My jaw is sore. I couldn't figure out why for quite some time. Then, as I was in the car going from the airport to my Aunt's house in Brooklyn, I caught myself.
I have been clenching my teeth. I must have been doing it all day. All week, most likely. But, I am getting ahead of myself.
All week I had been fighting a cold. I have no clue how I got it. In my last entry I mused that I probably gave it to myself. Well, between the coughing and aches and general stressing about the trip, I have not slept. Wednesday night I was tossing and turning so much I was up until 3am, then up again at 7 to get the kids off to school. Even my husband was telling me to go back to bed. Which I did, and it only made me late for my lunch date with him. :-(
So, last minute as always, throwing clothes and cards into a suitcase that evening, and printing out addresses of the places I wanted to visit while in NY. The last time I looked at the clock it said 2am. The alarm went off at 3. If I dozed in that hour, I honestly couldn't tell you.
So, I threw on clothes, stuck my toiletries in the suitcase, nearly tripped over the dog on the landing bringing it downstairs, and loaded the van. Went back up and peeked on my girls. Oh they were so sweet and peaceful sleeping, I just wished I could have crawled in with them! I didn't think I would miss them before I even left, but I did. Kissed Bret goodbye, but I am not sure if even he remembered it.
I talked to a friend on the phone during the drive to the airport, it actually helped keep me awake. Of course, I left way too early in my stress. So, I had a flight at 6:45. By the time I parked the car in the long term lot, took the shuttle to the terminal, checked in, went through security and walked to the gate, it was 5:15. Of course 2, if I had left 30 minutes later I would have been rushing to make my flight! By the time I sat down to wait, I was sure I would fall asleep and miss the flight altogether.
Instead, I gave one last attempt at a longer layover in Minn to visit with my dear fellow pinko Dave, offering to give up my seat and take a later flight. Not only would it have given me 4 hours to visit, I would have gotten a free ticket voucher as well. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. Though I did get in 10 or 15 minutes earlier than expected, so it gave me a few extra minutes. And did I sleep? Well, no. I was stuck between two sweet elderly women. One enjoyed chatting incessantly with me even WITH my headphones on. The other was a bit overweight. So much so that she needed the armrest between us up the entire flight. All I have to say is, it is a good thing I don't have too much of a problem with personal space. :-)
SO- after a year of chatting online and raising cyber-hell together, I met in person the cave-dweller known as Topper. As all the people(so far)that I have met online have been, he is exactly how I thought he would be. Though boy- EAT something! You are paper thin! ;-) I was completely whacked out from lack of sleep, cold medicine, and for some reason that tune from "The Music Man" was playing my head. You know the one. "Pick a little talk a little pick a little talk a little..."
But it was a great half hour, and hopefully he will make the long 15 minute trek to catch me on the way home next week as well. I'll buy the coffee. :-)
After going through security again, I realized that the terminal I needed to be at was WAY on the other side of the airport, and I had only 20 minutes to spare. So I got my jog in for the day. Luckily, this flight wasn't as full, and there was an empty seat between me and the other person sharing the row. Unluckily, we hit more turbulence, this time enough to spill my drink. It was pretty consistent throughout the two hour flight. So again sleep evades me. I was laughing at myself a bit though. Why do you hold on to your seat tighter when you are freaked in an airplane? Is it going to keep you from falling?
When I was finished kissing the tarmac at LaGuardia, I turned on my cell phone and I had a message. My girls had called, to ask if I had gotten to NY yet or if I was still in the plane. That they missed me and to call them. OH yes I will certainly miss them this trip!
So now I am back to the beginning, in the car on the way to my Aunt's. During rush hour. In New York City. Heh. But we actually didn't do too bad, making it in 45 minutes using every back road that existed rather than the main highway. By this time I was feeling BAD. The aches had returned, and I was coughing like a lunatic. Then I realized I had not eaten a single thing all day. Gee, the little things you forget when you travel!
SO here I sit now, in the guestroom at my Aunt's. Glad that I am able to blog my adventures. I spoke to my kids, hubby is calling me back after they go to bed. :-) I visited with my Aunt Debbie, and later my Aunt Roberta, Uncle Sal, and my cousins came in to see me. I just about cried when I saw my little cousin, about to enter HIGH SCHOOL. Dear lord, he was just under 2 at my wedding. And my older cousin Anthony, graduating college. Someone dig my grave now. He was ring-bearer at my wedding!
SO I will go and be comatose now. Tomorrow a whole new adventure begins!
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