OK.....it has been three days since I have written much of anything.....but, not sure that is different than when I DO write (never much of anything)!!! Let's see if the sagging hulk of Me can remember back that far......
Tues: Diane and the 1st Lady went shopping for plants and flowers around Edmonton and were gone most of the day. Doug and I also went shopping to the regular stores: Home Depot, Pier 1, and several other stores within that particular strip mall which was all enclosed!! Buying lots of nothings, he and I ended our shopping spree in Starbucks sipping on coffee and a cappuccino(mine...didn't you know that?).
Returning to their beautiful condo/home on the 5th floor, Doug began to put together his contribution to the evening's diner......several racks of ribs on the "barbie" with his special dry rub. When the girls returned with very few flowers.....hmmm, just what DID they do?......they finished the other parts of the meal and we enjoyed a nice dinner. The weather on Tuesday??? The same damn things as always......clouds, drizzles, etc.
We left the condo about 6:30 and headed over to the other side of Edmonton....west side.....to go to a square dance!!!!! Can you believe that????? The last time we danced together was in the RGV the end of February.....and going there in Edmonton was great fun!!!!!!! Did we remember everything??? "You betcha" as Half-Gov. Sarah might say.
A funny thing happened during the evening........I was twirling Diane around, and somehow....our legs/feet became entangled and we both went flying onto the floor with a loud THUMP!!!!! Red-faces were on both of us....as we managed to get up, and return to dancing. Dozens of people were looking at these two strange bodies as they picked themselves up off the floor....I was on my back and Diane on her rear........wish it had been video taped!!!!!!
We returned to their condo, finished packing, and got to bed....exhausted!!!!! And all too soon.....
Wed: It was time to get our sagging, stiff, aching bodies up as we needed to leave for the airport no later than 9:30. And....that we did!! Sad to leave....as we are not sure when we will get back to Edmonton.....
Doug and Diane took us out to the airport and we said our "Farewells"....with hugs and kisses and more hugs. Sure will miss them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Entering the terminal, we found our way to the Delta check-in counter and went through that process. Interesting.....the agents at the counter did NOT weight our bags, but just lifted them and then tagged them......AFTER we had paid our $25 for each bag.......a little thing that pisses me off royally. Just another way the airlines can squeeze a bit more money out of us........!!!!
THEN....I exchanged our Canadian currency for American dollars....not many to exchange...haha. We were then directed to the USA pre-boarding screening rooms: passport control, immigration/customs forms to be filled out, luggage examined, and then....THEN, our own personal security check as in other airports......EXCEPT: the 1st Lady had been "randomly selected" to go into the full body scanner which sees through all clothing!!!!! AND, then since I was accompanying her, I, also, had to be checked out inside the scanner. Well.......it reminded me instantly of a sci-fi "beam me up" machine...or, a time machine.....as it was round, glass, and this xray vertical bar whirled by scanning/looking through our clothing. It is an individual thing, so she went first.....and then into this sci-fi machine I went. OK........
Exiting, as I asked the Federal Security guy if we could see how we looked.....and we were denied that wonderful experience!!!!! I just kept chuckling to myself..........as I am sure the examiners sitting somewhere in another room or out in cyberspace were gagging at the sight of these two sagging people.......because, at this age, sexy we are not!!!!!!! Finally, after about 45 seconds of standing there.....we were approved and we could move on.
All of this took quite some time....and it was good that we arrived when we did as our flight began to board at 11:30.....leaving for Minneapolis at 12:05. We did have time to grab a Starbucks and a sandwich/pastry to carry with us onto the flight......no REAL food for the cattle car section of the plane. The plane left on time, but before we began to move......I realized that the plane had VERY few people on it, so we were just one row back from the beginning of the cattle car section, and looking at the seats in front of us, I could see that they offered LOTS of leg room. Sooooo, I moved into the row in front of us...and the 1st Lady then had room to spread out on my seat for the flight. My legs could not even touch the seat in front of me......WOW!!!!!! WOW!!!!! Such room......and I haven't had that much room in a plane since I flew back from Manila, Philippines in 2000 when I was offered the opportunity to sit in 1st Class all the way to Detroit!!!!
We arrived 30 minutes early.....only a two hour and 10 minute flt.....and so, we had time to walk and shop in the Minneapolis airport shopping mall.......wonderful shops there!!! Then....it was time to board for the short hop down to STL, and even though the old plane was filled....and OLD it was, we made it into STL in only 50 minutes from take-off to landing. Then, after gathering our bags, we called the hotel for the shuttle to come pick us up so we could get our car from the hotel's parking lot, where we had stayed the night before we flew up to Edmonton. A great bargain....and I highly recommend doing this, as the night's room was only $59 and we could park our car FREE for the 14 nights we would be in Canada!!!!! A GREAT deal!!!!
Driving home, we arrived at 10pm......as it took about 45 minutes before we were shuttled to the hotel.....one negative!! Tired.....we unloaded the car....and soon fell into bed. Traveling by plane in this age is NOT a fun way of going, but it is quick!!!!!
TODAY: A VERY, VERY hot and humid day with the heat index at about 100 degrees!!!!! NOT what we have been used to....and this made our day very uncomfortable here in Misery. We did a bit of yard work for a few minutes and then came inside to cool down.....soooooo humid. Tonight, we did some more trimming of bushes after the sun disappeared and it began to get dark.......waaaaayyyyyyy earlier than we have been used to, as in Edmonton, it never became really dark until after 10:30pm.
And sooooo, we are back at the sticknbrick......and already beginning to think about our next journey!!! With appointments to meet, a trip to see Dr. Jeni for the finish of my root canal, and the 1st Lady going to see her mother next week, this month will soon be finished!!! However......with all of this........we had a super trip, an incredible time with Doug and Diane, and as always.......
LIFE JUST REALLY, REALLY INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!!
1 comment:
Flew on Delta a few weeks ago and checked in at the curb did the same thing with the bag. It seems they are used to lifting bags and think they are sure of the weight. The only problem is what if coming back they weigh it and it is over. Probably should ask them to weigh it anyhow. I would hate to have to pay additional "out the window" money to them. 1st bag 25, 2nd bag 35 and the beat goes on.
Post a Comment