Visiting my family in New York last month, many evenings we weren’t home until late. Sometimes really late. For example, the night of my arrival, my flight was 5 hours late!
That’s right – a 5 hour delay! You know how good intentions sometimes go array and even with careful planning, things happen that are out of your control? Well, I planned my trip months in advance. I carefully scoured the flight schedules of several airlines, checking layovers, plane changes, etc. in order to (1) arrive at my New York destination at a decent hour and (2) take the most direct flight path with minimum layovers.
Literally, right “out of the gate”, my plan disintegrated. Charlie drove me into San Diego and we arrived at San Diego International Airport about an hour before my plane was scheduled to depart. I said goodbye to Charlie at the curb and went over to the curb-side luggage handlers to check in. I already had my ticket and boarding pass and thought taking advantage of this service would be both less stressful and faster.
Right away the attendant said “ma’am, I can’t check you in here. You’ll have to go to the ticket counter.”
“Why?” I whined.
“There’s been a change in your flight.”
Disappointed, I dragged my luggage behind me, headed inside, got in a miserably long line and immediately started fretting about the time. Frequently checking my cell phone for the time (I don’t wear a watch), I waited, anxiously, fearing that between clearing security and getting to the gate, I would miss my flight.
Imagine my surprise when it was finally, mercifully my turn at the ticket counter and the clerk tells me that I’m going to miss my connecting flight in New Jersey and they were searching for alternatives!
“Why?” I asked in disbelief. “I’m here at the airport in plenty of time!”
“Your flight originating from San Francisco is delayed. We don’t know when that flight will arrive here to continue to New Jersey.”
To this day, I don’t know what happened to the plane and my flight that originated in San Francisco. After waiting hours in the San Diego airport to leave on some flight, any flight, that would take me to the East Coast, I finally boarded a plane to New Jersey. The bad news was, as I already knew, I missed my connecting flight from New Jersey to western New York and would have a further layover in New Jersey to catch the next flight.
With a heavy heart, I text my New York family the bad news. By the time I arrived, it would be after midnight and most of them would be asleep; or so I thought!
Weary from an already 16+ hour cross-country travel day, I exited the small puddle-jumper airplane by climbing down the gangplank, staggered across the tarmac in the dead of night, lugged my carry-on bag up a flight of stairs into the terminal of the small regional airport, out the stairwell door into the gate lobby, down the long corridor to Baggage Claim and there they were – all 6 of them!
“What are you all doing here?” I protested. “You should be in bed! I thought only Glenn would come and get me and I wouldn’t see any of you until tomorrow morning!”
It was a joyful reunion, a quick trip from the airport to their home and then the challenge of unwinding from the excitement so that this dear family could crash and burn in their comfy beds. After all, with the 3 hour time difference between California and New York, it was only 9:30 p.m. California time.
We all slept in (the next day was Saturday), had a leisurely day catching up and touring the local sites and then that night, went to One Republic’s concert at Darien Lake.
Can I tell you how fabulous that was? I took my fancy, dancy camera to the concert venue only to be turned away at the gate. No cameras bigger than a “point-and-shot” or cell phone allowed! So, Ryan graciously trudged (actually, I think he ran; he’s on a track team in college) my camera back to the car. This is the only photo I took at Darien Lake before my camera ended up in the car!
Darien Lake is an amusement park in Western New York, owned by the Six Flags amusement park family, with a large outdoor amphitheater. We sat on blankets on a grassy knoll, dead center of center stage. Although we were far from the stage, our unobstructed view couldn’t have been more perfect.
Settling in, the kids explored concert vendors and finally, after about an hour, the sound system ramped up to a crescendo and the first act, The Script, bounded onstage. Followed by American Authors, these two supporting acts were fantastic and by the time One Republic hit the stage, everyone on the grass felt they had more than received their $25’s (cost of a ticket) worth of entertainment!
Pumped up from a fabulous evening of outstanding music, at a wonderful outdoor venue removed from city lights, we arrived home, again, around midnight.
And, that’s just the first two nights!
On the few nights we were home, guess what we didn’t do? Watch TV! Except once – we watched a Disney documentary!
Here’s a peak at what a rare night at home is like for my brother’s family:
Erin, a college senior, likes to make, bake and decorate fancy cookies. Here she’s concentrating on dragonflies. Notice her One Republic T-shirt?
Molly likes to learn from her older sibs. Here she’s watching and listening to Erin as Erin decorates the cookies they made together. Notice her One Republic T-shirt?
Bizzy had just finished giving me a private viola concert. Doesn’t her face, albeit beautiful, lead you to believe she’s experiencing a post-concert low?
Ryan, home for the day from his camp counseling job, shares stories from the day.
Bizzy and Ryan both on computers…
Molly studying for her summer school final the next day. Where were their parents during all this activity? I decided to find out {grin}…
Smart parents enjoying some alone time for a fireside chat by a crackling fire in their living room (this is August, but Missy was cold!) with gorgeous family dog, Maggie.
Maggie knows how to get attention and love!
After several hours of studying for her final, Molly joins Maggie on the living room floor for a snuggle and a snooze.
A perfect end to another perfect day!
P.S. Thanks, Molly, for giving up your beautiful bedroom for your Aunt Carole! And, thanks, Maggie, for keeping me company in Molly’s bedroom (she slept on the floor by my bed the entire time).
Tootles,
Related Posts:
(other posts about New York)
- New York State of Mind
- Missy’s Two Tomato Pasta Salad
- Chautauqua Institution: Embracing Heritage, Culture and History
- Erin’s Iced Sugar Cookie Cutouts
- The Virtuoso
- Bizzy’s Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Erin’s Mocha Toffee Frosting
- Genesee Country Village: Where the Past Comes Alive
- Missy’s Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Wings Dip
- Canalside: the Renaissance of Buffalo’s Historic Waterfront
- Aunt Barbara’s Cheesy Potato Casserole
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