The only thing that saved me from hanging onto the next plane to Omaha by my frozen fingers was a cool guy stuck there with me for seven of the nine hours. He ended up taking a flight to Lincoln just to get the hell out of there.

I finally arrived in Nebraska at 9:10 PM, five hours after I could have been there had my parents driven down and picked me up. I was scheduled to be there at 11:55AM. Hindsight and all that, but damn!

What little time I had in Nebraska was good. I got to see my mom and dad, my sister, my brother and his family, my grandma and my best friend and her family. It was a whirlwind, and I was headed back the airport before I knew it.

I wish I could have stayed longer. It was nice to be the center of attention for a few days, and it was nice to be the favorite aunt to those six nieces and nephews when I let them open their presents. The oldest was sad to see me go, and I felt badly not being more involved with all the kids when I had the chance. At least I get to be the special aunt.

I came home to my own kids waiting right outside the gate with a welcome home sign for me. What a cool way to come home. John had even fulfilled his promise to clean the house, so I didn't walk into a pig sty.

Since I did most of my work before I left, there was only a little bit of wrapping to do before we went to Christmas Eve at my inlaws. Unfortunately, Hammy woke up with a sore throat, but his lack of a fever kept me from taking it really seriously. I had a bit of a sore throat in the first day of my cold, and Booie went through the same thing while I was away. I figured it was the same thing as well. But a continued sore throat and a way whiny boy at Grandma and Pappy's house meant something more. I called the doctor on call at 10:30 PM on Christmas Eve. Talk about feeling like a schmuck, but what could I do? I hate seeing my kid suffer, and he was willing to forget the whole Santa thing and go to the emergency room. The doctor recommended not doing the wait all night in the ER routine and told me he would look at j the next day. So Christmas morning, after opening gifts, we went to a doctor's office where it was confirmed Hammy has strep. Ham proceeded to pass out for the first time while in the doctor's office. Poor kid.

I came home to find John still laid out on the couch wrapped in a blanket, fearing he too had strep. So Booie and I packed up to go to Christmas at the rest of the inlaws by ourselves, which was bad in itself, but it's sad not to be together.

The day wasn't all bad. John loved the guitar stand I got him and had even considered buying it himself earlier. I got a Handspring Visor from John, which I've been mentioning for months. The kids loved their gifts. We were together, and I wasn't in Kansas City anymore. That in itself is a great thing. Explaining my ordeal to people in twos and threes was a bit tedious, but that's the price you pay for being interesting, I guess.

You know, I still haven't sent my Christmas cards. Maybe if I put that Visor down long enough, I could get them done. I should have done like my sister-in-law said and taken them on the trip with me. I would have had the time. Now, I have a fun toy to play with instead.