Well, I'm back. How is it that you can go away and it seems like your time there goes by in a flash, and yet when you return you feel like you've been gone a long time? I've never understood that, but it's exactly how I felt with this trip. Time with the family or people you care about always seems to go by so quickly. But I enjoyed it all immensely. I spent a couple nights at my sister's place for some "girl time". We ate continuously, as usual! The rest of the time was spent at Mom and Dad's. We had our Christmas celebration---on New Year's Day, actually. Being a family that contains 2 nurses, we have learned to celebrate the major holidays on any given day. =) We usually choose to celebrate Christmas after Christmas, because that's when I can get home and we just can't get ourselves together in time for a before Christmas bash! lol I kind of enjoy celebrating Christmas late, though. You feel like you get two holidays, and you also feel like you are getting to celebrate a "secret holiday" that no one else is getting. =) I love Christmas Day when I know that in a week or two I'll have Christmas all over again. I know, I'm funny that way. You can just leave me to my own little world. It's cozy and safe in here. lol Anyway. We had a lovely Christmas with much gift giving and eating and game-playing---and me trying desperately to stay up late! When I am working I'm in bed around 7pm, so you can imagine living with a bunch of other people who are used to staying up until all hours! I could have gone on to bed, but what fun is that? I don't get to see them very often, so I didn't want to miss anything. But I confess to dozing in a chair for a while some nights.... I did manage to be awake at Midnight New Year's Eve to count down the last few seconds. =) I wish I could flip a switch and change my sleep/awake times just like that. Then when I went to visit my family I could set it on "Very Very Late" and when I got back home switch it back to "Very Very Early"! lol While I enjoyed the family and being cozy together inside, outside it got Very cold! Brr! The last night I was there it dropped to nearly -15 degrees! Yes, that is a NEGATIVE! Yikes! You should have seen my family---the hale and hearty Northerners they are---outside one night setting off fireworks! Squeaking snow notwithstanding, there they were. I enjoyed them too--just from the warmth of my mother's kitchen! lol Too cold out there for me! The time with the family was wonderful (just too short), but the trips up and back are another story! Both directions were complicated. The trip North was complicated by that huge storm that came sweeping left to right across the country. I was given the choice of a later flight, which I took, hoping I would have a better chance of getting home in one day. I did (get home in one day), albeit after more delay. The trip South was even more of an adventure. My flight from Albany was delayed right off the bat, which meant I was going to miss my connection in Baltimore. However, at the flight counter they told us that the airline was holding all the connections in Baltimore except for one---which wasn't mine, thankfully. So off we flew after another hour+ delay. Upon landing in Baltimore, I realized that we had come in at the far left side of the airport (just go with it, it makes this whole thing easier to understand!) and I had to make my way to the far right side.....not good. To top it off, on the monitor my flight was listed as "Boarding". Then panic set in. I know they had told me in Albany they would hold the flight, but.... All I could think of was that they might be near the end of boarding and would decide little ol' me was not worth waiting for any longer and shut the door and then I'd be stuck in BWI all night (this was the last flight out to RDU). So I ran. Out-of-shape me, in slippery slip-on shoes, dragging a small wheeled bag, trying desperately to get to gate B13(appropriate number don't you think?). At one point, as I approached the stairs---yes, I had to go UPstairs!---someone was standing in my way and not paying attention, and I just hollered "Comin' through!" and kept on moving. After I got upstairs, around the corner, and started down B concourse I knew I had to abandon the shoes. I just couldn't run efficiently in them. So add to your mental image shoes in hand, and showing off my pink/black/gray striped socks to everybody and their brother. Nice, isn't it? I ran until I just couldn't. run. anymore. I had to stop and gasp for air and for a very brief moment was afraid I might pass out. Oh wouldn't that have been lovely? A grand addition to my day! lol But thankfully that didn't happen. Just a few wobbles of the legs and I walked as quickly as I could the rest of the way to the gate. I have not run like that in quite some time---and hope to not have to again any time soon! Whew. But thanks be to God they were still boarding, so my seat was safe. Although with Southwest's open seating policy it meant I had to sit in a middle seat even though I had paid for better. grr. But that's ok. I won't complain. At least I made it on and didn't have to spend the night in BWI! I'm thankful to God for working everything out, even though it may not have been the comfortable, scheduled way I would have chosen. =) I do hope this adventure is not an indication of the year ahead, though! Adventure is one thing. Panic-stricken adrenaline rushes are quite another! lol All in all, a lovely time partying with the family---a Merry Christmas. I hated to have to leave it all---although I was Really glad to get back to more sane weather here in the South......=)
Happy New Year Everyone! May your '13' be the best yet!
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