Snowing Once Again

There was a brand new foot of snow on the ground this morning. It was a kick in the gut. But the next kick was a little lower. Underneath that white mess was an inch of ice from the freezing rain the day before. My truck looked like a glacier after I brushed off the snow. I chipped away at the ice to gain access to my drivers’ side lock only to discover it was frozen solid. I had no way to get into my truck to warm it. I had to walk ½ mile down to the closest gas station (not to worry Travis, it was not a Citgo) only to discover they were out of ‘Lock De-Icer’. Seems they had a run on it that very morning.

After demonstrating to the clerk a good old Florida greeting, my solution was to buy a ‘Bic Lighter’, slog back to my ice coated truck and spend 20 minutes heating my car key then inserting it in the lock. I let out a triumphant chuckle when the lock finally released, but that sound quickly turned into insane babbling when I realized the door was unlocked, but still frozen shut!

I was still chipping, pulling, cussing and pounding when my neighbor walked by smiled and asked me if I was aware that Monday was the first day of Spring. Without waiting for an answer, she got into her “remotely started” pre-warmed car and pulled away.

Hanging from the side of my car like Spiderman, hands on the door handle, feet leveraged on the side quarter panel, I started screaming!

Do you think Jim and Phyllis would notice if I showed up for coffee one morning pretending like I had never left?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !

Trip Home from Florida

I almost spent another night in Atlanta. Airtran overbooked the flight and ask for volunteers to give up their seats. The reward was two free round trip tickets anywhere in the continental USA and a night’s stay at the Airport Marriott. I, being a generous humanitarian, bolted toward the desk screaming “ME ME PICK ME!”.

As I hurdled over waiting travelers, evaded overstuffed carry-on bags and pushed through impatient passengers, I spotted a large object moving at a high rate of speed out the corner of my eye. “Corner of my eye” is a bad description, “total eclipse of the sun” is a better depiction. I remember seeing this woman riding on the back of a leaning cart down Concourse D and praying she wasn’t on my flight. Not only was she a fellow passenger, we had our sights set on the same prize. Damn she was quick!

I increased my now unreasonable dash to the desk when a small child sucking on a juice box stepped in front of me, slowing me down just enough for Moby Dick to gain a half second advantage. That is all it took.

I rocked back and forth on my tiptoes trying to get the attendant’s attention, realizing I had to climb Mt McKinley before attaining that goal. The damage was done. As the sun reappeared and I stepped up to the ticket counter, the attendant looked up at me over his reading glasses, slowly moving his head from right to left. “Thank you for volunteering, but we have met our needs and do not need any more seats.”

I was crushed, 2 round trip tickets! GONE! I sighed (or sobbed, it was hard to tell), turned to reclaim my place at the end of the long boarding line and heard the attendant add, “There is a bright side. She was seated next to you on the plane.”

It did make the 2 hour plane ride little easier as the child with the juice box, whom got the seat next to me, howled in my ear most of the flight. His mother had no more juice after he spilled the first one, IN MY LAP!

I am already wishing I was back in Florida. I cracked open a beer tonight and instantly felt melancholy. Didn’t stop me from drinking it, but I would have enjoyed it more on the boat in the company of you guys.

THANK YOU, Jim and Phyllis for having us. Jim, it gets better and better every year. The first day's sail this year was AWESOME!!!!! I find myself planning for this trip earlier each year. Hell, this year I will probably start planning for March 2013 six months before I book March 2012.