Neither Rain, nor Sleet, Nor Dark of Night...
First, I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. I know mine was wonderful. And of course, there are stories!
Frank and I were all set to fly out to Yelm Washington on December 24th. The plan was that he would take me to work, then pick me up after our holiday luncheon and we'd go right to the airport to catch out 5:55 flight. Best laid plans...
Wednesday morning dawned covered in ice. After deicing the steps, sidewalk and car we headed to Norristown. The roads weren't too bad, until we got to Norristown of course. Salt? What is this "salt" you speak of? They obviously hadn't heard of it. An error in judgement on my part took us by the Elmwood Park Zoo where we hit a patch of black ice at about 15 miles an hour. We did a very slow slide and bumped the curb, no biggie right? I've had greater impacts parking! We braved the ice the rest of the way, and I even needed to jam my fingers in the lines of the car to get around it the sidewalk things were so slick...and get a hand from Frank. But I was safely at work and he got safely home. They day could roll on.
Oh, did I mention I hate airports? Love flying but I get stressed about missing the plane until I'm actually ON it. So I was a little anxious before the ice.
An hour or so later Frank texts that he has bad news. I text back "What?" He sends that there is something wrong with the car's alignment...great. I call and we make a plan of action. And did I know the little shelf with the figurines fell down in the bedroom? Sigh. No...I'll deal with it later.
Luckily there is a good auto shop 2 blocks from the house and they were open. Frank took the car in and by 11 AM I knew we needed a ride to the airport. The front spindle was bent. My car would be spending the holidays in the shop. So now I'm in plan mode. I asked Connie if she could give me a ride home and possibly to the airport which she was game for though she'd never driven to the airport before and feared not being able to get home. At this point I'm starting to think maybe I wasn't meant to go to Yelm. I firmly believe that if things get too hard to pull off then the universe is trying to tell me something. That's when the powers that be sent the second Christmas elf (the first being Connie).
I'd sent an e-mail to Lydia detailing the morning adventures and as I was about to throw in the towel she called to see if she could do anything to help. Why yes, could she take us to the airport at 2:30? So it was Lydia to the rescue! I also checked with Monie to see if she could be elf #3 and pick us up on the 30th which she so sweetly said she could. So Connie took me home, I gathered a few things then Lydia, Frank and I were off to the races thanks to some really wonderful friends.
On the way to PHL something disturbing happened. We were on 476 and a lawn gnome fell off a truck and was immediately obliterated by traffic. This is where I leaned back and begged Frank to tell me we didn't book with Travelocity. If we had there was no way I was getting on that plane! No, we were safe. We booked with Priceline and as far as we knew William Shatner was still alive and well.
From this point on everything pretty much went great. We got dinner in the airport, the plane was on time, the trip was loooong but uneventful, the rental car was there and we were soon on our way from Seattle to Yelm.
At 9 PM
After they'd had 12 days of snow
Did you know the environmental lobby won't let Washington state salt the roads?
Oh, and my cell phone decided to be a really expensive clock, but I wasn't dealing with that at the moment.
After some of the most misleading signage I've ever seen we finally made it on to I-5 and clear roads. We were doing pretty well until we had to turn on to Reservation Road. It was closed due to snow...mostly. We skirted around the sign and after about 50 yards saw the opposing sign and figured all would be well. Not really. the road hadn't been plowed, it was pretty much mountainous and we were trying to keep our car in the tracks that were left from cars before us. I have to say Frank did great, even with me as a nervous passenger. You know how it is when you are used to driving and now can't do anything but sit there. Oh, and then it started snowing again. I had visions of Donner Pass flashing before my eyes.
But soon we were back on plowed roads and the lights of Yelm were in sight. We checked into the Prairie View Motel and Frank called his family to see if they were still awake. They weren't so I grabbed a shower and we snuggled into the king sized bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.
Christmas morning dawned...rainy (it is Washington after all). Frank chipped the ice off the car and we headed to Josh and Betsy's. Everyone was still in their jammies, making breakfast and playing with Miss Audrey (Josh and Betsy's daughter, Frank's niece). Mountains of presents awaited the littlest of us and soon she set to work on them. We lost Megan behind them at one point...but we found her!
I have to say here that I love Frank's family. I feel so at home with them, it's almost like hanging out with my family. You know that comfortable feeling where it's okay just to hang out and talk, read, be goofy. Alan and Bridget were the Master and Mistress of bacon for the entire time we were there. I think when I get home I was suffering bacon withdrawal for the first few days. Audrey, who is 18 months old, was an angel. Not only is she sweet and adorable, but in 5 days there wasn't one temper tantrum or crying jag. The thing I found really neat was how everyone sort of took on parenting duty.
Audrey would wander into a room where no one was and someone would wander off after her. Betsy and Josh weren't left to fuss over guests and watch their daughter like hawks (especially nice since Betsy is 9 months pregnant and this is Josh's first Christmas home in like 4 years-he's in the military). If she needed changing Aunt Meg, Uncle John, Aunt Bridget or Grandmom could do it as easily as mom. Same with feeding. Uncle Sean was always available for playing, as was Grandpa, Uncle Frank, the girls and of course the dogs. I even got to accompany her watching Elmo in Grouchland (which reminds me I have to borrow that from Jack to I can see how it ends). Audrey was comfortable with everyone, even me. She knew she was safe and loved, and the center of attention at all times. It was that village people keep talking about and it was really great. And there are even pictures!
All to soon we were off to the airport again. Frank was expecting Betsy to go into labor about the time we hit Chicago, but as of this morning there is still no baby. We got in a little after midnight. Monie picked our tired butts up and we were soon snuggled in bed at home. Frank, crazy man that he is, went to work after a few hours sleep. I slept in, called the shop to find my car was ready and got together with Connie to catch up and get some lunch.
The rest of the year was devoted mostly to colds unfortunately, but 2009 came with the promise of another fantastic year.
2008 was another year with the love of my life, a wonderful family (both by birth and by friendship) and good health. 2009 has begun the same way. I am truly blessed.
Happy New Year!
Frank and I were all set to fly out to Yelm Washington on December 24th. The plan was that he would take me to work, then pick me up after our holiday luncheon and we'd go right to the airport to catch out 5:55 flight. Best laid plans...
Wednesday morning dawned covered in ice. After deicing the steps, sidewalk and car we headed to Norristown. The roads weren't too bad, until we got to Norristown of course. Salt? What is this "salt" you speak of? They obviously hadn't heard of it. An error in judgement on my part took us by the Elmwood Park Zoo where we hit a patch of black ice at about 15 miles an hour. We did a very slow slide and bumped the curb, no biggie right? I've had greater impacts parking! We braved the ice the rest of the way, and I even needed to jam my fingers in the lines of the car to get around it the sidewalk things were so slick...and get a hand from Frank. But I was safely at work and he got safely home. They day could roll on.
Oh, did I mention I hate airports? Love flying but I get stressed about missing the plane until I'm actually ON it. So I was a little anxious before the ice.
An hour or so later Frank texts that he has bad news. I text back "What?" He sends that there is something wrong with the car's alignment...great. I call and we make a plan of action. And did I know the little shelf with the figurines fell down in the bedroom? Sigh. No...I'll deal with it later.
Luckily there is a good auto shop 2 blocks from the house and they were open. Frank took the car in and by 11 AM I knew we needed a ride to the airport. The front spindle was bent. My car would be spending the holidays in the shop. So now I'm in plan mode. I asked Connie if she could give me a ride home and possibly to the airport which she was game for though she'd never driven to the airport before and feared not being able to get home. At this point I'm starting to think maybe I wasn't meant to go to Yelm. I firmly believe that if things get too hard to pull off then the universe is trying to tell me something. That's when the powers that be sent the second Christmas elf (the first being Connie).
I'd sent an e-mail to Lydia detailing the morning adventures and as I was about to throw in the towel she called to see if she could do anything to help. Why yes, could she take us to the airport at 2:30? So it was Lydia to the rescue! I also checked with Monie to see if she could be elf #3 and pick us up on the 30th which she so sweetly said she could. So Connie took me home, I gathered a few things then Lydia, Frank and I were off to the races thanks to some really wonderful friends.
On the way to PHL something disturbing happened. We were on 476 and a lawn gnome fell off a truck and was immediately obliterated by traffic. This is where I leaned back and begged Frank to tell me we didn't book with Travelocity. If we had there was no way I was getting on that plane! No, we were safe. We booked with Priceline and as far as we knew William Shatner was still alive and well.
From this point on everything pretty much went great. We got dinner in the airport, the plane was on time, the trip was loooong but uneventful, the rental car was there and we were soon on our way from Seattle to Yelm.
At 9 PM
After they'd had 12 days of snow
Did you know the environmental lobby won't let Washington state salt the roads?
Oh, and my cell phone decided to be a really expensive clock, but I wasn't dealing with that at the moment.
After some of the most misleading signage I've ever seen we finally made it on to I-5 and clear roads. We were doing pretty well until we had to turn on to Reservation Road. It was closed due to snow...mostly. We skirted around the sign and after about 50 yards saw the opposing sign and figured all would be well. Not really. the road hadn't been plowed, it was pretty much mountainous and we were trying to keep our car in the tracks that were left from cars before us. I have to say Frank did great, even with me as a nervous passenger. You know how it is when you are used to driving and now can't do anything but sit there. Oh, and then it started snowing again. I had visions of Donner Pass flashing before my eyes.
But soon we were back on plowed roads and the lights of Yelm were in sight. We checked into the Prairie View Motel and Frank called his family to see if they were still awake. They weren't so I grabbed a shower and we snuggled into the king sized bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.
Christmas morning dawned...rainy (it is Washington after all). Frank chipped the ice off the car and we headed to Josh and Betsy's. Everyone was still in their jammies, making breakfast and playing with Miss Audrey (Josh and Betsy's daughter, Frank's niece). Mountains of presents awaited the littlest of us and soon she set to work on them. We lost Megan behind them at one point...but we found her!
I have to say here that I love Frank's family. I feel so at home with them, it's almost like hanging out with my family. You know that comfortable feeling where it's okay just to hang out and talk, read, be goofy. Alan and Bridget were the Master and Mistress of bacon for the entire time we were there. I think when I get home I was suffering bacon withdrawal for the first few days. Audrey, who is 18 months old, was an angel. Not only is she sweet and adorable, but in 5 days there wasn't one temper tantrum or crying jag. The thing I found really neat was how everyone sort of took on parenting duty.
Audrey would wander into a room where no one was and someone would wander off after her. Betsy and Josh weren't left to fuss over guests and watch their daughter like hawks (especially nice since Betsy is 9 months pregnant and this is Josh's first Christmas home in like 4 years-he's in the military). If she needed changing Aunt Meg, Uncle John, Aunt Bridget or Grandmom could do it as easily as mom. Same with feeding. Uncle Sean was always available for playing, as was Grandpa, Uncle Frank, the girls and of course the dogs. I even got to accompany her watching Elmo in Grouchland (which reminds me I have to borrow that from Jack to I can see how it ends). Audrey was comfortable with everyone, even me. She knew she was safe and loved, and the center of attention at all times. It was that village people keep talking about and it was really great. And there are even pictures!
All to soon we were off to the airport again. Frank was expecting Betsy to go into labor about the time we hit Chicago, but as of this morning there is still no baby. We got in a little after midnight. Monie picked our tired butts up and we were soon snuggled in bed at home. Frank, crazy man that he is, went to work after a few hours sleep. I slept in, called the shop to find my car was ready and got together with Connie to catch up and get some lunch.
The rest of the year was devoted mostly to colds unfortunately, but 2009 came with the promise of another fantastic year.
2008 was another year with the love of my life, a wonderful family (both by birth and by friendship) and good health. 2009 has begun the same way. I am truly blessed.
Happy New Year!
posted by Liz @ 8:21 AM
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