Check Your Sanity at the Gate

My journey to the mitten was really nice. But it didn't start out that way...

I got myself (and Brian too) out the door at 4:30 in the morning. Anyone who has seen my at that god-for-saken-hour knows I'm either really tired or really cranky (or both). Everything seemed to be going as ok as things can be that early. Then I sat down on the plane. I was seated next to the guy I saw at the gate and felt bad for whoever would have to sit by him (karma). He was a 20-something male with longish greasy hair, looking like he hadn't taken a shower in a week (he smelled). After taking our seats we were told we would have to wait while they de-iced the plane. Then we were told we would have to wait because there was fog in Detroit. Then we were told we would have to wait while a radar got fixed so the plane could land in fog in Detroit. I was glad when we finally took off two hours behind schedule. I was trying to sleep off the annoyance but the guy was bumping me with his elbow as he read a sci-fic novel and chewed on his ragged sweatshirt's cuff.

Calling parents and boyfriend before we took off I found out my connection was delayed, so I wasn't worried about the connection. I should have known Detroit would bring me problems when the gross dude next to me stood up and stuck about three inches of butt crack in my face, while he waited for the line to move. I get to my new gate, through the lighted portal between gate A to gates B and C (the portal is like being in Tran) and the flight is in fact delayed. Then delayed again...then canceled. They re-book me on a flight a full 11 hours later. Pissed as hell, I call my dad to just come and pick me up. I slept on a chair in Detroit International.

We get to Grand Rapids, I call the airlines about my luggage (I had been told in Detroit that it would go to GR sometime that day). NorthWest informs me I should have been given a luggage tag, and I need to get to the GR airport to make a claim. So I go to the GR airpost anyway and make a claim. The luggage showed up at my house in the middle of the night, too late to give the comforts of pajamas or glasses.

Anyway that was the worst of it, I could have driven faster (we got home at 4:30, a full 12 hours of travel). I did get to see almost everyone I wanted too and had lots of quality family time. The trip to Traverse City was a pleasant one. And I got some very nice Christmas gifts.

Most memorable: Grandma presents all her granddaughters (aged 29, 25 and 23, thank god I'm the youngest) with queen sized quilts. They are really beautiful and they come with a note. The note states that she has always wanted to give her granddaughters quilts as wedding gifts, but now that she is 84 she might not make it to any weddings, so she is giving them now. Message: I love you, but I wish you gave me more great-grandchildren, get on that.