This is my first time using my Bluetooth keyboard and my new office suite for my Kindle Fire. So far it's working pretty well, and nice to have two small things instead of a heavy laptop computer.
Today is my travel day for my trip to Hawaii, to which I have been looking forward (forward to which I've been looking?) for the last 6 months. I anticipated it as the gateway to my 10-day adventure, but also as a long day potentially fraught with difficulty. Of my last several trips, I have had enough problems with flight cancellations and delays that it has dampened my enthusiasm for air travel somewhat, so it was with mixed feelings that I embarked on this day.
The day began at 6:50, when I awoke to realize my children were not out of bed yet. Ordinarily their alarm goes off at 6:30. They don't have school today - records day for teachers, I think - but since my husband was bringing them into the day care today, I was concerned that they might not be ready in time. I wandered into their room, only to see my elder daughter's head pop up (she has a loft bed) and she whispered, "The alarm is set for 7, Mama." I nodded and crept out. That's my responsible girl. :)
I curled back under the covers for a few minutes, but my brain was already thinking about the few last-minute things I didn't want to forget. It was a losing battle - I got out of bed. I sat at the table with the girls as they ate, because I won't see them for 10 days. Then I went upstairs to get ready. My husband and kids left shortly after that - I hugged and kissed them goodbye, trying not to think how much I will miss them. Then my thoughts turned to today.
The drive to the airport was too short. My friend picked me up to take me and we had a lively chat about many things - so easy to do with this friend, and indeed, with many of my friends. It was strange to turn north at the exit where I normally turn south to go to work. She dropped me off and I went into our little friendly airport terminal.
I like flying out of Grand Rapids - the gates are close, the atmosphere friendly and relaxed, the food not too expensive. There were three people in front of me at security. I went to the gate, dropped my bags and went in search of a second breakfast. Got a bagel sandwich at the place I remember getting one last time I went to Hawaii, remembering that that bagel last time had saved my soul alive on the 9-hour flight.
I love that I heard at least three different languages being spoken in the gate area. I miss that sometimes. That's one thing I love about travel - the diversity, We boarded our plane for Detroit - one of those little connector flights. My luggage consists of a "25-liter" backpack from Tom Bihn (weight: 17 pounds) and a nylon zippered tote from LL Bean (weight: 13 pounds). The backpack fits under the seat, even with all my camping equipment in it. No wheels this trip - trying something new.
On the plane t Detroit I had a rather surly seatmate who had a slight accent - I'm guessing German, but I didn't hear him speak much. Originally I had gone past my row and was in the wrong seat - when I realized that, he had to move his big duffle, which was on the seat, to accommodate me. He didn't look happy.
I had been concerned at the short layover times between my flights - 42 minutes in Detroit. Our flight was only 27 mintes, and we arrived 20 minutes earlier than was posted on the ticket. Thank the Lion, because I had to get myself and my 30 pounds of luggage from terminal B to terminal A in 20 minutes. Thanks to the numerous moving sidewalks and the relative paucity of people headed in my direction, I made it with plenty of time to spare. I found out later there was a tram. Oh, well; I needed the exercise. First hurdle down; first prayer request answered favorably.
Boarded a larger jet headed for LA,and my seat companions are a couple from Australia who are headed to Hawaii as well, and staying there for 10 days on their way back home. There could be worse places to stay over, I should think. She was in a conference in Baltimore and was visiting a friend there as well. Very pleasant people.
There's so much that goes through my head on days like this. My possessions for the next few days are all being carried on my person; I'm trying this new "minimalist" packing idea, making things serve more than one purpose. It's amazing that my world shrinks to this small package, even as I venture into the world at large. Traveling alone, I have no one to "watch my back" (or my stuff, for that matter), so it's well that it is compact.
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1:30 PM - the pilot just announced that there has been a shooting at LAX. Of course I am too cheap to pony up the fee for the on-board wi-fi so I am out of the loop. We will be allowed to land but the airport is shut down to land traffic (people coming into the airport to pick up passengers). I have a feeling we may be able to continue on to Hawaii, but I don't know at this point, and I have to say I'm not particularly worried about it, because what can worrying do? I know whatever happens is by divine appointment somehow.
This is a huge change from the person I once was, not that long ago, in fact. I read in a book - last summer, I think it was, but I don't know for sure - a phrase that penetrated my anxious, worry-prone self in a way that no other epigram or Bible verse had. It was in a fantasy novel; pity, I don't remember the name of it, because I'd love to give it credit. It read, "Worry is praying for what you don't want to happen." Zing. Some words drive straight to the heart, and that phrase illuminated the foolishness of worry for me in a way nothing else did. Although I can't say I don't worry about anything anymore, it's surely a lot less. There's a huge freedom in that.
Nonetheless, I do wonder about this news item, for which we have so little information. I guess I will find out later what happened, and for sure how it affects me. But I'm certain it has affected someone, and for those people I pray.
Im not sure when I will post this; I doubt I will have any internet connection anytime soon, although if we land 25 minutes early as they had promised (of course, I don't know if this incident has changed that) I may be able to paste this into my blog. Sorry for the pedantic beginning but this really is a journal for myself, and there are things I want to remember that may not be of interest to anyone else, and that's fine.
I will leave you with that for now. We shall see how this multifaceted adventure unfolds.
From between the Paws
wb
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